Stamps extend Ticats’ misery at McMahon
CFL: Big night from rookie Daniels helps hosts hold off Hamilton, which hasn’t won in Calgary since 2004
CALGARY — DaVaris Daniels got to the sideline and started to kick himself.
The Calgary Stampeders rookie receiver had just scored his first professional touchdown — a 76yard scamper — and what did he do with his precious souvenir football?
“I lost all composure,” Daniels said after he played a big role in helping the Stamps tame the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats 30-24 Sunday at McMahon Stadium.
“I just kind of threw the ball. And you always want to keep your first touchdown. As soon as I got to the sideline I was like, ‘Man, I should have kept that.’
“But one of our guys went and tracked it down, so it’s all good.”
Daniels, who made five catches for 108 yards before being forced to leave with a leg injury, actually ended up with a pair of prized pigskins.
He also received the offensive game ball from the team, although he said he probably wouldn’t keep either ball.
“I’ll probably send them to my mom,” Daniels said. “I know she’s been waiting for this moment for a long time.”
Daniels, who had been out of the game for the past three years, was making his home debut. He got things started with a blocked punt that led to Rene Paredes’ opening field goal. Paredes went 5-for-5 on the night and has now made 28 consecutive field goals.
Quarterbacks Bo Levi Mitchell (323 yards) and Zach Collaros (439 yards), who were miked up for the game by TSN, both enjoyed productive evenings.
But the Stamps’ defence made enough big plays to close out the win as Calgary improved to 7-1-1 on the season, three points ahead of the B.C. Lions atop the West Division.
The Stamps have now beaten the Ticats nine straight times and haven’t lost to Hamilton at home since July 4, 2004.
Things are about to get interesting with the Edmonton Eskimos (5-4) coming to town for the Labour Day Classic Sept. 5. The rematch goes Sept. 10 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
The newsprint and video footage will likely paint a rosy picture leading up to the Classic, but Mitchell won’t buy the hype.
“You all are going to keep telling us we’re great and everything,” Mitchell said. “And we’re not going to listen.
“It’s our job to know we can’t be complacent and to know we have another great (opponent) next week.
“If you all are going to keep telling us that, we’re going to keep closing our ears because we can’t buy into that, because it can change in a week.”
After Paredes’ first successful boot, the Ticats used a 15-play drive, 11 of which took place in the Stamps’ red zone thanks to penalty flags thrown at both teams, to score the game’s first touchdown. Collaros finally found Terrence Toliver for his first of two touchdown grabs on the night.
The Stamps opted for the opposite approach. One play, 76 yards. And Daniels was now the most popular player at McMahon Stadium.
Paredes split the uprights twice more to send the hosts to the locker-room with a 16-7 halftime lead.
Jerome Messam bulldozed his way into the end zone to give the Stamps a seemingly comfortable 24-10 lead, but the Ticats refused to go away.
Touchdown tosses to Toliver and Luke Tasker brought the visitors to within a field goal in the final minute, but the comeback ended there.
The Tiger-Cats were penalized 14 times for 125 yards, while the Stamps drew five flags for 22 yards.
Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson applauded his squad’s commitment to discipline.
“It’s hard to beat us when we’re playing disciplined, smart football, fundamentally sound,” he said, “and guys are making plays.”