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Hamilton wins cat fight

Geoff Tisdale returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown Friday to key a 31-28 CFL victory by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats over the struggling B.C. Lions.
DeAndra Cobb, Javier Glatt
Hamilton’s DeAndra Cobb is tackled by B.C. Lion Javier Glatt Friday. Cobb had 150 yards from scrimmage as Hamilton won 31-28.

Tiger-Cats 31 Lions 28

VANCOUVER — Geoff Tisdale returned an interception 43 yards for a touchdown Friday to key a 31-28 CFL victory by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats over the struggling B.C. Lions.

The defensive back stepped in front of Lions receiver Geroy Simon and picked off the throw from quarterback Buck Pierce, who was under pressure from Ticats linebacker Otis Floyd.

Floyd ended a late B.C. threat by intercepting Pierce with 21 seconds remaining.

The win ended Hamilton’s nine-game losing streak against B.C.

Tisdale’s touchdown gave Hamilton a 21-14 lead. B.C. closed to within three points at 24-21 but rookie running back DeAndra Cobb gathered in a 48-yard pass from quarterback Quinton Porter.

Cobb, pressed into service because of injuries, picked up more than 150 yards from scrimmage in his first CFL start.

Porter also ran for a touchdown as the Tiger-Cats improved to 1-1 with their first victory over B.C. since a 38-36 win in 2004. Hamilton was 3-15 last season.

It was also the first time the Lions had lost at home to a club from the Eastern time zone in more than five years.

The B.C. defeat also meant that the two clubs that contested the 2008 West final are winless in their first two starts as Grey Cup champion Calgary fell 35-18 to Winnipeg.

Paris Jackson, who had to take over punting duties late in the game, and Simon caught first-half TD passes from Pierce while Jarious Jackson on a one-yard run.

Emmanuel Arceneaux drew the Lions to within three by hauling in a 42-yard Pierce pass with less than two minutes remaining.

The Ticats were able to build on their improved play in the second half of a 30-17 opening week loss to the Toronto Argonauts. The Lions, meanwhile, remained in the funk of a sloppy 28-24 season-opening loss to Saskatchewan as they dropped their home opener to fall to 0-2.