CFL.ca
CFL.ca Staff
Three different players etched their name into the Canadian Football League record books this week as a trio of milestones marked a memorable Week 19.
Canadian Content
Jon Cornish made Canadian Football League history Friday night – emphasis on the Canadian. With a 22-yard carry in the third quarter of Week 19’s game at Commonwealth vs. the Edmonton Eskimos, Cornish surpassed Normie Kwong for the most rushing yards in a season by a Canadian. Cornish entered the game needing just 50 yards to surpass Kwong’s 56-year-old mark.
“(Normie Kwong) has always been that name,” said Cornish. “He’s been the top of the top for Canadian running backs. For me to now be mentioned at the same time as him is an honour.”
Tiggles Record Tackled
In the fourth quarter of Friday night’s game at Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton Eskimos linebacker JC Sherritt broke the CFL’s single-season tackle record on Friday, passing Calvin Tiggle’s record of 129 set in 1994. He came into the game with 119 tackles, needing 11 to beat Tiggle’s mark against the Stampeders.
“Anytime you get a record like that, you have to look at the guys around you on defence,” Sherritt said. “None of that is possible without the other guys you play with. Individual records, they are sort of for your family and later on in life. When you play in this organization the only thing that counts is Grey Cups.
“It’s an honour to get that record, but right now my eyes are on getting a ring.”
Passing Pinball
During the second quarter of Thursday’s game at Rogers Centre against Hamilton, Toronto Argonauts’ WR/KR Chad Owens passed Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons to set a new CFL and professional football record for combined yards in one season. The Flyin’ Hawaiian did it with a 29-yard kickoff return against Hamilton midway through the second quarter of the Argos’ final game of the regular season.
An enthused Owens was quick to deflect the spotlight towards his teammates.
“This record is a testament to a season-long body of work by my teammates and coaches. I would like to thank my family for always supporting me and all of the sacrifices they’ve made to get us to this point. It’s an honour to play this game and follow in the footsteps of great men like Michael Clemons who came before me. I feel fortunate and blessed to be in this position today and I’m so happy to have been able to do this at home in front of our fans,” he said.
