Stingers Roundup

by John Austen

Almost 100 athletes competed for spots on the Concordia Stingers football team and head coach Gerry McGrath liked what he saw: “We’ve had a pretty good recruiting year, so we’re ready to go.”

The Stingers finished an impressive 7-1 in the regular season last year, only to get blown out by Laval in the playoffs.

A few impact players have joined the team. The athlete drawing the most attention is six-foot-two, 335-pound nose tackle Sam Taulealea, a native of Hawaii who has transferred from the University of Colorado (see photo).

Other newcomers include: cornerback Sam Okpro, an all-star out of Vanier College who played two years with Team Canada; CB Modibo Sidibe, a transfer from the Syracuse Orangemen; DE Dino Bent, also a transfer who suited up for the Central Michigan Chippewas, and DE William Miller, a top student with the Vanier and Team Canada football programs.

Another battle will be at tailback, where superstar Jean-Michel Paquette started for five seasons. All eyes will be on rookie John Ahlstedt, who was a member of the national junior track and field program as a discus thrower. He'll try to unseed veterans Roch Labossi�re and Mathieu Côté.

The Stingers lost the opening game in Ste. Foy against Laval last weekend, but are set for their home opener Sunday night (Sept. 12) under the lights at Concordia Stadium. Game time is 7 o’clock.

U.S. cager at Con U

Keith Pruden announced that Stephanie Ramonas will play for the Stingers’ women’s basketball team.

Ramonas, who is a five-foot-10 guard from of Portland, Me., won her state Class A championship with her high school team. In her senior year, she averaged 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game.

Christie goes to China

Sommer Christie, a fifth-year senior and captain of the Concordia Stingers women's rugby team, has been named to the Canadian team for the inaugural Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) World University 7 on 7 Women's Rugby Championship. The international competition will be held in Beijing, China from Sept. 15-18.

Five elite teams, including Canada, will vie for the world title. Christie, a scrum half from Wentworth, is a three-time CIS All-Canadian and has been a Quebec all-star five times, including 2002, when she was the QSSF MVP.

Dore to coach Maccabiah squad

John Dore of the Concordia Stingers has been appointed head coach of the Canada boys’basketball team that will compete at the 17th World Maccabiah Games in Israel, July 11-21, 2005. Herb Brown, an assistant coach with the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, will assist him.

Dore, head coach at Concordia since 1989, has taken the Stingers to the national championship tournament eight times, winning the university crown in 1990 and placing second in 1995. The Maccabiah Games are held every four years, after an Olympic year.