The Toronto Argonauts roared out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and cruised to a 41-28 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Monday’s annual Labour Day Classic.
Argos QB Chad Kelly threw two touchdowns and ran for another score as Toronto improved to a Canadian Football League-best 9-1 record. The loss drops the Ticats to 4-7 and four points behind the Montreal Alouettes in the race for second place in the East.
Toronto’s Boris Bede opened the scoring with a 28-yard field goal and veteran running back Andrew Harris ran for a two-yard touchdown 10:49 into the game to give the Argos a 10-0 advantage.
One play after Argos defensive back Jamal Peters intercepted Ticats QB Taylor Powell at the Hamilton 31-yard line, Kelly tossed a touchdown into the hands of receiver DaVaris Daniels for a 17-0 lead with 2:12 left in the first quarter.
The Cats finally got on the scoreboard with 4:02 left in the first half when Marc Liegghio’s 57-yard field goal attempt was wide left and was scored as a single. He later added a 37-yard field goal to make it 17-4 for Toronto at halftime.
The Tiger-Cats kept their positive momentum going in the third quarter when Powell tossed a 17-yard TD to Terry Godwin to make it 17-10. Hamilton was not successful on their two-point convert.
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Bede added a punt single in the third quarter and Toronto added six more points when Kelly and Damonte Coxie connected for a seven-yard TD with 1:42 left in the period. Liegghio rounded out the scoring in the third quarter with a 37-yard field goal.
Toronto extended their lead to 31-13 when Kelly ran for a two-yard major 2:58 into the fourth quarter, but Hamilton clawed back with a touchdown of their own when Powell threw a three-yard strike to receiver Tim White. Powell and White teamed up for a two-point convert to make it 31-21 for the Argos with five minutes to go.
Kelly completed 15 of 23 pass attempts for 201 yards and ran three times for 27 yards. Powell went 30-of-42 for 296 yards with three TDs and an interception.
The Argonauts put the game out of reach with just over three minutes to play when running back AJ Ouellette threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to receiver Dejon Brissett. Ouellette celebrated the score with his teammates in the endzone by swinging a replica Thor hammer.
Bede rounded out the scoring for Toronto with a 27-yard field goal while Powell and Godwin teamed up on a two-yard touchdown with 11 seconds remaining.
The game at Tim Hortons Field drew a record 25,381 fans on what was a hot and humid day in Hamilton.
The Argos have won two consecutive Labour Day games against the Ticats but Hamilton still leads the all-time series 36-15-1.
It is a short week for the Ticats. Hamilton next plays on Friday night in Ottawa against the well-rested Redblacks, who had a bye in Week 13.