Tag: RSEQ

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Season marred by injuries, lack of experience

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Head coach Greg Sutton described Karl Gouabé (pictured) and Cameron Rae as being the best goalkeepers in the country. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Confidence crushed after 0-3 start to the season, coach Sutton says

“It was difficult from a mental standpoint,” said Greg Sutton, head coach of the Concordia Stingers men’s soccer team, about the 2017 season. “I don’t think we were mentally strong enough after the start of the season to be able to get past [a 0-3 start].”

The Concordia Stingers finished the 2017 season in sixth place out of seven teams in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Quebec (RSEQ), with a 3-8-1 record. Two of the team’s three wins were against the league’s lowest-ranked team, the Sherbrooke Vert et Or.

According to coach Sutton, a mix of inexperience and injuries led to the disappointing season. Sutton said he and the rest of the coaching staff initially believed the season would end with the Stingers making a run for the playoffs.

The Stingers began the season with a series of games against the Université de Québec à Montréal Citadins, Laval Rouge et Or and the Université de Montréal Carabins. Those teams finished in the top three places in the RSEQ. The Stingers lost all three of those opening games, scoring three goals and allowing nine.

While the team missed the playoffs for a fourth-straight season, Sutton said he believes their record this year didn’t reflect their quality of play.

Forward Peter Campbell kicks the ball against the UQAM Citadins during the 2017 season. Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

“We lost a lot of confidence starting the season 0-3,” Sutton said. “That can play with the boys’ minds. After that third game, we had to dig deep. We put together a few wins. We had some good performances, and we had some immature performances.”

Injuries to key players, such as defenders Corentin Aussems (fractured ankle) and Mateo Zazo (anterior cruciate ligament injury), early in the season forced the team to rely on younger, more inexperienced players.

“When [we lost] Aussems and Zazo […] we knew we were going to have a challenge defensively and offensively,” the coach said. “A lot of the [play] starts from the defenders and their ability to move the ball. Those guys have an [offensive] quality that not many of our other defenders have. These were injuries to not only good-quality players, but also quality leaders.”

Sutton said rookie striker Simon Malaborsa, who finished as runner-up for RSEQ rookie of the year, as well as midfielder Henry Barutciski and defender Philippe Audy, all played well throughout the season. Malaborsa scored six times this season, accounting for nearly half of the team’s 13 total goals.

“We had some players that we were really high on, and had expectations for them to be significant parts of our team, and for some reason just couldn’t handle the pressure or just couldn’t handle the strain of being a student-athlete,” Sutton said. “I can’t really say who because there were too many, unfortunately. As much as this game is physical, it’s also mental.”

Moving forward next season, Sutton said he believes the team’s success will come from staying healthy and getting the most out of key players. He’s optimistic that, with the growth and development of younger players, the team can bounce back next season. He added that the team’s goalkeepers, Karl Gouabé and Cameron Rae, are the two best keepers in the country when healthy.

“A lot of things you just can’t control,” Sutton said. “It just really seemed like luck wasn’t on our side this year.”

Main photo by Alex Hutchins

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Men’s rugby team crowned RSEQ champions after beating ETS 35-7

The men’s rugby team is keeping most of their players after winning the title. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

Perfect season continues as Stingers head to nationals

The Concordia Stingers men’s rugby team won the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) championship on Nov. 12 at Concordia Stadium. They beat the École de technologie supérieure (ETS) Piranhas in the final, by a score of 35-7.

Centre Samuel Montminy led the Stingers with two tries in the game. Fly-half Moritz Wittmann and hooker Nicholas Smith both added a try, and fly-half Jonathan Banks scored two penalty kicks.

The Stingers entered the final undefeated, winning all seven of their regular season games as well as their semifinal match against the McGill Redmen. The Piranhas stayed just above a .500 record on the year, finishing 3-3-1 before winning their semifinal against the Bishop’s Gaiters. The Stingers beat the Piranhas 36-12 during the last matchup between the two teams on Sept. 17.

Stingers head coach Craig Beemer had nothing but praise for the Piranhas squad that continued to battle for the entire game.

“I thought that [ETS] would have trouble handling our skill and our use of the width of the field,” he said. “I knew that they would tackle really well and they did. The score was really close for 25-30 minutes, and that’s because ETS is a heck of a team, a really well-coached team by Rudy Escoffier. It was a bit surprising.”

According to Beemer, the Stingers’ 21-0 lead after the first half didn’t reflect how good of a team the Piranhas were. “That [first half] was probably our toughest 40 minutes we’ve had all year.”

Beemer added that the Stingers were motivated to cap off a perfect season with this championship after the disappointment of last season, when the Stingers finished 1-6.

The men’s rugby team will now play in the national championship in Guelph, Ont., from Nov. 16 to 19. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

“It was pretty easy to stay humble,” Beemer said. “Our theme was: good is the enemy of great. Despite our winning streak, the guys were hungry and wanted to win every week. It comes down to the fact that we had really great players this year, and I was fortunate enough to have a great coaching staff.”

“I’m one of 67 guys,” Beemer added. “Every person that’s on this team puts something forth. It’s easy to keep guys motivated when you have everyone holding each other accountable.”

Centre Charles Debove, who was named the most outstanding player in the RSEQ this season, echoed his coach’s message.

“We came into the game ready to go to war,” Debove said. “[After] all the work we did during the season, it feels amazing to finally win a championship with the boys. We’re such a tight-knit group.”

Debove added that the team’s mindset this season was completely different from last year’s. “Compared to last year, we knew we were never going to feel that way again. 1-6 was not acceptable,” he said. “We succeeded as a team.”

After this championship win, the Stingers will head to Guelph, Ont., for the men’s rugby nationals. Beemer said the team will have to improve their discipline to be successful against the other top-ranked teams in the country.

“We’ve got a lot of skill,” the coach said. “The teams are going to be really good. Not to take anything away from our league, but it’s going to be the best from every province. I don’t know if we’ve been tested well enough this season so far.”

Debove added: “We need to be more resilient. We need to get ready for better competition.”

The Canadian university men’s rugby championship will kick off on Nov. 16.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins.

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Stingers defeat Martlets in home-opener

A pair of goals by Stephanie Lalancette helped propel the team to their first win of the season

After going down by an early goal in the second period, the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team stormed back with three unanswered goals on their way to a 3-1 victory in their home opener against the McGill Martlets on Oct. 21.

For Stingers head coach Julie Chu, it was important for her team to stay focused after allowing McGill’s first goal just 70 seconds into the second period.

“I just told them to take it one shift at a time,” Chu said. “We were playing good hockey up until that point, and they scored a really good power-play goal. It was important for us to not dwell on a moment and to just take control of each shift.”

In the first period, both teams were unable to take control of the game offensively. The Stingers and Martlets traded shots on goal with both goaltenders standing their ground and playing solid.

Stingers goaltender Katherine Purchase made six saves in the opening period, while Martlets goalie Tricia Deguire made eight.

In the second period, the Stingers went on the penalty kill early which led to the Martlets’ goal by forward Kellyane Lecours. Immediately after the goal, the Stingers went on the attack and scored three straight goals to round out the period.

The first of those goals was scored by defencemen Brigitte Laganière on the power play nearly seven minutes into the second period. Less than two minutes later, Stingers forward Stephanie Lalancette gave her team the lead off of a wrist shot right after a faceoff in the Martlets zone. Lalancette added another goal late in the period following a give-and-go play with forward Sophie Gagnon.

Forward Stephanie Lalancette scored one of her two goals on a breakaway against McGill goalie Tricia Deguire. Photo by Kirubel Mehari.

Up by two in the third period, Purchase helped keep the Stingers in the game and steered aside multiple Martlets shots to secure her team the win. Purchase ended the game with 21 saves on 22 shots.

“She was really steady and solid,” Chu said. “She has been playing some great hockey for us, and she’s a great leader. She’s one of the captains on our team.”

The Stingers came into the game having lost their first game of the season against the Ottawa Gee-Gees. For Chu and the rest of the Stingers, a strong showing against their crosstown rivals was important to set the tone for the rest of the season.

“We did a great job today at playing shift by shift and not holding on to something that happened in the past,” Chu said. “We played a smart game, and we did the little things right and played start to finish which is what we need.”

The Stingers’ next game will be against the Carleton Ravens on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. in Ottawa.

 

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Only hard work will take Stingers back to nationals

Head coach Julie Chu expects players to give their best effort all season

A season after playing at the national championships, the head coach of the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team, Julie Chu, knows only one thing can get them back there.

“We know the only reason we got [to nationals] was from hard work,” Chu said. “Nothing changes this year in our preparation. We’re going to expect our players to come in and give effort to be the best everyday.”

Last year, the Stingers finished in third place in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) with a 10-9-1 record during the regular season. They upset second-place Université de Montréal Carabins in the semi-final, which qualified them for the national championship. In the RSEQ final, the Stingers lost to the first-place McGill Martlets.

At nationals in March, the Stingers made it all the way to the bronze-medal game where they lost to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, with a score of 2-0. The Stingers finished the season as the fourth-best team in U Sports.

On Oct. 11, U Sports listed the Stingers fourth in their pre-season rankings. But for Chu, until Concordia steps onto the ice, they haven’t proven anything.

The Concordia Stingers celebrate a playoff series win against the UdeM Carabins during the 2016-17 season. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

“It’s always nice to be ranked and be considered a top team, but we haven’t played a regular season game yet, so for me in all honesty, it doesn’t mean a lot,” Chu said.

The Stingers have been preparing for the start of their regular season since training camp began in August. The Stingers started their pre-season in September, with three wins in three home games against the Brock Badgers, the York Lions and the Queen’s Gaels.

“It’s always great to contribute offensively, but what was fun for [those three games] was that there were a lot of different people who contributed,” Chu said. “It wasn’t two or three people who were scoring the majority of the goals. It was spread out amongst the players.”

Rookie forward Vyckie Gélinas was one of the players who scored, with a goal against Queen’s. Chu said Gélinas is part of a group of first-year players on the team ready to contribute goals and offensive production. First-year forward Lidia Fillion also picked up an assist in that game, and she is a player Chu expects will make an impact both offensively and defensively with the Stingers this season.

“Fillion is doing a good job of shifting into playing at [the university] level, and she’ll continue to adjust to the speed of the game,” Chu said. “But she’s a tremendously smart player, so she knows how to play with and without the puck.”

Regardless of who the captain and assistant captains are, Chu said she wants all her players to be leaders. She also doesn’t want leadership to be limited to her forwards and defencemen.

“Even though Katherine Purchase is a goaltender for us, she has a big voice on our team. She has a great presence and will be a tremendous leader as well,” Chu said.

The coach added that the team’s ultimate goal this season is to win a national championship. But Chu said players have to focus on the small things first, like being great student-athletes and working hard for the team.

“We have to be willing to work hard everyday, set the tone and execute when it counts the most.”

The Stingers opened their season away against the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Oct. 15 with a 3-1 loss. Their next game is Oct. 21 at home against the McGill Martlets.

Main photo by Kirubel Mehari.

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Stingers win 50th Shaughnessy Cup

The Stingers beat the Redmen twice this season. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Quarterback Adam Vance helped propel Concordia to a victory against McGill

With the help of some impressive passing at the hands of rookie quarterback Adam Vance, the Concordia Stingers football team took home the 50th Shaughnessy Cup against the McGill Redmen on Oct. 14 at Percival Molson Stadium with a score of 36-10.

For Stingers head coach Mickey Donovan, the game was a return after a disappointing loss to the Sherbrooke Vert et Or just two weeks ago.

“Our last performance against Sherbrooke was a disgrace,” Donovan said. “We’re a better team than what [we] showed that day. We had a statement to make today, and the guys all came together.”

The Stingers started the game off strong with two touchdowns on their first two possessions. The first touchdown was a 64-yard pass from Vance to wide receiver James Tyrrell. Just a few minutes later, Vance scored a touchdown with a nine-yard run to expand the team’s lead to 14-0.

This is Vance’s second game as a starting quarterback after quarterback Trenton Miller was injured in a game against the Laval Rouge et Or on Sept. 24. For Vance, getting more touches with the ball has made him more comfortable in games.

A McGill defender tackles running back Jean-Guy Rimpel in the 50th Shaughnessy Cup on Oct. 14. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

“I felt really good in my last start, but I’m feeling even better now,” Vance said.

The Stingers fumbled the ball in their end zone near the end of the first quarter, which led to a Redmen touchdown, making the score 14-7.

The Redmen started off the second quarter with a field goal, bringing the score to 14-10. However, that would be the closest the Redmen would come to tying the game. The Stingers finished off the half with two field goals and had a 20-10 lead at halftime.

Donovan said the defence was a big reason for the team’s win.

“The defence played amazing,” he said. “If you think about it, [we] should have gotten a shutout. [We] didn’t allow one single offensive touchdown.”

After a scoreless third quarter, the Stingers dominated the fourth quarter. Early on, Vance connected with wide receiver Yanic Lessard for a 12-yard touchdown pass which extended the team’s lead to 27-10. The Stingers would get a safety and add a touchdown late in the game to bring the score to 36-10.

The Stingers are now on their second bye week of the season, but will be back on Oct. 27 at home against the Laval Rouge et Or for their last game of the season.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins.

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Experience, chemistry will lead women’s team

Head coach Tenicha Gittens wants to lead the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team back to the RSEQ final. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Head coach Tenicha Gittens looks to build off surprise playoff run to RSEQ final last year

“Nothing beats experience.” That’s what the head coach of the Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team, Tenicha Gittens, said she believes. She is counting on experience and chemistry to lead her team to a successful 2017-18 season.

With two seasons worth of experience as a head coach, and a team with many returning players, Gittens is looking to build upon last year’s incredible season. Despite finishing in fourth place in a five-team division with a 7-9 record during the regular season, the Stingers were able to make it all the way to the final of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) last season. They upset first-placed Laval Rouge et Or in the semi-final before losing to the McGill Martlets in the final.

Throughout this year’s training camp, Gittens has noticed the team is more comfortable with her systems, both on offence and defence, which gives her confidence in the team’s ability to implement them in games. According to Gittens, players are now familiar enough with these schemes that she doesn’t need to keep teaching them every practice. Instead, she can focus on other aspects of training. This kind of familiarity with Gittens’ strategies gave players a head start coming into training camp, and made it easier for new players to adjust to the team.

Latifah Roach looks for an open teammate against the McGill Martlets during the 2016-17 season. Archive photo by Ana Hernandez.

Familiar faces are not the only advantage this team has going into the 2017-18 season. There are also some recent additions which should help bolster the lineup. Ashley Moss, who missed the entire regular season and playoffs last year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), is now healthy and ready to contribute. At 5-11, she brings athleticism and versatility to the team, being that she can slot in at either guard or forward.

Coralie Dumont is another exciting new addition. She is a lengthy 6-1 guard who, according to Gittens, can stretch the floor with her three-point shooting. She averaged double digits in both points and rebounds in her three years playing for the Champlain St-Lambert Cavaliers in CEGEP. On paper, both players should help improve the team’s offensive rebounding, which finished dead last in the division last season at 30.4 rebounds per game.

Gittens used the Concordia Classic Tournament, which ran from Oct. 6 through 8, to test out her new players and get her team ready for the regular season. She said it provided the most authentic form of preparation for the regular season: “We just [needed] that tip-off, more in-game experience.”

The tournament also allowed Gittens to evaluate all the strengths and weaknesses of her team. One principle she sought to improve on going into the tournament was ball movement—the team was middle of the pack in assists per game last year with 12, and near the bottom of the division in overall field goal percentage at 35.2 per cent. Good ball movement would help secure more open shot attempts to increase their field goal percentage.

While there is always room for improvement, Gittens is confident in the group of players she has in front of her. According to the head coach, the speed and athleticism of her players enable them to form a solid team identity. They are a hounding defensive unit, as shown by their league-leading 10.1 steals per game last season. On offence, Gittens added, they are a speedy transition team with solid shooting.

The Stingers play pre-season games for the rest of October. They will tip off their regular season at home on Nov. 9 against the Bishop’s Gaiters.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins

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No suspension for Laval player for hit on Trenton Miller

Trenton Miller meets with the media at Concordia University’s Loyola Campus on Sept. 29. Photo by Matthew Ohayon.

RSEQ suspends Laval Rouge et Or’s Kevin McGee for “unnecessary roughness” on James Tyrrell

The Concordia Stingers football team lost to the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, with a score of 30-13, on Sept. 30 in the 31st annual Shrine Bowl. The Stingers, who now have a 2-3 record, had to play without quarterback Trenton Miller.

Miller was injured in a game against the Laval Rouge et Or on Sept. 24, which the Stingers lost 12-8. During that game, Miller was pressured out of the pocket and rushed the ball upfield. As he was carrying the ball, Laval’s Gabriel Ouellet, who came from Miller’s blind side, levelled Miller with a hard hit. The video replay shows Miller’s head snaps back, making it look like there was a hit to the head.

In any other league, such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, any hit to the head, or at least a hit that causes the head to snap back like that, is an automatic penalty. But in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), the official will penalize a hit to the head only if there is clear intent to injure.

Later in the game, Stingers receiver James Tyrrell was forced to leave the game after taking a vicious hit from Kevin McGee. Tyrrell was in a vulnerable position during the hit, with his two hands on the ball and his feet unstable, when McGee jumped to hit him. Tyrrell also missed the next game against the Vert et Or.

Miller made headlines after posting a video to Facebook on Sept. 26, before the RSEQ’s decision not to suspend Ouellet. He pleaded that the RSEQ review the hit he received, as well as the one Tyrrell was involved in. The video has been viewed over 66,000 times.

“What really pains me is that my parents shouldn’t have to watch my game and worry about me dying on the football field as a result of these head-to-head collisions,” Miller said in the video.

On Sept. 29, the RSEQ issued a response, stating they reviewed both hits. They suspended McGee, who hit Tyrrell, for one game for unnecessary roughness. The hit on Miller, however, was deemed by the league to have not made contact with Miller’s head and, therefore, no action would be taken against Ouellet.

The league stated that, when Miller rushed the ball, he was no longer in a “vulnerable position” and there was “no intent to injure.”

“The judgment is supported by the league’s desire to ensure a safe environment for student-athletes,” said Gustave Roel, the director general of the RSEQ, in the league’s statement. “I commend the work [of everybody involved in] this issue, and I want to ensure that the safety and integrity of all student athletes is a priority.”

University of Manitoba quarterback Des Catellier saw Miller’s post on Facebook, and said he does not agree with the RSEQ.

“I would maybe agree that he wasn’t in a vulnerable position [as the ball carrier], but the defender led with his head, which, to me, would be intent to injure,” Catellier said in an interview with The Concordian.

Miller, who spoke about the incident to the media after the league’s decision on Sept. 29, appreciated the league’s efforts in reviewing the dangerous hits.

“They made their decision based on the footage they had,” he said. “The fact they’re even reviewing that and taking steps towards player safety is awesome.”

Trenton Miller scores a touchdown against the McGill Redmen during the 2015 season. Archive photo by Brianna Thicke.

Stingers head coach Mickey Donovan, who called an emergency meeting with RSEQ officials on Sept. 25 to review rules regarding player safety, said he believed this week’s conversation on hits to the head could lead to some changes to the current rules.

“I think the rules are probably going to get changed, just not this season,” Donovan said. “I’m sure stuff will come out eventually, hopefully for next year.”

As for when Miller will return to play, he’s not in a rush.

“I take it day-by-day, and our trainers and doctors are handling me in a very good manner, and they’re not going to rush me back.”

The Stingers will take on the number-one ranked Université de Montréal Carabins on the road on Oct. 5.

With files from Matthew Ohayon. Main photo by Matthew Ohayon

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More than just a football player

Jarryd Taylor went to the United States to play football in high school, but returned home for university. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Jarryd Taylor also plays on the baseball team and likes to draw in his free time

At five years old, Jarryd Taylor knew he wanted to play football. Now, he’s living his dream as a wide receiver for the Concordia Stingers football team.

Growing up near Riverside Park in LaSalle, and seeing other kids play football, Taylor thought the sport looked fun. He asked his mom to register him to play and has loved it ever since. The first team he played for was the LaSalle Warriors. In high school, he got a full scholarship to play as a quarterback at St-Francis High School in Athol Springs, N.Y.

Things changed for Taylor in his junior year when a wide receiver at St-Francis switched schools, leaving the position open. The coaches tried Taylor out there, and he’s played that position ever since. Taylor said his favourite part about football is scoring touchdowns, and he gets the best opportunity to do so as a wide receiver.

“There’s no better feeling,” Taylor said. “You’re the only one with the ball in the end zone and all the fans are cheering or they’re quiet because you’re [at away games].”

So far this season, he’s only scored one touchdown in five games, but is ranked second in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) in receiving yards, at 475. Taylor has also been a reliable deep threat this season, with 15.8 yards per catch, which is the third-highest in the RSEQ.

He said his strongest skill is route running and being able to get past a defensive back to get open. He said his weakest skill would be blocking, since he doesn’t like contact.

Jarryd Taylor runs his route during a game against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or on Sept. 30. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Although he’s only 19, Taylor’s presence on the team doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I feel way more confident [than last year],” he said. “I might be the youngest on the team, but people still look up to me and look at me to make plays. I’m no veteran but I am a second-year, so they look at me differently than they did last year. It’s cool. I like it.”

A man of many talents, football isn’t the only sport Taylor plays. He’s on the Stingers baseball team as well, where he pitches about once a week. His love of baseball started at nine or 10 years old after his grandmother asked him: “‘Why not try it out?”

Although he enjoys baseball, it’s more of a hobby—so when football and baseball conflict, football comes first. Consequently, school sometimes takes a hit and ends up being put on the backburner, but Taylor said he still manages to get everything done.

“I’m in finance right now, but I’m not really intrigued by it,” he said. “I only took it last year because I was good in math, so I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll go into finance.’” He is also taking sociology and film classes, and said he wants to go into film or screenplay writing.

After playing with the Concordia Stingers and finishing his studies, Taylor has high hopes for his future. He wants to make a difference in the world through humanitarian work.

“I want to go into the Green Cross and go into sanctuaries and third-world countries where there are all kinds of endangered species, to work as a volunteer,” he said. “If they give me shelter and food, I’ll be happy with that in my life.”

During his busy schedule, he still finds the time to work as a school monitor for Westmount Park Elementary, even if only for two hours a day. Even though Taylor is involved with many activities, he’s quite introverted and likes to stay in his own bubble.

“I like to draw. I do it pretty much every night,” the athlete said. “I usually do realism pictures—anything that comes to mind. I’ll be looking at Pinterest or whatever and just [think], ‘That’s a cool picture, let me make my own remake of it.’”

Taylor also gets inspiration from driving around Montreal. He said if he sees something worth recreating in his drawings, he’ll go back to the spot to draw it.

Taylor’s biggest supporter and inspiration is his mom. He said she is always the loudest in the crowd and always drove the eight hours to watch him play when he was in high school.

“I don’t remember the last time she missed a game,” Taylor said. “She plays the role model, she plays everything. I see how she lives her life, and I [aspire] to be that kind of character when I grow up […] She inspires me to do most of the things that I do.”

From drawing to humanitarian work, Taylor’s mother has seen him grow into more than just a football player.

Main photo by Alex Hutchin

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Concordia Stingers women’s soccer team beats Bishop’s Gaiters 3-0

The women’s soccer team will have a new coach for the first time in 16 years. Archive photo by Alex Hutchins.

Forward Sarah Humes scores team-leading fourth goal of the season in win

The Concordia Stingers women’s soccer team beat the Bishop’s Gaiters 3-0 at Concordia Stadium on Oct. 1.

The Stingers got off to a fast start as midfielder Claudia Asselin scored in the second minute.

“Scoring this early into the game allowed us to control the game easier,” said head coach Jorge Sanchez.

Veteran midfielder Alice Grandpierre scored her first goal of the year before the end of the half to give the Stingers a two-goal lead at halftime.

Midfielder Alice Grandpierre runs with the ball against the Bishop’s Gaiters on Oct. 1. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Sanchez credited the fast start to the use of tactics that he usually only employs towards the end of the game.
“We tied them last game in a game I thought we dominated, so I thought that trying this more aggressive approach would be an interesting way to start,” Sanchez explained. “You have to adjust your tactics based on the team that you are playing.”

The Gaiters responded to the Stingers’ early offensive push by playing a more defensive game. Sanchez’s tactic paid off as the Stingers won with their biggest margin of victory this season.

Midway through the second half, Stingers striker Sarah Humes scored to officially put the game out of reach for the Gaiters. With her fourth goal of the season, Humes took the lead in goals for the Stingers this season.

“I think the game went very well. It was the first game that we really dominated this season, and we got the result,” Humes said. “I really think the fast start gave us confidence as a team to continue executing.”

“We added diversity with our scoring today—it’s great for this team as it will give us more confidence going forward,” Humes added.

In addition to a strong offence, the Stingers defence was clicking and only allowed the Gaiters to take four shots all game. Stevie Ferrara, who is listed as a forward on the Stingers website, played defence, starting at the centre back position. She played a big role in helping keeper Gabriela Angoso Jimenez secure the shutout.

The Stingers aggressive offence allowed the defence to relax and allowed the whole team to completely control the game at their own pace.

“This game was a solid team effort. No individual really stood out,” Sanchez said. “Everybody did their job, and we had success as a team.”

The Stingers improve to a 2-3-3 record and moved up to fourth place in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) with nine points. Their next game is away on Oct. 13 against the Université de Québec à Montréal Citadins.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins.

A previous version of this article incorrectly named Carmen Milne as the Stingers goalie. Gabriela Angoso Jimenez was the goalie for the game against the Bishop’s Gaiters. The Concordian regrets the error.

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Concordia Stingers dismantle the McGill Redmen in homecoming game

Quarterback Trenton Miller sets school record with six touchdown passes in 68-16 win

There’s a good chance the McGill Redmen football team will be having nightmares about their recent game against the Concordia Stingers.

In their first meeting of the season on Sept. 16, the Concordia Stingers, wearing their classic maroon and gold uniforms, beat the McGill Redmen, in their vintage white and red jerseys, by a score of 68-16. Concordia scored 30 points in the first quarter.

On the opening drive, Trenton Miller, the fifth-year quarterback, found receiver Jarryd Taylor downfield for a 56-yard pass that put the Stingers at McGill’s one-yard line. On the next play, running back Jean-Guy Rimpel gave the Stingers the lead, scoring his first of two touchdowns in the game. Rimpel also finished the game with 78 yards rushing.

The early offensive burst brought fans to their feet, and the rest of the game kept giving them reasons to cheer.

It was a lead that would go unchallenged by McGill, as the Stingers continued to make play after play, both on offence and defence. The defensive line, led by six-foot-five Wade Leeroy Cyr, swarmed McGill quarterback Frédéric Paquette-Perreault. The Stingers defence disrupted plays all game, with two sacks and two interceptions. Meanwhile, the McGill offence only generated 377 total yards on 63 plays, versus Concordia’s 589 yards on 64 plays.

Receiver Yanic Lessard carries the ball against the McGill Redmen on Sept. 16. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The Stingers played in front of 4,813 fans at Concordia Stadium as part of their homecoming event. It was the perfect day for the homecoming game, with the unmistakable energy of one of the oldest university rivalries in the country.

“This rivalry has been going on for so long. It’s always a battle,” said Stingers defensive end Lukas Redguard. He added that the atmosphere of the game had an impact on how the game was played. “It’s great. We need this every game. It was awesome, the turnout was awesome, the fans are great. They got loud when we needed them to get loud. It was a good day.”

Last season, the Redmen beat the Stingers 21-8 when they played at Concordia. Stingers head coach Mickey Donovan said that loss stayed with him all year.

“This week, I properly prepared these guys the hardest I’ve done all year,” Donovan said. “We rode them this week. This win shows me that we have a group that is willing to listen, and that can perform.”

While the offence was putting up points like they had discovered a glitch in the latest Madden video game, the stands were electric. The homecoming didn’t disappoint fans and alumni.

Brent Bodkin, the Stingers announcer and a former player, talked about the heated rivalry between the cross-town universities.

“This is the biggest rivalry in university football in Canada,” Bodkin said. “It doesn’t matter what the records are, what the rosters are—when it’s Concordia versus McGill, whether it’s here or at Percival Molson Stadium [McGill’s home stadium], the intensity always gets picked up.”

Concordia University also honoured the 1967 Loyola College Warriors and Sir George Williams Georgians football teams as part of the homecoming game. The former members of the Concordia athletic family proudly walked onto the field after the game and saluted the current roster.

Former Concordia football player and business graduate, Bob Jones, commented on how the game has changed since his time as a player, and talked about the team’s performance.

“The quality of football now is a lot better than when we played,” Jones said. “The team is a lot better than our group of guys.”

Jones added: “It was a super game. They brought us in for a reunion, and they put on a performance that we’re very appreciative of.”

The lopsided score left McGill fans obviously disappointed, but they continued to cheer their team on.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” said McGill fan Sylvain Dethier. “Both sides are cheering for their team, and I think that’s fair.”

Stingers defensive linemen face the McGill Redmen on Sept. 16. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Miller made Stingers history at Saturday’s game, breaking the school’s previous record for most passing touchdowns in a game. The record was previously set by Sean Hoas in 1998. With six passing touchdowns, Miller was just one touchdown pass short of matching the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec’s (RSEQ) record of seven passing touchdowns in a single game.

“It’s sweet. But while my name might be in the record book, unfortunately, the names of our offensive line won’t be in there,” Miller said. “They were giving me all day to throw, and our receivers were making plays.”

The Stingers offence was efficient against a McGill defence that seemed confused at times and completely unable to defend against passing plays. Miller found receivers down the field almost unopposed, with McGill’s defensive backs and defensive line unable to put enough pressure on the quarterback. He threw for 472 yards and passed his six touchdown passes to four different receivers. Taylor, Vince Alessandrini and Kyle Greenbaum each caught a touchdown pass, while Sam Nadon had three touchdowns.

However, it seems Miller and the Stingers are already looking forward to the next matchup against the McGill Redmen on Oct. 14 at Percival Molson Stadium.

“Anytime we can beat our rival McGill, it’s one of those games you’re circling [on] your calendar,” Miller said. “Hats off to them, they played well. I know they’ll come back strong next game so we can’t take anything for granted.”

The Concordia Stingers next game is away on Sept. 24 against the Laval Rouge et Or.

Main photo by Alex Hutchins

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Sports

Grandpierre takes pride in her size

Alice Grandpierre plays with the ball during a practice with the Concordia Stingers women’s soccer team. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

At five-foot-four, the midfielder from France plays an aggressive style that surprises opponents

Alice Grandpierre may be an aggressive Concordia Stingers midfielder today, but she didn’t always like soccer.

Grandpierre’s story starts in Chateau-Thierry, France, where she was born. Growing up in France, she was actually a gymnast and never played soccer. In fact, she said she disliked the sport and thought it was a waste of time.

However, when her father’s job forced her family to move to China when she was 14, Grandpierre had to give up gymnastics, as there was no team at her new school. In search of a new athletic activity, Grandpierre decided to give soccer a chance. This is when she fell in love with the game.

“I love the sport. It’s part of my life now,” she said. When it comes to watching soccer, though, she has a particular preference.

“I am more interested in watching women play soccer than men,” Grandpierre said. “For me, as a woman, it is more interesting to see them play.”

When Grandpierre started playing in China, her first coach saw her athleticism and put her in the midfield—an athletically demanding position. She played all four years of high school, excelling at midfield where she continues to play today.

Alice Grandpierre’s soccer journey didn’t start until she was 14 and living in China. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

When she got to Concordia, head coach Jorge Sanchez recognized that she belonged there. However, it took some time to get used to playing 11-a-side soccer with the Stingers, as she had only played seven-a-side in China. “It was hard, but I eventually got the hang of it because I worked for it,” Grandpierre said.

 

Her favourite thing about playing soccer is that it allows her to be aggressive towards her opponents.

“I love coming in hard for the tackles, and the others don’t expect it,” she said. “I just love playing hard on the other team. Midfield is where all the action is, so I enjoy playing it and being in the middle of the action.”

Measuring in at five-foot-four, Grandpierre is one of the shortest players on the team—but that doesn’t stop her from playing aggressively. She takes pride in the fact that she’s undersized on the field. Even her favourite player is small.

“My favourite player is Eugénie Le Sommer, mainly because she kind of has the same physique as me,” Grandpierre said. Le Sommer is a striker who also stands at five-foot-four. She plays for Olympique Lyon in France, as well as for France’s national team.

Playing in her fourth year with the Stingers, Grandpierre is currently the longest-serving player on the women’s team. She also occasionally wears the captain’s armband during games. She said she is excited to have a leadership role again this season and to help mentor the younger players.

“I’m part of this leadership group. I find I lead mainly on my play,” Grandpierre said.

The French midfielder moved to Montreal to study exercise science and play soccer, but has since fallen in love with the city. She said she enjoys the fact that she can speak both French and English in Montreal and be understood in both languages. She also speaks a little bit of Spanish and picked up some Mandarin during her time in China.

Her knowledge of Montreal has allowed her to be a residence assistant at Concordia and guide new university students through the ins and outs of the city. Last season, two rookies on the soccer team lived in Grandpierre’s residence, and she mentored them on life in Montreal. As she has gone through the pressures of being on a new team and adjusting to life in a new city, she said she helped the two players cope with the challenges of both soccer and school.

Grandpierre’s time at Concordia was spent studying with the hope of becoming an osteopath. Now, in her final year at Concordia, Grandpierre said she isn’t entirely sure what the next step in her journey will be. However, she knows that soccer will remain part of her life even after school.

“I’m not really sure where I’ll be playing soccer after this year, but I know I want to continue afterwards,” she said. “Soccer has become an everyday part of my life, and I don’t want it to change.”

Main photo by Alex Hutchins

A previous version of this article stated that Grandpierre wanted to become a physiotherapist to rehab athletes. Also, it said two players on the soccer team were assigned to live with her. The errors were fixed and The Concordian deeply regrets them.

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Sports

Men’s rugby team heads into season full of hope

Head coach Craig Beemer had a full off-season to recruit and prepare for the 2017 season. Photo by Kirubel Mehar

Returning head coach Craig Beemer says his group is developing good chemistry

The 2016 season was a difficult one for the Concordia Stingers men’s rugby team.

They finished the season with just one win and seven losses. Craig Beemer had been hired as the head coach just weeks before the start of last season and faced a lot of challenges in his first year.

“We had a lot of injuries, a few guys tore their knees,” Beemer said. “I think in the first game of the season, we had 12 guys starting.”

Heading into the 2017 season, which started with a 34-10 away win against the McGill Redmen on Sept. 10, the head coach said his team has learned from their previous season.

“When you have a tough year record-wise, it shows your character and really makes you reflect,” he said.

Last year, Beemer had no time to recruit or prepare for the season. Although he was a head coach at McGill for eight seasons and an assistant coach with the Stingers for two seasons, he had never been thrown into the fire so fast.

“I was here as an assistant coach, but it’s a totally different atmosphere,” he said. “I wasn’t charged with handling day-to-day activities. Then having that on my plate, dealing with injuries and trying to challenge guys who probably weren’t ready to do a task, it definitely took its toll and allowed me to reflect at the end of the season.”

The Concordia Stingers engage in a scrum in a regular-season game during the 2016 season. Archive photo by Brianna Thicke.

In the off-season, Beemer had a lot of time to reflect on the 2016 season and prepare for the upcoming season. He also added three new recruits to his roster: fly-halfs Sam Montminy and Jean-Christophe Vinette and second row player Adreano Alacchi.

Montminy is the highlight of the trio. Beemer said he was a starter for St-Anne’s Rugby Football Club when they won the Quebec Rugby championship—the highest-ranking rugby competition in the province—in 2016.

Vinette has only been playing rugby for two years and made the team during tryouts.

Alacchi, who started playing rugby at Loyola High School, played with the Quebec U18 team in 2015 and 2016. Beemer had high praise for Alacchi, who measures in at six-foot-five.

“He may not be a superstar now, but he will be in the future,” Beemer said.

The rookies will complement a team with many players who were in their shoes a year ago. The Stingers had 13 rookies on the 30-man roster last season, but the head coach said having his group grow together will only make the team stronger.

“People came back relaxed, comfortable and knew what they were getting themselves into,” Beemer said. “As opposed to last year, when some wide-eyed rookies didn’t know what was about to occur.”

“A lot of the rookies from last year played rugby this summer, got into the gym, and they look like completely different players, in a good way,” Beemer added.

Another crucial aspect of the Stingers development is the return of four key players. Fourth-year fly-half Moritz Wittmann and second-year winger Daniel Pelletier-Ragguette are returning from knee injuries, while third-year centre Charles Debove also returns from an injury. Flanker Lucas Hotton, who was a rookie on the team during the 2014 season but didn’t play in 2015 and 2016, is rejoining the Stingers this season.

Beemer expects the returning veterans to add to his team’s strength, which is what he calls “rugby experience.”

“We have some really high-level rugby players who played at the Canadian Rugby Championship,” he said. “From a rugby experience level, with those four guys coming back and the new recruits coming in, we’re a much more seasoned team.”

After a long off-season of recruiting and training, Beemer said he sees a bright future ahead of his team.

“We’re going to be a lot more competitive this year,” he said. “The guys are excited to get back onto the pitch.”

Main photo by Kirubel Mehari

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