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Johnstown’s Geroy Simon has more pass receiving yards than any player in the 100-year history of the Canadian Football League.
Simon opened his 14th CFL season in storybook fashion as 29,351 fans at B.C. Place Stadium watched. His son, Gervon, a recent Johnstown High School graduate, and father, Geroy Allen, each joined him on the field to celebrate his record-breaking 56-yard pass reception from British Columbia Lions quarterback Travis Lulay in the final quarter of a 33-16 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The big catch was Simon’s fifth of Friday night’s game – the record play actually occurred at approximately 12:45 a.m. EDT on Saturday. A strong contingent of Simon’s family and friends were part of history. Some of those Simon fans made the 2,700-mile cross-country journey from Johns-
town to Vancouver, British Columbia.
“That ball hung up in the air forever,” Simon told sideline reporter Scott Rintoul of Team 1040 radio, a station Johnstown fans had an opportunity to listen to on the Internet. “If I had one more step on him, I would have scored. I won’t get caught like that again.”
Simon, 36, began the game only 67 yards from breaking the record set by former Blue Bombers star Milt Stegall. He was 18 yards away from the milestone when he hauled in Lulay’s pass with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
The much-anticipated reception was followed by a spirited on-field celebration that had fireworks and a lot of embraces, high fives and handshakes. Simon’s teammates sprinted across the field to meet him. Among those offering congratulations on the field were his son and father.
CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon, Stegall and Lions GM Wally Buono each congratulated Simon through the public address system. An emotional Simon thanked fans “who had made it all possible. I love you all. I couldn’t do it without your support. No one ever does something like this by himself.”
The Greater Johnstown High School graduate had five catches for 102 yards and now has 940 career receptions for 15,192 yards.
“It was a little bit of relief to get it over with,” Simon admitted during the radio interview. “I was (angry) that I didn’t get a touchdown there. I was still thinking of making plays after the record. But it’s all good. I’m happy it’s over.”
Richland High Superintendent Tom Fleming was Simon’s football coach at Johnstown High. Fleming cited Simon’s dedication and work habits as two reasons the slotback has been such a prolific receiver northwest of the border.
“What has made Geroy so successful in the CFL are traits he displayed in high school,” Fleming said in an email from China, where he is participating in an educational exchange program. “Geroy was extremely competitive and had a great amount of personal pride. Those attributes made him a leader among his teammates.”
Simon starred in football, basketball and track at Johnstown High. He was a standout receiver at the University of Maryland but went undrafted by NFL teams and didn’t stick during multiple NFL tryouts. Simon spent two seasons on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad in 1997 and 1998 before finally breaking into the CFL in 1999.
“Aside from being a special three-sport athlete (at Johnstown), he is a special person,” Fleming said. “Geroy represents the pride and tradition of a Johnstown Trojan. He was always more concerned about team goals than personal achievements.
“Although he is a superstar in Canada, he remains humble and hasn’t forgotten his Johnstown roots. Over the years, Geroy has expressed to me his appreciation for the support he receives from family and friends in Johnstown.”
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Geroy Simon broke the CFL career receiving yards record Friday night against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. BC Lions
Discussion
Simon enters record book
Sets CFL receiving yards mark
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