FOOTBALL CANADA CUP: SASKATCHEWAN RETAINS THE CUP

by Football Canada

Defending champs stifle Alberta in final game to win third straight crown

KELOWNA, B.C. – The Football Canada Cup will stay in Saskatchewan, where it has resided since 2018. The two-time defending champions completed the three-peat as they shut down Alberta, 13-1, in the championship game at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna, Sunday. Saskatchewan held Alberta’s offence – which had gained more than 250 yards in each of their first two games – to just 113 in the final.

Earlier in the day, Quebec won the bronze medal with a 26-17 win over Ontario, the host province took fifth spot with a 31-19 win over Manitoba, and Nova Scotia earned Maritime bragging rights with a 24-0 shutout of New Brunswick.

Tournament statistics

CHAMPIONSHIP: Saskatchewan 13, Alberta 1 – Box score

Saskatchewan won their third straight championship with a 13-1 win over Alberta. Saskatchewan’s defence forced five turnovers, allowed just 115 yards of total offence, and kept Alberta out of the red zone entirely.

Taven Lloyd scored the game’s only touchdown, on a six-yard run late in the first quarter. His score was sandwiched by a pair of short Carter Casey field goals, as Saskatchewan opened up a 13-0 lead. Alberta only troubled the scorers once, as a James Keane field goal attempt early in the fourth quarter became a 48-yard single.

Porter Hanson was named the tournament’s most outstanding defensive player. In the final, he led Saskatchewan with six tackles, including a sack. Tazmin Smith-Windsor won the defensive MVP honours in the game, thanks to his two interceptions and two pass knockdowns. Saskatchewan got to Alberta quarterback Josh Page five times, with Hayden Russell’s 1.5 sacks leading the way.

Offensively, Carter Ashman had a 100-yard day on the ground, with 18 carries for 106 yards. Brayden Barcsik was Saskatchewan’s leading passer, going 5-for-14 for 68 yards. Loyd was 2-for-8, for 19 yards, but added 80 rushing yards.

For Alberta, Josh Page was limited to just nine completions on 21 attempts, for 70 yards passing. He also picked up 34 rushing yards, while Maximum Ramirez had 36.

The Alberta defence was led by Aaron Parker, who had six tackles, four of them for losses, including two sacks.

Saskatchewan outgained Alberta 258 to 115.

Quebec 26, Ontario 17 – Box Score

Antwan Raymond and Valerian Cyrenne scored touchdowns for Quebec as they secured the bronze medal – and Central Canada bragging rights – with a 26-17 win over Team Ontario. Raymond found the end zone on a 9-yard run early in the second quarter, while Cyrenne scored on a 14-yard reception in the third quarter, as Quebec rebounded from Thursday’s upset at the hands of Alberta. Jayden Rice supplied the remainder of the Quebec scoring, as went 4-for-4 on field goal attempts, hitting from 17, 29, 31 and 41 yards.

Ontario drew first blood in the game, as Kanye Nethersole scored from one yard out in the first quarter, after forcing a turnover to set themselves up at the Quebec 19. However, they could not reach the end zone in the rest of the half, and trailed 13-7 at halftime. Ontario regained the lead, just 1:33 into the second half, on a 63-yard catch by Ashton Watson from Anthony Lio. However the lead was short-lived, as Cyrenne’s major gave Quebec back the advantage. A Jonas Pasian field goal in the third rounded out Ontario’s scoring.

For Quebec, Raymond finished with 149 rushing yards on 23 carries. Quarterback Thomas Leroux went 11-for-20 for 170 yards, with one touchdown and an interception. Cyrenne, who was named Quebec’s offensive MVP of the game, had four catches for 85 yards.

Ontario was led by quarterback Anthony Lio, who completed 8 of 15 passes for 133 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He was also Ontario’s leading rusher, with six carries for 45 yards. Ashton Watson finished with a tournament-high 143 receiving yards on six catches.

Defensively, Philippe Bouthot won MVP honours for Quebec with a 5.5-tackle performance, including two sacks. For Ontario, Westly McLennan led with 5.5 tackles, including a sack that forced a fumble.

Quebec outgained Ontario 335 yards to 231, and made 21 first downs to Ontario’s 11.

Consolation Final: British Columbia 31, Manitoba 19 – Box Score

Lucas Feaver threw for one touchdown and ran for another as B.C. exploded for 28 points in the second quarter to down Manitoba, 31-19 and claim fifth place. After a scoreless first quarter, Feaver passed to Colton Miekle to open the scoring just 13 seconds into the second. Hudson Bromley doubled the B.C. advantage three minutes later on a two-yard run.

Manitoba got on the board midway through the quarter, on an 18-yard pass play from Miles Blatherwick to Jalen McDonald. However, B.C. put the game away with a couple of scores in the half’s final two minutes. With 1:16 left, a two-yard run by Feaver capped a nine-play, 74-yard drive. After forcing a quick two-and-out by Manitoba, it took Owen Sieben just one play to put the game out of reach, as he found Renzel-Ron Arinaza on a 70-yard pass-and-run play to put B.C. up 28-7 at halftime.

Blatherwick threw for two more touchdowns in the second half – a 61-yarder to Dylan Tereck, and a 28-yarder to Brandon Kubay – but Manitoba could draw no closer, and B.C.’s Marcus Jones closed out the scoring with a late field goal.

Feaver finished with 93 yards passing, as he went 7-for-15. Sieben threw for 178 yards, completing seven of his eight tries. Mikle led B.C. receivers with 76 yards on four catches. Joe Murphy was B.C.’s leading rusher with nine carries for 76 yards.

For Manitoba, Blatherwick threw for 281 yards, completing 14 of 28 attempts, with three touchdowns and three interceptions. He was also Manitoba’s leading rusher, with eight carries for 25 yards. His favourite target was Brandon Kubay, who he found five times for 86 yards.

Adeep Sraw led the B.C. defence, with 4.5 tackles and an interception, while Vincent Branauer had his team’s only sack of the day. For Manitoba, Cohen McCluskey had six tackles, with Francesco DeRosa had an interception and Dario Macchia had their only sack.

Seventh-place game: Nova Scotia 24, New Brunswick 0 – Box Score

Cohen Carter threw for two touchdown passes as Nova Scotia won the battle of the Maritimes with a 24-0 shutout of New Brunswick. Carter found Liam Legge late in the second quarter on a 5-yard pass, and Noah Banks late in the fourth from four yards out.

Sam Lecker-Evans had put Nova Scotia on the board in the first quarter with an 86-yard pick six, and a third-quarter Declan Oss field goal rounded out the scoring.

Carter completed nine of his 14 attempts, for 105 yards, as he split time with Dante Gabrielle, who went 7-for-9 for 106 yards. Legge was Nova Scotia’s leading rusher, with seven carries for 96 yards. Banks finished with five receptions for 34 yards.

For New Brunswick, Bradley Patrick carried 15 times for 82 yards. Quarterback Connor McNamee was 8-for-22, for 60 yards.

Defensively, Patrick Mullen made a game-high 6.5 tackles for Nova Scotia, while Lecker-Evans and James Colzie IV each made interceptions. For New Brunswick, Evan Kenny had six tackles, including one for a loss.

Carter Ashman of Saskatchewan was named offensive MVP of the tournament. He finished with 208 rushing yards on 36 carries and scored three touchdowns. Defensive honours went to Porter Hanson, also of Saskatchewan. Hanson led the tournament in tackles (21.5), tackles for loss (6) and sacks (4). Special Teams honours went to Jalen McDonald of Manitoba, who led the tournament with 144 kickoff return yards and amassed a total of 249 return yards in the three games.

The 2023 Football Canada Cup is scheduled to be held in Edmonton. Seedings for that event will be based on the final finish in 2022.

Football Canada Cup

at Kelowna, B.C.

all times Pacific

Monday, July 11

Ontario def. Manitoba, 36-0

Quebec def. New Brunswick, 57-0

Saskatchewan def. Nova Scotia, 40-0

Alberta def. B.C., 18-17

Thursday, July 14

Manitoba def. Nova Scotia, 28-10

Saskatchewan def. Ontario, 23-11

Alberta def. Quebec, 23-13

B.C. def. New Brunswick, 36-3

Sunday, July 17

Seventh place game: Nova Scotia def. New Brunswick, 24-0

Fifth-place game: B.C. def. Manitoba, 31-19

Bronze-medal game: Quebec def. Ontario, 26-17

Championship: Saskatchewan def. Alberta, 13-1

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