Tiger-Cats claw out 32-29 win over Lions in overtime

VANCOUVER — It was quite a day for Ante Milanovic-Litre.

First, he learned his wife was expecting a baby. Later, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats running back took a direct snap and scored on a one-yard run in overtime to give his team a 32-29 win over the B.C. Lions in a nail-biting CFL game Friday night.

“I’m on top of the world,” said the 29-year-old who was born in Vancouver and played his college football at Simon Fraser University. “I’m on cloud nine. That touchdown was for my unborn child.”

The winning touchdown was set up after B.C. defender Ronald Kent Jr. was called for pass interference in the end zone following a review from the command centre, bringing boos from the crowd at BC Place Stadium.

It was a wild game that saw the Tiger-Cats rally from a 16-point deficit and score two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter to win their fourth consecutive game.

“It was only two scores at halftime,” said receiver Kiondre Smith, who caught a six-yard touchdown pass. “We came out in the second half, and we scored points on our first drive.

“Once it’s a one-score game, it’s anyone’s game. Down the stretch, we’re one of those teams that gets better as we go.”

With just over five minutes left, and Hamilton facing a third-and-three, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell found Smith in the end zone to cut the Lions lead to 23-18.

After a Lions two-and-out, Mitchell marched Hamilton down the field again, hitting Brendan O’Leary-Orange for a 10-yard touchdown. The two-point convert was good, giving Hamilton a 26-23 lead.

With less than a minute remaining Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke connected with Keon Hatcher on passes of 23 and 15 yards to set up a 12-yard Sean Whyte field goal that tied the game 26-26.

On their first possession of overtime the Lions settled for a 24-yard Whyte field goal, giving B.C. a 29-26 lead.

Rick Campbell, B.C.’s head coach and co-general manager, said his team struggled in the second half.

“They (Hamilton) seem to come out in the second half with really good energy,” said Campbell. “We were missing some tackles and they were making some plays. They were playing at a faster level than we were.”

Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich watched his team start the game with four two-and-outs and not mange a first down until early in the second quarter.

“We just got off to a bad start and didn’t have any rhythm offensively,” he said.

“The offence didn’t get settled in until halftime, but they never quit. A lot of trust is building in that locker room.”Mitchell completed 34 of 40 passes for 309 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He caught a two-point convert on a razzle-dazzle play and was sacked three times.

Running back Greg Bell scored on a 13-yard run.

Marc Liegghio hit a 47-yard field goal.

Rourke shouldered the blame for an offence that started hot then cooled off.

“In this league your offence goes as much as your quarterback allows you to go,” said Rourke, who completed 22 of 36 passes for 264 yards.

“I think there were times when I was playing well and moved the ball. I think there were times we weren’t moving the ball and that was because I wasn’t making the throws or making the reads.”

Rourke ran for touchdowns of seven and two yards. Whyte also kicked field goals of 50, 45 and 26 yards.

Running back William Stanback had 15 carries for 105 yards and went over the 1,000-yard mark for the third time in his career.

B.C. was coming off a bye week following a 33-17 loss to Toronto. The Lions are 2-7 in their last nine games.

Earlier Friday, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-6) defeated the Edmonton Elks (5-11) 55-27.

The Lions (7-8) remain second in the CFL West, four points behind Winnipeg.

Hamilton (6-9) is fourth in the East.

NOTES

To recognize Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Lion players wore special Orange Shirt Day warm-up jerseys that will be raffled off in support of the Orange Shirt Society and Indian Residential Schools Survivors’ Society (IRSS). … Lions defensive back Garry Peters registered a sack playing in his 100th CFL game. … B.C. had 140 yards net offence in the first quarter compared to 11 for Hamilton. … Tiger-Cats Stavros Katsantonis, Ryan Baker and Nic Cross all played football for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. … Bo Levi Mitchell has thrown for more than 4,000 yards for the fifth time in his career and first since 2018. … The Lions last win in Vancouver was July 13 when they beat Saskatchewan 35-20. They lost games to Winnipeg and Toronto at BC Place in a combined score of 53-28. …. B.C. defeated the Tiger-Cats 44-28 in their pervious meeting this year on July 7.

UP NEXT

Tiger-Cats: Host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday, Oct. 4.

Lions: Host the Calgary Stampeders on Friday, Oct. 4.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press