THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO -- Chad Kackert ran through, around and over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday.

The sophomore running back rushed for a career-best 172 yards and three touchdowns to power the Toronto Argonauts past the Tiger-Cats 45-31 at Rogers Centre to sweep their Labour Day series.

It was quite a coming-out party for the five-foot-nine, 192-pound Kackert, making just his fourth start of the season since starter Cory Boyd was released last month. His 43-yard TD run opened the scoring in the first but it was Kackert's acrobatic 11-yard touchdown scamper at 2:36 of the fourth that cemented the win for the Argos.

"Statistically it was a good performance but the offensive line opened everything up and the gameplan we had as far as the run game went had a lot to do with it,'' said Kackert. "I didn't have to do a lot of work to get extra yards.

"It's not a comfortable position to be working hard all off-season...but people get their opportunities and I was blessed to have mine and am thankful to prove myself each week.''

Kackert was a one-man show with 239 total yards. He even outgained receiver/kick-returner Chad Owens, who had a combined 220 yards after registering a club-record 402 yards in Toronto's 33-30 win over the Ticats on Monday at Ivor Wynne Stadium.

"He played tough, he was banged up a little bit and was able to continue to come back in the game and help us finish it off,'' said Argos head coach Scott Milanovich. "He was impressive ... I think that (239 total yards) speaks for itself.

"On a short week it's tough to beat the same team twice. I felt I should've called more runs in Hamilton but the wind played a factor. We felt good about our run package, it wasn't different from what we did a week ago but we just utilized it better and Chad did a great job.''

The Ticats, meanwhile, will be forced to go back to the drawing board.

"It was embarrassing to come off last weekend, just not acceptable,'' said Ticats quarterback Henry Burris. "Today was the same.

"We made too many mistakes. They did what they expected to do, we didn't.''

Toronto will travel to Vancouver next week in a game Milanovich said will be a big test.

"Certainly we want to be able to beat the best and they're one of if not the best in the league,'' he said "Really good teams get on a run in the second half of the season and we hadn't done that.

"We weren't perfect today but I feel we're headed in the right direction.''

Ticats head coach George Cortez can't say the same.

"The issue was pretty much all that we did,'' he said. "I'm concerned right now and very disappointed.

"We have just not played well in all of the last five games.''

However, the Argonauts seem to be coming together at the right time. The club has now won three of their last four outings.

"The momentum definitely shifted,'' Milanovich said. "It was quiet there for a minute on the sidelines.

"We kind of seized control after that, which is great because the momentum swings in a football game can crush teams that don't have fortitude. I was proud of our guys for battling back, believing and getting the job done in the third.''

Ray was an efficient 26-of-32 passing for 331 yards with an interception and credited Kackert with getting the offence going.

"You want to control the line of scrimmage and when you can run the football as well as we did it definitely helps your team,'' Ray said. "It wasn't just four or five yards here and there, it was big plays, touchdown plays.

"The other thing he did well was a couple of times I checked down to him and he picked up some first downs. If you give him a crease he has the speed to turn it into a touchdown and if you throw him those underneath passes he's going to get up the field and get yards.''

Toronto missed another glorious scoring chance when Dontrelle Inman couldn't hold on to what would've been a 30-yard TD pass when he collided head-first with the padded goalpost. Inman remained in the game but the Argos mustered just a single off Wilbur's missed 37-yard field goal try to go ahead 28-17 at 14:38 of the third.

"That's what broke up the play?'' Milanovich asked. "We, in fact, told him to head right for the goalpost.

"He took it literally.''

- With files from CFL.ca Staff