At the end of what will likely be his last game in the Laval Rouge et Or varsity jersey before jumping to the CFL, Kevin Mital was very emotional.
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“I’ve known for a long time that this could be my last game in Laval, but I’ll take it one step at a time,” the slotback said. I will digest this before I think of anything else.”
With seven receptions for 64 yards and a 19-yard run, Mital would have liked to give more, but he liked the determination of the Rouge et Ora.”For a team that lost 28-0 four weeks ago, we fought quite a battle. We came out with a big energy and the Carabins were certainly hot at halftime.”
“As has been the case all season, the forward was fighting for MVP selection on the Canadian scene in 2022. I didn’t have the performances I wanted to because of injuries and suspensions. Today, the defense kept us in the game.”
“The best decision”
Landing in Laval in 2020, after a season with the Syracuse Orange in Division 1, in the NCAA, Mital has no regrets about returning home. “Even though everyone thought the decision to give up on the NCAA dream was a no-brainer, it was one of the best decisions of my life as a young adult,” he said. I often tell my parents that it was my best decision.”
Flawless defense
The Rouge et Or defense gave up just 203 yards to the Carabins while turning the ball over twice. Of the Blue’s 12 points, only three were offensive results.
“The defense couldn’t have done better,” defenseman Maxym Lavallée said. We fought until the end and Montreal played a better game than us. We showed up in good spirits and did our best. I don’t regret anything. Same thing for my six year journey that just ended.
In tears after this heartbreaking loss, Arnaud Desjardins blamed himself for the interception that turned into a touchdown. “It was a bad game that made the difference,” he explained. We faced a very good defense and it is difficult to make turnovers like that. I left everything on the field, but it wasn’t enough.”
Desjardins completed 17 of his 33 passes for 149 yards and was the victim of three interceptions. He was the leading rusher for the Rouge et Or with gains of 36 yards on eight carries.
On the Carabins side, Jonathan Sénécal paid tribute to his defensive teammates. “Hats off to our defense that’s the best in the country and proved it,” said the pivot, who completed 18 of his 26 passes for 175 yards and added 29 yards on seven carries. Kudos to Laval whose defense showed us things we didn’t see and had a good plan to counter us from start to finish.”
With 11 receptions for 94 yards, Carl Chabot led the Blues. “It was a big battle for field position and it was important to get big first downs even if we couldn’t score,” he explained. Our defense played a big role.”
