It was the Gaillards’ eighth consecutive appearance in the college football final. They took the opportunity to win top honors four times. Could it be that we now have to talk about a Jonquière dynasty?
“We leave that to the media,” said head coach Philippe Leduc, on the other end of the phone. For our part, we did what we had to do in 2024, the next edition will be a new one, with new players and new objectives. I take it one year at a time and I can’t talk about the past, nor the future. Dynasties, I leave that to the media.
The football boss of the Gaillards did not place unnecessary pressure on the shoulders of his players before the start of the season, especially since several occupied a key role for the first time in the collegiate circuit.
“We didn’t really put that pressure on this year, it was a new season and what we had done in the past was no longer worth anything, even if we had been successful,” he said. We had a different team from last year and I didn’t feel that we had any additional pressure. We responded really well, having a great season and improving in each match.”
The Gaillards are the Bol d’Or champions for a second consecutive year. (Quebec Student Sports Network)
Leduc still noticed that the defeat suffered in the second game of the season pleased some observers. Two and a half months later, the Gaillards have nine consecutive victories at the end of the clock, including Saturday’s, the most important.
“People no longer believed in us and that’s okay, but now we’re back to back,” said Philippe Leduc, his voice full of satisfaction.
Bleached after 30 minutes
The match started badly for the eventual champions. After a 0-0 first quarter, the Griffons took the lead in the first moments of the second quarter, with a touchdown on the ground. The champions of the South-West section, with a record – the same as the Gaillards – of seven wins in eight games during the season, subsequently added another major before retreating to the locker room for half-time.
“They had a very good game plan, both offensively and defensively, and I think it was good to return to the locker room at halftime to regain our composure,” admitted Philippe Leduc. […] We kept the same old recipe that worked all year long, which I call Gaillard sauce. We took it one game at a time. We made some plays that didn’t go our way in the first half, but we did what we had to do afterwards.”
The Gaillards from Cégep de Jonquière took off from the second half. (Quebec Student Sports Network)
The tide then turned. The Gaillards made big plays, at the right times, to take control of the game. Quarterback Tristan Tremblay, a rookie, it should be remembered, scored the first touchdown of the evening, on a short run. He then gave a recital by spotting Pierre Cholet in the end zone. On a third down and 16 yards.
Alexis Grenon then intercepted a ball on the last play of the third quarter, bringing it back to the goal gate. Émile Marceau completed with a touchdown, on another precise pass from Tristan Tremblay.
Gaillards linebacker Tom Graffin was named MVP of the final. (Quebec Student Sports Network)
Philippe Leduc’s troop will add 10 points in the last quarter, despite a touchdown from the Griffons which will reduce the gap to three points. The latter obtained a final possession with a little less than two minutes remaining, but the Jonquière defense held firm.
Moreover, linebacker Tom Graffin was decorated with the player of the match title.
“He’s a great player, a great student, a great person,” praised his coach. I’m very happy for him, he played a big game and he was one of our star players. This year, he proved to everyone that he was one of the best defensive players, if not the best, in D3.
The Gaillards student-athletes can now spend the next year with the title of champions stuck to their skin. A title that does not wash off.
