Weekend sports roundup

The Rugby Redmen captured a third consecutive Quebec title on Saturday. / Photo: Andrew Dobrowolskyj
The Rugby Redmen captured a third consecutive Quebec title on Saturday. / Photo: Andrew Dobrowolskyj

Rugby Redmen take Quebec title

McGill’s men’s rugby team captured a third straight provincial title with a 21-0 defeat of Bishop’s at Molson Stadium on Saturday. The game marked the team’s eighth consecutive trip to the Quebec University Rugby League final.

A Josh Reznick try late in the first half proved to be all the scoring the Redmen needed. Matthew Edwards, at the eight-minute mark of the second half, and Anton Nestel, with a try on the final play of the game, completed the scoring for McGill.

The Redmen, who posted a 7-2-1 overall record this year, will travel to Atlantic Canada next week to take part in the Eastern Championships. No national championship will be played this year. Organizers hope to see a national title game take place in 2009.

Lacrosse Redmen take silver at national championships

One day after defeating powerhouse Brock in the semi-finals, McGill’s men’s field lacrosse team came up short, losing 14-9 to Guelph in the finals of the Baggataway Cup, the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association’s national championships Sunday in Hamilton.

On Saturday, the Redmen upset the top-seeded Brock Badgers 13-9 on the strength of a three-goal performance by third-year attack man Lucas LaCava. Brock had won the seven previous national titles, and had made it to the Baggataway Cup finals 23 years in a row.

In the final, the Redmen led 4-2 after the first quarter but were unable to hang on against the more experienced Guelph Gryphons, a team featuring several professional players in its lineup. LaCava was named McGill’s player of the game thanks to a four-goal performance.

The Redmen, who lost in the Baggataway Cup’s semi-finals in 2007, posted an 11-5 overall record this year (10-4 in league play).

In other McGill sports news, the basketball Martlets split a pair of weekend exhibitions in Vermont, beating St. Michaels College 55-50 one day after absorbing a 90-44 beating at the hands of the University of Vermont.

The hockey Redmen won both their weekend games, defeating visiting RMC 4-2 on Friday and Queen’s 4-1 on Saturday. The hockey Martlets extended their winning streak against Canadian university opponents to 28 games with a 6-1 win over the Carleton Ravens. The Martlets were without the services of goaltender Charline Labonté, defender Catherine Ward, and head coach Peter Smith, who were representing Canada in the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, New York.

-Jim Hynes