Cahoon sets CFL receiving mark in Als win

Sure-handed, durable and intelligent, record-setting Montreal Alouettes slotback Ben Cahoon is also true to his word.

After cutting underneath coverage to haul in an Anthony Calvillo pass late in the fourth quarter Monday, Cahoon calmly rose to his feet and was congratulated by his quarterback and other teammates after becoming the Canadian Football League's all-time receptions leader with 1,007.

"It wasn't my goal for the season, it was one of my goals," said Cahoon. "I'll need about 30 more catches and a few more wins and playoff wins. So it's a big deal, but in the big scheme of things, it's a little thing."

The 38-year-old has never craved attention and had said the historical catch, which put him ahead of one-time Alouette Terry Vaughn and other greats such as Darren Flutie, Allen Pitts and Donald Narcisse, would be no more important than any other.

But a sellout crowd of 25,012 at a sun-drenched Molson Stadium thought differently, rising to their feet and chanting "Ca-hoon, Ca-hoon" after his record-breaking grab with five minutes left in a 46-19 rout, while CFL commissioner Mark Cohon halted the game for a special ceremony and to welcome Cahoon back for a 14th season in 2011.

Cahoon stood alongside his wife and four daughters — who wore Alouettes jerseys with their dad's No. 86 — as team president and CEO Larry Smith presented him with a plaque of one of his 1,007 catches.

"I was in shock," Cahoon said. "No one told me there were plans for that. The thing that was most awesome was my teammates coming up immediately, picking me up off the ground and giving me hugs and congratulations, I actually got a little choked up."

Cahoon turned around and offered a wave and thumbs-up to the appreciative crowd before getting back to business and helping Montreal avenge its worst defeat in three years, a 46-21 drubbing at Calgary on Oct. 1.

On Monday's historical play, Cahoon worked off a pick by fellow receiver Brian Bratton, turned inside underneath the coverage and ran the ball to the Stampeders' 44-yard line.

Cahoon, 38, entered the game with 53 catches for 548 yards and was on pace for his worst season since 2001, the last time the two-time CFL outstanding Canadian failed to reach 1,000 yards in receiving.

So, what's left to accomplish this season? Well, Cahoon is still looking for his first touchdown of 2010.

Early in Monday's contest, fans had to wonder if they would be forced to wait another week for Cahoon to establish the receiving mark. Calvillo didn't throw the ball in his direction until the opening play of the second quarter. By then, Montreal was up 6-1 on two of the six field goals Clint David would kick in place of the injured Damon Duval.

Cahoon's first three catches on the day went like this:

• Cahoon runs a five-yard in, turns back towards the sideline where he hauls in a pass and gains 24 yards, including seven after the catch. Two plays later, Alouettes running back Avon Cobourne ran five yards for a major and 13-1 Montreal lead.
• Five minutes into the second quarter, Cahoon is in motion right and at the snap of the ball runs an out pattern, catches the ball, dodges a tackle and runs for 10 yards and a first down.
• Before the half, Cahoon appears to have picked up career reception No. 1,006, but a Calvillo pass into the turf is ruled incomplete. On the next play, Cahoon records a rare drop pass.
• In the third quarter, Cahoon runs a quick out pattern and hauls in a seven-yard pass while sitting on the turf to match Vaughn's record.

The 46 points put up by Cahoon and the Alouettes are the most scored against Calgary this season, while the 19 against was a drastic improvement from the combined 86 points Montreal had allowed in its two previous outings against Winnipeg and the Stampeders.

A more determined and intense Alouettes outfit began Monday's contest, with a much more passionate and focused defence that forced Calgary's offence to punt on three of its four first-quarter possessions after the Stampeders scored 24 points by their fifth series a week earlier.

Quarterback Henris Burris fumbled on the second possession, completed just six of 16 passes in the first half and couldn't establish an aerial attack until late in the third quarter. He found Romby Bryant and Arjei Franklin for touchdown passes of 36 yards and 39 yards, respectively, to cut into a 40-4 deficit.

Burris hit on 16 of his 30 pass attempts for 219 yards and two majors after throwing for 412 yards and four TDs in the Oct. 1 debacle. He also accounted for four of his team's five turnovers Monday, tossing two interceptions and losing two fumbles.

His Alouettes counterpart, Anthony Calvillo, took control in the opening 30 minutes and built a 30-4 advantage. Seven Montreal players had at least two catches and Calvillo finished 28-of-38 passing for 395 yards and two touchdown passes to Bratton.

Montreal scored 17 points off four turnovers to improve to 10-4, regaining its six-point lead over Hamilton in the East Division, while Calgary (10-4) remains two points ahead of second-place Saskatchewan (9-5) in the West.