The duel was intense, like the rivalry. The confrontation was defensive, like the challenge. And the victory was Montreal’s, like the season.
The Carabins won the Dunsmore Cup by a score of 12-6 in front of the Rouge et Or of Laval University on Saturday afternoon. To the great pleasure of a crowded, energetic and fiery CEPSUM, despite the cold of November.
“Our defense played big football all year,” said Carabins head coach Marco Iadeluca after the game. Today they did an incredible job, I think it was their best game of the season. […] We reach our peak at the right time, but we have not finished our work. »
The University of Montreal therefore advances to the Canadian semi-final, by virtue of this third victory in three games this season against Laval. The Uteck Cup, against the Western Mustangs, Ontario champions, will be played next week in Montreal.
Both teams suffered early turnovers early in the game. But it was the Rouge et Or who committed the most costly. Midway through the first quarter, Montreal linebacker Kaylyn St-Cyr intercepted a long pass from Arnaud Desjardins and returned it to the end zone, generating euphoria in the crowd. It was the only touchdown of the game.
Could St-Cyr have imagined before the game that a touchdown of his own would be the one that would make the difference in the Dunsmore Cup?
“I visualized it exactly like that! », he said, all smiles, in front of journalists, a few minutes after lifting the Quebec champions trophy.
He credited the videotapes the team watches before games for the success.
“With all the tape we watch, we really study as much as we did at school… although I shouldn’t say that! » Hilarity ensued.
We said it: this meeting was a matter for the defenses, on both sides. And the Montreal ramparts had the upper hand in this regard, notably by congesting the Rouge et Or zone, and by forcing him to make mistakes. In the first 30 minutes alone, Laval committed 8 infractions, for losses of 69 yards.
“When it’s defensive duels, every yard is important,” stressed Iadeluca. Of course you want to gain position on the field. »
Same story for Glen Constantin, pilot of the Rouge et Or.
“When two good defenses meet, the field becomes long,” he analyzed.
It became tighter in terms of penalties in the second half for the visitors, but the match in general was also difficult for the Rouge et Or quarterback, Arnaud Desjardins. The latter suffered three interceptions. This was already a record for Montreal at the Dunsmore Cup, before the Carabins added a fourth, at the expense of ball carrier François Giguère-Lacasse.
“After the [interception touchdown], we came back,” observed Constantin. I am very proud of the character of my players. »
Laval’s offensive unit recovered at the very end of the match, allowing Laval to get on the field, score a second field goal, and regain a minimum of hope for the final seconds. But it was too little, too late.
For his part, Montreal quarterback Jonathan Sénécal did not have to completely stand out, he who benefited from the brilliance of his defensive unit. Starting with that of Kaylyn St-Cyr, author of two of her team’s four interceptions.
“We have the best defense in the country, and it showed today,” noted the star quarterback. They were the ones who kept us in the match throughout. »
“On offense, we really didn’t do a good job. It’s going to have to be reworked,” said Sénécal, adding that he wanted to “give credit to Laval” and its “good game plan.”
For Kaylyn St-Cyr, this defense performance was only the swing of the pendulum.
“There are other games where it’s really the offense that elevates its game, that supports us. »
“We knew it was going to be a difficult match,” added a lively St-Cyr. We didn’t stop, we always believed in ourselves, in our brothers, until the end. »
Montreal had won both clashes against Laval in the regular season, which allowed it to have home field advantage in the playoffs. On Saturday, the energy of the Montreal crowd was decisive.
Marco Iadeluca does the math: by combining the 18,000 spectators at the Telus stadium and the 5,000 supporters at CEPSUM, “that makes 23,000 [people] difference.”
“We knew that [the Rouge et Or] has not had much success in Montreal since the pandemic,” says Iadeluca. It was big for us to play that match here. The crowd definitely helped. »
“Really, every time we are at CEPSUM, the crowd has a huge impact, according to Jonathan Sénécal. They gave them a couple of penalties. It’s an indescribable feeling. »
