The Hamilton Tiger-Cats kept pace in the East Division with a convincing 32-3 win Saturday afternoon over the Ottawa Redblacks at Tim Hortons Field. The win evened their record to 5-5.
Tiger-Cats quarterback Jeremiah Masoli got off to a slow start in the first quarter. Late in the first quarter, Masoli threw a 61-yard pass to Bralon Addison, who was injured afterward, pointing to his hamstring. He did not return to the game. Bralon Addison led the receivers with five catches for 95-yards.
In the second quarter, Tiger-Cats quarterback Dane Evans scored with a one-yard touchdown run. The Tiger-Cats converted a two-point conversion for an 8-0 with 14:02 left.
Ottawa Redblacks kicker Lewis Ward made his first, and only field goal of the game for nine yards that cut the Tiger-Cats lead 8-3 with 9:13 left in the second quarter. The score remained 8-3 at halftime. In the second half, the Tiger-Cats led by Masoli pulled away.
Jeremiah Masoli went 25/28 for 320-yards, two touchdowns, and two carries for 33-yards. Masoli’s first touchdown happened in the third quarter on a four-yard pass to Steven Dunbar for a 15-3 lead with 11:21 left. His second touchdown pass came in the fourth quarter that went to Jaelon Acklin for eight yards that extended their lead 25-3 lead with 3:20 left.
Masoli was injured after hitting his head on the turf hard, causing him to bleed. Dane Evans came in for Masoli to finish the third quarter. Dane Evans was 1/3 for 17-yards, three carries for three yards, and two touchdowns.
Tiger-Cats running back Jackson Bennett had twelve carries for 58-yards. Kicker Taylor Bertolet kicked one field goal for 29-yards, and the defense recorded three sacks, two of them by Julian Howsare, along with three interceptions and one forced fumble.
For the Redblacks, quarterback Caleb Evans was 12/15 for 138-yards, two interceptions, and one carry for ten yards. Evans was replaced in the third quarter by former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Devlin Hodges. Hodges went 8/16 for 49-yards, one interception, and five carries for 13-yards. Redblacks running back De’Lance Turner had six carries for 29-yards.
Redblacks wide receiver RJ Harris led the receivers with three catches for 49-yards. The defense recorded two sacks. The Redblacks special teams came close to getting into the endzone when Tiger-Cats punter Joel Whitford pushed Terry Williams out of bounds on a 49-yard return.
Next week, both teams play Friday night. First, the Ottawa Redblacks return to TD Place hosting the Calgary Stampeders at 7 pm on ESPN+. Later, the Tiger-Cats visit Commonwealth Stadium against the Edmonton Elks at 9:45 pm on ESPN+.
