Cameron Dukes threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as the Toronto Argonauts defeated the visiting B.C. Lions 35-27 on Sunday night in the season opener for both teams.
Dukes finished 21-of-27 passing for 254 yards in leading Toronto (1-0) to a fourth straight home victory over B.C. (0-1).
A sparkling 60-yard punt by John Haggerty put B.C. at its 10-yard line with 2:04 remaining. But the Lions turned the ball over on downs at their one-yard line with 1:25 to play, delighting the BMO Field gathering of 12,767.
Dukes, starting in place of suspended incumbent Chad Kelly, scored on a one-yard run at 13:38 to put Toronto ahead 35-27. B.C. turned the ball over a final time on downs with 48 seconds remaining.
B.C. starter Vernon Adams Jr. drove B.C. to the Toronto 31-yard line with under four minutes remaining but fumbled after being hit hard by Argos defensive lineman Jake Ceresna. Tackle Jordan Williams recovered.
Sean WhyteB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s 51-yard field goal at 4:00 earned B.C. a 27-26 advantage. But Lirim Hajrullahu converted from 38 yards out at 7:46 to put Toronto ahead 29-27.
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Final. On to the home opener on June 15th. |
B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·” BC LIONS (@BCLions)
Adams finished 25-of-33 passing for 363 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
KaB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™Deem Carey, Rasheed Bailey and Dejon Brissett had TorontoB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s touchdowns. Hajrullahu added two converts and three field goals.
Justin McInnis, Travis Fulgham and Tibo Debaillie scored B.C.B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s touchdowns. Whyte finished with two converts and two field goals while Stefan Flintoft had a single.
BrissettB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s 26-yard TD grab put Toronto ahead 23-20 at 3:15 of the third. WhyteB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s 36-yard boot at 6:35 tied the score before Hajrullahu made it 26-23 with a 34-yard field goal at 11:10. FlintoftB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s 42-yard single at 14:38 cut the ArgosB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ lead to 26-24.
HajrullahuB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s 37-yard field goal cut B.C.B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s halftime lead to 20-16 and capped an eventful second quarter. Dukes drove Toronto 26 yards on six plays after B.C. turned the ball over on downs at the ArgosB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ 54-yard line.
Adams fumbled on third-and-one and although the Lions recovered, they didnB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™t get the first down, giving Toronto the ball.
Dukes pulled Toronto to within 20-13, capping a 90-yard, 11-play drive with a 21-yard TD pass to Bailey at 13:35. Earlier, Debaillie returned a Dukes fumble 20 yards for the score that put B.C. ahead 20-6 at 6:56 as defensive lineman Josh Archibald knocked the ball loose while tackling Dukes.
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Adams was 11-of-12 passing for 171 yards and two TDs in the half, his lone incompletion was an interception. He also ran for a team-high 25 yards on eight carries.
Dukes completed 11-of-14 attempts for 183 yards and two touchdowns.
Adams anchored B.C.B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s 20-point second quarter with his two scoring strikes. He put the Lions ahead 13-6, hitting a wide-open Fulgham on a 50-yard toss at 6:04.
It came after Adams found McInnis on a 29-yard TD pass at 2:56 to make it 6-6. The snap on the convert attempt was fumbled.
DukesB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ eight-yard TD strike to Carey at 13:57 of the first opened the scoring. It capped a smart 10-play, 84-yard march but the convert was unsuccessful.
THE CANADIAN PRESS