Toronto Argonauts running back Andrew Harris celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL East final. (MARK BLINCH / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

By Dan Marshall

Four for Harris

VI Raiders celebrate the success of four time Grey Cup champion Andrew Harris

Nov 21, 2022 | 12:12 PM

NANAIMO — Andrew Harris has gone from being a star running back for the VI Raiders to becoming a four-time Grey Cup Champion.

On Sunday, Nov. 20 Harris and the Toronto Argonauts stunned the heavily favoured Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24-23 to win the 109th Grey Cup. Harris had 10 carries for 55 yards in the game, leading all Argo’s rushers.

Harris won his first CFL title in 2011 with the BC Lions and has won the last three championships in 2019 and 2021 with the Blue Bombers and then most recently against his former team.

VI Raiders president Kabel Atwal said he knew Harris had star quality when he first met him.

“I first met Andrew in 2007 and he struck me as someone who had an extraordinary gift. He had a tremendous work ethic and was a great teammate.”

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A playoff game in 2008 still stands out for Atwal as an on field moment that showcased Harris’s talent.

“We went to the Prairies to face the Hilltops he ran for 350 some odd yards. I remember a play that was a pitch out to him and there was nobody that touched him. On a field that muddy it was amazing to see. That’s when I went wow we’ve got something special here.”

In 2009, Harris was already practicing with the BC Lions and traveling back and forth to Nanaimo for Raider games.

It was no surprise to anyone with the Raiders organization he would move on to the CFL and win the 2011 Grey Cup with the Lions.

He was also named the outstanding Canadian in the championship game.

The career accolades for Harris include three rushing titles, six CFL all star selections and he has also become the league’s career leader in yards from scrimmage by a Canadian.

Even though Harris hasn’t lived in Nanaimo for 13 years he has never forgotten his junior football roots.

“He’s connected to the alumni and the players he played with,” Atwal said. “He’s always promoting us and willing to help. His contribution this year financially after the break-ins we had was really special. He stepped up, but maybe even more important was him stepping up caused other people to step up and he was leading the pack in that regard.”

For Atwal, having Harris in the Grey Cup game had him pulling for the Argos even though they haven’t always been his favourite team.

“I would never have cheered for a Toronto team if it wasn’t for him that’s for sure! He set the tone right at the beginning with his first couple of runs. You could see he was jacked up.”

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