Argos cap pre-season with win over Cats

TORONTO — Ricky Ray, Trevor Harris and Mitchell Gale all threw touchdown passes for Toronto as the Argonauts romped to a 41-23 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday, the CFL pre-season finale for both teams.

The game, played in front of a capacity crowd of 5,216 fans at a sun-drenched Varsity Stadium — normally the home to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues — marked the first meeting between the two teams since the Tiger-Cats ended the Argos’ 2013 season, with a 36-24 Eastern final victory.

It was also the first time Ray and his Argos understudy last season Zach Collaros had faced each other since Collaros was released then signed as a free agent with Hamilton in the offseason.

Ray played one quarter in his first action of the pre-season, and the Argos’ star quarterback completed seven of nine pass attempts for 90 yards and one touchdown. Harris was 8-for-16 for 86 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

Collaros, the Tiger-Cats’ most significant off-season acquisition, threw for one touchdown.

Ticats kicker Justin Medlock had two field goals — 40 and 49 yards — and two converts.

The Argos’ Swayze Waters kicked five converts, and Josh Jasper added field goals from 16 and 40 yards for Toronto.

The Argos were coming off a 24-22 victory over the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg a week earlier.

The Ticats had beaten the Montreal Alouettes 2823 in the exhibition opener for both of those teams last Saturday.