SHERBROOKE (CFL.ca wire) — The final day of the 2007 Football Canada Cup included a three-team mini-tournament held at the University of Sherbrooke to determine the bronze medalist for the U19 division. The tournament was held prior to the gold medal game between Alberta and Ontario at Bishop’s University’s Coulter Field.
The three teams involved in the mini-tournament were Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Each team played two 24 minute games comprised of two 12 minute halves.
Manitoba 10, Québec 14
In the opening game of the mini-tournament, Quebec narrowly defeated Manitoba 14-10 on a last minute touchdown in a game marked by costly penalties and turnovers by both teams. Quebec lost 107 yards on penalties while Manitoba lost 134 yards on penalties. Quebec also had two touchdowns called back due to penalties.
Quebec opened the scoring late in the first half when receiver Thierry Olivier-Roy caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alexandre Nadeau-Piuze.
Manitoba took over in the second half scoring a touchdown and a field goal to take a 10-7 lead. Defensive back Scott Kuz had a big afternoon for Manitoba, intercepting two Quebec passes in the Manitoba end zone and preventing Quebec from taking a commanding lead. Kicker John Szilagyi also came up big for Manitoba with a successful field goal attempt as well as several big kickoffs which helped Manitoba win the battle for field position. Manitoba’s touchdown came when quarterback Kevin Hayes connected with 15 year old receiver Paul Childs on a 57-yard touchdown pass.
Manitoba led 14-7 with less than two minutes to play but Quebec mounted a late comeback which would ultimately win the game. The comeback was completed when Nadeau-Piuze connected with receiver Serydou Haidara Jr. on a 27 yard touchdown pass with 16 seconds remaining in the game. Kicker Marc-Andre Gelinas converted both extra point attempts for Quebec.
Scoring Summary:
1st 08:24 Quebec – Roy T 21 yd pass from Nadeau-Puize A (Gelinas M kick)
Manitoba 0 – Quebec 7
2nd 02:47 Manitoba – Child P 57 yd pass from Hayes K (Szilagyi J kick)
Manitoba 7 – Quebec 7
10:39 Manitoba – Szilagyi J 21 yd field goal
Manitoba 10 – Quebec 7
11:44 Quebec – Haidara S 27 yd pass from Nadeau-Puize A (Gelinas M kick)
Manitoba 10 – Quebec 14
Saskatchewan 23, Manitoba 0
After losing to Quebec earlier in the afternoon, Manitoba was officially eliminated from bronze medal contention after losing 23-0 to Saskatchewan in Game 2 of Saturday afternoon’s three game mini-tournament. It was the second consecutive loss for Manitoba. There was a 20 minute break between Games 1 and 2.
Saskatchewan scored two touchdowns in the first half and were in control for nearly all of the game against a Manitoba team still visibly shaken by their heartbreaking loss to Quebec. A three-yard run by running back Liam Dow and a fumble recovery in the end zone by lineman Evan Greff provided Saskatchewan with their two first half touchdowns.
Saskatchewan would add a safety and a touchdown in the second half to increase their lead to 23-0. The touchdown came courtesy of a nine-yard scramble by quarterback Jace Muggli. Saskatchewan was especially dominant on the ground against Manitoba, with 99 yards rushing on the afternoon, including 67 yards on 13 carries by Liam Dow.
Manitoba managed a mere 33 yards of total offence on 27 plays compared to 129 yards of total offence on 29 plays for Saskatchewan.
Scoring Summary:
1st 09:12 Saskatchewan – Dow L 3 yd run (Probe J kick)
Manitoba 0 – Saskatchewan 7
11:47 Saskatchewan – Greff E 0 yd fumble recovery (Probe J kick)
Manitoba 0 – Saskatchewan 14
2nd 08:10 Saskatchewan – TEAM safety
Manitoba 0 – Saskatchewan 16
11:36 Saskatchewan – Muggli J 9 yd run (Probe J kick)
Manitoba 0 – Saskatchewan 23
Saskatchewan 10, Quebec 0
Hours before Alberta and Ontario faced off in the gold medal game of the 2007 Football Canada Cup, Quebec and Saskatchewan took the field in the bronze medal game. With Manitoba having been eliminated from bronze medal contention by virtue of their earlier losses to Quebec and Saskatchewan, the third and final game of the three-team mini-tournament became a battle for third place in the U19 division.
The bronze medal game proved to be a highly defensive affair as both teams struggled to establish an offensive rhythm. Quebec was held to 20 yards of total offence and two first downs while Saskatchewan finished with 110 yards of total offence and six first downs.
Kicker Jon Probe kicked a 37-yard field goal and the Saskatchewan defence forced a safety to make the score 5-0 at the halftime. The story was similar in the second half; another safety made the score 7-0 in favour of Saskatchewan while a 16-yard field goal by Probe with just over a minute to play made the score 10-0 and clinched the bronze medal for Saskatchewan.
Running back Liam Dow, who was named to the Football Canada Cup All-Star team, carried the ball nine times for 43 yards and was named Saskatchewan’s offensive player of the game.
Scoring Summary:
1st 05:07 Saskatchewan – Probe J 37 yd field goal
Saskatchewan 3 – Quebec 0
10:16 Saskatchewan – TEAM safety
Saskatchewan 5 – Quebec 0
2nd 05:16 Saskatchewan – TEAM safety
Saskatchewan 7 – Quebec 0
10:50 Saskatchewan – Probe J 16 yd field goal
Saskatchewan 10 – Quebec 0
Mini-tournament MVPs
Quebec
Offensive: Scott Mironowicz
Defensive: Rany Al-Zawartha
Saskatchewan
Offensive: Liam Dow
Defensive: Nico Higgs
Manitoba
Offensive: John Szilagyi
Defensive: Scott Kuz
