Mitchell leads Ticats to 41-27 home win over Lions

HAMILTON – Bo Levi Mitchell tied his career high with five TD passes to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats past the B.C. Lions 41-27 on Friday night.

The contest featured the finalists for last year’s CFL outstanding player award, which was won by B.C.’s Nathan Rourke. But on this night Mitchell excelled, completing 15-of-18 passes for 285 yards as the Ticats (2-1) earned their first win in four home games versus the Lions before an announced Hamilton Stadium gathering of 20,402.

Rourke, also the CFL’s top Canadian last season, was 24-of-35 passing for 291 yards with a TD and interception while being sacked three times. However, the Lions’ offence was severely short-handed as veteran receiver Keon Hatcher Sr. (thigh) was a late scratch.

On Thursday, B.C. declared receivers Stanley Berryhill III (thigh) and Seven McGee (foot) and Canadian Jevon Cottoy (thigh) were all out. Hatcher, Cottoy and Berryhill combined for 11 catches and 161 yards in B.C.’s season-opening 31-27 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders as Rourke threw for 330 yards in the contest.

B.C. (0-2) started rookie receivers Jaden Williams and Canadian Nick Cenacle. This marks the first time since ’19 the Lions have started a season with two straight losses.

Mitchell’s fifth TD pass — the fourth time he’s done that over his 14-year CFL career — came 21 seconds into the fourth, a 24-yard strike to Kurleigh Gittens Jr. that put Hamilton ahead 41-12. B.C.’s Carl Meyer had a 46-yard single at 4:03.

Rourke found Cenacle on a 14-yard TD pass at 11:19. Then Cenacle caught an 18-yard touchdown toss at 14:17 from backup Chase Brice, who was six-of-seven passing for 87 yards and the score.

Max Mang, with two, Kiondre Smith, Jake Dolegala and Kenny Lawler had Hamilton’s other touchdowns. Marc Liegghio added five converts.

B.C.’s Sean Whyte had four field goals and two converts.

Whyte connected from 43 yards out at 11:22 of the third to cut Hamilton’s lead to 34-12.

Mitchell ended an 11-play, 88-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Mang at 8:27,giving Hamilton a commanding 34-9 lead.

Mitchell’s 49-yard TD pass to Lawler at 12:16 of the second staked Hamilton to its 27-9 halftime advantage. It followed Stavros Katsantonis’s interception.

Mitchell had three first-half touchdowns, completing nine-of-10 passes for 218 yards. Hamilton scored four touchdowns on its six first-half possessions.

Liegghio missed a 45-yard field goal to cap another while failing to make the convert following Lawler’s TD. Punter Mitch McCarthy came on late in the half.

B.C. scored on its first three possessions, but each time settled for Whyte field goals to fall behind 21-9 before Katsantonis’s interception. Rourke was 11-of-19 passing for 159 yards.

Whyte’s 16-yard field goal at 6:16 cut Hamilton’s lead to 21-9, capping a 10-play, 68-yard B.C. drive.

Mitchell hit Mang on a seven-yard TD strike 21 seconds into the second, putting Hamilton up 21-6.

Whyte’s 14-yard field goal at 13:58 of the first pulled B.C. to within 14-6. It was a disappointing end to a solid 10-play, 76-yard march.

Whyte pulled B.C. to within 7-3 with a 40-yard field goal at 5:41. But Dolegala’s one-run run at 7:43 gave Hamilton a 14-3 lead, capping a four-play, 70-yard march that included a 56-yard completion to Myron Mitchell.

Smith opened the scoring just a minute into the contest with a 56-yard TD grab.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2026.

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