Mac gets shot at national title

Brian Decker

Executive Editor

Saying the McMaster football offence has been potent of late is like saying Lamborghini has built a few cars.

They’re not just moving the ball and scoring points; they’re doing it in brilliant fashion.

In their three playoff games in 2011, they’ve outscored opponents Queen’s, Western and Acadia by a total of 126-53. Even with shaky starts – they trailed 3-0 after a quarter to Western and 14-0 early to Acadia – they’ve been able to put points on the board virtually at will.

But perhaps just as impressive has been their defence, keeping Western out of the end zone in the Yates Cup until the game had been decided and shutting down Acadia after a hot start to let the offence work its magic.

But as much as the Marauders have looked like an unstoppable maroon freight train, they’ll need to be firing on all cylinders as they face the powerhouse Laval Rouge et Or in the Vanier Cup.

Laval is looking to claim a record seventh national title in 15 seasons as a team. They’ve won every Dunsmore Cup since 2002, have never lost in the championship game, and their model of corporate support – the team has its own board of directors apart from the athletic department and operates on a $2-million budget, nearly four times that of McMaster – is influencing football programs across the country.

This year’s edition of the Rouge et Or appears to be no different, cruising to an 8-1 regular season and disposing of Canada West champions Calgary 41-10. Led by a staggering front seven and a powerful running back in Sébastien Lévesque, Laval poses a challenge to McMaster that will require the best the Maroon and Grey have to offer.

Their most recent games suggest the Marauders are up to the challenge.

Despite trailing early to the Axemen in the Uteck Bowl, the Marauders showed off what they can do on both sides of the ball, scoring 38 unanswered points and holding Acadia to little production on offence.

“It’s the same thing we do every week. We play four quarters of football. It doesn’t matter if we go up by 20 in the first quarter or if we go down by 20. We’re going to play four quarters and we’re going to come out with the win,” said linebacker Ryan Chmielewski.

While Uteck Bowl MVP Kyle Quinlan usually gets most of his attention for throwing to OUA MVP Mike DiCroce, it was fourth-year receiver Brad Fochesato – who grew up playing rep football with Quinlan for the Essex Ravens – who was the quarterback’s primary deep threat on Nov. 18.

After the Marauders tied the game at 14 in the second quarter, Quinlan found Fochesato for a spectacular 75-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-14. The pair would connect for more than 140 yards in the second quarter alone.

“That’s what they do. They’re both from Essex, they’ve been playing together a long time. Kyle knows where [Fochesato] is going to be and he gets him the ball,” said Chmielewski.

A win on Friday would constitute an achievement never before reached by McMaster’s football program. They’ve never won the Vanier Cup, having only played for the national title once – 44 years ago, in a 10-9 loss to Alberta.

But with a win or a loss, Mac has now elevated its status as one of the premier football teams in all of the CIS. They’ve gone from struggling, to enjoying extended playoff runs, and now find themselves playing for the national championship. With a deep, young roster the Maroon and Grey could be a strong contender to return to the national title game sooner than later.

“I think [making the Vanier Cup] is huge. We’ve never won a bowl game. I think it’s big for McMaster, it’s big for the Hamilton community and it’s big for Ontario,” said Chmielewski.

HISTORY IN THE VANIER – SORT OF: Mac has one made one national championship game before, but never the Vanier Cup – when they played Alberta for the national title in 1967, it was known as the Canadian College Bowl.

The Marauders were so strong that year because the University offered a one-year Physical Education certificate, which attracted students from across Ontario – especially athletic, football-playing ones – to the school to help work towards teaching careers.

The Marauders looked to be in position to win until a last-minute turnover deep in Alberta territory doomed their chances, and the Golden Bears walked away with a 10-9 win.

BOOKENDS TO TWO SEASONS: McMaster and Laval have some history against each other, including the two teams’ first action of the year – a preseason game on Aug. 28 in Quebec City. The Marauders led 10-5 at halftime before both teams sat their starters for the second half and the Rouge et Or finished with a 24-10 victory.

The two teams planned to play a preseason game in 2010 before the suspension of Waterloo’s team for the season forced a re-scheduling.

The last time the two teams played was in the 2003 Mitchell Bowl, when Laval escaped Hamilton with a 36-32 victory, advancing to win the Vanier Cup.

TRIPLE CROWN FOR PTASZEK?: McMaster coach Stefan Ptsazek is on the cusp of a rare feat. Having already won the Vanier Cup twice – in 1991 as a player and in 2005 as an offensive coordinator, both times with the Laurier Golden Hawks – he could accomplish the rare feat of having won CIS football’s biggest title as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

RINGS OF SUPERSTITION: Laval’s Glen Constantin hardly has enough fingers for all the Vanier Cup rings he’s won as coach of the Rouge et Or. But even though he could wear a different one each weekday – he’s won five as Laval’s bench boss – he chooses not to wear one at all. For Constantin, wearing a championship ring isn’t as good as the drive to chase another one.

“Some of my kids ask me why I don’t wear my [championship] rings. I go ‘Guys, the best-looking one is the next one,’” Said Constantin at Tuesday’s Vanier Cup press conference.