50th TELUS Vanier Cup: Hometown Carabins capture first national title

Courtesy of Ian Speers, for CIS / Photo credit James Hajjar

MONTREAL (CIS) – 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 50th 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's 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.

SCORING SUMMARY

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

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 50TH TELUS VANIER CUP

Canadian Interuniversity Sport will celebrate the 50th 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

ABOUT CANADIAN INTERUNIVERSITY SPORT

Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Every year, over 11,500 student-athletes and 700 coaches from 56 universities and four regional associations vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, as well as numerous world university championships. For further information, visit www.cis-sic.ca or follow us on:

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