Huskies conquer Montreal, advance to first Vanier Cup in 15 years

14-10 was the way the game ended, as the fourth-year Running Back took home the Offensive Player of the Game award, with two TDs and 182 total yards.

His teammate on the other side of the ball, Riley Pickett, the third-year Defensive Lineman, took home the Defensive Player of the Game award, with six tackles and two sacks for a loss of 20 total yards.

Mason Nyhus, the Huskies’ fourth-year Quarterback, went 17-26 with 138 passing yards and one touchdown.

In a game in which the Carabins filled the boxscore in total yards, leading the Huskies 457-299, they did not get much out of it, scoring only two field goals, with the rest of their points coming on a team safety and two rouge points.

(Submitted photo/U Sports)

Neither team really had much offense going for the first three quarters on a slightly snowy late afternoon in Montreal, until Machart lead the way for the Huskies, as they outscored the Carabins 13-1 in the final quarter.

Machart spoke to HuskieFAN after the game and recounted what was a game he and his teammates, won’t soon forget.

“It was kind of a crazy one,” he said. “We knew they were going to be tough and that we’d have to come out and keep with it and not get down. We just kept pounding the rock and we found it.”

And Machart credited what success he and his team found late, to his Offensive Line, that never gave up and just kept on playing.

“It was amazing. You just felt the push and when they can get me in space, that’s when I feel I’m at my best. They did an amazing job tonight, especially at the end of the game. Just giving me that opportunity to get out in space is insane.”

And for Machart, as far as it felt to now be competing for a Vanier Cup, he is excited, especially to be going with this group of guys.

“It feels unbelievable,” he said. “Those games, there’s so much emotion going through you and to come out like we did, finishing and winning the game at the end, it’s amazing. I’m so happy for this team and I’m so proud to be a part of this team and I can’t wait for next week.”

And despite those offensive struggles the Huskies had in the first three quarters, according to Machart, there was no confidence lost on the field and on the bench, as the team never stopped believing.

“I had no doubt. I had full confidence in our defense, they were shutting them down and I knew that it was only a matter of time before we popped it. We’re such a dangerous offense and maybe we only did score 14 points but we were going to get in the endzone at some point. I just knew it, we all believed it, that’s all that we were talking about on the sideline. We were going to get in and we just had to stick with it.”

(Submitted photo/U Sports)

And in a game where the Huskies were on the road, in Montreal’s stadium with their fans, Machart said it’s something he doesn’t mind and may even cherish.

“You got to love playing in front of a crowd like that, it just motivates you,” he said. “That stuff doesn’t bother me, there’s nothing like getting a first down and hearing the boos.”

For the Huskies, today will definitely be something to celebrate but not for long, so said Machart, as there is still a job to do next weekend, that fastly approaches.

“We have to be smart tonight and we have to recover, we’re not done. That’s not the end, we got one more game and we have to win it because that’s the one that counts. We have to be smart tonight and get in, recover and get on to Western.”

HuskieFAN also caught up with Scott Flory after the game, who beat his former teammate Anthony Calvillo and he said today was a game so crazy, he is still trying to wrap his head around all that happened.

(Submitted photo/U Sports)

“I’m still trying to play it back in my mind a little bit,” said Flory. “What a game and what a finish. Just so happy and proud of these guys. It takes me back to all the work and everything that they’ve fought and been through and dealt with. Getting last season ripped away and then it coming back this year, just so happy for these guys.”

And according to Flory, he like Machart wasn’t worried about the offensive struggles early, as it was almost something that they anticipated.

“We knew the first half was going to be a slugfest,” he said. “Everyone is just kind of feeling each other out. You take that time at half to re-evaluate what we’re doing and if we have to make any adjustments. We came out in the third, into the wind, which felt like it was getting worse. Offensively we weren’t getting anything and then towards the end of the quarter we started to move the wall.”

“It was let’s get out of the wind and get going downhill, with the wind in the fourth. We then knew we’d start building and we felt Adam starting to get loose and the O-Line started leaning on them and we knew good things were going to happen.”

And those good things sure started to happen, as Flory gave a lot of credit to his defense for keeping his team in the game, until the very end.

“I think the whole defense, every one of them played so tight and so good. We missed a few pick opportunities but hey, that’s football and these guys didn’t bat an eye and they just kept going, playing and grinding. Our defense played awesome. I have to give so much credit to (Defensive Coordinator) Warren Muzika, they’d all run through a wall for him.”

(Submitted photo/U Sports)

The Huskies will go on to play the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, (who defeated the St. Francis Xavier X-Men 61-6 in the Mitchell Bowl, in a game played earlier today), next Saturday, Dec. 4, at Laval University in Quebec City.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8

by Ben Tompkins

Huskies conquer Montreal, advance to first Vanier Cup in 15 years

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