2004 Eastern Division Semi-Final

Friday, November 5, 2004

EAST DIVISION SEMIFINAL

Hamilton 6 at Toronto 24

TORONTO (Ticker) -- Mike Clemons mapped out a nearly perfect defensive scheme for the playoff opener and the Toronto Argonauts executed at will.

Kenny Wheaton returned a interception for a CFL-record 116-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and the Argonauts came within one play of their first postseason shutout in 54 years with 24-6 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Semifinal.

Toronto, which is unbeaten in its last 13 meetings against Hamilton, will oppose the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Final for the third straight year on November 14.

Wheaton's return broke the previous mark of 115 yards, set by Alfred Jordan of the Calgary Stampeders in 1997, and essentially locked up the win for the Argonauts with 2:24 left.

The win came as a measure of redemption for Clemons, who was heavily criticized for holding out several players in the regular-season finale against Montreal in which Toronto allowed 636 yards and lost, 58-20.

Playing its first playoff game in three years, Hamilton managed just 107 yards in the first half, punted 15 times in the game and committed of 15 penalties for 180 yards. Danny McManus completed 18-of-33 passes for 158 yards and two interceptions.

Damon Allen, who threw his 30th career playoff TD to Arland Bruce in the first quarter, was 17-of-31 for 189 yards for Toronto, which won despite gaining just 207 yards.

The Tiger-Cats avoided the shutout when reserve quarterback Marcus Brady found Mike Morreale in the end zone on the final play, spoiling Toronto's bid for its first playoff shutout since the 1950 Grey Cup game, when the Argonauts blanked the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 13-0.

The last shutout in any CFL postseason contest came in 1976 when Hamilton downed Montreal, 23-0.

The contest drew 37,835 fans to SkyDome, the largest home crowd for an Argonauts home game since August 26, 1992.

Tiger-Cats 6 at Argonauts 24

SUMMARY:

First Quarter:

Tor -- TD Bruce 7 pass from Allen (Prefontaine convert) 5:21

Second Quarter:

Tor -- FG Prefontaine 43 14:50

Third Quarter:

Tor -- FG Prefontaine 17 4:06

Fourth Quarter:

Tor -- FG Prefontaine 47 3:50

Tor -- Single Prefontaine 51 9:51

Tor -- TD Wheaton 116 interception return (Prefontaine convert) 12:36

Ham -- TD Morreale> 3 pass from Brady (two-point convert failed) 15:00

Hamilton	0	0	0	6	6
Toronto	7	3	3	11	24

Attendance: 37,835

Team Stats	Ham	Tor
First downs	22	15
Yards rushing	150	43
Yards passing	190	189
Total offence	340	232
Team losses	15	25
Net offence *	325	207
Passes made-tried	24-42	17-31
Return yards	132	208
Intercepts-yards by	1-18	2-119
Fumbles-lost	0-0	1-1
Sacks by	2	2
Punts-average	12-42.1	10-50.7
Penalties-yards	15-180	10-73
Time of possession	30:22	29:38
* Net offence is yards passing, plus yards rushing, minus team losses such as yards lost on broken plays.

Individual Stats

Rushing:

Ham – T..Davis 18-109, Amerson 1-22, Brady 2-19, Yeast 1-0

Tor -- Avery 13-32, Allen 2-11.

Receiving:

Ham -- Flick 9-70, Morreaale 6-49, Tounkara 3-35, Gilliam 1-14, T..Davis 2-7, Yeast 1-6, Aidoo 1-5, Radlein 1-4

Tor -- Talbot 5-86, Bruce III 5-48, Palmer 1-18, Baker 1-16, Miles 3-15, Soward 1-11, Avery 1-(minus-5).

Passing:

Ham -- McManus 18-33, 158 yds, 0 TDs, 2 ints; Brady 6-9-32-1-0

Tor -- Allen 17-31-189-1-1.