Argos win Grey Cup
Hajrullahu's late field goal earns Argos stunning Grey Cup win over Stampeders
OTTAWA Lirim Hajrullahu dealt the Calgary Stampeders another stunning Grey Cup defeat.
Hajrullahu’s 32-yard field goal with 53 seconds remaining earned the Toronto Argonauts a stunning 27-24 win over Calgary on a snowy Sunday night. It marked the second straight year the Stampeders had posted a CFL-best record during the regular season, only to be upset in the biggest game of the year.
Calgary, which registered a 15-2-1 record in 2016, dropped a stunning 3933 overtime decision last year to an Ottawa Redblacks team that finished the regular season with an 8-9-1 mark. The Stampeders had a 13-4-1 record this year while Toronto finished atop the East Division at 9-9.
Toronto won its CFL-best 17th Grey Cup, and its first since beating Calgary 35-22 in 2012 at Rogers Centre.
“We got to the fourth quarter, that was our goal — to get to the fourth quarter and be in a competitive game against a really good football team,” Argonauts coach Marc Trestman said. “And not that we underestimated ourselves, we thought we could compete with them, but we knew that we needed to keep it close in the fourth.
“We had some luck along the way but we also had some bad luck. We were able to pick up a fumble and run with it and go on for a drive and get some points. Our sideline was business-like, so to speak. It was emotional but it was business-like.”
Calgary looked poised to at least force overtime before veteran Matt Black intercepted Bo Levi Mitchell in the end zone with eight seconds left before a TD Place Stadium sellout of 36,154.
“Couldn’t finish the deal,” Stampeders coach Dave Dickenson said. “It’s heartbreaking, it really is. There’s nothing I can do about it at this point for our guys. I love ‘em, but it’s a heartbreaker.”
Among those braving the elements were CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who sat together.
Toronto used the big play to earn its first Grey Cup win in five years, which ironically against Calgary at Rogers Centre. The Argos pulled even 24-24 at 10:25 on Cassius Vaughn’s 110-yard fumble recovery TD and Declan Cross’s two-point convert, stunning the TD Place Stadium sellout of 36,154.
In the first half, Ricky Ray hit DeVier Posey on a Cup-record 100-yard TD strike against a Calgary team that had beaten Toronto eight straight games. Ray set another record by winning his fourth Grey Cup as a starting quarterback.
“That sounds pretty good. Obviously that’s for myself to celebrate,” Ray said. “I’m just so happy with these guys on this team and what we’ve been through this year. Man, there’s no other way to finish it off than with a Grey Cup. I mean, these guys are such great guys.”
Posey, with 102 yards on seven receptions, was named the game’s most valuable player.