Late turnover turns tide in Battle of Montreal

MONTREAL – Concordia escaped with a 27-19 victory over McGill in U SPORTS football at Concordia Stadium on Friday night, surviving a last-minute threat when a deflected pass in the endzone was intercepted to preserve the win.

The result snapped a two-game losing streak to McGill and restored the Stingers' edge in the crosstown rivalry, which they now lead 52-43 through 95 lifetime meetings since the teams first clashed in 1975.

Concordia (1-1) came alive in the fourth quarter, erasing a 16-11 deficit with 16 unanswered points. Quarterback Xavier Tremblay capped the comeback with a nine-yard rushing major, part of his 198 passing yards and 56 rushing yards. He threw for one touchdown and one interception.

McGill pivot Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald matched him statistically, going 20-for-42 for 309 yards with one TD and one pick. "ELR" also rushed six times for 85 yards, including a daring 51-yard scamper on a third-and-two situation that set up a field goal. His top targets were Antonio Gioffre (8 catches, 96 yards) and Samuel Macieira (6 for 95).

Running back Jeffrey Amisial-Chatelier – starting in place of highly-touted freshman Jerry Momo who was serving a league-imposed one-game suspension for a retaliatory punch in the previous game – added 113 yards on the ground. It marked the first time over the century mark for the 6-foot-2, 211-pound senior from Repentigny, Que.

Concordia's turning point came with 65 seconds remaining. Trailing by eight, McGill marched to the Stingers' three-yard line before a Latendresse-Regimbald pass was tipped in the endzone and picked off by Coslens Clairveaux, snuffing out the comeback bid.

The Stingers opened with a 63-yard punt return touchdown by Clairveaux – after a third-and-two McGill fake run that resulted in a quick-kick for only one yard by "ELR".  Con U later added a 45-yard TD grab by Ely Rivest.

Placekicker Dante Magliocco went 3-for-3 on converts and added a 25-yard field goal. McGill countered with four field goals from Mario Dellifraine, plus a 43-yard TD catch by David Kabwe. Dellifraine, who also had a field goal attempt blocked, was good from distances of 26, 39, 44 and 15, respectively.

The stats showed McGill's control, as the visitors outgained Concordia 504-321 in net yards and held a 25-15 edge in first downs. McGill managed more explosive plays through the air but was undone by 14 penalties and three turnovers. Both sides threw one interception, while McGill also lost a fumble for a 2-1 deficit in turnovers.

Concordia (1-1) travels to Sherbrooke (0-2) on Sept. 13. McGill (1-2) gets a bye before hosting the undefeated Montreal Carabins (2-0) in a Friday night clash at Percival Molson Stadium on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.

REDBIRDS RAP: McGill's 52-man dresslist included 21 freshmen, including 11 of defence... OL Zachary Aboud returned to his starting position for the first time since suffering what was feared to be a season-ending lower-body injury in the preseason game against Toronto... LB Philippe Bouthot paced the McGill defence with four solos and one assisted tackle... DB Jahnai-Taj Copeland-Lewis had one interception, the team's fifth in three league games... Two McGill players registered QB sacks, including DL Mathieu Proulx and DL Charles-Hugo Thomassin.