Hamilton Tiger-Cats 18 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 36 (July 27, 2007)
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0 commentsBlue Bomber slotback Milt Stegall set a new CFL all-time touchdown record Friday after scoring his 138th and 139th career TDs in Winnipeg's 36-18 victory against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
At 8:17 of the second quarter, the 37-year-old slotback caught a one-yard shovel pass from quarterback Kevin Glenn and crossed the goal line untouched to cap off a six-play 75-yard drive and give the Blue Bombers a 14-6 lead.
The 13-year veteran's score lifted him past the old record of 137 TDs he had shared with former running backs Mike Pringle and George Reed.
The record was a long time coming.
Stegall had tied the record in Winnipeg's season-opener on June 28 in a 39-39 tie in Edmonton.
Stegall added to his mark with 1:38 remaining in the game when he stretched out and caught a 35-yard pass from Glenn and hung on as momentum carried him into the end zone.
The Bombers lead the East Division with a 3-1-1 record, while Hamilton is in the basement at 0-5.
Winnipeg running back Charles Roberts also scored a pair of TDs. Troy Westwood notched field goals from 13 and 29 yards and added an 85-yard single and Jamie Stoddard made a catch for a two-point convert.
Hamilton kicker Nick Setta booted six field goals from 13, 20, 32, 36, 41 and 52 yards for all of the Tiger-Cats' scoring on the night.
Stegall hauled in four catches during his record-setting drive. He caught a 20-yard reception just before his TD and also pulled in catches of 15 and 42 yards.
A capacity crowd of 29,533 fans at Canad Inns Stadium immediately rose to their feet after Stegall's record catch and remained standing for about seven minutes as his accomplishment was recognized in a brief on-field ceremony by CFL and Blue Bombers representatives.
"Milt, throughout your career you've amazed our fans with your incredible ability and you've done so with professionalism and class and we're very proud that you have become the CFL's all-time touchdown leader," CFL chief operating officer Michael Copeland said.
"On behalf of the Canadian Football League and our fans across the country, congratulations."
To chants of "Stegall, Stegall," the new touchdown king kept his comments short and to the point.
"First of all, I want to thank Charlie Taaffe and the Ti-Cats for allowing me to do this little time session, thank you very much," Stegall said.
"I gotta thank God, I gotta thank my beautiful wife and son in Atlanta, my mother, my brothers and sisters, all the fans across the CFL, but specifically the Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans. Thank you very much."
Stegall now has 136 career TD receptions and three non-receiving TDs (one on a punt return, one on a blocked kick return and one on a fumble recovery). The 136 TD receptions have come from 13 different quarterbacks and one defensive player. Of his 139 TDs, 18 have come against the Tiger-Cats.
The six-time CFL all-star and 2002 league most outstanding player, finished the game with eight catches for 141 yards.
Winnipeg led 7-0 after the first quarter following Roberts' league-leading seventh TD of the season at 11:58. Robert's finished his four-yard run by stretching the ball over the goal line as he was falling at 11:58.
Hamilton got two quick field goals in the second quarter, the second off of a Bombers turnover when Glenn and Roberts muffed a handoff and Ticats defensive lineman Anthony Collier recovered the fumble.
Stegall's first TD gave his club a 14-12 lead at halftime.
Winnipeg led 17-15 after Setta and Westwood exchanged field goals in the third quarter.
The Bombers scored a two-point conversion after Roberts' second touchdown and then Hamilton QB Jason Maas was intercepted by linebacker Barrin Simpson.
The turnover led to a Westwood 13-yard field goal at 12:19 and Stegall put the exclamation point on the victory with his second TD at 13:22 of the fourth quarter.
Notes: Exactly five years ago on July 27, Milt Stegall passed Bomber running back Leo Lewis' team record of 75 career TDs when he notched No.s 75 and 76. The game was the third of six meetings between the Bombers and Ti-Cats this season, including two pre-season matches.
courtesy of cfl.ca
Date
July 27, 2007
