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Waters' late field goal lifts Argonauts over Tiger-Cats

Sep 3, 2012 - 9:08 PM Hamilton, ON (Sports Network) - Swayze Waters drilled a 33-yard field goal with less than 30 seconds remaining to lift the Toronto Argonauts to a 33-30 triumph over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in their annual Labour Day clash on Monday afternoon at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

Toronto grabbed a 27-22 lead when Ahmad Carroll picked off a Henry Burris pass and took it 37 yards the other way for the major midway through the fourth.

Waters added a 26-yard field goal to extend the lead to eight, but Burris lead the Tiger-Cats down the field before finding Brandon Rutley for his first CFL touchdown. Burris then hit Dave Stala in the back of the end zone to tie the game with less than 2 1/2 minutes left.

Ricky Ray had the final say however, guiding the Argonauts into Hamilton territory before Waters drilled the go-ahead field goal.

"Our defense has played well all year," Ray said. "We just felt that if we could keep it close, we had a chance to come back."

Ray finished 32-of-45 for 375 yards and one touchdown, while Chad Owens hauled in 11 catches for 176 yards and a major for the Argonauts (1-0), who won for the first time in 16 tries when trailing at halftime.

Burris completed 13-of-30 passes for 218 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions for Hamilton (0-1), which has dropped its last three contests.

"We have to find a way to be more consistent," Burris admitted. "We have to be able to put touchdowns up there to win."

Chris Williams made CFL history, albeit in defeat, as he returned a punt 82 yards for his sixth major return of the season to set a new CFL single-season mark.

The Argonauts struck first as Ray withstood some heat in the pocket, staying upright just long enough to find Owens for a 40-yard touchdown pass.

Williams' record-breaking return got the Tiger-Cats on the board, but they botched the extra-point attempt, leaving them with a 7-6 deficit.

Waters nailed a 30-yard field goal early in the second, but Luca Congi responded with a 42-yarder of his own to restore a one-point margin.

The Hamilton offense got into the act late in the second stanza, as Burris found Onrea Jones for a 17-yard touchdown strike to put the Tiger-Cats up 16-10 with less than a minute left until halftime.

Waters had a 42-yard field goal attempt blocked in the closing seconds of the first half to send the Argonauts into the locker room facing a 16-10 deficit.

The Tiger-Cats settled for a 16-yard field goal from Congi to extend the lead to 19-10 early in the third before Waters missed a 32-yard field goal on Toronto's next possession and Hamilton conceded a single to bring the Argonauts within 19-11.

Williams nearly broke free for another punt return late in the third, but settled for a 63-yard return to set up a 40-yard field goal from Congi to extend the Hamilton lead to 22-11.

Hamilton conceded a safety early in the fourth to bring the Argonauts within 22-13 before Ray led his squad down the field and Chad Kackert capped a 6-play drive with a 1-yard major to cut the margin to 22-20.

Game Notes

These two teams with face off again on Saturday in Toronto ... Ray is the 6th different quarterback Hamilton has used in its last seven Labour Day games ... It was the last Labour Day game ever at Ivor Wynne Stadium ... Williams has five punt return touchdowns, which ties Henry Williams of the Edmonton Eskimos for the CFL record. His other return was on a missed field goal.