Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca
HALIFAX — Andrew Harris became the fifth all-time leader in CFL rushing yards and the Toronto Argonauts hit a milestone they haven’t seen in 87 years on Saturday.
The Argos’ 31-13 Touchdown Atlantic win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders embodied the team’s new normal in almost every way.
Harris’ 41 rushing yards on seven carries boosted him past one of his childhood heroes, in former Winnipeg Blue Bomber Charles Roberts.
“(I remember) seeing him when I was 18 years old at Palomino Night Club, telling him being a cocky kid and telling him I’m coming to take your job,” a grinning Harris said.
“To pass him now all these years later it’s an amazing feat. The biggest thing for me is my teammates and the coaches I’ve had through my career, various organizations that I’ve played for and honestly, the Toronto Argonauts for kind of pushing me to come back to take a different role. (I’m) relishing that role right now, and still loving the game and what I do.”
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Harris’ milestone on the night dovetails with the Argos improving to 6-0, a mark they haven’t seen since the 1935 season. Week after week with this team in the 2023 season, they show their strength and the different ways they can win games. On Saturday, in front of a packed house at Huskies Stadium at Saint Mary’s University, the Argos got the win on the backs of the defence and special teams unit.
Javon Leake took a punt return 71 yards for a first quarter touchdown that helped put the Argos up 10-0. In the fourth quarter, it was Argos’ defensive back DaShaun Amos nabbing a Mason Fine pass and running it back 58 yards for the major that cemented the win. On a night where Kelly and the Argo offence managed 200 net yards, the team’s other two units did their part.
“First, we have the greatest running back in the history of the CFL. That obviously helps tremendously,” Kelly said of Harris, who sat with him in the post-game media availability.
“I think as a as a whole, offence, defence special teams…everybody collaborated and did their thing. I think that sometimes if the offence is down the defence picks it up. Defence is down, offence picks it up. Special teams when they score, great things happen. Obviously wanting to do a lot better (offensively) but I think just overall, there was good effort. We stubbed our toes sometimes but
it’s a team effort. We talk about going 1-0 and we did that.”
The Argos will look to jump to 7-0 next week when they travel to Calgary to face the Stampeders.
