Brett Maher kicks winning boot, Tiger-Cats beat Alouettes 20-17

“He trusted me with the ball in my hands and it was just easy.”

The score was tied 17-17 with 3:27 left in the game when Hamilton began its 72-yard drive, highlighted by a 31-yard catch by Andy Fantuz at the Montreal 20 with 2:03 left.

That’s when Scheuerman took the ball down to the one-yard line with seconds left, leaving kicker Brett Maher with a 10-yard chip shot as time expired.

Scheuerman has been with the Ticats all season, making appearances on special teams and a couple plays on offence. But with starter C.J. Gable out with an injury, he was the next man up.

“It’s just a different mindset, when you have to step in and start and all,” he said. “Those guys are counting on you. I just didn’t want the offence to miss a beat.”

Hamilton moved into first in the CFL East, improving to 6-6. Montreal fell to 3-9 and is in last place after dropping its fourth straight game.

Collaros had lots of praise for his Gable’s replacement.

“He carried us offensively tonight,” said Collaros, who completed 25-of-36 pass attempts for 291 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

“If we gave out game balls, he needs to get the game ball for sure.”

Both Collaros and head coach Kent Austin credited the Ticat defence in the win. They recorded four sacks, an interception and two fumbles. Emanuel Davis got the interception and recovered both fumbles, which were forced by Larry Dean.

“The other side of the coin was that our defence was really, really good tonight,” said Austin. “We didn’t give up a touchdown … They got us the ball in the second half. Got turnovers, especially when (the Als) were down in our territory.”

Luke Tasker scored Hamilton’s lone touchdown on an eight-yard catch down the middle with five minutes left in the second quarter.

Maher made all four of his field-goal attempts, hitting from 16, 28, 51 and 10 yards, and added a 63-yard punt single. Montreal kicker Anthony Fera hit one of two field-goal attempts, missing from 33 yards and hitting from 49. He also scored a 51-yard punt single.

Montreal wide receiver Duron Carter scored the game’s first TD with a highlight-reel blocked punt late in the first quarter, which he then scooped out of the air and ran in 46 yards.

Montreal quarterback Rakeem Cato, named the Alouettes starter after veteran Kevin Glenn was traded to Winnipeg on Sunday, threw his first interception of the season. He finished the game with 19 completions on 27 attempts for 168 yards.

“Everybody went out there and gave it all they got,” said Cato.

“People were sacrificing their bodies and that’s a good thing. You want that fight. You want that hunger. Even with all the adversity we went through this week. Everybody played well. Everybody played lights out. Gave it there all. That’s all you can ask for.”

Cato, 24, had been at the centre of team drama this week after getting into an altercation at practice with receivers Carter and Kenny Stafford. As of Thursday, the players had called an uneasy truce, but hadn’t spoken to each other. Also, Cato learned on Wednesday that a good friend had been murdered in his hometown of Miami, from 15 gunshots.

Despite being 3-9, Montreal head coach Jim Popp believes his team still has a shot at making the playoffs.

“It’s been a crazy year,” he said. “We’ve had unbelievable chances late in the game. We just haven’t been able to kick the door down and get it done.”

The first-half featured five sacks, three interceptions and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown and saw the Alouettes take a 9-8 lead into the dressing room.

Hamilton took its first lead of the game on the opening drive of the second half — a 63-yard drive that stalled inside the 10 and ended with Maher’s 16 yarder for the 11-9 lead.

Montreal’s Nik Lewis fumbled on the Als’ very next play from scrimmage, forced by Dean and recovered by Davis on the Montreal 38. That led to Maher’s 28-yard field goal and a 14-9 lead.

Fera hit a 49-yard field goal early in the fourth to pull Montreal to 14-12. Maher answered on the very next Hamilton drive, hitting from 51 yards for a 17-12 lead with 9:58 left in the game. Maher then conceded a safety to make it 17-14.

Sam Giguere’s ensuing 45-yard kickoff return set up Fera’s 40-yard field goal that tied the game with 3:27 remaining.

Carol Phillips, The Canadian Press

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version had wrong standings for Hamilton

by Canadian Press

Brett Maher kicks winning boot, Tiger-Cats beat Alouettes 20-17

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