THE CANADIAN PRESS
REGINA — There were many happy returns for the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday.
James Johnson’s 65-yard punt return in the second quarter, for one. The return of running back Wes Cates after missing three games with a lower leg injury was another.
But perhaps none were happier than that of Matt Dominguez. The Riders’ star wide receiver came back from a partially-torn ACL and three months on the injured list to make two receptions for 32 yards as the Roughriders beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 30-29 at Mosaic Stadium.
Dominguez was injured Aug. 2 against the Calgary Stampeders and early word was that his career could be over.
"Coming out of the tunnel (before the game), you know it had been a little while for me," said Dominguez. "Six-and-a-half weeks ago I was going into a surgery where I could have been done for my career, so being able to come out and contribute with a couple big plays was a pretty emotional thing for me."
The return of Cates had a more tangible impact as he carried the ball 17 times for 97 yards, including a fourth-quarter touchdown to cut the Hamilton lead to 29-27. But the Riders’ efforts were almost for naught as they had to overcome four interceptions — three in the first half by starter Darian Durant — and 17 fourth-quarter points by the Ticats.
Riders kicker Luca Congi stole the win for Saskatchewan with a 36-yard field goal in the final minute of play. Earlier in the game, Congi had bounced a 55-yard attempt off the crossbar and into the end zone to tie the game at 11.
With the win, Saskatchewan (10-6) moved into a tie with the B.C. Lions (10-6) for second place in the West Division and sit two points back of the division-leading Calgary Stampeders (11-5) with two games to play.
Hamilton dropped its second straight game to fall to 3-13.
Durant, who also ran for 75 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Chris Getzlaf in going 7-for-16 on the day, had been handed the starting pivot’s job after Saskatchewan’s coaching deemed Michael Bishop too inconsistent earlier in the week.
"It is a little disconcerting but, to be pragmatic, that’s just the way it is," said Roughriders head coach Ken Miller, asked about the prospect of not knowing who his No. 1 quarterback is with just two weeks until playoffs.
Steven Jyles made a strong case for the starting job next week against the Edmonton Eskimos. Coming in to relieve Durant with under five minutes left in the second quarter, Jyles completed 12-of-14 pass attempts that included a 55-yard bomb to Getzlaf in the third quarter on a four-play drive that eventually led to a Neal Hughes touchdown reception. Jyles threw for 149 yards, one interception, and the Hughes touchdown to complement 50 yards rushing himself.
"When they called on me … my mindset was just to try and make some good decisions and not turn over the football, and I think I was able to do that," said Jyles. "Every week I prepare as though I’m going to start and this week is no different."
Hamilton appeared to have all the momentum when Jykime Bradley ran a Jyles pick back 22 yards for a touchdown. A 30-yard field goal from kicker Nick Setta with under 10 minutes to play made the game 29-20 for Hamilton.
But Tiger-Cats head coach, and former Roughriders offensive co-ordinator, Marcel Bellefeuille could not coax a shut-down performance from his defence, which gave up the Cates touchdown and Congi field goal in a span of six minutes.
A last-ditch 54-yard attempt from Setta sailed wide right and Dressler ran the ball out of the Saskatchewan end zone to secure the win.
.It was Bellefeuille’s first game as a head coach in his old stomping grounds and one he was particularly disappointed to lose despite the disparity in the teams’ records.
"There’s no moral victories," he said. "We’re here to win games. That’s what we get paid to do as professionals, and I felt pretty good at 29-20."
The Ticats were relegated to playing the spoiler’s role after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers clinched the East’s final playoff berth Saturday but Bellefeuille said his troops did not play the part.
"If anything I felt like there was actually more tightness than if we were in a playoff situation," he said.
Hamilton quarterback Quinton Porter finished 26-of-40 for 300 yards with two touchdowns — a 52-yard strike to Chris Davis and a 40-yard catch-and-run with Scott Mitchell.
It was Saskatchewan’s 10th straight regular-season win over Hamilton.
Notes: Running back Kenton Keith did not dress for Hamilton after being cut on his forearm for 10 stitches last week against the Montreal Alouettes. … Regina product Chris Bauman caught four passes for 34 yards for the Ticats. … Dressler is 50 receiving yards short of 1,000 for the season.
