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OK Tire Labour Day Weekend is here.
It’s the biggest weekend on the regular season schedule and that fact is never lost on the league’s top players. It’s no coincidence, then, that we’ve seen the CFL’s brightest stars rise to the occasion year after year in early September.
As we get set for this weekend’s action, in no particular order, here are some of the best individual Labour Day Weekend performances in recent years.
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2023 – Tre Ford, Edmonton Elks
Because Edmonton and Calgary always play each other twice starting with the annual Labour Day Classic, we’re combining a pair of Ford performances from last season. As the Elks were getting their season back on track, Ford put together a couple electric performances in the Battle of Alberta.
While racking up 217 rushing yards in two games against the Stamps, Ford showed off a few electrifying runs you just don’t see from players at his position. Ford’s heroics helped the Elks split the back-to-back set, including engineering a last-minute drive to setup a walk-off field goal in the rematch at Commonwealth Stadium.
2022 – Jameer Thurman, Calgary Stampeders
Thurman is having a stellar first season as a member of the Roughriders and two years ago he put together one of the best games of his career as a member of the Stamps. Thurman stacked up ten defensive tackles for the second of three times in his career and added a sack and a tackle for loss helping Calgary to a 26-18 win.
Let’s dive in on the East Division’s Labour Day Classic as Hamilton’s dynamic duo at receiver had a day in 2018. Tasker led the way with 143 yards on eight catches including an electric 56-yard touchdown reception. And Speedy B was right there with him. Banks finished with two touchdown catches and 135 receiving yards as the Tiger-Cats rolled to a 42-28 win over Toronto.
Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli finished with 385 passing yards on the day, of which Banks or Tasker were on the other end almost 75 per cent of the time.
Let’s jump back to last year with Big Play VA smack dab in the middle of the best season of his career. Adams was nearly flawless as he threw for 305 yards and three touchdowns, including a 62-yard strike to Alexander Hollins, without registering an interception. Adams added 54 yards on the ground against his former team in a 34-25 road win over Montreal.
2019 – Bralon Addison, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
2019 was Addison’s breakout season in Hamilton and his Labour Day performance was a big part of that. As part of a 38-27 win over the Argos, Addison hauled in 11 catches on 12 targets for 167 yards and two touchdowns, which had the rest of the league taking notice. Addison finished the year with 1,236 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as the Ticats ended up advancing to the 107th Grey Cup.
2022 – Lorenzo Mauldin IV, Ottawa REDBLACKS
While Ottawa’s 2022 season was largely disappointing, Mauldin’s emergence as one of the CFL’s most dangerous pass rushers was a significant bright spot. En route to leading the league with 17 sacks, Mauldin recorded a pair of them to go along with five defensive tackles as the REDBLACKS pulled off a 38-24 upset on the road in Montreal.
This one is perhaps cheating a little bit, but this head-to-head quarterback matchup in 2018’s Labour Day rematch was just too good to omit. Reilly was out of his mind in leading Edmonton to a 48-42 win at Commonwealth; he finished with 397 passing yards and three touchdowns while adding 43 yards and three more majors on the ground.
And, on his way to being named Most Outstanding Player that season, Mitchell was on his game, too. Mitchell slung it for 491 yards and four touchdowns in an absolute classic BOA showdown.
With our second dynamic receiver duo on this list, it was Lewis and Wieneke popping off as the Alouettes rolled up Ottawa 51-29 a few years ago. Lewis and Wieneke each hauled in a pair of Adams Jr. touchdown passes with Lewis finishing at a game high 120 receiving yards on five catches. Right behind him was Wieneke with 118 on seven receptions.
Pickett only spent one season in Double Blue, but it sure was a good one. The 2023 CFL All-Star was at his very best as Toronto took a 41-28 road win over the Ticats. Starring at SAM linebacker, Pickett led all players with nine defensive tackles while adding one more on special teams, a sack, and a fumble recovery.
Edmonton has only recorded one Labour Day Classic victory at McMahon Stadium since 2011 and Harris was the main reason why three years ago. In one of his best games in Green and Gold, Harris spread the ball to eight different receivers to the tune of 398 passing yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Elks posted 15 points in the fourth quarter to close out the 32-20 road win.
During this run of dominance from Winnipeg, it feels like Nichols and his contributions have sometimes flown under the radar. That wasn’t the case for Nichols in 2021 as the Bombers stifled Saskatchewan 23-8 at Mosaic. One of the most consistent defensive backs of this era, Nichols recorded five defensive tackles, an interception, and a sack in the victory.