The Champlain College men’s football team will try to win a record-setting 12th Bol d’Or tomorrow when they take on Notre Dame-de-Foy in St. Jean. Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m.
The Cougar football team have set a standard of excellence in its 37 years history and enters the title game tied with the Vieux-Montreal Spartiates with provincial championships. They are coming off an excellent regular season in which they posted a perfect 9-0 record. However head coach Jean-Francois Joncas stated in a press conference Wednesday that the game is going to a close encounter.
“It is going to be a tight game between two good teams,’ Joncas said. “We are healthy and that is a good thing at this time of the year. Offensively they like to control that game with the run. They have a very balanced team. On defence they use am eight-man box and are committed to stopping the run.”
Notre Dame finished in second place with a 7-2 record and advanced to the finals with playoffs wins over Limoilou and Vieux-Montreal while Champlain knocked off Garneau after receiving a first-round bye.
In the only game between the two finalists, Champlain was able to accumulate 669 total yards in a convincing 45-12 road win over Notre Dane. QuarterbackMichael Arruda tossed three touchdown passes and also ran for another major. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year completed 27 of 44 pass attempts for 345 yards and also ran six times for 51 yards. Marc-Antoine Pivin, the league’s top receiver, finished the game with eight receptions for 162 yards.The Champlain attack in that game was by no means one-dimensional. They was equally effective on the ground when they racked up 324 yards rushing led by Thomas Bertrand-Hudon who ran for 241 yards on 22 carries
“We are sure Notre Dame is going to use that game for motivation but the result really doesn’t mean anything,” Joncas said.
One factor in the Cougars’ favour is the fact they will be playing in theirthird consecutive Bol d’Or. They defeated Vieux-Montreal 20-7 in 2013 and then lost to the Spartiates in overtime last year.
“It is good that our veteran players have been to the Bol d’Or the last two years,” Joncas said. “They know what to expect and there won’t be nervous in the first ten minutes.”
