By Canadian Press

Bethel-Thompson, Peters combine to lead Argos past Ticats 37-20

Aug 26, 2022 | 7:45 PM

TORONTO — McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw three touchdown passes and Jamal Peters returned one of his three interceptions 67 yards for a score as the Toronto Argonauts defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37-20 on a breezy Friday night.

Bethel-Thompson finished 19-of-32 passing for 258 yards with an interception as Toronto (5-5) moved atop the CFL’s East Division with its second win in three contests against third-place Hamilton (3-8). The teams meet for the final time in the regular season on Labour Day at Tim Hortons Field.

Peters cemented the win, returning his third interception of the game 67 yards for the touchdown 2:09 into the fourth. That put Toronto ahead 34-19 as the Argos outscored Hamilton 27-4 in the second half.

It was a rough return for Hamilton starter Dane Evans. After missing two games with a shoulder ailment, Evans completed 19-of-30 passes for 244 yards with three interceptions and a lost fumble.

Backup Matt Shiltz was 13-of-15 passing for 144 yards and a touchdown for Hamilton.

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Kurleigh Gittens Jr., DaVaris Daniels and Markeith Ambles scored Toronto’s other touchdowns. Boris Bede kicked four converts and three field goals.

Lemar Durant had Hamilton’s touchdown. Seth Small booted four field goals, a convert and single.

Toronto took a 27-19 advantage into the fourth after outscoring Hamilton 17-3 with the wind in the third. Bethel-Thompson found Ambles on a 13-yard TD strike at 14:23 after hitting Daniels with a 13-yard scoring pass at 9:56.

Bethel-Thompson’s TD pass to Ambles was set up by a Peters interception.

Bede hit a 56-yard field goal at 2:38 before Small countered with a 34-yard boot at 6:26.

Small hit a club record-tying 58-yard field goal with the wind on the final play of the half to put Hamilton ahead 16-10. It came just 23 seconds after Bethel-Thompson found Gittens Jr. on a two-yard TD pass.

Hamilton was full value for the advantage, outscoring Toronto 13-3 with the wind in the second. The Ticats dominated the opening half, holding the ball for 19 minutes 48 seconds and rolling up 236 offensive yards, compared to 104 for Toronto.

And Hamilton’s offence got going with Shiltz, who replaced Evans in the second with the score tied 3-3.

Small hit a 30-yard field goal at 13:43 to put Hamilton up 13-3. It came after Shiltz’s 10-yard TD strike to Durant at 8:33. 

Earlier in the quarter, Toronto’s Eric Sutton was disqualified for rough play.

Toronto opened the game with the brisk wind but could only manage Bede’s 48-yard field goal at 14:52 that tied the score 3-3. Hamilton opened scoring with Small’s 33-yard field goal at 5:46, taking its opening possession 67 yards on eight plays into the wind.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2022.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press