Tiger-Cats 12 – Alouettes 27 | The Alouettes advance to the next round

Another week, same narrative. If the Montreal Alouettes’ defensive unit once again carried the entire team to victory, Saturday’s demonstration against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats had something special. Like an unreleased Beatles song.

By the end of the fourth quarter, the game was out of reach for the Tiger-Cats. The clock showed zero, and the Alouettes went away with a 27-12 victory, which earned them a trip to Toronto to play in the Eastern final.

Frustrated at being beaten for the fourth time this season by the Montrealers, the Hamilton players caused a commotion big enough for the benches of both teams to empty.

While the officials tried to separate the dozens of players piled on top of each other and the handkerchiefs flew above the melee, like a scene of struggle between Gauls and Romans, the house disc jockey blared Conceivedby John Lennon.

In the stands, the 20,127 spectators took out their cell phones, and as when Patrick Norman sang When we are in love on the plains of Abraham, all space was dominated by small white lights.

“With the lights and the bye-bye… I always dreamed of singing na-na-na, n / A. I did it in the stands, but there, on the field. I’m living my dream right now. It’s incredible, I’m making the most of it,” said Marc-Antoine Dequoy, author of the last interception of the match.

Proud and delighted, Dequoy knew too well that if this victory had been achieved, it was thanks to defensive unity. All season, the only thing that never faltered in the Alouettes camp was the performance of the defense. Every week she has been uncompromising, dedicated and productive.

And that remained true in the most important game of the season. The Alouettes managed five sacks, two interceptions and knocked down eight passes.

A star Is Born

Then, if we were waiting for Marc-Antoine Dequoy, Tyrice Beverette and Reggie Stubblefield, it was players playing more in the shadows who tipped the scales. Starting with Darnell Sankey, author of two quarterback sacks and an interception.

The team’s defensive coordinator, Noel Thorpe, acknowledged that Sankey’s contribution was instrumental. “This player can hurt the opponent. He controls the middle of the field, and that’s what we ask of our linebackers. He showed it. He was everywhere today. He has so much skill. He’s so physical. »

Shawn Lemon is not to be outdone. The defensive end made two sacks.

And what about Lwal Uguak? The defensive end has continued to improve this season. His opponents were against him from start to finish. “He’s big, he has the ability to block and knock down passes. We knew coming out of college that it was something he knew how to do,” Thorpe said.

With all that, the Alouettes only gave crumbs to their rivals. Only four field goals, no touchdowns and 259 yards of offense. “It’s the same tape every week,” said head coach Jason Maas. They play at a very high level every week. Their tenacity and their combativeness, without forgetting that Noel [Thorpe] chooses offensive plays. No one is selfish in this defense and they have confidence and experience. It’s a dangerous combination. »

Unique evening for Fajardo

Even if the defense was key to the team’s success, the attack led by Cody Fajardo was able to come out on top. The Tiger-Cats’ defensive front was a threat, as the quarterback had suggested a few days earlier.

Despite the lack of space, Fajardo was impressive in the race, but above all he was precise at the opportune moments. Twice he found his receivers in the pay zone after navigating his pocket. Austin Mack for a 30-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Then Jake Harty on 14 yards at the end of the fourth quarter.

Without being extraordinary, Fajardo’s performance was sufficient. Unlike that of running back William Stanback, moreover, who undermined the ground game, unable to find the gaps before the fourth quarter.

But Maas was full of praise for Fajardo at the end of the match: “At this time of the year, you do everything you can to get the first play. That comes with sacrifice. This also happens during prep week when Cody arrives at 6 a.m. These are sacrifices Cody has made all year, and this is why he is so respected in this group. »

His protégé completed the game with 15 successful passes in 23 attempts, 212 passing yards and 62 rushing yards.

And for the first time since 2019, Tim Fajardo, Cody’s father, was in the stands to watch his son play. “Football is very important in my family and it was important for me to see her there. Sometimes when things weren’t going the right way, it was good to know I could look to my dad in the stands. »

With all of this, the Alouettes players will be able to arrive confident and calm in the Queen City. Even though the Argonauts finished the season with a 16-2 record, Montreal can believe in its chances if the defense stands up like in Saturday’s game.

Ultimately, it costs nothing to believe it. “If you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t win. We think we’re the best team in the league, I’m not afraid to say it and no one here in this locker room is afraid to say it. If you’re an athlete and you don’t believe you can be the best, you’ve already lost. We want to win a Gray Cup, so we have to believe in it. That’s it,” Sankey said in the locker room.

You can say that Sankey may be a dreamer, but he’s not the only one.

Like in an ex-Beatle song, you just have to imagine. And to say that everything is possible when a group remains so united.