By Canadian Press

Redblacks come back late to stun Argos 23-17 in exhibition play

May 27, 2022 | 8:02 PM

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Redblacks had some late-game heroics to squeeze out a 23-17 win over the visiting Toronto Argonauts Friday night at TD Place.

Friday’s game marked the first pre-season league game since 2019.

The Argos started off slow, but seemed to find their rhythm as the game went on, but it was the Redblacks who came up big when it counted.

Jeremiah Masoli was 8 for 11 for 105 yards and one touchdown in his Ottawa debut. Caleb Evans was 9 for 17 for 116 yards and one interception.

Tyrie Adams was the game hero finishing 6 for 9 for 68 yards with one interception and a passing rushing touchdown.

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Antonio Pipkin got the start at quarterback for the Argos going 7 for 9 for 60 yards and one interception and shared the workload with Chad Kelly who was 7 for 12 for 78 yards. Austin Simmons also got in on the action finishing 2 for 5 for 19 yards.

The Redblacks held a 7-3 lead at the half, but struggled to generate momentum in the second half until the final minute.

The Argos took a 10-7 lead early in the fourth quarter as Javon Leake ran in a four-yard TD and Toshiki Sato added the convert. The back-breaker was a Jamal Peters 58-yard interception in the fourth quarter that he ran all the way back to give Toronto a 17-7 lead.

Ottawa made things close as Adams connected with R.J. Harris for an 11-yard touchdown pass to make it 17-14 with five minutes remaining.

The Argos, pinned deep, conceded a safety to make it 17-16 with 1:21 remaining and it came back to bite them as the Redblacks drove down the field culminating with Adams punching in a one-yard TD.

Ottawa got on the board first early in the first quarter with a single and wide receiver Jaelon Acklin hauled in a touchdown pass from Masoli early in the second quarter to take a 7-0 lead as Lewis Ward missed the convert.

Ottawa stopped the Argos deep in their own end in the final minute of the half and forced the Argos to settle for a 19-yard field goal by Sato.

The Redblacks dressed 85 players, the most ever for a pre-season game.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2022.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press