Laval wins record 12th Vanier Cup

via USPORTS.ca

KINGSTON, Ont. – Felipe Forteza’s six field goals – a new Vanier Cup record – led the Laval Rouge et Or to a 22-17 win over the Laurier Golden Hawks at the 59^th Vanier Cup at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ont. Forteza, who became the first place kicker to the Ted Morris Trophy as the game MVP, hit from 18, 15, 35, 32, 42 and 18 yards out to account for all of Laval’s offensive points as they notched their record 12^th U SPORTS championship.

Laval led 6-0 after the first quarter, and 17-7 at halftime, after adding a safety touch to Forteza’s five first-half kicks. Ryan Hughes got Laurier on the board with a five yard pass from Hec Crighton winner Taylor Elgersma.

Laurier had the only scoring of the third quarter, on Elgersma’s second touchdown pass of the day – this one to Jaxon Stebbings. After conceding a safety touch on the first play of the quarter, Laurier’s Dawson Hodge brought the Hawks to within two points at 19-17 as he hit from 34 yards out with 8:26 to go. However, a fumble on Laurier’s next drive, and a two-and-out after that, snuffed out any hopes of a comeback victory. Forteza’s record-breaking kick, with 2:31 left, provided the final margin of victory.

Laval’s Arnaud Desjardins won the Bruce Coulter Award as he completed 34 of 42 passes for 320 yards. He completed his first 22 pass attempts, with his first incompletion not coming until late in the first half. He also picked up 27 yards on five rushes. Mathieu Roy was Laval’s other key offensive contributor, as he was Laval’s leading rusher -with 19 carries for 90 yards, and set a Vanier Cup record with 13 catches.

For Laurier, Elgersma went 23-for-34 for 246 yards and the two touchdowns. Ethan Jordan, who was named an All-Canadian on Thursday, made 11 catches for 179 yards. Tayshuan Jackson led Laurier’s rushing attack with seven carries for 87 yards, including a 51-yarder that was the 11^th-longest rush in Vanier history.

Defensively, Jessie Wilkins-Flaricee led the Golden Hawks with 14.5 tackles (11 solo, seven assisted) and a fumble recovery, while Maliek Cote had 9.5 stops and knocked down a pass. For Laval, Jordan Lessard led with five tackles and a forced fumble, while Loic Brodeur made two sacks, including forcing a fumble.

With the win, Laval is now 12-2 in Vanier Cups, while Laurier is now 2-4 all time in the championship game, and this is now the 11^th win for Laval head coach Glen Constantin.

The 2025 Vanier Cup is set for November 22, 2025 and will be held at Mosaic Stadium in Regina for the first time.

POSTGAME NOTES

• Felipe Forteza set a new Vanier Cup record for made field goals in a game, with 6. The prevous record was 5, set on five occasions, most recently by Laval kickers Boris Bede (2013) and Vincent Blanchard (2022).
• Forteza’s 18 points is tied for third all time and equals the second-highest point total by a kicker in a Vanier Cup game.
• Laval receiver Mathieu Roy set a new Vanier Cup record with 13 receptions. The previous record was 12, by Bob Stracina (Acadia 1976), Robert Babic (McMaster 2011) and Will Watson (UBC 2015).
• Roy’s 32 all-purpose attempts is fourth all-time in Vanier history. The record was 34 by Tim Petros of Calgary (1983) and Morrie Norsten of Saskatchewan (1994).
• Laval QB Arnaud Desjardins completed his first 22 passes to start the game.
• Desjardins finished with 34 completions, three short of the Vanier record, set by Michael Faulds (Western) in 2008.
• Desjardins had 320 yards passing, the 18^th 300-yard passing game in Vanier history. His is now one of only three people to have two 300-yard passing performances in Vanier Cups (Kyle Quinlan of McMaster, 2010 & 2011; Hugo Richard of Laval, 2016 & 2018)
• The 51-yard run by Tayshaun Jackson of Laurier is the 11^th-longest in Vanier Cup history, and the fourth-longest non-scoring run.
• Forteza also had a 65-yard punt, which is tied for the fifth-longest in Vanier history.
• Loic Brodeur of Laval is the 12^th player to record multiple sacks in a Vanier Cup.
• Quebec/OQIFC teams are now 5-3 overall against OUA.
• This was Laurier’s sixth Vanier Cup appearance, and their first loss in the game since 1972, when they were Waterloo Lutheran.
• Laval is 4-2 against the OUA in Vanier Cup play, having faced Western three times previously (2-1) and McMaster twice (1-1).
• Laval is now 3-0 against Laval all-time, with wins in the 2004 and 2016 Uteck Bowls to go along with this victory.