Montreal holds off UBC to claim 2nd Vanier Cup title in program history

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 in Kingston, Ont.

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 to 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.

????VANIER: Jonathan Sénécal of <a href=”https://twitter.com/Carabins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Carabins</a> punches it in for 6! Kick is good.<br> <br>????VANIER : Jonathan Sénécal ajoute 6 pour les <a href=”https://twitter.com/Carabins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Carabins</a> ! Botté est réussi.<a href=”https://twitter.com/Carabins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Carabins</a>: 16<a href=”https://twitter.com/ubctbirds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ubctbirds</a>: 6<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChaseTheGlory?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ChaseTheGlory</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViserHaut?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ViserHaut</a> <a href=”https://t.co/chNvJDvPeB”>pic.twitter.com/chNvJDvPeB</a>

—@USPORTS_FB

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 defence came up big early in the fourth, stopping UBC running back Isaiah Knight cold on third-and-two at the Montreal 53-yard line and the Carabins ahead 16-6.

These two teams met in the ’15 Vanier Cup, which UBC won 26-23 in Quebec City. The Thunderbirds made their seventh appearance overall (having won four times) while Montreal was in the title game for a fourth occasion.

It was an entertaining contest before an energetic Richardson Stadium gathering of 7,100 on a cool, breezy, overcast afternoon. Complete individual and team statistics were not immediately available at source.

City of champions

With the Carabins’ win, Montreal becomes the first city since 1980 to boast Vanier Cup and Grey Cup champions in the same year. Last week, the Alouettes upset the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28-24 in Hamilton to secure the franchise’s first CFL title since 2010.

Edmonton last claimed the Vanier Cup-Grey Cup double 43 years ago.

Iraghi Muganda had Montreal’s other touchdown. Philippe Boyer booted the converts while the other points came on a safety.

????VANIER: Iraghi Muganda of <a href=”https://twitter.com/Carabins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@carabins</a> runs it in to take the lead!<br> <br>????VANIER : Iraghi Muganda des <a href=”https://twitter.com/Carabins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@carabins</a> court dans la zone des buts pour aider son équipe à prendre l’avantage !<a href=”https://twitter.com/Carabins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@carabins</a>: 9<a href=”https://twitter.com/ubctbirds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@ubctbirds</a>: 0<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChaseTheGlory?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ChaseTheGlory</a> | <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViserHaut?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ViserHaut</a> <a href=”https://t.co/oCtA8FgmEY”>pic.twitter.com/oCtA8FgmEY</a>

—@USPORTS_FB

Flanney-Fleck finished with three field goals for UBC.

Flannery-Fleck’s 41-yard field goal at 14:09 of the second quarter cut Montreal’s half-time lead to 9-6. The Carabins threatened to extend their advantage with Carl Chabot taking Senecal’s third-and-four completion to the UBC six-yard line on the quarter’s final play.

It appeared Chabot had room to maybe get out of bounds, stop the clock and give Montreal a final opportunity to at least try a short field goal. Then again, UBC made an interesting decision to decline a holding penalty against the Carabins that gave them their third-and-four situation instead of second and long.

UBC mounted a promising drive from its 23-yard line but it ended with Knight’s fumble that the Carabins recovered at their own 39 with 6:02 left in the quarter.

Flannery-Fleck put UBC on the scoreboard with a 32-yard field goal at 4:01.

Muganda’s 18-yard TD run at 12:17 of the first put Montreal ahead 9-0. It capped an impressive nine-play, 75-yard drive.

Montreal went ahead 2-0 at 7:10 when Flannery Fleck conceded the safety.

Vanier Cup headed to Saskatchewan

The Vanier Cup will head to Saskatchewan for the first time.

U Sports announced Saturday the ’25 Vanier Cup will be played in Regina. 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.