Senecal, stout defence lead Montreal Carabins to 16-9 Vanier Cup win over UBC

Members of the Montreal Carabins celebrate with the Vanier Cup, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023 in Kingston, Ont. The Carabins defeated the UBC Thunderbirds 16-9 to win the Canadian University Football Championship. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Quarterback Jonathan Senecal's second-half touchdown led the Montreal Carabins to a hard-fought 16-9 win over a game University of British Columbia Thunderbirds squad in the Vanier Cup on Saturday afternoon.

Senecal, awarded the Hec Crighton Trophy on Thursday as Canadian university football's outstanding player, scored a seven-yard TD run at 8:47 of the third put Montreal ahead 16-6. The drive followed Kieran Flannery-Fleck's 14-yard punt that gave the Carabins the ball at their 38-yard line.

UBC made it very interesting, pulling to within 16-9 on Kieran Flanney-Fleck's 24-yard field goal at 9:48 of the fourth. The Thunderbirds marched from their 51-yard line to the Montreal 16-yard line before having to settle for three points.

Later, UBC drove to the Montreal 33-yard line before Garret Rooker's pass on third-and-four fell incomplete with just over two minutes to play. After their defence held, the Thunderbirds took over at their own 35 with 1:30 remaining but Rooker's pass on third-and-four gave the Carabins possession at the UBC 41 with 1:02 remaining.

That led to a Philippe Boyer punt, which gave UBC a final possession at its 18-yard line with 3.8 seconds to play. Rooker completed his pass to Jason Soriano, but he was tackled short of centre field.

Once again Montreal's stout defence didn't surrender a touchdown. The unit allowed just seven field goals in the Carabins' four playoff wins, anchoring the schools' march to second Vanier Cup crown (it also won in '14).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 25, 2023.