Rams prepare for Mitchell Cup showdown against Laval

The University of Regina Rams are hoping to keep their unlikely playoff run going.

The Rams, who finished the Canada West regular season 3-5, will play the Laval Rouge et Or in the Mitchell Bowl on Saturday, with the winner playing for the Vanier Cup the following weekend in Kingston.

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The Rams were down 15-4 to the University of Alberta Golden Bears at halftime in the final match of their regular-season – a game the Rams had to win to make the playoffs.

The club ended up winning 29-22 and hasn’t lost since, knocking off the first-place 7-1 Manitoba Bisons 28-25 in Winnipeg before defeating the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 19-14 in Saskatoon for the Hardy Trophy.

“Obviously we’re just kind of riding the wave,” said quarterback Noah Pelletier.

“We struggled throughout the season, but then we got a couple of big ones in a row, so we are just continuing off that high. It’s a big feeling to win the Hardy, but you have to move on as quick as you can and get ready for the next week.”

This year was the second time the Rams have ever hoisted the Hardy Trophy, the first coming back in 2000. That season ended in the Vanier Cup with a 42-39 loss to the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

Head coach Mark McConkey, who played with the Rams from 2007-2013, said the team always believed in themselves.

“Even on that five-game losing streak, we were losing close games by two and three and eight. We still had the belief that we could play with anyone in this conference; we just had to find a way to finish games,” McConkey said.

McConkey said his team has been underestimated all season long.

“Even though we were 2-0 heading into that (University of British Columbia) game, which we lost by two, we were still underdogs and they were 0-2,” McConkey said. “We don’t have a lot of respect in the media, which is fine. I like being the underdog.”

Pelletier agreed that this team has embraced the underdog role.

“We’ve had that (mentality) all year,” the head coach said. “We know going into this game we are going to be the underdog, but we are fine with that; it has worked out in our favour more than once.”

But in order to reach the Vanier Cup, the Rams will need to knock off a Laval team that is no stranger to success. The Rouge et Or have won 11 Vanier Cups in the team’s history.

“I’ve seen Laval play many, many times on TV and in the big game. They are probably the best team in the last two decades. They have to be up there as the top team,” McConkey said.

“So a pretty cool opportunity for our players and pretty cool for myself and our coaches. (Our guys) work so hard, and that’s what no one sees. They are up here at 6 a.m. in January and February when it is -40 C out and getting up and starting their car and coming to work out and run. No one sees all the hard work they put in, and I’m just happy for the players.”

Kickoff for the game is set for 2 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.