Hamilton Tiger-Cats running back James Butler (9) runs the ball during first half CFL football game action against the Ottawa Redblacks in Hamilton, Ont. on Saturday, July 8, 2023.Peter Power/The Canadian Press
Marc Liegghio booted five field goals to lift the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to a 21-13 home win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday night.
Liegghio’s final boot, from 25 yards out, put Hamilton (1-3) ahead by eight points at 11:49 of the fourth. Liegghio has made all nine field goal he’s tried since joining the Ticats but did miss a convert.
But Ottawa’s Dustin Crum made it very interesting late in the contest.
Playing in place of injured starter Jeremiah Masoli, the rookie quarterback drove Ottawa (1-3) to the Hamilton 20-yard line with seven seconds to play,. On the game’s final play, he took off for the end zone but was stopped a yard-and-a- half short by Ticats Richard Leonard and Chris Edwards, delighting the Tim Hortons field gathering of 21,331.
Masoli, in his season debut, left in the second quarter with a left leg injury.
Masoli was trying to roll out to his right when, untouched on the play, he fell to the turf and immediately clutched his left leg. He was carried off the field by his teammates.
The nature of the injury wasn’t immediately divulged but Masoli was reportedly wearing a boot on his left foot.
The 34-year-old was playing a year to the day after suffering a season-ending right leg injury against the Saskatchewan Roughriders – a span of 17 games that saw the Redblacks go 5-12. He was making his first career start versus Hamilton, the team he played eight seasons for (2013-21) before signing with Ottawa as a free agent.
Masoli finished six-of-10 passing for 37 yards and an interception. Crum was 14-of-21 for 149 yards and two picks but ran six times for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Hamilton starter Matt Shiltz was 19-of-26 passing for 233 yards with a TD and interception. He ran five times for 30 yards.
Tyreik McAllister scored Hamilton’s touchdown.
Lewis Ward had two field goals and a convert for Ottawa.
McAllister put Hamilton ahead 15-13, taking Shiltz’s hitch pass 64 yards for the TD at 8:15 of the third. The convert was unsuccessful.
Hamilton appeared poised to add to that lead after Ted Laurent’s fumble recovery at the Ottawa 46. But Brandin Dandridge returned the favour, being the last to touch Ticats’ receiver Kiondre Smith’s fumble at the Redblacks’ 26-yard line.
But Leigghio’s 34-yard field goal at 4:14 extended Hamilton’s lead to 18-13.
Ward’s 20-yard field goal at 4:23 gave Ottawa a 13-9 advantage.
Crum’s 15-yard TD at 14:03 of the second earned Ottawa an unlikely 10-9 halftime lead. Crum capped a six-play, 56-yard drive.
Hamilton compiled 153 first-half net offensive yards compared to 87 for Ottawa. But the Ticats were also penalized nine times for 51 yards, including three time-count violations (twice on special teams).
Ward kicked a 36-yard field goal at 9:10 to pull Ottawa to within 9-3 the play after Masoli departed.
Liegghio’s 20-yard field goal at 4:41 of the second staked Hamilton to a 9-0 advantage. It followed an unsuccessful challenge of an incompletion call of Shiltz’s 13-yard TD pass to Richie Sindani.
It was set up by Chris Edwards’ interception – Hamilton’s first of the season – that he returned to the Ottawa 29.
Liegghio connected from 50 yards out – following a second time-count penalty – at 1:50. He also opened the scoring with a 13-yard boot at 6:06 of the first as Hamilton marched 67 yards on 11 plays following the opening kickoff.