Laval wins record 11th national title

Nobody in Canadian university football can make catches like Kevin Mital.

But with the national championship hanging in the balance, the star Laval receiver turned into a really effective quarterback.

He threw a surprise oneyard jump pass to David Dallaire for a clutch fourthquarter touchdown to help secure the Rouge et Or’s record 11th Vanier Cup title, 30-24 over Saskatchewan before 8,420 Saturday at Western Alumni Stadium.

“We didn’t do that (all year) but we practised it months ago,” the 6-foot-2 Syracuse University transfer said with a grin. “I knew it was coming for the Vanier Cup.”

That bit of trickery – plus 142 yards on eight catches – earned Mital the Ted Morris trophy for Cup MVP to go along with his Hec Crighton award as U Sports football’s most outstanding player. He shook off a leg injury suffered in the Mitchell Bowl win over Western and still performed after limping off the field following a hard third-quarter tackle by Huskies defensive back Charlie Ringland.

“I was banged up from last week, but it was the last game of the season,” Mital said. “I have eight months to recover from this. People doubted us the last couple of years. They thought the Rouge et Or was done – but hey, we’re back on top.”

Laval cemented its first crown since 2018 and handed the hard-luck Huskies their sixth consecutive Cup defeat and record eighth loss all-time. The Canada West champs lost last year to Western on Laval’s home turf in Quebec City by the same sixpoint deficit.

Saskatchewan’s graduating quarterback, Mason Nyhus, started by completing 15 of his first 16 passes and racked up three touchdowns and 344 yards. But he was picked off by Laval safety Felix Petit in the end zone to snuff out a glorious scoring opportunity and the comeback bid.

It was the only turnover of the game and those were critical points left on the table.

“I hate losing,” Saskatchewan coach Scott Flory said. “Right now, it stings.

“Mason was phenomenal out there. The guy, in my opinion, proved he’s the best quarterback in the country. It comes down to a handful of plays. We marched the field and had an unfortunate play.

“We competed our ass off out there.”