Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell is sacked by B.C. Lions defensive lineman David Menard during the first half in Hamilton, Ont. The Lions won 33-30 on Oct. 13, 2023.Peter Power/The Canadian Press
Dane Evans kept his new team in the hunt for first in the West Division while ending his former team’s quest for a home playoff game.
Evans came off the bench to lead the B.C. Lions to an exciting 33-30 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday night. Evans replaced injured starter Vernon Adams Jr. and completed all four passes he attempted for 42 yards to set up Sean Whyte’s 48-yard field goal on the game’s final play.
Evans spent his first four CFL seasons with Hamilton (2018-19, 21-22) before being traded to B.C. shortly after the club signed veteran Bo Levi Mitchell. Evans made two Grey Cup starts (2019, 2021) with the Ticats.
Evans said he felt extra motivation facing his former team but was also intent on getting B.C. a victory. Last week, the Lions lost a 34-26 overtime decision to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
“We just needed to get back on track,” Evans said. “For me personally any time I play Hamilton at all in my career there’s always going to be extra motivation just the way it ended.
“I’ve worked my butt off to be in this position and I know my new team can see that. I think VA is going to be OK and I’m glad I was able to help us get a win especially against Hamilton.”
Hamilton’s Marc Liegghio connected on a 48-yard field goal, which hit the upright and fell in, with one minute remaining to make it 30-30. Adams Jr.’s five-yard scoring strike to Alexander Hollins at 1:06 of the fourth put B.C. ahead 30-24 before Liegghio connected from 30 yards out at 8:43 cut the Lions’ lead to 30-27 after Matt Shiltz’s 15-yard TD run came back due to a holding penalty.
B.C. (12-5) moved into a first-place tie with idle Winnipeg (12-4) in the West Division. But the Blue Bombers not only have a game in hand but also own the tiebreaker after winning the season series.
“We want to try to make [Winnipeg] keep playing,” Lions head coach Rick Campbell said. “We actually play again before they do so if we can win one more and force them to have to win at least one more game, that would be a good thing.”
B.C. hosts the Calgary Stampeders next Friday. Winnipeg will be home to Edmonton the following day.
B.C. defensive lineman Mathieu Betts earned his CFL-high 17th sack in the fourth, tying the league’s single-season record for most by a Canadian. He shares the mark with former Lion Brent Johnson and Winnipeg’s Jamaal Westerman.
Adams Jr. was 21-of-30 passing for 296 yards and the two TDs before suffering a leg injury during Dexter Lawson Jr.’s interception return late in the fourth. Campbell said early indications are Adams Jr. shouldn’t be out for long.
“I’m so happy for Dane to come here and (lead) the game-winning drive in his house,” Adams Jr. said. “It’s a huge win for us going into the playoffs.
“We want to finish trending up. Last week we didn’t finish so it felt good to get this win here against a tough opponent.”
Shiltz completed 14-of-19 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown before a Tim Hortons Field sellout of 23,891, It was the Ticats third this season.
B.C.’s win gave Montreal (9-7) second in the East Division. The Alouettes will host third-place Hamilton (8-9) in the conference semi-final Nov. 4.
Montreal visits the Edmonton Elks (4-12) on Saturday.
Veteran Bo Levi Mitchell made a second straight start for Hamilton but first this season at home. The 33-year-old Texan opened the second half, completing 13-of-19 passes for 135 yards with two TDs and an interception before giving way to Shiltz.
The loss was just Hamilton’s third in eight games. It enters a bye week before finishing the regular season in Montreal on Oct. 28.
“For myself, it felt great to get out there,” Mitchell said. “I think we’ve proven over the last little bit that we’re a dangerous team and when we’re locked into details and executing our offence the way we know how, we can be scary.
“As long as we understand what [head coach Orlondo Steinauer] keeps preaching – good play, bad play it doesn’t matter, on to the next one, right?”
B.C. evened the season series after dropping a 30-13 decision to Hamilton in Vancouver on Aug. 26.
Josh Woods, on a 46-yard interception return, and Dominique Rhymes had B.C.’s other touchdowns. Whyte booted four field goals and the converts.
Tim White, with two, and Terry Godwin II had Hamilton’s touchdowns. Liegghio added the converts and three field goals.
Whyte’s 42-yard field goal at 8:27 of the third put B.C. ahead 23-21. But Lieggho’s 27-yard boot at 13:04 gave Hamilton a 24-23 advantage.
Shiltz’s seven-yard touchdown pass at 6:28 put Hamilton ahead 21-20. The Ticats’ 12-play, 90-yard drive was aided by Betts being flagged for contacting the kicker (on a punt) and unnecessary roughness on consecutive plays.
Whyte’s 36-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter gave B.C. a 20-14 halftime lead. Adams Jr. found Rhymes on an 11-yard TD pass but Rhymes was called for pass interference.
Mitchell pulled Hamilton to within 17-14 at 14:17 with an 11-yard touchdown pass to White. It capped a nine-play, 83-yard drive that featured an apparent fumble by Godwin II on a completion that B.C. recovered, prompting the Lions to challenge the incompletion call.
Not was the challenge declined, Godwin II was credited with a six-yard catch.
Adams put B.C. ahead 17-7 with a five-yard touchdown pass to Rhymes at 10:46.
Mitchell hit Godwin II with a five-yard TD strike at 5:11 to cut B.C.’s lead to 10-7. It came after Woods recorded his pick-six 22 seconds into the quarter on Mitchell’s 10th interception this season.
Whyte opened the scoring with a 46-yard field goal at 11:58 of the first.