Hamilton Tiger-Cats tune up for semi-final with a 37-7 win over Bombers

WINNIPEG – There was no reprieve for Winnipeg fans as Henry Burris and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats cruised to a 37-7 win over the Blue Bombers Saturday afternoon.

Burris threw two touchdown strikes to Onrea Jones. Chevon Walker and C.O. Prime ran for two more and the Ticats picked up nine points on field goals.

The Bombers managed only two field goals and a single.

The Bombers (3-15) finish the 2013 season tied for their worst record ever in the 18-game CFL. They managed only one of those wins at their new $200-million home, Investors Group Field.

Hamilton’s finish (10-8) is their first since 2001 to break into double digits on the win side. They’ve already secured home-field advantage for the Eastern semi-final against the Montreal Alouettes.

The announced attendance was 26,316, the lowest this season, including one pre-season game.

As for actual fans in seats, despite a sunny day with temperatures that climbed to about nine during the game, the number was well under the announced figure. It dwindled even more by the end of the game.

Neither team showed a lot of offence in the first quarter. The Bombers defence and Hamilton turnovers set up Winnipeg’s first field goal of the game midway through to make it 3-0.

A fumble on a kick recovery by Bomber cornerback Jovon Johnson set up Hamilton’s first field goal by Luca Congi at 13:44 to tie it up.

The Bombers opened the second quarter with a 23-yard field goal by Sandro DeAngelis at 2:55, after Johnny Sears stripped the ball from Brandon Banks to give the Bombers possession on the Hamilton 33.

But the Ticats took a 10-6 lead after Burris put together a 10-play, 79-yard drive, capped by an eight-yard touchdown pass to Jones.

The drive used up almost six minutes, thanks to a procedure penalty that negated what looked like a touchdown for Hamilton a minute and a half earlier.

The Bombers hardly touched the ball at all for most of the second quarter and Burris made it 17-6 after another nine-yard throw to Jones with just 43 seconds left.

The second half was again all Hamilton as Congi opened with a field goal just over two minutes in and they made it 27-6 after Chevon Walker’s 70-yard touchdown run at 5:27.

Burris left the game in the third quarter and backup Dan LeFevour took over.

Congi opened the fourth quarter with another field goal. The Bombers picked up a single early in the final quarter on a 53-yard punt by Mike Renaud into the end zone.

The Bombers gambled on a third down with five yards to go but Hall’s throw into the Ticat end zone was picked off. Hall was replaced by backup Jason Boltus.

Then Prime picked up a fumble and ran it back 48 yards for Hamilton’s final touchdown as the Ticats finished the rout.