SUNDAY SPORTS PAGE: RUSH, PATS RESULTS & VANIER CUP
Inside the Moose Jaw Event Centre in front of over 4500 fans, the Calgary Roughnecks topped the Saskatchewan Rush 14-12 in pre-season NLL action.
Eli Salama opened the scoring for the visitors just 15 seconds in, who held a 5-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. Robert Church, Patrick Dodds and Clark Walter all scored for the Rush.
In the second quarter, Calgary continued to pour it on. Despite goals from Mike Messenger, Mike Triolo and Ryan Keenan, Saskatchewan trailed 9-6.
The Rush outscored the Roughnecks 2-1 in the third quarter thanks to Walter and Messenger scoring their second of the night.
Just when the hosts had the crowd on their feet after Robert Church tied the game at 11-11, the visitors responded. And the story stayed the same when Dodds scored a beautiful dunk from behind the net to level the game at 12-12, as Jesse King responded minutes after which would eventually be the game winning goal.
Tyler Pace tacked on the insurance marker as Calgary picked up the 14-12 win.
Frank Scigliano and Christian Del Bianco both went the distance between the pipes, with Saskatchewan outshooting Calgary 65-44 in the contest.
Next up, the regular season kicks off as the Rush head out east for week number one. Friday, December 1st in Halifax, the rivalry renews on the east coast with faceoff scheduled for 6:00PM Sask time.
(SaskRush.com)
Red Deer, Alta. – The Regina Pats ended their three game Alberta road trip with a 3-2 loss to the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday inside the Peavey Mart Centrium.
The Pats opened the scoring for a second straight game early in the first period with a goal from Brayden Barnett. After the Rebels began a stretch of three straight goals, Sam Oremba put the Pats down one in the second period at 3-2.
The Pats got unassisted goals from Barnett and Oremba as well as a 35 save performance from Kelton Pyne. The Rebels got goals from Mats Lindgren, Matthew Gard and Carson Birnie, and 23 saves from Rhett Stoesser as the Rebels won their fourth straight game.
(ReginaPats.com)
KINGSTON, Ont. – Quarterback Jonathan Senecal’s second-half touchdown led the Montreal Carabins to a hard-fought 16-9 win over a game University of British Columbia Thunderbirds squad in the Vanier Cup on Saturday afternoon.
Senecal, awarded the Hec Crighton Trophy on Thursday as Canadian university football’s outstanding player, scored a seven-yard TD run at 8:47 of the third put Montreal ahead 16-6. The drive followed Kieran Flannery-Fleck’s 14-yard punt that gave the Carabins the ball at their 38-yard line.
UBC made it very interesting, pulling to within 16-9 on Kieran Flanney-Fleck’s 24-yard field goal at 9:48 of the fourth. The Thunderbirds marched from their 51-yard line to the Montreal 16-yard line before having to settle for three points.
Later, UBC drove to the Montreal 33-yard line before Garret Rooker’s pass on third-and-four fell incomplete with just over two minutes to play. After their defence held, the Thunderbirds took over at their own 35 with 1:30 remaining but Rooker’s pass on third-and-four gave the Carabins possession at the UBC 41 with 1:02 remaining.
That led to a Philippe Boyer punt, which gave UBC a final possession at its 18-yard line with 3.8 seconds to play. Rooker completed his pass to Jason Soriano, but he was tackled short of centre field.
Once again Montreal’s stout defence didn’t surrender a touchdown. The unit allowed just seven field goals in the Carabins’ four playoff wins, anchoring the schools’ march to second Vanier Cup crown (it also won in ’14).
(The Canadian Press)
KINGSTON, Ont. – The Vanier Cup will head to Regina for the first time.
U Sports announced Saturday the ’25 Vanier Cup will be played in the Saskatchewan capital. The 60th edition of Canadian university football’s championship game will go at Mosaic Stadium and coincide with the University of Regina’s 50th anniversary.
It will be just the third time ever the Vanier Cup is held in Western Canada.
Laval defeated the Saskatchewan Huskies 13-8 in 2006 in Saskatoon. Five years later, the McMaster Marauders edged the Rouge et Or 41-38 in double overtime in Vancouver.
U Sports also announced Quebec City will host the ’26 Vanier Cup. It has staged the game seven times.
The ’25 game will also mark the 25th anniversary of Regina’s only Vanier Cup appearance, The Ottawa Gee-Gees edged the Rams 42-39 in 2000 in Toronto.
Slotback Jason Clermont – a Grey Cup champion, the CFL’s top rookie and twice its outstanding Canadian – played for the Rams, both in the Canadian Junior Football League and collegiate level. The 45-year-old Regina native suited up for the 2000 Vanier Cup, scoring a TD.
“We had intentions of getting back and doing it again, it just didn’t work out for us,” he said. “But it (playing in Vanier Cup) was definitely one of the highlights of my university career.
“People (attending the ’25 Vanier Cup) can expect hospitality. We’d like to see representation from Saskatchewan in that game but regardless, the community will definitely be out in full force to support the game and create a great atmosphere.”
Lisette Johnson-Stapley, U Sports’ Chief Sport Officer, agreed.
“If you look at past national events that have taken place in Regina like the Memorial Cup and Grey Cup, they’ve always had tremendous success,” she said. “It’s the Prairies, the hospitality is always terrific.
“It’s been 13 years since the Vanier Cup was last out West and Regina is a vibrant community with an unwavering commitment to excellence in athletics, especially with two universities. For the student-athlete experience and for fans, Mosaic is a great stadium.”
Dr. Jeff Keshen, Regina’s president and vice-chancellor, credited Saskatoon with assisting in the school’s winning bid.
“We’re thrilled,” he said. “It’s coming back to what I consider to be the epicentre of football in Canada.
“I’m originally from Toronto and used to go see our Argos play all the time at old CNE Stadium but, man, what was Taylor Field and is now Mosaic, it’s a rocking place. To say we’re happy would be an understatement but to say we’re over the moon about it would be more accurate.”
(Canadian Press)
