Nathan Rourke sets CFL pass record for single game by Canadian QB

Vancouver-Nathan Rourke threw 436 yards and four touchdowns, beating BC Lions overwhelmingly 44-3 over the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday.

Rourke set a new record of passing the yard in a Canadian quarterback, surpassing the 427-yard mark set by Gerry Dattilio in 1981. A 24-year-old native from Victoria, British Columbia, completed 39 out of 45 trials and was fired once.

Kicker Shaun White chipped in with two Lions field goals (2-0), including a 50-yard strike.

BC’s defense suffocated Argos (1-1), keeping McLeod Bethel Thompson to 178 yards. The Toronto quarterback connected in 15 of 21 attempts, threw one passcut, was fired twice, and was replaced in the second half of the fourth quarter.

Chad Kelly was relieved to throw two yards, complete one of the two attempts, and was fired once.

The only point of the night in Argos was a 23-yard field goal off Boris Bead at the beginning of the second quarter.

Winning means BC will start the CFL season with two wins for the first time since 2016.

The Lions had finished the goodbye week, but early in the match on Saturday, no rust was seen and they kicked off with an eight-play, 68-yard scoring drive.

Roke scrambled from his collapsing pocket to pick up 11 yards and the first down, then capped the drive with a vivid 19-yard pass to Brian Burnham in the end zone. The veteran wide receiver bowed to the crowd twice after recording the first touchdown of the season.

BC’s defensive unit was tested on first night’s possession in Toronto, with Davaris Daniels demonstrating power on tackles and Bethel Thompson finding Dejon Bresset on the Lions 1-yard line.

The Lions stood strong and refused all three visitors trying to sneak into the end zone. Toronto turned the ball down.

Due to the phone call asked, Lions continued to take ownership in the second half of the first quarter.

Roke’s 7-yard toss to Lucky Whitehead was determined to be incomplete, but BC head coach Rick Campbell challenged, the call was overturned and his side went down first.

Roke fired a 46-yard bomb on Dominique Rhymes in his next play, and White capped the drive with a 21-yard field goal to raise the Lions to 10-0.

At the beginning of the second quarter, BC cornerback Delvin Blow knocked down a long toss from Bethel Thompson to Brandon Banks, and Argos head coach Ryan Dinwoody claimed defensive pass interference and took on his own challenge. The we. In the review, authorities agreed and Toronto was awarded the first down on the BC21 yard line.

Lions defender David Menard dismissed Bethel Thompson in the next play, but Argos still scored on the drive and Bead started a field goal that reduced Toronto’s deficit to 10-3.

Rourke increased the Lions cushion in the middle of the half, found Rhymes in the end zone, and won 9 plays with a 19-yard bullet and a 70-yard scoring drive.

BC headed to the locker room 20-3 after White closed the second quarter with a 44-yard field goal.

The BC lineup surged in the second half of the first half, but linebacker Bo Lokombo repelled James Butler and wide receiver Bryan Burnham, all heading to the locker room with end-of-game injuries. Whitehead also appeared to have an ankle injury, but remained in the match.

In the middle of the third frame, Winton McMannis pulled Roke around the centerfield due to a loss of 7 yards. However, the Lions remained depressed and sent out White in an attempt to reach a 50-yard field goal. He kicked and gave BC a 23-3 lead.

Obum Gwacham, Lions’ defensive end, seems to have dismissed Bethel Thompson and took some revenge on his next possession.

Roke’s arched 29-yard toss to the wide open Jevonkotoy deep in the Red Zone set the third TD for BC’s night in the second half of the third quarter. Kottoy took a few quick steps in the end zone and aggregated the first major of the season.

In the last frame, Rourke reconnected with Rhymes, this time with a 24-yard toss. Located just outside the end zone, Rhymes easily completed the touchdown, with Lions leading 37-3.

British Columbia’s Gary Peters joined Toronto’s predicament in the middle of the fourth quarter and won Bethel Thompson’s pass.

Lions full-back David McKee filled the injured Butler’s running back and crossed the goal line with the first CFL touchdown in the second half of the fourth to make the ball muscular. A successful conversion from White gave the homeside a 44-3 lead.

Kelly was immediately fired by Menard when Bethel Thompson came to finish the match.

Lions will resume their activities on Thursday when they fight the Red Blacks in Ottawa. Argos will host Winnipeg Blue Bombers on July 4th.

Footnote: Mackie took over Butler in the second half of the running back. And 90 rush yards were totaled. … Argos offensive lineman Jonathan Zamora dragged off the field after being injured while playing in the middle of the fourth quarter. … Saturday was the 100th meeting between the two teams. BC holds the edge of 60-38-2 in the series.