A "Little General" and a new kicker was just what the struggling Hamilton Tiger-Cats needed to pull out their first win of the season, 20-17 over the Calgary Stampeders at Ivor Wynne Stadium Friday night.
Mark Myers, the 23-year-old rookie kicker called to Hamilton earlier this week from his Florida home, nailed a 44-yard field goal with time expired to give his new team their first victory of the season.
With the win, the Tiger-Cats break the goose egg and improve to 1-4, while the Stampeders drop to 3-2.
Corey Holmes, who returned to the line-up after missing two games with a turned ankle, gave Hamilton the 17-14 lead with 6:48 left in the game on a 15-yard touchdown run up the middle, but a 37-yard field goal by Calgary's Sandro DeAngelis tied it at 17 with less than two minutes to go.
DeAngelis the southern Ontario native desperately wanted a tryout with the Cats who incredibly refused to even give him a look. He is currently the best field goal kicker in the league.
Calgary won the last meeting with Hamilton, the third game of the season, on a last-second field goal, a 23-22 score. The game marked Hamilton's Little General Ron Lancaster's fourth return to the CFL as a head coach after Greg Marshall was made a scape goat and fired for the sad effort the team made forth in the previous weeks.
Hamilton receiver Terry Vaughn's 10 receptions on the night made him the CFL's all-time receptions leader with 973 in his 12-year career, one more than former Tiger-Cat Darren Flutie. His three-yard reception from quarterback Jason Maas in the fourth quarter to set the record.
Vaughn also holds the record for the most 1,000-yard receiving seasons with 11. Entering tonight's game, he is ranked third in career receiving yards with 13,267, trailing Flutie (14,359) and record holder Allen Pitts (14,891).
THE GOOD
DeAngelis went three-for-four, hitting from 40, 42, and 37, while missing from 39 yards out in the second quarter, only his second miss of the season. Myers, who replaced the inconsistent Jamie Boreham, also hit a nine-yarder in the third that gave the Ticats a 10-4 lead heading into the final quarter.
The Tiger-Cats thrilled the thunderous crowd of 26,944 after a goal-line stand that began with Calgary at first-and-goal from the two. Calgary quarterback Henry Burris' third-down scramble to the line was stopped short by the Tiger-Cats defence on the last play of the half to preserve a lead.
Hamilton scored first when Tay Cody's 22-yard interception return gave the Tiger-Cats the ball on Calgary's 39 yard-line at 4:47 of the first quarter. That sent the Tiger-Cats off on an 11-play drive that took 7:01 off the clock. It survived a botched play deep in scoring territory when an awkwardly pitched ball from Maas to Ranek got bandied about in a crowd and fell to the ground at the two-yard line.Calgary was called for roughing the passer and two plays later Maas kept it for the one-yard score.
THE UGLY
Hamilton, marched up the field and looked like it was turning over a new leaf with first-and-goal at the eight-yard line. But a time-count violation put them back to the 13-yard line. Two plays later, they went for the major at third-and-goal from the one. Ranek fumbled the pitch from Maas and Calgary's George White recovered it at the eight as the Tiger-Cats came away empty and the crowd grumbled its disapproval.
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In other Cat news former QB Danny McManus and receiver Darren Flutie where named the fourth of nine nominees in the Greatest Quarterback-Receiver Connections in CFL History contest. A program that gave fans the opportunity to vote for their fav's online.
The two were first teammates with the B.C. Lions (1993-95), then the Edmonton Eskimos (1996-97) before both headed East to join the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. They spent five years in Steeltown before Flutie retired after the 2002 season as the CFL's career leader in catches (972) and playoff receptions (85).
Ron Lancaster and Hugh Campbell of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Khari Jones and Milt Stegall of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Warren Moon and Brian Kelly of the Edmonton Eskimos are the other entrants named thus far.
Danny Mac and Flutie where great, but I remember having to hear Moon to Kelly for the TD way to often back in their day, especially against the Cats. So my vote has to go to them, but that could change.
It will be interesting to see who makes the cut when the full list comes out. so many great combos to choose, Doug Flutie/Allen Pitts-Calgary; Clements/ Gabriel-Ottawa; Dewalt to Fernandez-B.C; Condredge Holloway/Cedric Minter-Toronto and of course the ledgendary combo of Sam Etcheverry-Hal Patterson from the Alouettes.
Later,
Kenaz
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