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Toronto Argonauts Top The Hamilton Tiger-Cats 18-17 In Preseason Finale

East rivals, the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats closed out the exhibition season Friday night at the University of Guelph. The Argos topped the TiCats 18-17 with a last-second game-winning 33-yard field goal by Boris Bede in a game that was live-streamed at Argonauts.ca. Hamilton and Toronto won’t play one another again until Week 9 of the regular season on August 6th. But it will begin a series of four games in five weeks between the two heated rivals.

Toronto Argonauts-Hamilton Tiger-Cats Preseason Finale Recap

As Mike Hogan mentioned on Toronto’s live stream, the game itself wasn’t a Rembrandt or a Picasso. But it wasn’t meant to be. The Argos got an opportunity to allow some of their starters to get their first game action in 2022, while the team’s backups made one last bid to get on the Boatmen’s ship for the regular season.

Argonauts starting quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson saw significant playing time on Friday Night. Toronto moved the ball well but bogged down in scoring territory. MBT was 15/24 for 183 yards in the first half. Thompson and new Argo Brandon Banks (3-34) missed on a few near scores with his new QB in their first game together.

Toronto’s anointed #2 on the pivot, Chad Kelly, had some ups and downs, including throwing an ill-advised interception in the third quarter. But overall, the CFL rookie did lead the team on the go-ahead score, finishing the evening 8/15 for 83 yards, a six-yard major he threw to WR Isaiah Wright.

CFL rookies RB Dan Adebeboye and WR Jamari Hester had excellent showings against Hamilton. Adebeboye led Toronto with 42 yards rushing. The 6’6 Hester paced the team’s passing attack with five receptions for 55 yards.

Toronto’s special teams had their fair share of issues all game. They had poor tackling and allowed a 99-yard punt return to Lawrence Woods for the game’s first score. And it wasn’t exactly a banner night for Boris Bede until the very end.

In typical 2021-like fashion, Boris Bede led the way for Toronto’s scoring, kicking four field goals in windy conditions at the University of Guelph. Bede’s game-winner at the gun is a repeat of his clutch kick against Hamilton on Thanksgiving last season. However, this clutch play came in entirely different circumstances with very little at stake besides ending the preseason for Doube Blue on a positive note.

Training camp and the preseason are over. The Toronto Argonauts players will have three days off before starting early preparations for their home opener in Week 2, Thursday, June 16th, at BMO Field.

But before they can get into regular-season mode. The Toronto Argonauts have to make final roster cuts Saturday at 10 pm ET. Double Blue has to pare down their active roster to 45, and the Argos can add up to 15 players on their practice roster. Earlier this week, Head Coach Ryan Dinwiddie told the media that he and his staff have figured out 75 percent of the roster. And that the other 25 percent would be determined by how players played in the Argos’ final exhibition game.

Since the Argonauts have a bye in the opening week of the 2022 CFL season, Toronto will have extra time to prepare for their home opener.

Once the regular season starts, what transpired on Friday night and during training camp will be a forgotten memory.

Training camp and the preseason had significant meaning for many players, particularly those on the bubble. But from here on out, everything counts. Most importantly, the results of the games.

Highlights/Player Stats

Hamilton Tiger-Cats Individual Player Stats

PASSING

PLAYERCP/AT%YDSTDINTLG
 NEWMAN, Jamie8/8100.0%881034
 MORTON, Jalen6/1154.5%440111

RUSHING

PLAYERCARYDSAVGLGTD
 LEE, Dejoun7213.0150
 NEWMAN, Jamie3165.370
 MORTON, Jalen11313.0130
 HILLS, Wes4133.270
 IRONS, Maleek3113.790
 THOMAS ERLINGTON, Sean273.540

RECEIVING

PLAYERRECATTYDSYACAVGLGTD
 JOHNSON, Anthony2444222.0341
 BROWN, Tony2225112.5150
 BUTLER, Emmanuel221306.590
 SMITH (N/C), Kiondre1111-111.0110
 BOSTON, Andrew231175.5100
 WILLIAMS, Donnell1310010.0100
 IRONS, Maleek11888.080
 TURNER (N/C), Tyler11737.070
 LEE, Dejoun11333.030

FIELD GOALS

PLAYERFGAFGLGSYDSFG MISS
 SMALL, Seth1151051

PUNT RETURNS

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGTD
 WOODS, Lawrence19999.0991
 LEE, Dejoun22613.0140
 BROWN, Tony2157.5100

KICKOFF RETURNS

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGTD
 LEE, Dejoun23417.0180

FG MISSED RETURNS

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGTD
 LEE, Dejoun12727.0270
 BROWN, Tony12424.0240

PUNTING

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGSNETAVG
 WHITFORD, Joel628848.056122437.3
 HAYES (N/C), Blake524849.669022444.8

KICKOFFS

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGS
 DOMAGALA, Michael211859.0690
 SMALL, Seth16565.0650

DEFENCE

PLAYERDTSTQSINTFRFF
 ROLLE, Jumal500000
 WOODS, Lawrence510000
 AUTRY, Lee400000
 WILSON, Kyle310000
 DARBY, Alden300000
 KELLY, Kameron300000
 SANTOS-KNOX, Jovan200000
 LAWRENCE, Simoni200000
 LEONARD, Richard200000
 JOHNSON, Sterling201000
 WITHERSPOON, Michael200100
 JOSEPH, Vosean200000
 CROSS, Nick200000
 MULUMBA, Chris100000
 NELSON, Patrick100000
 COLE, Reginald100000
 BEEKSMA (N/C), Jared100000
 BUCHANAN, Baylen100000
 WYNN, Dylan100000
 LAURENT, Ted100000
 NEWTON, Curtis130000
 ADELEKE, Tunde100000
 THOMAS ERLINGTON, Sean100000
 CAMPBELL (N/C), Malcolm100000
 KATSANTONIS, Stavros100100
 CARNEY, Malik010000
 SMALL, Seth010000
 RICHARDS, Jarek010000
 MCDONALD, Grant010000

Toronto Argonauts Individual Player Stats

PASSING

PLAYERCP/AT%YDSTDINTLG
 BETHEL-THOMPSON, Mcleod15/2462.5%1830026
 KELLY, Chad8/1553.3%851117
 SIMMONS, Austin2/540.0%320120
 BEDE, Boris1/250.0%4004

RUSHING

PLAYERCARYDSAVGLGTD
 ADEBOBOYE (N/C), Daniel10424.280
 SIMMONS, Austin4287.0250
 OUELLETTE, A.J.5142.850
 BETHEL-THOMPSON, Mcleod199.090
 LEAKE, Javon351.760

RECEIVING

PLAYERRECATTYDSYACAVGLGTD
 HESTER, Jamari58551811.0150
 DANIELS, DaVaris45431110.8240
 BANKS, Brandon37341411.3260
 PHILLIPS, Cameron34312010.3170
 AMBLES, Markeith22311415.5190
 GITTENS JR., Kurleigh12261126.0260
 COXIE, Damonte1220520.0200
 OUELLETTE, A.J.22201710.0160
 LEAKE, Javon2219179.5150
 EDWARDS, Earnest12111111.0110
 RICHARDSON, AJ13808.080
 WRIGHT, Isaiah12606.061
 ADEBOBOYE (N/C), Daniel0100000
 JEANPIERE, Damion0100000

FIELD GOALS

PLAYERFGAFGLGSYDSFG MISS
 BEDE, Boris643309747, 52

PUNT RETURNS

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGTD
 ROBERSON, Darece4235.8100
 WRIGHT, Isaiah22110.5150
 LEAKE, Javon393.0130

KICKOFF RETURNS

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGTD
 LEAKE, Javon13939.0390
 WRIGHT, Isaiah11919.0190
 MARION, Benoit11414.0140

FG MISSED RETURNS

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGTD

PUNTING

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGSNETAVG
 HAGGERTY (N/C), John418446.05106115.2
 BEDE, Boris28944.55107236.0

KICKOFFS

PLAYERNOYDSAVGLGS
 BEDE, Boris213266.0670

DEFENCE

PLAYERDTSTQSINTFRFF
 PRIESTER, Robert600000
 AMOS, D’Angelo300000
 JONES, Jonathan300000
 BOATENG, Matthew200000
 JONES, Tony200000
 HARRIS, Deion200100
 PUTUTAU, Alani200000
 HOYTE, Trevor100000
 ACHEAMPONG, Samuel100000
 MARION, Benoit100000
 ADEBOBOYE (N/C), Daniel100000
 OAKMAN, Shawn100000
 TRACY, Adrian100000
 AMOS, DaShaun100000
 FLAGEL, Connor110000
 HENDRIX, Dewayne101000
 HESTER, Jamari100000
 MCCLEOD, Julian100000
 PELLERIN, Dion010000
 MENCER, Eli010000
 CROSS, Declan010000
 PENNEY-LARYEA (N/C), Enoch010000
 COXIE, Damonte010000


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