Ticats lose heartbreaker in Ottawa

Henry Burris threw a 93-yard touchdown pass to Greg Ellingson with 1:11 left and the Ottawa Redblacks beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35-28 on Sunday in the Canadian Football League’s East Division final to advance to the Grey Cup.

Ottawa Redblacks’ Ernest Jackson hoists the CFL East Division trophy after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Ottawa, Ont., Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015.

Season ticket holders Doug and Bev Stinson have been fans of Ottawa football since the Rough Rider days of the ’70s and ’80s.

And the Redblacks will represent the East Division in the CFL championship game after posting just two wins in their inaugural 2014 season. With a 12-6 record, Ottawa clinched its first division title since 1978.

“We’re really lucky I guess”, said offensive line coach Bryan Chiu.

“It’s unreal. It’s what…over 30 years for Ottawa to have a home playoff game and to win it in the fashion that we did, it’s just a testament to this team”, Ellingson said.

And when it comes down to it, it’s all just a game.

“We do the dirty work and we let those guys go out and do what they do which is run around and make plays”, said Rogers. “We wanted to get some type of real estate there”. Even a year ago when we had our struggles the stands were always sold out.

“It is beyond awesome to see excitement like this surrounding a sports team in Ottawa”, said Dante Scaffidi, 29, a fan from Ottawa.

On the winning second-and-25 play, Ellingson made the catch with Hamilton defender Ed Gainey falling.

“Wow, wow. It was way too dramatic as far as the ending”, Burris said. He had coached the game so masterfully, as is his wont, while extracting a 349-yard passing performance from Masoli – who was making his third CFL start.

The Ticats had their share of opportunities to win this game, no question.

The quarterback matchup may give Ottawa its biggest edge in the game.

There were many and Hamilton simply could not make them.

Whether watching at home, at a bar, or in the stands, fans were not disappointed with the Redblacks’ play.

The Redblacks allowed the fourth fewest sacks, 43, in the league.

The RedBlacks seized momentum back, this time with Burris scrambling nine yards into the end zone himself. Burris had 481 of those, also a single-season high mark.

In a curious end to the season, Ottawa played Hamilton twice in the final two games-and beat the both times.

The Grey Cup is next Sunday at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg.

Austin was on the victorious side in 1989, when he quarterbacked the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a 43-40 Grey Cup win over Hamilton.

Burris has had a career year and acknowledges much of the success goes to his linemen for providing him the time and space to do his job.

It’s been 34 years since that Grey Cup appearance. On Thursday, he will assuredly be named the CFL’s most outstanding player – having previously been honoured in 2010 – as a prelude to calling signals for the upstart Redblacks in the 103rd Grey Cup game Sunday in Winnipeg. They have earned the first Grey Cup berth for an Ottawa squad since 1981, when the Rough Riders lost an epic heartbreaker to the Edmonton Eskimos. The city is excited.