WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The CIS No. 1 ranked Montreal Carabins added fuel to the tank as they handed the host Acadia Axemen a 63-1 loss in AUS-RSEQ interlock play. The Carabins have out-scored opponents 207-25 so far in four regular season games including today's win over the Axemen.
Carabin pivot Samuel Caron (Levis, Que.), named the Subway Player of the Game, was 18 for 23 for 226 yards in the air but had two passes intercepted by Axeman Brandon Jennings (St. Albert, Alta.) who was recognized as Acadia's Player of the Game.
After a three and out by the Carabins on their game opening drive, the Axemen took a five play, 43 yard drive to the Montreal 49 yard line before turning the ball over on a fumble recovery by Montreal's Alex Cromer-Emond (Price, Que.).
Montreal's first play from scrimmage after the turnover resulted in a 72 yard touchdown run by Julien Choquette-Daigneault (Gatineau, Que.) to give the Carabins their first of a six touchdown day.
A Felix Menard (Sainte-Agathe-des-Mont, Que.) rouge that followed the touchdown on the kickoff and a 39 yard field goal by Menard gave the Carabins a 11-0 lead before Louis-Mathieu Normandin (Montreal, Que.) first quarter 42 yard touchdown reception from Caron pushed the first fram lead to 18-0.
Only one touchdown followed the first quarter majors when Caron rushed one yard, capping off a 10 play, 86 yard drive to give Montreal an early second quarter 25-0 lead. Menard would follow with a rouge on a missed field goal and field goals from the 11 and 34 yard lines to give the No. 1 ranked Carabins a 32-0 halftime lead.
Menard would open the second half with a 33 yard field goal at the three minute mark of the third quarter followed by a team safety to push the lead to 36.
Eleven minutes into the third frame, Will Altema (Montreal, Que.) added to the insurmountable lead on a 21 yard carry that ended a three play drive that included Altema's 10 yard rush and a 44 yard reception by Louis-Mathieu Normandin.
With a 44-0 Carabins advantage, Axeman Jeffrey Beattie broke the goose-egg with a 29 yard field goal that went wide, giving Acadia a rouge.
Two more touchdowns by Montreal's Khallil Kerr (Montreal, Que.) on a four yard run that concluded a five play 75 yard drive and an Asnnel Robo (Cayenne, Guyanna) three yard plunge into the end zone ended the scoring for the Carabins. A missed 26 yard field goal by Menard that resulted in a rouge and a team safety were between the two majors scored in the final quarter.
The Axemen's offense sputtered all day with a total of 96 net yards that included 55 yards on the ground, 110 yards in the air and 69 yards loss. On the winning side, Montreal posted a season high 632 net yards of offence including 357 yards in rushing and 285 yards in passing against a young Axemen squad.
Normandin posted a game and team high 129 yards receiving on five receptions, while teammate Choquette-Daigneault added 94 yards in rushing on seven carries. Acadia's Sabastian Robinson (Saskatoon, Sask.) had a team high 73 yards in receiving on six catches.
On defense, the Axemen's Brandon Jennings pulled down two interceptions while Brady Switzer (Oakville, Ont.) had 1.5 sacks. Carabins' Jonathan Boissonneault-Glaou (Lyster, Que.) posted 1.5 sacks and teammate Alex Cromer-Emond led Montreal with three solo tackles.
Montreal improves to 4-0 and travesl to Sherbrooke (2-1) next Saturday, while the Axemen drop to 1-2 and will have to regroup to take on the winless Mount Allison Mounties next Saturday in Sackville, N.B..