By Francois Ferland,
MontrealAlouettes.com
Montreal – Two turnovers and some excellent play by quarterback Benoit Lacasse (Curé-Antoine-Labelle) gave the 1,000 fans on hand at the 26th edition of the Alouettes Classic something to smile about. A fourth-quarter Carl-André Pota interception and a fumble recovery by Cité-des-Jeunes High School`s Jordan Robert prompted 15 unanswered points by Team Michael Soles en route to a 24-11 win over Team Pierre Vercheval last Apr. 30 at Concordia Stadium.
Presented by Groupe Biscuits Leclerc, some 100 players from the Ligue scolaire de football métropolitaine – a league that consists of over 1,500 players spread out over 35 teams – were chosen to take part in last Friday`s annual contest. The Alouettes Alumni Association has been involved the event since it was first introduced in 1985. “Selwyn House High School has also always played a key role in the organization of the event,” added Alouettes President and CEO, Larry Smith.
Lacasse and Champagne lead the way
After the Robert fumble recovery made way for a single to cut team Soles’ deficit to 11-10 in the fourth-quarter, Lacasse and receiver Sébastien Champagne – teammates at Curé-Antoine-Labelle last season – connected on several occasions to put team Soles ahead for good.
Lacasse hooked up with Champagne on consecutive passes of 28 and 32 yards, the latter producing a touchdown, to give team Soles a 16-11 lead (the two point conversion failed). Pota’s interception on team Vercheval’s next possession gave team Soles great field possession and an even better opportunity to extend their slim lead.
Taking the ball over at the 30-yard line, Lacasse found Mario Passalaqua from college Regina Assumpta for a 22-yard gain. A few plays later, Lacasse iced the victory for team Soles himself on a one-yard touchdown run to give his team a 22-11 lead. A safety provided the finishing touches for Team Soles.
The third quarter was highlighted by an important team Soles interception by Nicolas Easterbrook (Collège Mont-Saint-Louis). The lone touchdown produced by Team Vercheval came after Donoval Martel pierced the goal line for a one-yard touchdown in the opening quarter. LCC’s Kadeem Campbell – playing for Vercheval – provided fans with a spectacular play after snagging an Anton Sakiz (Collège Notre-Dame) pass out of the air for a 75-yard gain.
The sparks provided by the Lacasse-Champagne combination provided some great action in the 26th Alouettes Classic.
“Sébastien has a knack of finding an open seam,” said Lacasse who was named the offensive player of the game for his team. The quarterback completed seven passes on 12 plays for 181 yards. Champagne caught four of his passes for 112 yards. In 2010, Lacasse will suit up for the Vanier Cheetahs of the Ligue collégiale AAA du Québec. He also played for Team Québec last season.
