RECAP: Carabins win 50th Vanier Cup, first national title in program history [stats]

MONTREAL – A field goal block by Mathieu Girard of Laval, Que., with 51 seconds remaining secured the Montreal Carabins their first CIS football national title with a come-from-behind 20-19 victory over the McMaster Marauders in the 50^th TELUS Vanier Cup at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium before a crowd of 22,649.

Montreal, appearing in its first Vanier Cup final, trailed for much of the game, not taking the lead until a Louis-Philippe Simoneau (La Presentation, Que.) field goal with 2:45 left in the contest. A strong McMaster defence contained the Carabins’ offensive output, limiting the victors to 221 yards of net offence, compared to 337 yards by the Marauder offence.

Montreal receiver Regis Cibasu (Kinshasa, Congo) garnered the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy as the game MVP, reeling in six passes for a team-high 90 yards. 

Carabins defensive back Anthony Coady (Montreal) took the Bruce Coulter Award as the defensive MVP after snagging two interceptions. 

Montreal head coach Danny Maciocia becomes the first person to lead a team to both Grey Cup and Vanier Cup titles as a head coach, having earned a Grey Cup ring in 2005 as the bench boss of the Edmonton Eskimos.

“This is an amazing and exciting group of players. Winning in front of our fans here in Montreal is phenomenal. It’s huge. I can’t even put into words how it feels to share this with our families and friends,” said Maciocia, whose team capped a thrilling playoff run that included a 12-9 overtime win over Laval in the Quebec final and a 29-26 victory over Manitoba in the Uteck Bowl.

“It was a total team effort. I was fortunate to be the one to make that play,” said Girard. “We believe all year that we could win. I can leave the Carabins program in peace. When I chose to play at the University of Montreal, I was asked if I wanted to be part of history.”

For the Carabins, quarterback Gabriel Cousineau (Montreal) made good on 17 of 33 passes, amassing 196 yards and throwing one touchdown.  Along with Cibasu, his favourite target was Mikhaïl Davidson (Montreal), who caught eight passes for 81 yards.

The Carabins become just the third team in history to win a Vanier Cup title in their home town, joining the Toronto Varsity Blues (1965, 1993) and Laval Rouge et Or (2010, 2013).  McMaster was appearing in its third Vanier Cup in four years, having claimed the 2011 championship, and now has a 1-3 record overall in Vanier Cup appearances.

In the losing effort, McMaster place kicker Tyler Crapigna (Nepean, Ont.) accounted for 13 of McMaster’s 19 points, booting four field goals, which was one shy of matching a Vanier Cup single-game record.  Wayne Moore (Etobicoke, Ont.) led the ground attack with 111 yards on 11 carries, and scored the loan Marauder touchdown.  Quarterback Marshall Ferguson (Kingston, Ont.) connected on 27 of 41 passes for 195 yards, throwing a pair of interceptions.  On defence, lineman Mark Mackie (London, Ont.) dominated with two sacks, in addition to four solo tackles.

“It’s disappointing for sure. Anytime you come this close, it’s gonna sting,” said McMaster coach Stefan Ptaszek.

A 22-yard Crapigna field goal on McMaster’s opening drive gave the Marauders an early lead.  The McMaster defence shut down Montreal in the early going, holding the Carabins to 24 yards of net offence and two first downs in the opening quarter.  A second Crapigna field goal, from 35 yards, gave McMaster a 6-0 advantage going into the first intermission.

Montreal got on the score sheet on their first drive of the second quarter, tallying three points on a 9-yard field goal by Simoneau.  McMaster responded on the ensuing possession, capping a four-play, 75-yard drive with a 50-yard touchdown run by Wayne Moore, and leaving the tally 13-3 at halftime.

Montreal opened the second half by recovering a McMaster fumble on the opening kickoff return, and Philip Enchill (Montreal) latter claimed its first major of the contest with a nine-yard pass from Cousineau.  Crapigna added a pair of field goals to boost McMaster’s lead to 19-10 entering the final quarter.

The Carabins chipped away at McMaster’s lead with a three-yard touchdown run by Sean Thomas Erlington (Montreal).  Montreal finally took a 20-19 lead – its first of the game – with Simoneau kicking a 13-yard field goal with 2:45 remaining.  McMaster drove the ball to the Montreal 24 yard line and Crapigna set up a straight-on field goal from 31 yards out, which Girard blocked.

 (Photo credits: James Hajjar)

SCORING SUMMARY

 

Ted Morris Memorial Trophy (Game MVP): Régis Cibasu, Montreal
Bruce Coulter Award: Anthony Coady, Montreal

 

Online stats: BOXSCORE

MTL 0-3-7-10: 20
MAC 6-7-6-0: 19

FIRST QUARTER
MAC – FIELD GOAL Tyler Crapigna 22yds 03:58 (MAC 3-0)
MAC – FIELD GOAL Tyler Crapigna 35yds 12:42 (MAC 6-0)

SECOND QUARTER
MTL – FIELD GOAL Louis-Philippe Simoneau 9yds 03:25 (MAC 6-3)
MAC – TOUCHDOWN Wayne Moore 35yds run 05:38 (convert Tyler Crapigna) (MAC 13-3)

THIRD QUARTER
MTL – TOUCHDOWN Philip Enchill 9yds pass from Gabriel Cousineau 02:15 (convert Louis-Philippe Simoneau) (MAC 13-10)
MAC – FIELD GOAL Tyler Crapigna 43yds 09:54 (MAC 16-10)
MAC – FIELD GOAL Tyler Crapigna 29yds 14:07 (MAC 19-10)

FOURTH QUARTER
MTL – TOUCHDOWN Sean Thomas-Erlington 3yds run 04:12 (convert Louis-Philippe Simoneau) (MAC 19-17)
MTL – FIELD GOAL Louis-Philippe Simoneau 13yds 12:15 (MTL 20-19)

Attendance: 22,649

 

ALL-TIME VANIER CUP RESULTS

2014    Montréal 20, McMaster 19                   (Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, Montreal)

2013    Laval 25, Calgary 14                           (TELUS-UL Stadium, Quebec City)

2012    Laval 37, McMaster 14                        (Rogers Centre, Toronto)

2011    McMaster 41, Laval 38 OT                  (BC Place Stadium, Vancouver)

2010    Laval 29, Calgary 2                             (PEPS Stadium, Quebec City)

2009    Queen’s 33, Calgary 31                       (PEPS Stadium, Quebec City)

2008    Laval 44, Western 21                           (Ivor Wynne Stadium, Hamilton)

2007    Manitoba 28, Saint Mary’s14               (Rogers Centre, Toronto)

2006    Laval 13, Saskatchewan 8                   (Griffiths Stadium, Saskatoon)

2005    Wilfrid Laurier 24, Saskatchewan 23   (Ivor Wynne Stadium, Hamilton)        

2004    Laval 7, Saskatchewan 1                     (Ivor Wynne Stadium, Hamilton)        

2003    Laval 14, Saint Mary’s 7                      (SkyDome, Toronto)

2002    Saint Mary’s 33, Saskatchewan 21      (SkyDome, Toronto)   

2001    Saint Mary’s 42, Manitoba 16              (SkyDome, Toronto)   

2000    Ottawa 42, Regina 39                          (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1999    Laval 14, Saint Mary’s 10                    (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1998    Saskatchewan 24, Concordia 17          (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1997    UBC 39, Ottawa 23                             (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1996    Saskatchewan 31, StFX 12                  (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1995    Calgary 54, Western 24                       (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1994    Western 50, Saskatchewan 40 OT       (SkyDome, Toronto)

1993    Toronto 37, Calgary 34                                    (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1992    Queen’s 31, Saint Mary’s 0                 (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1991    Wilfrid Laurier 25, Mount Allison 18 (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1990    Saskatchewan 24, Saint Mary’s           21        (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1989    Western 35, Saskatchewan 10                         (SkyDome, Toronto)   

1988    Calgary 52, Saint Mary’s 23                (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1987    McGill 47, UBC 11                              (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1986    UBC 25, Western 23                            (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1985    Calgary 25, Western 6                                     (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1984    Guelph 22, Mount Allison 13              (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1983    Calgary 31, Queen’s 21                       (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1982    UBC 39, Western 14                            (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1981    Acadia 18, Alberta 12                          (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1980    Alberta 40, Ottawa 21                          (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1979    Acadia 34, Western 12                                    (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1978    Queen’s 16, UBC 3                             (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1977    Western 48, Acadia 15                                    (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1976    Western 29, Acadia 13                                    (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1975    Ottawa 14, Calgary 9                           (CNE Stadium, Toronto)         

1974    Western 19, Toronto 15                                   (CNE Stadium, Toronto)                    

1973    Saint Mary’s 14, McGill 6                    (CNE Stadium, Toronto)                    

1972    Alberta 20, Waterloo Lutheran 7         (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1971    Western 15, Alberta 14                                    (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1970    Manitoba 38, Ottawa 11                      (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1969    Manitoba 24, McGill 15                       (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1968    Queen’s 42, Waterloo Lutheran 14      (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1967    Alberta 10, McMaster 9                       (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1966    StFX 40, Waterloo Lutheran 14                       (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

1965    Toronto 14, Alberta 7                          (Varsity Stadium, Toronto)     

 

NOTE 1: Rogers Centre was formerly called SkyDome (1989-2003 Vanier Cups)

NOTE 2: TELUS-UL Stadium was formerly called PEPS Stadium (2009-2010 Vanier Cups)

NOTE 3: Waterloo Lutheran now Wilfrid Laurier

 

ABOUT THE 50^TH TELUS VANIER CUP 

 

Canadian Interuniversity Sport will celebrate the 50^th TELUS Vanier Cup throughout its 2014 football season. For the first time in history, the championship game will be staged in Montreal – at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium – on Saturday, November 29, at 1 p.m. ET, live on Sportsnet and Radio-Canada.

 

Official TELUS Vanier Cup website (including ticket information) www.vaniercup.com 

It began as a defensive showcase, and morphed into a breathtaking duel in the final quarter, with Montreal coming out finally and barely on top. The Carabins won a dramatic 50th Vanier Cup 20-19, sealing their first title in their first appearance in the national championship.

With the chance to retake the lead with 51 seconds remaining, Marauder kicker Tyler Crapigna’s 31-yard field goal attempt was blocked, improbably ending McMaster’s last bid to retake the lead.

The Marauders were understandably crushed by the cruel twist of fate that ended their hopes of a second Vanier Cup title.

“Losing this one by a single point, there’s not a single player or coach out there who doesn’t feel that they could have changed the outcome,” said a dejected head coach Ptaszek.

“So this one is definitely hard to take.”

The blocked kick put a damper on what had been an exceptional afternoon for the CIS record-holder Crapigna, who had been good on all four of his previous attempts, and would have tied the Vanier Cup record had he hit the crucial fifth.

There was no blame to be found from Ptaszek in the aftermath of the loss.

“(Crapigna) has bailed us out 100 times out of 100 in that situation,” he said. “All 45 players and coaches will take responsibility for what happened.

“We did not do enough, and he could have saved it for us and he usually does, but we have to look in the mirror as to why we needed saving.”

Early signs were positive for the Marauder defence, as they held the Carabins to a two-and-out on the opening drive of the game, and the offence responded with a Tyler Crapigna field goal to give McMaster a 3-0 lead.

The dominance of that defensive unit in the first half was so pronounced that, even as the offence gave the ball away twice — one a Marshall Ferguson interception to Anthony Coady and another a Wayne Moore fumble — they held Montreal without points on the ensuing drives.

McMaster got a sudden, emphatic jolt of offence when Moore turned an unthreatening position into a major six minutes into the second quarter. Moore made good use of a massive up-field block from Declan Cross, and rumbled 50 yards for the game’s first touchdown, giving McMaster a 13-3 lead.

 

It was the longest play of the day for Moore, and the 10th-longest run in Vanier Cup history. Moore finished the day with 111 yards, and his coach sung his praises.

“Wayne has been a force for us all year, and we know that if we get him touches, he’ll make big plays,” said Ptaszek. “Today was no exception, and it’s no coincidence that we saw his best football on the biggest stage.”

The defence held that margin comfortably for the remainder of the half, and McMaster carried the 10-yard advantage into the break.

But disaster struck on the very first play of the second half, as returner Isaiah Mels busted an extended run but coughed up the ball for McMaster’s third turnover of the game. Montreal was opportunistic with the field position, and quickly turned the possession into a touchdown when  Gabriel Cousineau found Jordan Enchill for a nine-yard major to cut the McMaster lead to three.

The Marauders responded with their most controlled offensive stretch of the game, producing two long, time-consuming drives capped by Crapigna field goals to assume at 19-10 lead after three quarters of play.

Ferguson threw his second interception of the game to open the fourth quarter, as Coady came up with his second steal, but Montreal could do nothing with the drive that followed and were forced to punt away yet again.

They did much better with a short field minutes later, as Cousineau found Regis Cibasu for an incredible 32-yard reception, and Montreal punched the ball over the goal line on the next play as Erlington rushed three yards through the middle to cut McMaster’s lead to two at 19-17.

McMaster responded with another clock-chewing drive, but crucially had to punt away after the Carabins chased Ferguson out of the pocket and tackled Cross for a loss of six. Montreal had the ball and 6:51 on the clock.

With momentum on their side, the Carabins offence awoke on the ensuing drive, and both Enchill and Cibasu caught big plays as Montreal marched decisively into Marauder territory. McMaster’s defence held Montreal to just a field goal, and the Carabins took a 20-19 lead with 2:45 to play.

Source: Fraser Caldwell, McMaster Marauders Sports Information

 

McMaster vs. Montreal at Montreal, QC 11/29/2014 at 13:13 Y
McMaster 19	Montreal 20