A few strong individual performances were not enough to help the Concordia Stingers knock off the perennial powerhouse Laval Rouge et Or before a packed opening day crowd at Concordia Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Neither team executed particularly well, but in the end the visiting team from Quebec City went home with a 37-18 victory.Concordia quarterback Trenton Miller continued to impress. He completed 26 of 44 passes for 361 yards. He did not throw an interception or a touchown, but he collected a TD on a two-yard run.
He oversaw an offence that rolled up 23 first downs and 372 yards despite 85 yards in losses given up on safeties.
Other top performers on offence were rookie slotback Vince Alessandrini who caught nine passes for 112 yards. He leads the RSEQ in receptions with 18 and receiving yards with 215.
Second-year running back Jean-Guy Rimpel had 150 all-purpose yards on the day – 67 rushing and 83 receiving. The offensive line was also solid. It did not give up a sack.
Concordia’s defence held Laval to 20 first downs and 348 of offence. Linebacker Lloyd Bureau had 9.5 tackles – the most of any player on either team. Teammate and fellow linebacker Alex Renaud had 7.5 tackles.
One of the biggest highlights of the day came from Stinger rookie returner Quaysie Gordon-Maule who took back a kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. His efforts helped keep the score close in the early going. The first quarter ended with the Rouge et Or up 12-7.
Laval picked up two unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter to make the score 26-7 at halftime.
The Stingers owned the third quarter collecting a safety and a 38-yard field goal from Andrew Stevens. The visitors were shutout, making the score 26-12 after 45 minutes.
Laval came out strong in the final frame picking up two safeties and a rushing touchdown before Miller wrapped up the day with his two-yard rushing major.
Both teams now have 1-1 won-loss records. The Rouge et Or return home to host Sherbrooke next Sunday. Concordia will head across town to meet the Montreal Carabins on Friday night at 7 p.m.
