Championship title slips away from Gaiters for second time in three years
Acouple of late turnovers and a missed scoring opportunity in the first half proved to be crucial factors in this year’s Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Loney Bowl, as the Bishop’s University Gaiters football team lost 2517 to the St. Francis Xavier University X-men.
The Gaiters left everything on the field, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an undefeated X-men squad, according to head coach Chérif Nicolas, who brought the university to its first Loney Bowl appearance back in 2019, where they also lost to St. Francis Xavier.
“The guys played their hearts out, I’m proud of them, and now we know we need more, we have to do more to win a championship and that’s what 2022 is going to be about, finishing and finishing on top,” said Nicolas.
It was a veritable chess match in the first half, as the X-men and Gaiters flexed their muscles on defense. Bishop’s held a vaunted St. Francis Xavier offense to just three field goals, while the X-men kept the Gaiters to zero points. The score was 9-0 X-men at the half.
Nicolas told The Record that his team missed a golden opportunity to cut into the lead at the end of the second quarter. But the Gaiters finally managed to break through in the third quarter with a touchdown from running back Maxime Bouffard, his first of two on the day.
Bishop’s grabbed the lead a few minutes later, jumping ahead 10-9 off a team safety and subsequent rouge point. However, it proved to be their own lead of the game. The X-men went on to score 16 unanswered points to seal a back-to-back championship title.
While it was a disappointing result, Nicolas is confident in his team’s depth and ability to return to the Loney Bowl. It was a hard season, he reflected, and a few close games could have gone either way. The Gaiters will now take a much-needed break from training and practice.
“Well I think the guys that we have in the program right now I think the important thing for them is to focus on school and make sure that they’re up to date and ready for that final stretch here as we get into the end of the semester going into the holidays,” said Nicolas.
Samuel Ducharme, a fifth-year offensive lineman for Bishop’s, said it was a tough loss against the X-men. They fought hard on offense and defense. It was a strange season overall, he added, and their record, 3-5, doesn’t reflect how they played on the field.
He told The Record that he’s grateful to have been able to take part in two championship games during his time with the Gaiters. The switch from the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) to the AUS has been positive. And they should contend every year.
“I don’t see why Bishop’s won’t be able to make it there [again]. If you see what Cherif has done in five years, it’s just incredible. I think with more time, more recruits, more guys will see how the program has changed,” said Ducharme.
It was a bittersweet ending to this season for Ducharme because he has also decided to hang up his purple and white jersey, and move on to new adventures, as he concludes his studies at the university. He said he will never forget all of the friendships he built on and off the field.
The future is a little uncertain, though. Ducharme was one of the final cuts at the Montreal Alouettes training camp last summer. They hold his rights, so he’s in limbo right now, waiting to see if they give him a call up once the Canadian Football League comes to an end.
“I’m still waiting in a sense for a call, so my next move is to take a week just to heal and take a break from football, but next week I start training again, I have to get into training camp shape,” said Ducharme, adding that he doesn’t want to fall behind his peers.
Bishop’s veteran linebacker Keagan Hughes, and a fifth-year studentathlete, is also retiring from his Gaiters career. And like Ducharme, he isn’t quite certain what comes next. One thing is for sure, though, he wants to continue playing competitive football.
“I hope football isn’t over. If there’s any opportunity to continue my football career I would love to take it. You can’t play football forever unfortunately so if I can play for as long as I can I will. We’ll just have to see what opportunities are presented to me,” said Hughes.
He was with the Gaiters during their RSEQ days. And according to the linebacker, the team has completely changed its culture. Nicolas brought a new philosophy, one built on work ethic, accountability and selfconfidence. Hughes believes there’s no where to go but up.
“The coaching staff that Cherif has brought in has been excellent. I mean they’re all great individuals and they have a lot of football knowledge to bring to the table. They know what they’re doing and they’re only going to get better over time,” he said.