Tiger-Cats slip past Argos

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Fans of the Argos and Ticats won't get their rivalry game on Labour Day this year, but Saturday night's intense contest between the two foes may have made up for that.

After the two teams wrestled the lead back and forth in a game-long offensive tug-of-war, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats came out the winner, 37-32 over their rival Toronto Argonauts from up the road and improved to 4-3.

The Ticats tallied 399 yards of offence while the losing Argos amassed a whopping 506 in a battle of gunslingers.

Hamilton quarterback Kevin Glenn completed 22 of 31 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns, while Toronto pivot Cleo Lemon converted 26 of 36 for 368 yards and three scores as his team suffered its sixth straight loss and fell to 1-6.

"It kind of reminded me of the playoff game last year, one of those games where it goes back and forth, back and forth, and you have to match everything that they do," said Glenn. "I think it was good for us, because it was a test to see if we could do it, especially with young guys, and we did it."

The offences both started off efficiently despite a heavy rain that lasted through the first quarter at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

Lemon opened the game by marching the Argos down the field on a five-play drive that ended in a 21-yard pass to receiver Brandon Rideau for an early Argos lead, and the start of a big day for Rideau which saw him grab six catches for 147 yards.

"There's no doubt Cleo took a step forward," said Argos head coach Jim Barker. "You can't ask more from a quarterback than what he did."

But the Ticats quickly answered back on their next offensive drive. Running back Avon Cobourne carried much of the load in moving the Tabbies down the field, and then Glenn punctuated the drive with a 10-yard touchdown shot to David Stala to even the score -- a CFL-leading seventh of the year for the veteran slotback.

Justin Medlock then added a field goal to enhance Hamilton's lead.

Lemon took aim at the endzone twice on the Argos' next drive, but over-threw his receivers both times, before Toronto chose to march out kicker Noel Prefontaine and settle for a game-tying field goal instead.

But the Argos then executed a well-balanced drive to perfection, mixing runs by Cory Boyd with passes to various receivers, and completing it with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Andre Durie for a 17-10 lead.

The Ticats came thundering right back to tie it up 17-17 again as Glenn tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Kelly, the first career score for the rookie slotback.

The Boatmen then missed a shot to pull ahead again as Prefontaine shanked a 21-yard field goal attempt and ended up with just a single point.

Instead it was the Ticats who seized the lead going into the half, as they lined up Medlock, and he booted a hearty 50-yard field goal to pull ahead 20-18.

"He's huge for us, and most important is the confidence I have in him," said Ticats head coach Marcel Bellefeuille. "With Chad Owens lined up in the endzone on the last play of the half, and he kicks a 50-yarder."

Hamilton didn't relinquish control to start the second half either, pouncing on an early opportunity to pin the Argos deep and limit them to a three-and-out. Then return man Marcus Thigpen further helped the Ticats with a 43-yard return, and the Ticats easily drove in from the Toronto 14. They then brought in backup quarterback Quinton Porter to execute his specialty, a one-yard score.

Lemon suffered a leg cramp and backup quarterback Dalton Bell came in for one series and did not disappoint. He drove the Argos into the redzone, and Cory Boyd -- back for the first time since suffering a knee injury in Week 2 -- ran in a one-yard score to edge closer to Hamilton, 27-25.

When Lemon came back into the game, he kept the Argos' momentum rolling, orchestrating another scoring drive which saw Rideau made a sideline grab and run it down 69 yards for the score and a 32-27 lead.

But it wasn't long before the Tiger-Cats stole back the lead, as Cobourne scored on a four-yard scamper. Medlock added an insurance field goal late in the fourth quarter.

The Argos made a thrilling final attempt at the win in the final minute. Lemon drove the Boatmen into Hamilton territory and tossed up a pass to Rideau with ten seconds left, but Rideau fumbled it and Ticat defensive back Bo Smith got the last touch to give Hamilton back the ball with one second left.

"It was such a shootout, and we fought hard man," said Lemon. "To come up short was disappointing, but to see the fire and the character of this team, that's one thing I'm proud of."

It was the first game for the Argos new defensive co-ordinator Orlondo Steinauer, who took over after Barker fired Chip Garber following Toronto's 36-23 home loss to Montreal last week.

"Our defence has to be better," said Barker. "When the offence isn't turning it over and we're giving up that many points, our defence has to be better."