Author: Casey Dulson

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Stingers get a thumping by the Citadins

UQAM overpowered Concordia early on and muscled their way to a 60-44 victory

The Stingers hosted the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins on Thursday night. The Stingers came into the game with some momentum after sweeping a home-and-home series with the Bishop’s Gaiters last weekend. On Thursday night, the Citadins prevailed with a 60-44 victory over the Stingers. Concordia had a horrible shooting game: they only shot 24 per cent from the free throw line and missed 47 shots in total. The Citadins, in recent past, have been the Stingers’ Achilles heel due to their physical play. This was the Stingers fifth straight loss to them.

The Citadins started the game scoring the first three points on a basket and free throw by center Jessica Lubin and forward Lorna Desrameaux-Simon. The Stingers ended the quarter going on a 4-0 run on baskets by guard Kaylah Barrett and forward Marilyse Roy-Viau. Yet Concordia still trailed UQAM by the end of the first, down 11-7.

Stingers guard Tamara Pinard-Devos hit a jumper to score the first basket of the quarter. The Citadins responded with a basket of their own by guard Janice Quintos. The Stingers went on a 6-0 run however, at the same time, Citadins’ Quintos went beyond the arc and hit back-to-back three-point-shots to erase any progress the Stingers made. Concordia was down 11 points at halftime, 33-22. Quintos was clearly UQAM’s most deadly weapon on the court, scoring 12 points in the second.

The Citadins scored the first points of the third quarter on a basket by forward Sarah Cabana. Stingers responded and scored their first points of the quarter on free throws by Roy-Viau. UQAM ended the third quarter on a 6-0 run orchestrated by Desrameaux-Simon who scored all six points. The Citadins led the Stingers by 20 points, 52-32 after three quarters, putting the game out of reach for the home squad.

The Stingers tried to make things closer in the final quarter. Stingers Barrett and guard Daphne Thouin both hit free throws to start the fourth. The Citadins only got their first points of the fourth quarter two minutes later on a three-pointer by Célestin. Concordia went on a 6-0 run led by Barrett who scored four points on the run. The Citadins got another three-pointer scored by forward Juliette Delaune which brought the score to 58-40 and secured the victory for the visitors.

Stingers head coach Keith Pruden blames the competitiveness of the league for the lack of scoring.

“When we played out of conference, we were scoring in the 70’s. And in Quebec, we score in the 40’s and 50’s. The RSEQ is the roughest conference in the country,” Pruden said.

Concordia’s best player of the night, Barrett, believed with more players on the bench, it would have been a closer game.

“If we had more bodies, we would be able to get some more rest and collect our thoughts instead of making changes on the fly,” Barett said.

 

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Men’s basketball team crushes UQAM

The Stingers jumped out early and never looked back as they crushed the Citadins 72-57

When the men’s basketball team played host to the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins on Thursday night, it was a different story. The Stingers dominated the Citadins in Thursday’s affair and won by 15 points, 72-57. Five different Stingers had double-digit points including guards Aamir Gyles and Mukiya Post, who both had 13 points in the win. The big difference in the game was the way Concordia capitalized off of the Citadins 17 giveaways, scoring 27 points off turnovers alone.

Concordia got off to a fast start and scored the opening points in the game with baskets by forward Mike Fosu and Aamir Gyles. However, the Citadins went on their own 4-0 run to tie the game on baskets by forward Alexandre Bernard and guard Davidson Joseph.

The teams exchanged points throughout the first quarter until Concordia was able to take control late in the opening act. Concordia ended the frame winning 14-7.

The second quarter began as a stalemate. At one point it seemed as if neither team would get any points in the second. The first points of the quarter came only with 5:34 left when Gyles hit a two-pointer. Then a few seconds later, Stingers forward Ken Beaulieu went airborne for a slam dunk to wake up the crowd.

The Citadins would get their first points of the second quarter with 4:17 left on a basket by guard Jean-Yves Kazadi. As they did in the first quarter, Concordia pressed the tempo of the game late in the quarter to take control. The Stingers responded with a 4-0 run which included a one-handed slam dunk by Ken Beaulieu. Concordia was up 12 points at halftime, 24-12.

The Stingers kept the pressure on the Citadins to start the second half and began the third quarter on a basket by Beaulieu which sparked an 8-0 run to increase their lead. The Citadins’ Joseph provided a little push-back for his team by scoring six points in a minute and 19 seconds for his team.

The Stingers continued to score baskets but a key moment in the game occurred with 3:45 seconds left in the quarter as the Stingers had back-to-back slam dunks by center Jean-Louis Wanya and Beaulieu. Any hope and momentum that the Citadins thought they had vanished once and for all. Concordia took a commanding 20-point lead to end the third quarter, 53-33.

Concordia would start the final frame with a bang when Post went beyond the arc for a three-pointer. The Citadins did close the gap to 11 points with 50 seconds left in the fourth quarter on free throws by Alexandre Bernard, but the game had already been decided at that point.

Despite the convincing win, Stingers head coach John Dore believed that there are still aspects of the game that his team needs to improve on.

“We played solid defence in the first half but we committed too many fouls and turnovers,” Dore said.

 

 

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Women’s basketball opens year with win

Concordia controlled the game from opening tip-off and cruised to an easy 69-32 victory

The Concordia Stingers hosted the Bishop’s Gaiters on Thursday night to start the second half of the basketball season. The Stingers came into the game with a record of 1-3 in Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) regular season. Concordia dominated the game from start to finish to get their second win of the season—an impressive 69-32 result. The Stingers played solid defense as they forced the Gaiters to commit 26 turnovers in the win. Stingers forward Richelle Gregoire scored 12 points and 14 rebounds in the win.

The Stingers started the first quarter with a bang when forward Marilyse Roy-Viau hit a three-pointer to score the game’s first basket. The Gaiters got their first points of the game with six minutes to go in the quarter when forward Mara Marchizotti drained a three. The Stingers led 24-3 after the first quarter and by then the game was already out of reach. Roy-Viau had 11 points—including three three-pointers—in the first quarter.

The Stingers started where they left off in the second quarter. Gregoire got the first point of the quarter on a free throw. The Stingers defense, combined with missed chances by Bishop’s, led to the Gaiters only scoring their first points of the quarter with five minutes to go. The Stingers entered halftime up 38-11.

As they had all game, the Stingers started the second half in complete control. This time, guard Daphne Thouin hit a three-pointer to start the scoring. Compared to the first two quarters, the Gaiters got their first points early with Marchizotti getting a basket just 30 seconds in. The Stingers continued their domination, going on a 9-point run midway through the third quarter. Concordia increased their lead to 33 points at end of the third quarter, bringing the game to 56-23.

The Gaiters scored the first points of the fourth quarter on two straight baskets by Marchizotti. Stingers guard Aurelie d’Anjou Drouin responded with a two-pointer of her own. By this time, both teams were just waiting for the final buzzer to sound.

Roy-Viau was the leading scorer in the game with 19 points. Viau is having an incredible season so far: she is ranked fifth in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) for points per a game with 19.4.

The Bishop’s Gaiters are the bottom dwellers of the conference this season with a record of 0-5.

Stingers head coach Keith Pruden believed that his team was over-confident going into the game, which showed through the 19 Concordia turnovers.

“We were lazy with ball control, plus when you are up 30 or 40 points and they get a breakaway it does not matter, this is a bad attitude to have,” said Pruden.

 

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Stingers win overtime thriller against Gaiters

Concordia manages to edge-out Bishop’s with a 86-84 performance in a nail-biting finish

Thursday’s game between the Stingers and the Gaiters was a thriller which needed overtime to find a winner. In the end, the Stingers prevailed and squeaked out a 86-84 victory. The Stingers played without two of their key players: guard Mukiya Post and forward Mike Fosu were both out with injuries. However, rookie point guard Ricardo Monge led the charge and scored a career high 23 points.

The Stingers got the first points of the game on a basket by center Jean-Louis Wayna, but the Gaiters captured the early momentum, responding with a 7-0 run. The Stingers would tie the game three times: once at 12, once at 16, and again at 18-18. From the start, both teams knew that they were in for a close battle. In the first quarter, Concordia did an excellent job shooting three-pointers, Monge, forward Ken Beaulieu and forward Xander Jean all had threes in the opening quarter.

The Gaiters scored the first points of the second quarter on free throws by guard Kyle Desmarais. However, the Stingers started the second quarter on a hot streak, going on a 7-0 run of their own. Concordia went into halftime leading the game 38-33, but the back-and-forth tempo was sure to set up an exciting second half.

Concordia took control of the third quarter, and at one point they led by 12 points after a 9-0 run. Like they had all game, Bishop’s did not back down: by the time the third quarter ended, they had cut the Stingers’ lead to seven points, 61-54.

The fourth quarter was dominated by the Gaiters and the Stingers lost their lead. The Gaiters scored the first points of the fourth quarter on a basket by Majid Naji which started a 6-0 run for the team. With just over four minutes left, Bishop’s tied the game at 65. The two teams exchanged baskets for the rest of regulation and Concordia had the lead entering the final minute of play. Then Naji hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 73 with 23 seconds left.

The Stingers started overtime with an arcing three-pointer by Monge. Desmarais continued to power the Gaiters offense and responded with a two-pointer. With just over a minute left, the Stingers took a one point led on a basket by forward Matt McLean. Stingers forwards Gabe Riche and Wayna got two late baskets to ensure the victory.

 

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Concordia bested by Bishop’s and lose 76-69

The men’s basketball team could not complete the comeback on Thursday night’s game

The men’s basketball team hosted the Bishop’s Gaiters on Thursday, Nov.13. For the second straight week, the Stingers rallied in the second half and scored 44 points. However, their comeback fell short on Thursday as the Gaiters prevailed with a 76-69 victory.

Stingers guard Aamir Gyles drives to the hoop against the Gaiters on Thursday night. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

The Gaiters came out firing; Bishop’s had a 7-0 run to start the game and their first basket came on a three-pointer by guard Karim Sy-Morrisette. The Stingers would score their first basket of the game with only 6:44 left in the first quarter on field goal by guard, Mukiya Post.

Concordia later went on a roll of their own scoring six unanswered points to bring the game to within one, but the Gaiters would answer and score 11 unanswered points to regain a commanding lead.

Trailing 20-12 heading into the second quarter, things would not get better for the Stingers.

The Gaiters scored first in the quarter on a basket by Desmarais and later increased their lead thanks to a three-pointer by Majid Naji. It was all Bishop’s the first half. The Stingers would get a string of free throws by Frank Mpeck, Aamir Gyles and Jean-Louis Wanya late in the quarter but by the time the buzzer sounded for half, the Stingers were down by 18 points and losing 43-25.

The crowd saw a different Stingers team in the third quarter. A quick three-pointer by Ken Beaulieu gave the home side some signs of life. Although the Gaiters would score nine points in response to maintain their big lead, this game was far from over.

Stingers forward, Mike Fosu would hit a three-pointer which would start a Stingers run. Beaulieu then had a steal and would go end-to-end for a slam dunk, firing up the crowd. The Gaiters did not score a basket for four minutes which allowed the Stingers to get back into it.

The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair and the Gaiters would strike first on a basket by center, Mike Andrews. Stingers responded on two baskets by Fosu and Beaulieu, but Desmarais would add to Bishop’s lead with a three-pointer. Not to be outdone however, Post would answer with a three of his own to keep it a ten point game.

The Stingers would score 10 unanswered points late in the game and were down four points after a basket by Beaulieu. The four points is the closest they would get, due to mistakes late in the game. The Gaiters were perfect on free throws during the game.

After the final whistle, Stingers head coach John Dore praised his team for not giving up until the end, but realized that they put themselves in a bad spot.

“This team has a lot of heart and character but we cannot fall behind like that again,” said Dore.

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Stingers trample Gaiters from start to finish

Women’s basketball team earns season’s first victory by defeating Bishop’s 87-24

It was a double-header between the Stingers and the Gaiters on Thursday, Nov. 13, with Concordia’s women’s basketball team hosting Bishop’s. After losing to Laval last week, the  Stingers got their first win of the season and dominated the Gaiters. The home teamed cruised to an easy 87-24 victory.

After winning the opening tipoff, things went south for the visiting Gaiters for the rest of the game. Forward Richelle Gregoire got the game’s two first baskets for the home side. The Stingers scored 12 points including a three-pointer by guard Daphne Thouin before Bishop’s got their first points of the game on a couple of free throws by forward, Marie-Pascale Duhamel.

Thouin would hit her second three-pointer late in the first quarter and the Stingers would be leading 27-7 going into the second quarter.

Third-year player Tamara Pinard-Devos controls the ball against a Gaiters’ opponent. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

The Stingers would strike first in the second quarter with another basket by Gregoire and  Concordia would continue their scoring streak on baskets by Kaylah Barrett and forward Marilyse Roy-Viau.

The Gaiters would only get back on the board in the second quarter on a basket by forward, Mara Marchizotti.

Both Barrett and Gregoire would hit three-pointers late in the quarter to extend the huge lead.

The Stingers led 45-9 going into the locker room at halftime. As good as the offence was, Concordia’s defence was the backbone of their strong play as the Gaiters could only muster two points in the second quarter.

Stingers would get on the board first to start the third quarter as guard, Tamara Pinard-Devos hit an opening three-pointer. Barrett would then hit back-to-back three-pointers to increase the Stingers lead. The Stingers called upon Aurelie d’Anjou Drouin from the bench to give some of the Stingers’ key players a break. D’Anjou Drouin ended up scoring seven points in the quarter.

The Gaiters would score four straight points including a three-pointer by guard Joy-Celine Bermillo, but the Stingers would end the quarter with a three-pointer of their own by Thouin. Down 73-14 entering the final quarter, the Gaiters would score the first points of the fourth quarter on basket by guard, Marie-Laurence Dulud and then get free threw by forward, Danielle Lumley.

From the moment the game began, it was clear that Concordia was the better squad. The Gaiters have a relatively young and inexperienced team, which showed in the way they could not keep up with the Stingers. Veteran players like Barrett, who scored 20 points in the victory, set the tempo of the game for the Stingers and looked in control throughout the contest.

Stingers head coach Keith Pruden attributed such composure to his team’s win.

“We played organized basketball which is a reason why we were able to score many points,” said Pruden. “I was pleased [with] how aggressive we were. Which is what you want from a team contending for a title.”

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Concordia completes thrilling comeback

Stingers win home opener 80-70 against the Rouge et Or

The men’s squad hosted the Université de Laval Rouge et Or on Thursday, Nov. 6 in their regular season home opener. The Stingers entered the game after a shaky 6-6 preseason record. However, the Stingers showed plenty of desire, scoring 43 points in the second half to win 80-70.

The first quarter was very high scoring, with 46 points scored by the two teams. The Rouge et Or won the tipoff to start the game and scored first on a three-pointer by guard Karl Demers-Belanger. The Stingers responded with three straight baskets to take an early lead, two of which were scored by Ken Beaulieu. The Rouge et Or would storm back and score 18 unanswered points to take the lead, ending the quarter with a score of 26-20.

Photo by Briana Thicke.

The Stingers scored first in the second quarter on a three-pointer by first-year point guard Ricardo Monge. The Rouge et Or would continue to increase their lead as Demers-Belanger and then forward Thibaud Dezutter would hit back-to-back three-pointers. Seconds later, the Stingers would respond with another three-pointer by Monge. The Stingers entered the locker room at half-time down 43-37.

Laval came out firing in the third quarter, with center Boris Hadzimuratovic scoring the first points on a two-pointer. A minute later, forward Antoine Beaumier would hit two free throws.

The Stingers finally got their first point of the quarter with seven minutes left on a basket by fifth-year forward, Gabe Riche. At the end of the quarter, the Stingers went on a run and scored six straight points which included four free throws by forward Mike Fosu. Stingers were now down three points entering the last quarter.

The fourth quarter was a textbook demonstration of great shooting and defending by the Stingers. Beaulieu started the quarter with a two pointer and then a free throw which tied the game at 62. Concordia would break the tie on their next possession with guard Mukiya Post hitting two free throws.

The Rouge et Or would make things interesting with four minutes to go as they were only down by two. The Stingers then took control and responded with another six-point run. The defining moment of Concordia’s impressive second-half play was when Beaulieu stole the ball and ran down the court for a monstrous slam dunk that electrified the fans.

Stingers head coach John Dore was impressed with his team’s effort in the game.

“We executed well offensively and dominated defensively especially in the fourth quarter,” he said.

Dore also had great praise for Beaulieu and expects the rookie to be a big factor for the Stingers.

“He will be the most exciting player in our conference,” said Dore.

After the home opening win, Monge added how good it felt to be on the court in front of the home crowd.

“It is really exciting to win our first home game.”

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Comeback falls short versus Laval.

Women’s basketball team lose 72-65 in home opener

The Concordia Stingers played the Université de Laval Rouge et Or in their regular season home opener on Thursday, Nov. 6. The Stingers entered the match on a four-game winning streak to end their preseason. However, this momentum wasn’t enough; the Stingers lost 72-65 despite Stingers’ three-time All-Canadian guard, Kaylah Barrett, getting 20 points and 13 rebounds.

The Laval Rouge et Or started the first quarter with scoring the first three points of the game on free throws by forward Jane Gagne. The Stingers would only score their first points of the first quarter at the five-minute mark on a basket by Barrett.

The Stingers would take an early 11-9 lead into the second quarter due to the three point shooting of forward Marilyse Roy-Viau, who hit two three-pointers in the quarter.

Photo by Briana Thicke.

In the second quarter, the Rouge et Or took over the game. They opened the scoring and tied the game with a two-pointer by forward Geneviève Derome. The Stingers would respond and take the lead with a three-pointer by Barrett. However, the Rouge et Or then went on a run, scoring 20 unanswered points including two three-pointers by forward Justine Guay-Bilodeau and forward Raphaëlle Côté. The Stingers would end the quarter being down ten points, losing 31-21.

The Stingers would open the scoring in the second half with a basket by Roy-Viau. Laval started to pour it on and got another three-pointer by forward Catherine Belanger to increase their lead to 17 points. Viau would score 10 points in the third quarter and help the Stingers stay competitive, but her team was still down 15 points entering the final frame.

The Stingers made it a game in the last quarter starting with the dominant play of Barrett. Concordia’s guard got the first six points of the quarter. The Stingers, with just under 90 seconds left in the game, had cut the Rouge et Or lead to four points. However, it was not meant to be as Laval’s guard Gabrielle Girard would clinch the game with a basket, ensuring Concordia’s loss.

In close games, it all comes down to the littlest mistakes, and Stingers head coach Keith Pruden recognized his team’s shortcomings.

“We need to execute a little better, we missed a lot of easy shots and free throws,” he said.

Pruden also discussed that the game was a physical one, and as the game got closer, the referees put away their whistles.

“Bodies were bouncing off the court, it was like a hockey game,” he said.

Because of their strong preseason play, in which they went 6-3, the Stingers were ranked tenth in the country.

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Concordia captures Shrine Bowl

Photo by Andrej Ivanov.

Stingers rally and win on a last-minute field goal to beat McGill 30-28 in their final home game

The Stingers hosted their downtown rivals, the McGill Redmen, in the 27th annual Shrine Bowl on Saturday. It was the second meeting for these two teams this season as the Stingers won the last meeting decisively, 41-12. Saturday’s game was a lot different as Stingers trailed for most of the game and would need a last-second field goal by kicker Keegan Treloar to get the win.

On their opening drive, the Stingers went down the field and ended the drive with a 13-yard field goal by Treloar. The Redmen, on their opening drive, would take the lead with a one-yard touchdown by their running back Raphael Casey.

The second quarter was a scoring explosion. The Redmen increased their lead on a one-yard touchdown run by another Redmen running back, Pelle Jorgen. The Stingers, on their next drive, went down the field and quarterback François Dessureault connected with wide receiver Shayne Stinson four times on the drive. Stingers running back, Oliver Dupont would get a three-yard touchdown run to cut the Redmen lead to four points.

Concordia’s special teams would come up big on the kickoff as McGill’s kick returner, Kenny Baye fumbled the ball in the end zone and Stinger Jordan McLaren recovered it for a touchdown. The Stingers scored 15 points in 11 seconds and took a 22-18 lead into halftime.

The Redmen started with the football to start the third quarter and on their opening drive they would get a single point due to a 50-yard touchback by punter Remi Bertellin. The Redmen, on their next drive, cruised down the field thanks to the play of their quarterback and true freshman, Joel Houle, who capped off the drive with a quarterback sneak for a touchdown.

Concordia would get their first points of the final quarter on a 15-yard field goal by Treloar. The Redmen coaches made an interesting move and gave up a safety to make it just a one-point lead late in the fourth quarter. The Stingers took advantage of McGill’s coaching decision as they moved the ball down the field. With 45 seconds left, Treloar kicked a 45-yarder to clinch the victory.

“I knew it was good once it left my foot,” said Treloar after his game-winning kick.

Head Coach Mickey Donovan completed his first year with the team and was happy with the results, but says there’s still a lot of work to do.

“It was a character win as we did not play our best,” said Donovan. “It was a good first year but we want to improve, and with a 5-3 record we are just middle of the pack.”

The Stingers ended the regular season in fourth place and will face Laval next week in the playoffs.

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Stingers basketball prep for season

Men’s team hosted Queen’s University in their preseason game

On Friday, Oct. 17, the Concordia Stingers hosted the Queen’s Gaels in a preseason match. The Stingers entered the game with a preseason record of 3-3 and are looking to play their first regular season game on Nov. 6. The Stingers prevailed on Friday, beating the Gaels 73-61.

The team won the opening tipoff and veteran guard Mukiya Post quickly scored the first basket of the game. It was a sign of good things to come as Post scored a total of 20 points in the game.

The Stingers played great defence for most of the first half and held Queen’s to six points in the first quarter. Concordia had a big lead early as the offence exploded for 26 points in the first quarter.

Photo by Nikolas Litzenberger.

Concordia looked to be already in midseason form as they controlled the tempo early in the game. They got the first points of the second quarter on a layup by centre Jean-Louis Wanya. The Stingers continued playing solid defence, with Wanya making a big block preventing the Gaels from getting a basket for five minutes. The Stingers led 37-19 at halftime.

The Gaels scored the first basket of the second half. The Stingers committed a lot of fouls in the second half which allowed the Gaels to outscore them and gave the Gaels a chance to mount a comeback.

Luckily for the home crowd, the Stingers came out strong in the final quarter and outscored the Gaels 20-17 to preserve the win.

“We were hot and cold today. We executed on some plays but on others we had trouble,” said Stingers Head Coach John Dore.

Last year, the Stingers finished in third place in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division with a record of 8-8 and then lost to Bishop’s in the semi-finals.

This year’s team will rely heavily on Post who led the RSEQ in scoring last season. On defence, Concordia’s new 6’10” centre Wanya will be counted on to grab rebounds and block shots.

Dore stated that his team’s goal is simple: go undefeated and win the RSEQ championship.

The Stingers added a lot of new players this year including point guard Ricardo Monge, who described the difference between playing college basketball and university basketball.

“I have to make some improvements and learn quickly so that I can adapt to the new pace of the university game,” he said.

Concordia’s starting forward and captain Mike Fosu explained how the team is looking to forge their new identity every time they take to the court.

“Toughness. We want teams to know that Concordia is tough to play against.”

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Stingers lose second straight game

Concordia’s injury-plagued squad was outplayed from start to finish against Montréal

On Saturday, Oct. 11, the Concordia Stingers hosted the Montréal Carabins in the battle for second place in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division. The Stingers were hoping to rebound after they lost to the Laval Rouge et Or last weekend, but unfortunately the Stingers were outplayed by the Carabins, losing 36-3.

Veteran safety Mikael Charland makes a tackle on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Andrej Ivanov.

The team was missing nine starters who were out due to injuries they suffered in last week’s loss. The list included Stingers starting quarterback Francois Dessureault and wide receiver Jamal Henry.

The first quarter started slow for both teams as neither team could capitalize on their early drives. The Carabins would score first on a 75-yard punt return by Montréal wide receiver Mikhail Davidson. Davidson would extend their lead and score another touchdown shortly after, this time on a 42-yard reception from quarterback Gabriel Cousineau. Cousineau picked apart the Stingers’ defense all afternoon, as he went 23 for 27 on passing attempts that included two touchdowns and 300 yards through the air.

While Concordia continued to sputter early and often, the Carabins would extend their lead 20-0 thanks to a two-yard touchdown rush by Montréal running back Sean Thomas-Erlington. Down 20-0 by the end of the first quarter, the home crowd was stunned.

Concordia would finish their first drive of the second quarter with a 46-yard field goal by kicker Keegan Treloar. Unfortunately, the three points would be Concordia’s only points of the game.

The Carabins would quickly add another touchdown to their total, as Cousineau would connect with wide receiver Regis Cibasu for 46-yard touchdown. Montréal entered halftime with a commanding 27-3 lead over the home team.

The Carabins got the first points of the second half and continued their onslaught with a 41-yard field goal by kicker, Louis-Philippe Simoneau. On the offense, the Stingers made a switch at quarterback as Colin Sequeira was benched in favor of backup quarterback Mario Porreca. Sequeira ended his day with seven completions out 14 attempts, 68 passing yards and two interceptions. Porreca went two out of five and had 32 passing yards.

The Carabins continued to control the game in the fourth quarter recording a safety, capping off the Stingers’ offensive struggles. The next series, the Carabins added three more points to scoreboard when Simoneau made an 18-yard chip shot. The Stingers defense limited the Carabins to nine points in the second half.

The injuries on offence proved to be too much to overcome for the home team, as they could not get any momentum or consistency on offence.

“We made a lot of mental mistakes and you can’t have that against a tough opponent like Montréal,” said Concordia’s head coach Mickey Donovan. “We faced the best of the best in the conference in back-to-back weeks.”

At the end of the day, Stingers defensive back Kris Robertson appropriately summed up the disappointing day.

“They outplayed us. I have to admit that and they just won,” said Robertson.

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Stingers football team remains undefeated

Photo by Nikolas Litzenberger

Concordia defeated Sherbrooke 29-22 in front of an energetic homecoming crowd

The Concordia Stingers defeated Sherbrooke Vert et Or by a score of 29-22 on Friday night, Sept. 19, in Concordia’s homecoming game. With the victory, the Stingers are 3-0 for the first time since 2006, and it was the first time that the Stingers beat the Vert et Or in four years.

Concordia’s quarterback, Francois Dessureault, was the key player in the victory. He completed 19 of his 25 passes and threw for 275 yards, including three touchdowns.

The Stingers defense started the game perfectly as they forced Vert et Or to go two-and-out on their first two drives of the game.

Photo by Nikolas Litzenberger

Then, the Stingers offence broke out. Led by Dessureault, Concordia got the first touchdown of the game on a 62-yard pass to wide receiver Jamal Henry with just over ten minutes to go in the first quarter.

Sherbrooke would get their first points of the game on a 24-yard field goal by kicker, Mathieu Hebert with two minutes left in the first quarter. However, the Stingers defence tightened up and made Sherbrooke’s quarterback Jeremi Roch pay for his mistakes in the second quarter.

Concordia’s defense came out flying and picked off Roch three times in the quarter. Stingers defensive back, Kris Robertson, had two interceptions, one of which he ran back for a 64-yard touchdown.

The Stingers went into halftime leading 14-12, but should have had a bigger lead. The offence gave up a safety and had two fumbles that were recovered by Sherbrooke. Late in the second half, one of Concordia’s fumbles was scooped up by the Vert et Or defender, Rami Saintus, who ran it back for 20-yard touchdown.

Photo by Nikolas Litzenberger

Sherbrooke got the first points of the second half after another 24-yard field goal by Hebert, but that’s as close as the Vert et Or got to victory.

Concordia answered with a six-minute drive that eventually ended with a seven-yard touchdown reception by Henry, his second of the contest.

After a muffed punt on Sherbrooke’s next drive, the Stingers offence put the game out of reach. Starting on the Vert et Or’s 40-yard line, Stingers receiver Shayne Stinson had back-to-back receptions that ended with a 19-yard touchdown reception. Stinson was Dessureault’s favourite target during the game, as he hauled in six catches for 112 yards. By then, the Stingers were up by 29-15 and headed into the final quarter with a secure lead.

The fourth quarter was dominated by both defenses. Even though Sherbrooke scored a late touchdown to make it 29-22, it was too late and the homecoming celebration had begun.

Although the Stingers walked away with a win, it was a costly one. Midway through the second half, Concordia lost its star rookie running back, Gunner Tatum, to a head injury after a dangerous hit by a Sherbrooke defender. Stingers head coach Mickey Donovan stated after the game that he does not know when he will return to action.

Despite the unfortunate injury, Donovan was pleased with the win.

“It was a good victory for us, something we have not done in four years.”

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