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Concordia starts season with win over UQÀM

The Stingers played against UQAM last week. Photo by Andrew Dobrowolsky

The Concordia Stingers needed an inspirational fourth quarter rally to defeat the Citadins at the Centre Sportif UQÀM.

In the Wednesday night season-opener, the Stingers were largely outplayed for the first 40 minutes. A 33-9 scoring run, led by forward Evens Laroche and guard Jerome Blake, helped Concordia squeak by with a five-point victory.  While the win was nothing short of spectacular, the team was none too thrilled with their game.

“We didn’t play defense for three quarters,” said assistant coach Ernie Rosa, in his 19th year with the team. “Our offense was stagnant and we didn’t work as hard as we could have.”

The Stingers played against UQAM last week. Photo by Andrew Dobrowolsky

It was a tale of two completely different games.

Laroche put his team ahead in the first minute of the game with a layup off the rush. But that would be their only lead in the first half as the Citadins shot a decent .469 from the court, outscoring the Stingers 37-25 at the half.

Matters worsened when the Stingers offense couldn’t turn Citadins turnovers into scoring plays. They soon found themselves down 60-41, with one last quarter to play.

“The thing I told the guys is ‘hope, you have to be hopeful’,” said Laroche, last year’s all-Canadian standout. “Even if you’re losing by 15, you have to be hopeful that you can win the game.”

The men in maroon and gold did just that.

Laroche came through in the clutch, stealing a Citadins pass early in the fourth quarter. He also drew praise from his coaches.

“At the end of a game, he’s a guy you want on the floor with the ball,” said Rosa. “He’s a guy who wants to win at any cost.”

It was a sweet victory for Laroche who, just a few months ago, was uncertain whether he would be ready for the season-opener.

Laroche, in his fifth and final year of Canadian Interuniversity basketball eligibility, injured his knee during a daily workout. After an MRI revealed a serious case of patellar tendonitis in his right knee, his season was in jeopardy.

“When I came here and they told me I couldn’t play, it was frustrating,” said Laroche.

After a month-long rest, at his doctor’s behest, Laroche did what he usually does: train hard.

That meant putting in extra hours at the gym to get back in form. He credits daily stretching, icing, and much rest between workouts for his recovery.

It wasn’t long before he was ready for his first action of the 2012-13 season. Much like the Stingers’ comeback victory against UQÀM on Wednesday, Laroche too had a sweet comeback of his own.

 

The Stingers opened the season 1-0 and are preparing for their home-opener against the Laval Rouge et Or on Nov. 15. Tip off at Concordia Gymnasium is at 8 p.m. following the women’s game.

 

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Stingers gear up for a killer season

Concordian file photo

Before students step into classes on Sept. 5, the Stingers’ season will have already begun. The first team to play is the football team starting the 2012 season with a home-opener against Bishop’s on Sept. 1 at 1 p.m..

For football fans, this will be the only chance to see the Stingers play at home before the end of the month. Following this game against Bishop’s, the team will play three road games against Université de Montreal on Sept. 7, St. Francis Xavier on Sept. 15 and will face off against Bishop’s once more on Sept. 22. Other important dates include an away game to rivals McGill on Oct. 13 and a home game against Laval – the defending champions – to conclude the regular season on Oct. 27.

Soccer enthusiasts will have to wait one day after the school year’s arrival as the men’s and women’s teams each have an away fixture against U de M to kick off the season on Sept. 6. The men’s team looks to improve on last year’s two losses against the same school. The women’s team seeks revenge after being outscored 1-9 by Montreal over both matches last season. The home opener for both teams will be three days later on the ninth. The double header starts at 1 p.m. for the men’s while the women’s team play at 3 p.m. both against UQTR.

Still in the first week of school, the rugby teams play their home-openers on Friday, Sept. 7. The women’s team plays first at 7 p.m. against Sherbrooke. Two hours later, the men’s team takes on Sherbrooke. If you miss the first home-opener, both Stingers teams are in action the following Wednesday. They will welcome McGill in the same time slots.

Hockey fans will have to wait until October to see their Stingers teams play. The men’s team play rivals McGill at home on Oct. 5. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Ed Meagher Arena. Both teams split the season series last year with two wins apiece. The women’s first game is also at home against McGill, although not on the same day. The game is scheduled for Oct. 13 at 2:30 p.m.

As for the most success, last year’s action was on the court. The Stingers basketball season runs from early November until the end of February. The men’s team’s quest to win a third straight championship begins on Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. on the road against UQAM. Their home-opener will take place on Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. against Laval. The women’s team will also play on those same days against the same opponents. They will play an earlier 6 p.m. game on both occasions. Both the men’s and women’s teams will participate in at least two pre-season tournaments.

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Looking back on the 2011-2012 Stingers teams

It was a mixture of highs and lows for Concordia’s Stingers teams last year. The most successful was the men’s basketball team which won their league, the playoffs, and had a shot at the national title.

This team is a favourite for the championship almost every season. Playing in a league which includes McGill, UQAM, Laval, and Bishop’s, the Stingers have topped their division for the last two seasons. Head coach John Dore, who is entering his 24th straight season with the team, led them to a 14-2 record last year, finishing four wins ahead of their biggest competitors McGill. The Stingers went on to beat UQAM by 30 points in the playoff finals. However, in the national championship, the team lost both games.

On the women’s side of the court, the Stingers finished second in the league and made it to the finals. The team opened the season on a high note, beating rivals, and eventual champions, McGill 75-66 on the road. Head Coach Keith Pruden, who has been behind the bench since 1995, led the team to a respectful 8-8 record. Although the women’s basketball team finished the season in second place, they boasted the league’s best defense. In the playoffs, the Stingers cruised past Bishop’s in the semi-finals, but fell to McGill in the finals.

On the ice, the men’s hockey team had a year filled with ups and downs. In the 10-team OUA East division, a division featuring both Ontario and Quebec universities, the Stingers missed the playoffs due to the second tie-breaker. The team tied with Queen’s University with 28 points, with both teams sharing the head-to-head record. It came down to goal differential in both their season games. One of the highlights last year was a thrilling 4-2 victory against McGill late in the season keeping their playoff hopes alive.

The women’s hockey team ended the 2011-12 season in last place. They were four points outside the playoffs. With a record of 4-15-1, the Stingers were battling Ottawa for the final playoff spot. A 6-2 home win over Ottawa in the second-to-last game of the season wasn’t enough to keep their playoff dreams alive.

On the football field, it took a victory in the final game of the season to send the team into the playoffs. The Stingers finished the year with four wins and five defeats, good enough for the fourth and final playoff spot. In the playoffs, the team fell to the eventual Quebec champions Laval Rouge et Or.

In the other kind of football, the men’s soccer team finished the season in sixth place with three wins, eight losses, and one draw. The Stingers were only seven points away from the playoffs. Head coach Lloyd Barker and the rest of the squad expect a better season this year.

The women’s soccer team also finished in second-to-last place. The Stingers finished in ninth place with two victories, nine losses, and three draws matching their 2010 record. Though, the women’s team does play in a difficult division which is dominated by U de M, McGill, Sherbrooke, and Laval.

In the short rugby season, the men’s team finished in third place with one win, four losses, and one tie.  A four-team division meant the Stingers automatically made the playoffs. In the semi-finals, they narrowly beat second place Bishop’s before losing to McGill in the finals.

The women’s rugby team had a similar season, which also took them to the finals. The Stingers finished the year in second place out of six teams and qualified for the playoffs. Their semi-final game was a win against McGill at home but the they ultimately lost to an undefeated Laval in the finals.

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