Stingers vs. Redmen: who will shine at Shrine Bowl 29?
What’s in the cards for Concordia at Saturday’s Shrine Bowl, the annual Stingers vs. Redmen fundraising game for Montreal’s Shriners Hospital for Children?
Will fifth-year Stinger Keegan Treloar repeat his epic 10-point performance at last year’s 30-28 win? Will veteran defensive back Mikaël Charland pick off a handful of passes to bring home the trophy for Concordia?
In the past three decades, the McGill-Concordia showdown has raised approximately $900,000. This year, with both teams holding a 1-1 win-loss season record in Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) league play, it’s likely to be a barn burner.
Last weekend, during the Stingers’ 38-18 win over the Bishop’s Gaiters, Charland stole three passes for a total of 57 yards, tying a Concordia record for most interceptions in a game.
The Gatineau native, who plays both safety and halfback for the Stingers, says he “just did what the coaches told me to do. I stayed deep, read the quarterback and made plays.” But Stingers head coach Mickey Donovan is more forthright: “Mike came out big for us. He played like he was the best player in the country.”
At last year’s Shrine Bowl, Concordia kicker Treloar kicked a 45-yard field goal to put the Stingers up by two points with 27 seconds left. The veteran from Manitoba connected on three field goals and a single, for a total of 10 points.
Will the 2015 Shrine Bowl be an airshow, with Treloar kicking his way to another Concordia victory, or a ground offensive, led by Charland’s nimble hands?
Head down to the Stingers Stadium on the Loyola Campus at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, to find out.
Watch a video about #StingersUnited, Concordia's bold new varsity brand:
View pictures from the Concordia Stingers football team’s recent visit to the Montreal Shriners Hospital.