Ticats Fine Tune For Regular Season In Preseason Finale vs. Argos

HAMILTON — The Toronto Argonauts battled back from a 16-point deficit to take down the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23-16 in Week B of pre-season action at Tim Hortons Field.
Former Ticats’ quarterback Jeff Mathews had a strong showing, throwing for 136 yards and one touchdown on 12-for-15 passing while Hamilton pivot Zach Collaros threw for 126 yards and one touchdown on 10-for-17 passing in his first start of the preseason.
Ticats’ rookie defensive lineman Connor McGough continued to earn his stripes, racking up two tackles and two sacks on the night.
The Ticats got on the board first midway through the first quarter courtesy of their strong defensive play. An Adrian Tracy sack pinned the Argos at their own three-yard line, forcing the Boatmen to run out of the end zone on the following play and concede two points.
The Black and Gold’s offence began to rumble in the second quarter. Collaros connected with Bryan Tyms for three straight completions on the Ticats’ first scoring drive of the game, including a long 19-yard gain. The drive was capped off by a short touchdown pass to Tyms in the end zone to give the Ticats a 9-0 lead over the Argos.
Hamilton’s defence continued their strong first-half play when Jabari Gorman stripped the ball from Argos quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson. Richard Leonard recovered the forced fumble for the Tabbies to set up the ensuing drive at Toronto’s 40-yard line.
The Ticats capitalized on the turnover. Jeremiah Masoli came into the game and led a steady charge down the field. Ross Scheuerman finished off the drive with a short two-yard dash into the end zone to give the Ticats a 16-0 lead over their QEW rivals.
Toronto responded before the end of the half. After a two-and-out, Martese Jackson returned the Ticats’ punt 41 yards to set the Boatmen up in Hamilton territory. The Argos picked up another long gain on the following play when Bethel-Thompson connected with Malcolm Williams for a 37-yard catch. James Wilder Jr. capped off the drive by running into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown and cut into the Ticats’ lead 16-7, which is where the score stood at the end of the second quarter.
The Argos picked up where they left off in the second half. Ronnie Pfeffer’s 36-yard field goal attempt on the Argos opening drive sailed wide left, but was good enough for a single to put Toronto within eight points of Hamilton’s lead.
Toronto regained possession of the ball on the Ticats’ ensuing drive after Malcom Alford picked off a Masoli pass at the Ticats’ 35-yard line. Mathews came into into the game in the third quarter and made a strong stat statement against his former team. The new Argos pivot found Jimmy Ralph for a long 24-yard touchdown to put the game at 16-14. Toronto tried for the two-point convert in an attempt to tie the game, but Mathew’s pass to the left corner of the end zone went uncaught to keep the Argos within two points of the lead.
A long punt and missed missed field goal racked up two more singles for the Argos to tie up the game at 16 apiece with just under 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Dakota Prukop took over at pivot in the final quarter and completed the Argos’ comeback effort. Prukop’s 19-yard pass to Williams placed the ball in Hamilton territory to set up the winning touchdown. A few plays later, Prukop found Johnson in stride in the end zone for a 28-yard major to give the Argos a 23-16 lead with three minutes remaining in the game. The Ticats were unable to string together a late scoring drive and the Argos held on for the win.