Saturday's CFL Capsules

Nov 2, 2008 - 6:33 AM By PA SportsTicker

WINNIPEG 44, HAMILTON 30 ------------------------

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Ticker) -- Romby Bryant caught four passes for 101 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers geared up for the playoffs with a 44-30 triumph over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Preparing for their Eastern Division semifinal matchup with the Edmonton Eskimos next weekend, the Blue Bombers (8-10) scored the game's first 19 points and held a 29-9 advantage at the half. Bryant played a major role in building the lead, catching TD passes of five and 85 yards from Kevin Glenn.

The two touchdown passes raised Glenn's career total to 104, tying him with Jack Jacobs for fourth place on the franchise list.

Alexis Serna kicked four field goals, Casey McGahee returned a punt 57 yards for a score and Jovon Johnson brought back an interception 50 yards for a TD for Winnipeg.

Glenn completed 11-of-14 passes for 166 yards and Fred Reid led the Blue Bombers' rushing attack, gaining 160 yards on 14 carries.

Adam Tafralis went 15-of-29 for 197 yards and two touchdowns for Hamilton in relief of Casey Printers, who was 6-of-16 for 131 yards and a TD before suffering an injury early in the third quarter. Each quarterback threw one interception but combined for all 66 rushing yards for the Tiger-Cats (3-15), who also posted just three wins last season.

Christopher Davis, Kenton Keith and Eddie Cohen each hauled in a pass for score while rookie Prechae Rodriguez made six catches for 129 yards, pushing his season total over 1,000. He is the first Tiger-Cat to reach the plateau since 2005.

CALGARY 41, BC LIONS 30 -----------------------

CALGARY, Alberta (Ticker) -- The Calgary Stampeders already had the top seed in the CFL's West Division locked up before they took the field for the regular-season finale - but they managed to impact the playoff race anyway.

Henry Burris threw for 165 yards and a touchdown in one half alone to led the Stampeders to a 41-30 victory over the West rival BC Lions. With the loss, the Lions missed out on a chance to host a home game during next weekend's divisional semifinals.

The idle Saskatchewan Roughriders (12-6), who won their season finale Thursday over the Toronto Argonauts, clinched home-field advantage in the first round and will host the Lions (11-7).

Calgary (13-5), which is looking for its first Grey Cup championship since 2001, came out with nothing to gain and played its starters in the first half before giving them a rest. Burris, who finished the season second in the league with 39 touchdown passes, led two second-quarter scoring drives to help the Stampeders take control.