by John Austen

Men’s basketball

Concordia was abuzz earlier this month as the 34th Nike Concordia Tip-off Basketball Tournament took place in the Loyola Gym. The Stingers turned out to be wonderful hosts as they lost 62-41 to the Dalhousie Tigers in the championship final. High scorers of the game were Dalhousie’s Trystan James with 13 points and Concordia’s Sydney Shreves with 12 points.

The consolation game was played between Sir Wilfrid University Golden Hawks and A.S. Montlouis with the Hawks taking the game 80-45.

Dalhousie beat Wilfrid Laurier 86-73 to get into the final, while the Stingers annihilated Montlouis 114-24 to advance. Concordia’s Patrice Bernard and Louis Vigneault were chosen as tournament all-stars.

Men’s hockey

The men’s hockey team traveled to Toronto earlier this month and came home champions of the York University Tournament. Coach Kevin Figsby and the boys beat York 7-3 in the final. David Comeau scored two goals in the win, while Mathieu Lendick, Patrice Roy, Alain Charbonneau, Andrew Davis and Chris Page each had one goal.

The tournament also featured the Laurentian University Voyageurs from Sudbury and the Royal Military College Paladins from Kingston.

Concordia won the opening game of the event, 4-1 over RMC. Roy scored two goals, while Lendick and Edin Burazerovic each had a goal.

The Stingers weren’t as lucky at the McGill tournament the following week, losing a pair of 2-1 games to both the Redmen and Ottawa Gee Gees. Last weekend they returned to the Ed Meagher Arena and posted a 6-4 win over Queen’s in an exhibition game. Concordia plays its first league game at home Friday when the Gee Gees come to town. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Men’s soccer

Coach Vladimir Pavlicik is rather proud of his Stingers men’s soccer team — and why not? Concordia is undefeated after 10 games so far with seven wins and three ties. First place will be decided on Friday when the Stingers travel to McGill to take on the Redmen at 8:30 p.m. The team returns to Concordia Sunday afternoon for a 3 o’clock date with Sherbrooke.

Women’s rugby

As the women’s rugby team headed into the end of their season, they were without head coach Sheila Turner, who joined Team Canada for a two-week tour through Wales.

The Canadian team is there as a tune-up for the Women’s World Cup which will take place next May in Spain.

Turner, who plays the position of prop, was first selected to Team Canada in 1999. She has been ‘capped’ four times since that date. The 2002 World Cup will be a big highlight for Turner.

“One of my rugby goals is to make the World Cup and this tour is an opportunity to prove that I should be on that team,” said Turner before leaving on Oct. 13.

The girls didn’t miss a beat in Turner’s absence, beating Ottawa 40-0 in the last league game before trouncing Bishop’s 73-0 in the provincial semifinal.Concordia and McGill will battle in the final this Sunday in Ste. Anne de Bellevue.

Football

The football team still has an outside shot at first place after edging McGill 31-28 in the annual Shaughnessy Cup Game at Molson Stadium last Saturday. The Stingers must beat Bishop’s this weekend at home and hope that the Redmen knock off powerful Laval.

A more likely scenario sees both the Stingers and Laval winning this weekend, which would give Laval top spot and Concordia second place. That would set up a McGill vs. Concordia playoff game.

Last week’s Battle of Montreal wasn’t decided until late in the game as Burke Dales caught an 11-yard TD pass from quarterback Jon Kronemeyer with 1:58 left to give the Stingers the win.