Patrick Doyle/CFL.ca
OTTAWA — Make that four in favour of the REDBLACKS.
Yes, the Ottawa REDBLACKS tallied their fourth win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2018, maintaining their clean record against the Black and Gold following their 46-27 Eastern Final win.
As a result, the REDBLACKS punch their ticket to the 106th Grey Cup in Edmonton, while the Tiger-Cats will spend next week looking towards next year — a week earlier than they would have liked to.
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Jeremiah Masoli hands the ball off to Alex Green during the Eastern Final against the Ottawa REDBLACKS. (Patrick Doyle, CFL.ca)
“It’s disappointing. I feel bad for that locker room in there because we felt like we were prepared, we thought that we had a chance,” said Tiger-Cats head coach June Jones. “We felt the stars were in line for us.”
Unfortunately for the Ticats, they ran headfirst into Trevor Harris on the wrong day to be doing so, as Harris went off on the Hamilton defence — posting a CFL record with six touchdown passes in a playoff game.
While Ottawa was finding success on the offensive side of the ball, their defensive scheme was limiting Jeremiah Masoli and the Tiger-Cats offence.
Masoli finished the game with three interceptions. Two in which the REDBLACKS offence capitalized off of to build upon their lead.
“Obviously they hurt you,” Jone said following the game. “The one interception that Jeremiah had, the guy fell down. The other, he just shouldn’t have thrown. Jeremiah has had a great year and is a competitive kid, and he’ll just get better.”
Although interceptions aided in building an early lead for Ottawa, Jones did go on to say following the game that his offence had their chances to keep the game within reach.
“We had opportunities,” he said. “Three times, if we score touchdowns, we make it a game. Unfortunately, we didn’t put them through and they just kept moving the ball. They did a great job with their scheme.”
The loss in the Eastern Final brings an end to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats season, just one week after their impressive 48-8 beating of the BC Lions.
June Jones, who says he hasn’t even started to think about next season, enters the off-season following his first full season as head coach for the Tiger-Cats, posting a 8-10 record.
As for his thoughts on losing to the REDBLACKS for a fourth time this season, Jones put it point blank in saying, “we lost four in a row, so they must obviously be just better than us.”
