The Stingers haven’t lost a game in the league since their RSEQ quarter-final game of 2016 against the Bishop’s University Gaiters. Stingers head coach Craig Beemer said there isn’t really a secret or method that can explain such success.
“We’re not really worrying about the wins or losses,” Beemer said. “It’s not about me [or or any particular player]. It’s about doing things the right way, and having an attitude where there’s no reason to accept anything less than your best.”
Beemer added a lot of it has to do with the team’s culture. He said the team is surrounded by great people who leave things better than they found them.
“I have an amazing coaching staff that offers things I can’t offer,” Beemer said. “We have players, consistently pushing other players to their best. When you’re just worrying about the process on your day-to-day, you end up getting asked why you’re having [such a streak].”
The Piranhas gave the Stingers a rough first half, scoring first and limiting the Stingers to one try at halftime. Beemer said his team knew this would be a tough match, as they didn’t know their opponent that much.
“They played the other teams really hard, and they’re really physical,” Beemer said. “We knew what was coming, but I don’t think our guys were necessarily quite ready for it. We didn’t have that excitement that [we] kind of saw in the last in the last 20 minutes of the game.”
Momentum changed in the second half. Beemer said the conversation at halftime was about getting the right attitude, and make sure things were done the right way.
“There were a lot of physical mistakes [in the first half],” Beemer said. “I think that had more to do with our mental preparation going into the game. There was a lot of negative talk going on the field in the first half.”
Michael Laplaine-Pereira was named MVP of the game with a try and five points. All six tries scored by the Stingers were from different players, and seven players registering points.
The Stingers now have a 4-0 record with two games left to their regular season. They’ll play the Université de Montréal Carabins on Oct. 20 at 4 p.m. at the terrain Vincent-d’Indy.
For the first time since 2011-12, the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team will start its Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) season as league defending champions. Yet, the mindset remains the same for the Stingers.
For head coach Rastko Popovic and his team, expectations that come with being the defending champions are more of a cliché in sports.
“We still try to recruit the best players we can,” Popovic said. “We still spend time in the gym with our players to try to make them better. There’s no guarantee we’ll win again this year. We’ll obviously do our best to do so, but it’s a new season and a new challenge.”
Popovic said that last year’s success is the result of many years of work. He explained that some of the players who won last year are the same who went through the pain of losing a semi-final and a final game before winning the championship. Yet, new players will be at their debuts with the team this season and won’t have lived last year’s success.
“It’s part of the process in sports,” Popovic said. “You hear it a lot now with many professional sports team saying to trust the process. If anybody could just do something by snapping their fingers, it would be that easy to coach in any sport, not just basketball.”
Seven months after their championship and nationals participation, fourth-year player Olivier Simon said he and the team finally had time to reflect on what last year meant to them. Yet, he said the focus was turned to this season in a matter of time.
“We worked hard this summer in order to recreate [our accomplishments of last season this year],” Simon said. “Yes, it’s fun to win a championship, as you celebrate for a week or two, but after that you just want to get more. I knew [last season] it wasn’t my last year, so my mindset was more about winning more championships. Of course we took the time to reflect on our season. To get that win and see our efforts pay off was the best feeling we’ve had for a while.”
Some of those players will have bigger leadership roles in 2019-20, as the Stingers lost important pieces this summer, including team captain Ricardo Monge. In his final year with the Stingers, the point guard was named the MVP in Quebec university men’s basketball conference and received all-Canadian honours.
Simon said that after the experience he and the other returning players acquired, he wanted to be more of a leader for this season. The players might have to earn their next championship, but the experience he acquired is invaluable.
“Now I know what’s needed to [win the RSEQ title and go to nationals],” Simon said. “Guys just need to follow and be on board with us because we know what it takes to win. For me, it’s just to bring that energy and effort every day in the gym.”
For Sami Ghandour, also entering his fourth year, last season served him as a motivation this past off-season. Ghandour said that despite winning the RSEQ championship, the loss at nationals hurt and pushed him to get better.
“In my first year, we didn’t get past semi-finals,” Ghandour said. “In my second year, we reached the final, but lost. In my third year, we won, but lost in the first round [at nationals]. We saw that we were good for the RSEQ, but once on the national court, the level [of play] was different. Even after winning all that, it hurts when you lose like that at nationals.”
With the season set to start next month, Popovic said there’s a long process to follow before thinking about championship goals for 2019-20 campaign. He said it’s a long season, and there are many games to win before those in the RSEQ playoffs.
“Yes, we can talk about [the fact that] our goal is to go to nationals, but we don’t get there by just saying it,” Popovic said. “We still have a lot of things to work on before [coming to this moment]. We’re trying to get better one day at the time. We’re trying to get better this weekend than [we were the previous one]. That’s how we see progress, with small steps to get to where we want to get.”
Ghandour said the team wants to win consecutive championships. However, he explained that with this new season, the Stingers and all teams in the league will start at the same point.
“We are the defending champions, which makes people even more hungry to play us,” Ghandour said. “[We] need to keep working, and keep [our] feet on the ground. [We] want to win the championship every single year.”
The Concordia Stingers football team conceded their worst result of the year, getting shutout by the Laval Rouge et Or in a 74-0 loss.
“Pretty simple, we need to play better,” said Stingers head coach Brad Collinson in an email to The Concordian. “This was not our best game in all [three] facets offense/defense/special teams. Credit to Laval and their game plan. They were coming off a bye week and they clearly studied us. We had a good plan but didn’t execute it to the level that we needed.”
The team struggled at every aspect of the game. Under center, Adam Vance went 8/20 for only 57 yards and an interception against the divisions top pass defense. It was a difficult game for the usually explosive QB, who was sacked four times. Sam Nadon led the receivers with 20 yards on three catches, and Kevin Foster racked up 52 rushing yards on 7 attempts. Foster collected 152 total yards thanks to his work on the kick return. So far this year, the team has only scored 77 points, the least in the division.
“We need to go back and just coach up our kids,” said Collinson. “We have a good group of coaches that are proud people and I know that this loss will only fuel us to work harder.”
The Stingers defense was left out to dry, facing wave after wave of Rouge et Or offense. Derek Achaempong and Willaim Benoit led the team with 6.5 tackles apiece. The team has allowed 146 points, the most in the division at the time of publication.
Laval rookie QB Thomas Bolduc threw for 252 yards, going 23/30 with three TDs. Concordia’s division worst rush defense continued to struggle, unfortunately this week they were up against the divisions best rushers, giving up 286 yards on 38 attempts and allowing four touchdowns.
“The whole team needs to step up,” said Collinson. “That’s the great thing about football. Everyone needs to do their 1/12th for us to be successful. Not one player is going to make a difference we need everyone playing to their level and doing their job each and every play.”
With only two games remaining in the season, the Stingers are currently tied for last place in the RSEQ with the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, their opponent next week. It hasn’t been an ideal season as of yet, but with the volatility we’ve seen in this division, playoffs still aren’t out of the question. If the team can win the next two games, it’s not unreasonable to hope for that elusive playoff spot.
“I hope that we can grow as a team and look ourselves in the mirror and be honest with ourselves,” said Collinson. “That was not the Concordia Stingers that we saw last week and we need to play on a more consistent level.”
Concordia will take on Sherbrooke on October 12th in Sherbrooke. Their last game of the season will be at home against McGill.
Rugby forward had quite the journey since her first Stingers appearance
Concordia Stingers women’s rugby head coach Jocelyn Barrieau was surprised when her former player Emily Magee of the Dawson College Blues contacted her this summer, saying she wanted to rejoin the team this season.
Barrieau first coached Magee when she was the head coach of the Dawson College women’s rugby program, a position she held from 2007 to 2011. The Stingers’s website statistics might show that Magee’s at her fourth season with the team, but don’t get fooled. The St. Louis, Missouri native hasn’t played those four years consecutively.
“It’s been a bit of a wild journey you could say,” said Magee. “When I first came to Concordia, I was a pretty young athlete, as I was immature, and didn’t know how to train properly. I came to Concordia because I loved their communications program, but also because they had a really good rugby program.”
Yet, obstacles changed the course of Magee’s rugby career and life. She explained she wasn’t ready for what university came with, as she got overwhelmed by assignments and anxiety at times.
“I had a hard time finishing essays and even simple assignments [when I started university],” Magee said. “I even had essays I never handed in. I finished them on time, but never handed them in because they weren’t good enough for [my personal expectations]. I then stopped playing rugby for two years. I just didn’t play at all.”
Those two years off the field, where she spent her time doing things like playing video games, pushed Magee to get her rugby career back on track. She said she didn’t recognize herself, as she’s always been very active in life.
“I hit a rock bottom, especially regarding my mental health,” said Magee. “It pushed [me to change] and fix something because things [weren’t] working for me. I’ve always dreamed of playing for Canada, U.S.A., or just nationally. That was kind of a push to try, because [when I stopped], there was nothing happening with myself. I had nothing to lose, and see what happens.”
Since then, Magee traveled around the world and played rugby for several elite teams, including in the U.S.A. and New Zealand. Now at age 29 and with a lot of rugby experience, Magee said this was the perfect time for her to come back to Concordia to finish what she started.
“I’m not a Canadian citizen, I’m a permanent resident,” said Magee. “Over a five-year period, I have to live two in Canada. I traveled a lot in the last five years, and had to come back in March to start making up some days. When I came back to Canada, I thought it was the perfect time to complete my remaining credits, and put my degree behind me to close that chapter. I then thought of Barrieau [and the rugby team here], who coached me at Dawson College.”
The Stingers forward added that her game has completely changed since her first rugby experience. She explained that her skillsets were very limited at first.
“I could just run fast,” said Magee. “I couldn’t really pass or tackle. I’ve been naturally gifted athletically, but all of my skills I had to develop and work on. By getting older, I had to push myself because at the end of the day, you need to grow your own game.”
Barrieau said the team knew that Magee’s presence and talent would be felt quickly. She explained that the positivity and energy the forward brings to the team is unique.
“Not everybody can bring such things [the way Magee does],” said Barrieau. “The experience she brings to our team is huge as well, as she’s matured by playing, traveling and looking to others [these past years]. She’s learned and matured a lot on the field.”
After missing the Stingers first two games of the 2019-2020 Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) season, Magee registered five tries, 25 points and one nomination as the most valuable player (MVP) of the game in two matches. She said that if her hard work these past years paid off, one thing she’ll always keep in mind that is that the key to success is to have fun doing what you do. She added that’s exactly how she feels with the Stingers.
“Barrieau’s creating such an awesome team culture,” Magee said. “It creates an [environment] where you can make mistakes. You can fail, and it’s not the end of the world to do so. Having the freedom to make those mistakes, have a bad game and not make great decisions all the time makes it so much easier for me to just play the game. I’m honestly so grateful to have the opportunity to come back. I’m really proud of what I’ve been through and where I am now with rugby. It’s a dream come true.”
Defensive coordinator Ed Philion. Photo by Laurence B.D.
Concordia Stingers linebackers Jersey Henry and Sam Brodrique travelled to Ottawa this summer to take part in the annual U Sports East-West Bowl; a game meant to be a showcase of the top draft-eligible U Sports players in Canada.
“Good players never half-ass, they always run, they always try to make good plays,” said Brodrique. “Even when [those players] are opposite of the play, they’re always on the ball. That’s what good players do and that’s what we need to do on defence.
This isn’t a normal season for the Stingers. They’re in the middle of head coach Brad Collinson’s first true season at the helm after being hired late summer 2018. This year, he cleaned house and hired an entirely new coaching staff.
So far, at 1-4, the season has had its ups and downs. On offence, quarterback Adam Vance has emerged as a top playmaker in U Sports, even claiming offensive player of the week in Week 5. James Tyrrell is currently the most dangerous receiver in the division. On special teams, Kevin Foster has been one of the most dynamic returners in the RSEQ, and the kicking duo of Andrew Stevens and Bradley James Santos has helped put points (and wins) on the board for the team.
The learning curve on defence has been a little different. While players like Brodrique, Henry, Wael Nasri, Khadeem Pierre, former fullback Yassir Laarais, and Zamaad Gambari are enjoying solid individual seasons, the whole defence as a unit has struggled. The Stingers are currently ranked last in the RSEQ in both pass and rush defence.
Enter Stingers defensive coordinator Ed Philion.
The coach’s resume includes playing and coaching experience to the team. He played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers, and an eight-year stint with the Alouettes of the CFL, where he played with Collinson in 2003.
Philion’s won two Grey Cups, the first in 2002 as a player and the second in 2015 as a coach with the Edmonton Eskimos. After retiring as a player, Philion travelled North to the CFL, coaching with the Toronto Argonauts, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Eskimos. His experience is part of the reason the team responds well to him.
“Our coaches do a really good job translating the game plan, and making sure terminology isn’t too choppy,” said Henry. “All of our coaches having experience playing in the NFL, CFL, playing at that level that we all aspire to play at. Any time our coaches have anything to say, we listen.”
Now Philion’s job includes trying to shut down some of the strongest teams in Canada. After starting the season 0-3, Philion was adamant that he was trying to build the foundations of a winning squad.
“We just want to get better each game and build off of [the games],” explained Philion. “The last two games [against Laval and Montreal] we didn’t play well, so we’re looking to bounce back and we’ve focused a lot on teaching technique.”
For Henry and Brodrique, the goal for the rest of the season is to establish the defence’s gameplan, and that includes playing with speed.
“Everyone knows that our game plan is to bring pressure, it’s no secret,” said Henry. “For us it’s just making sure that we’re hitting our gaps and making sure that we’re doing everything that’s going to help our teammates make plays if we’re not the ones making plays.”
“We’re not a big team, we’re a fast team,” explained Brodrique. “We’re not just going out there to give a good game, we’re trying to win.”
Stingers record stands at 1-4 with three games remaining
The Concordia Stingers football team came close to beating the Université de Montreal Carabins. Again.
The 20-17 loss at UDEM’s Cepsum Field pushes the Stingers record to 1-4 with only three games remaining in the season. In the two team’s first meeting ended in a 10-3 Carabins win.
“We are a good football team that’s why these games are close,” said head coach Brad Collinson after the game. “When we stick together, good things happen.”
Quarterback Adam Vance has really come into his own as the season’s progressed, and Friday night was just another example of that. The American went 24/36 for 343 yards and a TD.
“The joy of playing football has come back for Adam,” said Collinson. “He has bought in 100 per cent and it shows.”
His main target this season, receiver James Tyrrell, also kept busy all game. He hauled in 13 catches 174 yards. Tyrrell is currently the most targeted receiver in the RSEQ.
“James is playing like a 5th year player should be playing,” said Collinson. “When we call his number he is making plays and that’s what we need from him.”
Rookie receiver Jeremy Murphy continued to establish himself as a dangerous option as he collected 6 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.
On defence, linebacker Sam Brodrique continues his consistent play with 6 solo tackles, and Jersey Henry made 5.5 tackles and added a sack.
“Our defence played great and continue to progress,” said Collinson. “I’m very proud of them and the intensity that they are playing with.”
Montreal managed to stay ahead and take the win thanks to a 10-point 4th Quarter. Opposing QB Dimitri Morand went 22/29 for 293 yards and a TD. The Carabins added 127 rushing yards in this game compared to the Stingers 108 yards.
The Stingers will face the Laval Rouge et Or for the second time this season on Oct. 6. The last clash between these two teams ended with the Stingers on the wrong side of a 41-6 loss.
“We need to keep progressing and following the process we have laid out,” said Collinson. ”If we can keep progressing we will be ok.”
Archive feature photo taken by Mackenzie Lad on September 22, 2018
Stingers football claim their first win of the season
Where have I seen this story before?
Concordia Stingers at home against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or.
Stingers losing in the last minute of the game.
A packed stadium full of students and alumni taking in the game.
A last-second score to give the Stingers the win.
Stingers fans enjoyed an exciting matchup on Homecoming day. Photo by Laurence BD
All moments reminiscent of last year’s Homecoming game where quarterback Adam Vance threw a pass to receiver James Tyrrell in the endzone with no time left on the clock to win.
This year, the heroics belong to first-year kicker Bradley James Santos who put up the winning 36-yard field goal to give the Stingers the walk-off win in a 37-35 result that gave the Stingers their first win of the season.
“Everything was silent around me,” said Santos. “I knew my team was around me and with me. The only thing I had to do was my job. We deserved that win. We know the other W’s are coming.”
The game wasn’t always that close though. Early on, the Stingers seemed to be in control. Vance and Tyrrell were connecting all game, and their chemistry was evident. Vance ended the game with 426 yards and three touchdowns. Tyrrell collected 11 passes for 176 yards with two touchdowns. Rookie Jeremy Murphy was right behind Tyrrell with 82 yards and six catches.
“I’ve felt good all season,” said Vance. “We’ve been playing good, but we’ve struggled in the red zone and we finally figured it out this game.”
“It’s nice to finally prove it,” said Tyrrell. “We’ve always known what we can do, and it’s a relief now that we’ve done it. Adam and I have a great connection, it was almost routine.”
Defence also seemed to click for the Stingers. Linebacker Sam Brodrique collected 7.5 tackles, Khadeem Pierre and Zamaad Gambari caught an interception each and the team forced three sacks.
Samuel Brodrique collected 7.5 tackles and a forced fumble in Saturday’s matchup. Photo by Laurence BD
At half, the Stingers were up 20-13. Two touchdowns later, the Stingers led by as much as 34-15.
Then Sherbrooke took control.
The Vert et Or are a hard-nose squad, and while they may not have the most talent on the field, they’ll hit you as hard as anyone. Every inch feels like a mile against them.
The packed crowd at the Stingers Stadium saw as much, as the Vert et Or nearly came back to beat the Stingers with a flurry of deep passes, strategic play calling, an onside kick and penalties. When Sherbrooke QB Zach Cloutier found his man in the endzone with 33 seconds on the clock, you could feel the air get sucked out of the crowd. The Vert et Or struggled on offence at times during the game, but found it in the fourth quarter, where they put up 20 points.
But the Stingers didn’t quit. With the game, and potentially the season, on the line, Adam Vance showed up big. The QB first found Murphy for a 31-yard gain. Then, Vance connected with Tyrrell for a short gain. Another completed pass to Vince Alessandrini later, and the Stingers were in field goal range. Santos stepped on the field, replacing an injured Andrew Stevens, and drilled the ball far through the uprights. The team stormed the field and tackled Santos as the Stingers manage yet another late-game win against Sherbrooke.
“I went and hid in the tent on the sideline,” laughed Vance. “I was too stressed! I couldn’t watch. I just heard screaming so I figured then that we must have made it.”
“I knew it was going in 100 per cent,” said Tyrrell. “After practice we’re always around the kickers and I saw the distance and knew he had that easy.”
You could see the relief that the win gave the team. The Stingers now improve to 1-3. Breaking through for that first victory saves the season and gives the team a chance to push for that elusive third playoff spot.
The Stingers are away next week where they’ll play the UDEM Carabins on Sept. 27.
NOTE:
It was hot as heck, half of my face burnt, looking like Harvey Dent, and yes I know I complained last game about how cold and wet it was, but is it too much to ask for normal weather?
The Concordia Stingers football team has had a… tough start to the season.
With a bye-week, now’s a good a time as any to take a look at where the team stands so far this season.
Three games, three losses.
In week one, the Stingers showed up big against the UDEM Carabins, losing a tight game 10-3.
In week two against McGill, the Stingers couldn’t get a vital win. What could have been a chance to pick up a invaluable points for the team’s playoff hopes instead turned into a 40-14 blowout loss.
In week three, the Stingers played defending U Sports national champions, perennial powerhouses and straight up bullies in the Laval Rouge et Or. That game ended with the Stingers on the wrong side of a 41-6 result.
In the RSEQ division, wins against the Laval and UDEM are almost impossible to come by. Concordia last beat Montreal in a regular season game in 2008. Concordia hasn’t beaten Laval since 2003. Beating McGill and Sherbrooke is the key to making it past the regular season.
After splitting the series with McGill into two tight games last season, getting blown out by them stings.
Those have been the results of the games so far, with five games left (including one game apiece against Laval and Montreal), the Stingers still have a chance to make playoffs. It’s also important to note that Concordia has had to face Laval and Montreal in their first three games, two of the toughest teams in the country, let alone the division. The stats don’t look great, but it might be fairer to chalk up some of the team stats to a tough early schedule. It’s not far off to predict a lot of those stats will even out by the end of the year and the team finishing middle-of-the-pack/high in a number of offensive and defensive categories.
It seems like a good place to look at the team stats. After the end of Week 4, every team in the division has played at least three games. So far, the team ranked last in the RSEQ in: scoring offense, scoring defense, turnover margin (-5), rushing offense and defense, total defense, 1st downs allowed (67), sacks (2), sacks allowed (13), red zone offense (4/6) and red zone defense (8/8). On a more positive note, they are currently first in the division in pass offense.
New defensive and offensive coordinators Ed Philion and Alex Suprenant were given a tough gig to plan for Laval and Montreal so early in the season. With their upcoming game against Sherbrooke, the team has a chance to build some momentum.
In terms of individual performances, this season’s been a bit all over the place. Quarterback Adam Vance has thrown for 666 yards so far, completing 55 of 94 pass attempts for a 58.5 completion percentage, slightly above his 56.4 per cent completion rate from last season. But so far, no touchdown passes yet. He’s also thrown four interceptions. Tough to blame him, he’s been sacked 13 times in just three games, most of any quarterbacks in the division. And when he’s not getting sacked, he’s taking hits as soon as the ball leaves his hand.
For the receivers, this year has been one of growth. The loss of last year’s leading receiver Jarryd Taylor, and Vince Alessandrini not dressing for games yet has opened up roster spots and more receptions for other players. Fifth-year veteran James Tyrrell has stepped up into the #1 receiver role seamlessly. Through the first three games of the season, he has 18 receptions for 252 yards. Rookie Jeremy Murphy has 14 receptions for 177 yards. Fifth-year Sam Nadon has 10 receptions for 115 yards. Again, no touchdowns yet.
The run game hasn’t caught its stride yet. Against Laval, in a game where the rain made it difficult to pass the ball and the run game became vital, the team only managed 36 yards on 20 attempts. Glody Musangu has been the team’s first-string running back for the start of the season, collecting 111 yards on 32 attempts.
Defense has also struggled so far, but again, they played Laval and Montreal. There aren’t a lot of teams in the country who have shown to be able to slow them down besides each other. Zamaad Gambari leads the team in tackles with 16.5. He’s followed by defensive stalwarts Jersey Henry (13.5) and Sam Brodrique (13). Wael Nasri and Khadeem Pierre have also stepped up, with Nasri recording 7.5 tackles in a gutsy performance against Laval. The rushing defense had a difficult time so far, allowing 585 yards and five touchdowns so far. That’s 195 allowed run yards a game.
On special teams, kicker Andrew Stevens has continued to be reliable and is 5/7 on field goal attempts so far this season. Kick and punt returner Kevin Foster has arguably been the most dangerous player on the team so far, and he has the team’s only touchdown. On 14 punt returns, he has 190 yards, including that massive 74-yard touchdown run that earned him U Sports special teams Player-of-the-Week honours.
As the team prepares for their upcoming game against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, the Stingers are left in a difficult situation. They’re 0-3, last in the division, and their playoff hopes depend on them being able to win at least three games. At least one of those wins has to come against McGill in order to make up for their Week 2 loss. That playoff spot is still within reach.
The Stingers have had a tough start to the year, but their bye-week probably came at the perfect time. It offers a chance to regroup and focus on finishing the year strong.
Élément was contacted a few months ago by the Canadiens to organize the event. He said he then decided to create a U SPORTS all-star team with the Quebec teams of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) to give the Canadiens a good challenge.
“I think it’s a really good thing for the promotion of our league and the three university programs in Quebec,” Élément said. “It’s a great opportunity for them to be seen. The number one priority is to show people that university hockey in Quebec is a good level of hockey, which is something people may not really know.”
Élément announced to his Stingers players their nominations to the U SPORTS all-star team when they came back to Concordia after summer vacation. One of those players, forward Philippe Sanche, said this game will help players gain experience.
“There are players [on the team] who want to play at a professional level after, either in Europe, here, or in other leagues,” Sanche said. “We can also compare with players drafted or invited to professional camps. I think it will [help] us to compare ourselves to them, know what we need to work on or understand what they did to receive an invitation.”
Sanche said even if today’s game isn’t part of the OUA regular season, the best for the players is to play as if it were.
“If you want to go to the next level, you need to be yourself, play how you can play and show what you’re capable of,” Sanche said. “It’s a game like [any] other. You should not put yourself under too much pressure and try to do too much because that’s when you’re going to look bad.”
Defenceman Carl Neill, another of the seven Stingers on the team, said it will be interesting to be in a team with players he normally faces during the season.
“We know a bit of their tendencies and what kind of players they are, but it’s going to be really interesting given [our rivalries],” Neill said. “I’m sure we’ll put all of this aside for the game, but once the season starts, there will be no more love.”
Rivals or not, knowing a bit of each other should be a good thing for today, as the team’s only practice for the game was held yesterday. However, Élément said he and the players will be fine, as it’s not the first time they have had to deal with such situations.
“We’ll get to know each other quickly for the time of a game,” Élément said. “Yet, they’re all players we know, as we play against them [during the season]. I even tried to recruit some of them before they went into other programs. It will be fun.”
The Concordia Stingers football team falls to 0-3 on the season after losing 41-3 to the Laval Rouge et Or in the 33rd annual Shrine Bowl.
“We shot ourselves in the foot there,” said head coach Brad Collinson after the game. “We missed assignments, we threw a pick…it’s unfortunate but we gotta regroup and we’re going to get better.”
The defending U Sports champs were quick to put points on the board against the Stingers. On the first drive of the game, Laval running back Vincent Breton-Robert ran 42 yards for a touchdown. Five minutes later, they added a field goal. Another five minutes later a bad snap resulted in a safety against the Stingers. They added a 27-yard touchdown pass in the first minute of the second quarter.
It wasn’t until midway through the second quarter that Concordia managed to get some points of their own to make the score 19-3. That would be as close as the Stingers would get, only adding another Andrew Stevens field goal in the fourth quarter.
At that point, the game was mostly out of reach for the Stingers. Then the rain started coming down at the start of the third quarter.
A field goal, a touchdown and a mix of safeties and the Canadian football classic rouge, and Laval took the win with a comfortable 35 point spread.
Despite the blowout, the Stingers did show some positives. They limited Laval to 13 points in the second half. Even as Laval extended the lead, the Stingers defence continued to tackle hard and pressure Rouge et Or quarterback Samuel Chenard. Rookie receiver Tristan Mancini got his first U Sports catch on a massive 27-yard grab
“Felt great to get the first one of the way,” Mancini wrote in an interview post-game. “Hopefully I can get some more and help the team win!”
Stingers QB Adam Vance was hit hard a number of times, but still managed to go 15-28-1 for 206 yards.
“We had a better second half,” said receiver James Tyrrell who caught five passes for 97 yards. “The game showed our character, that we’re never going to stop fighting and that’s a good trait to have as a team.”
The rain only got stronger as the passing game ironically dried up. Both teams handed the ball off at almost every opportunity. Laval’s running backs had a ton of success on the ground. Vincent Breton-Robert led way with 134 yards on 14 carries, with his teammate Joanik Masses adding another 114 yards on 18 carries. On the Stingers, the run game was less successful. Glody Musangu was only able to pick up 34 yards on seven attempts.
“We want to get to fundamentals,” noted Collinson. We’re a bit banged up right now, we’re going to go into our bye week and we’re going to be okay.”
Vance looked frustrated at times, and it wasn’t difficult to see why. A late hit in the second quarter forced backup Olivier Roy into the game. Roy was then pressured heavily on his first play, threw a weak pass that was tipped and then picked off.
As the rain finally started to let up as the game ended, the two teams shook hands and lined up for the Shrine Bowl trophy ceremony. Tyrrell and linebacker Wael Nasri were named the team’s game MVPs.
The Stingers have a bye week coming up, but are back in action on Sept. 21 at home against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or.
NOTES:
Can I just say that on a deeply personal level, I hate the rain? Cool.
The Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team added forward Emmy Fecteau to their roster this past summer. Fecteau joined the Stingers after winning three consecutive RSEQ championships with the Limoilou Titans in the RSEQ collegiate league.
Fecteau decided to be a Stinger after visiting Concordia and the team’s facilities with her family this summer. The forward said she immediately felt good during her visit.
“I thought the team was great,” Fecteau said. “The coaching staff is very impressive here, and the group of players seemed very welcoming. They seemed to have a lot of fun. That’s what really convinced me to come here.”
Stingers head coach Julie Chu said the team is fortunate to add Fecteau to its roster. She described the Saint-Odilon native as not only a great hockey player, but also a great person and dedicated student-athlete.
“She’s someone who definitely loves to compete and loves to win, and those are characteristics of a champion,” Chu said. “She’s willing to learn, work hard and put in that consistent effort every day in order to achieve that. I think she will have a really big impact on us offensively as she continues to develop as an all-around player.”
Chu said the opportunity Fecteau had being in a winning culture with the Titans definitely helped her to gain experience.
“She grew a lot during that time, going from her first to third year where she became captain,” Chu said. “The success is obviously something she’ll continue to bring with her. That’s also the fun part with our players, which is sharing together everything that we’ve gone through.”
Fecteau may have already practiced with the Stingers but will have to wait until Sept. 13 to play her first game at the university level. Chu is confident Fecteau will adapt well from collegiate to university hockey, as she said there is always an adjustment period.
“I’m not going to put any additional pressure on her to make sure she has to score and be a huge role for us,” Chu said. “What we ask all of our players is to come and be a great teammate, to be involved and have a team-first [attitude]. We know Fecteau has a great character, and will be able to contribute to our team’s culture.”
Earlier this month, Fecteau was named to Canada’s National Women’s Development Team to represent Canada in a three-game series against the United States. The forward said it was an amazing experience.
“I shed some tears when I knew I was named to the team,” Fecteau said. “The group of girls was really nice. It was fun to play with the best players in the competition. I [was obviously proud] to play with the Canadian team. It was incredible.”
Chu, who played at the international level several times and won Olympic Games and IIHF World Women’s Championships medals, said it’s “one of the greatest honours” to play for someone’s country.
“Even those who get an opportunity to go to a camp, but maybe not make an official team, that experience itself is valuable because you’re surrounded by elite athletes who understand what it takes to be at the highest level,” Chu said. “Every experience we get is something that helps us grow and develop as people and hopefully become better.”
Chu gave credit to Fecteau for her nomination to Canada’s National Women’s Development Team, as only 24 players were selected to the team.
“Fecteau did an incredible job,” Chu said. “She did not just work this summer, but she earned the right for the invitation with her last year [with the Titans]. She’s been doing a great job with her summer training to be prepared for the opportunity. I was really excited she was able to earn a spot in the roster, and knowing that she’s a huge and awesome ambassador for our team as well.”
Fecteau said she is looking forward to this season. She described herself as a hard-working player with good vision, and she hopes to help the Stingers to have success in the quest of many titles.
“I can’t wait to play with the Stingers,” Fecteau said. “I hope I can bring the winning touch [to] Concordia. I’m looking forward to playing with that group of players here. I hope we’ll have a good season and win a lot of championships.”
