Greg Morris didn聮t just break records late Saturday night, he annihilated them.
The Westshore Rebels speedy runningback tore through the Kamloops Broncos聮 defence to the tune of 405 rushing yards on 24 carries, breaking not only the sa国际传媒 Football Conference record for ground yards in a single game, but also the Canadian Junior Football League standard.
The second-year Rebels聮 star eclipsed Eric Scott聮s 338 rushing yards mark set as a member of the Richmond Raiders back in 1985. He also surpassed current sa国际传媒 Lions' runningback Andrew Harris聮s 400 yards that he managed in a post-season game with the Vancouver Island Raiders in 2008.
The previous CJFL record was 355 yards, established by Craig Carter of the Windsor AKO Fratmen in 1999.
聯He smashed our team rushing record for a game,聰 said Rebels聮 offensive co-ordinator Charlie Cardilicchia, who saw something in the Broncos聮 defence and exploited it in the second half in which the Rebels managed 303 rushing yards. 聯We started running Greg outside.聰
Morris broke his own club record for rushing yards in a game (259 which he also set against Kamloops on Aug. 27, 2011) and snapped the team mark for rushing yards in a season. Sam Adu had recorded 1,139 yards for the Rebs in 2010. Morris now, unofficially, sits at 1,471 yards with one game to go.
That game is set for Saturday afternoon in Nanaimo against the VI Raiders. Morris needs just six more rushing yards to eclipse Harris聮s mark of 1,476 that he managed in 2009 which moved him into second place for rushing yards in a BCFC season. That league record is 1,592 yards and belongs to Matt Medwick, set in 2000 with the Valley Huskers.
Morris, a Toronto native, also scored four touchdowns in the 37-22 win Saturday in Kamloops, breaking Blaine Kruger聮s single-season Rebels聮 record for touchdowns. Morris now has 17 TDs, improving Kruger聮s mark for major scores by two.
聯He was very, very impressive,聰 said Cardilicchia. 聯He had an incredible night.聰
As did his offensive line which avenged a poor showing the week previous in a 41-7 loss to the Langley Rams, who the Rebels will face in the post-season. Just where the two teams finish is yet to be determined. The Raiders (8-0-1) have clinched first place with the Rebels presently slotted in second at 7-2 and the Rams third at 6-2-1.
The Rams face the Okanagan Sun on Saturday and a Langley win combined with a Westshore loss means the Rebels would start playoffs on the road.
聯Our offensive line was resilient,聰 Cardilicchia said of Saturday聮s performance. 聯They (the Broncos) blitzed hard. They were very aggressive, but we came away with a great team victory.
聯Our defence really held us in the game, too. Our defence was all over their quarterback,聰 Cardilicchia added of the Rebels, who were up 10-0 early, recording three Broncos聮 turnovers, but then trailed 21-17 at the half.
The Rebels聮 defence recorded four interceptions while Mark Black threw two of his own, including one for a Kamloops touchdown. Black finished just 4-of-12 in passing for 86 yards, but Westshore amassed 416 yards along the ground in total.
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