HAMILTON — The Edmonton Elks excelled on the road with a 47-22 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field Saturday night.
Rookie running back Justin Rankin helped his team to its third-straight win with three rushing touchdowns in his third CFL game. Rankin had 17 carries for 108 yards, including a 40-yard rush.
Quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who started in place of an injured Tre Ford, secured his first win in eight games a starter for the Green and Gold. He finished the night with 15 completions for 234 receiving yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
The team improves to 3-7 on the season, while Hamilton falls to 2-8.
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The Elks got out to a dominant start, scoring four touchdowns and a field goal for a 32-3 lead after the first half. While Hamilton came out strong in the second half, scoring 13 unanswered points in the third quarter alone, the Tiger-Cats couldn’t take a lead.
Bo Levi Mitchell, who began the night as Hamilton’s backup pivot, took the reins in the first quarter after Taylor Powell went out due to injury. Mitchell finished the night with 23-of-34 completions for 294 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, which accounted for half of Hamilton’s turnovers.
The game started with on a serious note as Ticats receiver Luther Hakunavanhu was injured on the first play from scrimmage, leading to a 30-minute delay.
On that play, Elks linebacker Nick Anderson forced a fumble while defensive back Darrius Bratton recovered the ball for Edmonton. When the game resumed, Bethel-Thompson led an eight-play scoring drive culminating in a four-yard rushing touchdown by Rankin.
On Hamilton’s third drive of the game, with more than six minutes remaining in the first quarter, Powell went down with an injury. He was later taken to a local hospital for precautionary reasons.
Mitchell took over and got the ‘Cats offence down to Edmonton’s seven-yard line before a short pass to Greg Bell went through the receiver’s hands and into the arms of Elks linebacker Derrick Moncrief.
Edmonton then capitalized on another turnover, with Bethel-Thompson leading a 12-play, 106-yard touchdown drive punched in by Javon Leake.
That drive had been kept to a field goal attempt, however, the Ticats defence were called on an offside penalty. Hamilton ended the first half with seven penalties for 62 yards and finished the game with 11 for 100 yards.
‘Cats kicker Marc Liegghio got his team on the board with a 32-yard field goal eight minutes into the second quarter.
The Elks offence responded with two more touchdowns: Rankin’s second rushing major and an 11-yard touchdown reception for Dillon Mitchell. Edmonton kicker Boris Bede made his first attempt of the game, a 32-yard field goal, for a 29-point lead heading into the half.
Hamilton hammered back in the second half, with Mitchell leading an eight-play, 76-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter. That drive was extended due to a pass interference call against Edmonton — the Elks’ first of four penalties in the game.
Mitchell bookended the third quarter with a short touchdown pass to Bell for 13 unanswered points.
The Elks tightened the reins once again in the fourth quarter. A 44-yard catch by Hergy Mayala set up Rankin’s third rushing touchdown of the night. Edmonton added one more major in the final two minutes, a short pass from Bethel-Thompson to Kurleigh Gittens Jr.
In the final minutes, the Tabbies tapped third-string quarterback Harrison Frost, who led a scoring drive culminating in a touchdown pass to Shemar Bridges. The final score was 47-22 for the Edmonton Elks.
In Week 12, the Tiger-Cats head west for a Friday night game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Princess Auto Stadium. Kickoff is 8:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 23.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton Elks face another eastern opponent in the league-leading Montreal Alouettes (9-1) at Percival Molson Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m. ET.
