(Montreal) The Université de Montréal Carabins dominated the first half and defeated the Western University Mustangs 29-3 on Saturday afternoon in the Uteck Cup.
Montreal scored 24 points in the first half to win the trophy for the third time in their history and a first since 2019.
The Carabins will participate in the Vanier Cup for a fourth time and they will try to win the great honors of Canadian university football for the first time since 2014.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Carabins receiver Brandon Gourgon
Their opponents are still not known. The St. Francis Xavier University X-Men and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds will compete for a place in the Mitchell Cup later Saturday.
The Carabins defense taught another lesson to the attack in front of them, after limiting the Laval University Rouge et Or to just six points last week at the Dunsmore Cup.
Bruno Lagacé, Nicolas Roy and Louis-Philippe Gauthier all three made an interception at the expense of Mustangs quarterback Evan Hillock.
Harold Miessan and Jeremiah Ojo each caused a fumble, Christopher Fontenard recovered two and Roy got his hands on another fumble. The Carabins also had five sacks and eight tackles for losses.
Last week, Miessan was named defensive player of the year in the Quebec Student Sports Network while Fontenard received the title of lineman of the year.
Quarterback Jonathan Sénécal, the athlete par excellence in Quebec university football, completed 21 of his 31 passes for aerial gains of 228 yards. He threw a touchdown pass and two interceptions.
Hillock saw 15 of his 29 attempts through the air caught for 212 yards, in addition to his three interceptions.
On the wheel hats
As it did last week, the Montreal defense started the game strong. After the Mustangs got two first downs, Roy intercepted a pass from Hillock to give his team possession again.
The visitors responded in the same way through Jacob Saunders, but Sénécal recovered a few minutes later.
The Carabins quarterback distributed the ball well to advance his attack and he put the finishing touch by joining William Legault in the end zone to give his team a 7-0 lead.
The defense showed up again before the end of the first quarter. Lagacé left his pressure to jump and intercept a pass from Hillock, setting the table for a 20-yard field goal from Philippe Boyer.
The Mustangs tried to create things offensively, but Miessan and Fontenard joined forces to give the ball back to the “Blues”.
Even if Marco Iadeluca’s troops were unable to take advantage, the attack returned to the field in the following sequence, after an interception by Gauthier. Boyer completed the offensive series with a 25-yard precision kick.
Sénécal also tried to force things a little and he saw Jackson Findlay intercept a floating pass. The Western University offense didn’t stay on the field for long, however.
After a few positive plays from the Mustangs, Ojo forced a fumble and Fontenard was once again in a good position to get his hands on the ball. Carl Chabot gave the Carabins a 20-0 lead when he crossed the only yard separating him from the end zone.
The Mustangs were not at the end of their troubles before returning to the locker room for halftime. Roy recovered a fumble in enemy territory to allow Boyer to make a 19-yard field goal.
Greg Marshall’s men showed signs of life in the third quarter. For a rare time, they progressed deep into the Montreal zone and Brian Garrity made a 21-yard field goal.
Boyer did just as much, from a distance of 42 yards, to put the Carabins ahead 27-3. The Mustangs conceded a safety touchdown to confirm the final score.