Cross Country (M & W) | 10/28/2018 11:44:00 PM

MONTREAL -- Santiago Bessai, a fifth-year distance runner from Toronto, produced McGill's only podium result with a bronze medal finish at the RSEQ cross-country championships at Parc Maisonneuve in east-end Montreal, Saturday.

Laval swept both the men's and women's banners as Quebec champions, with McGill finishing second of eight teams in the women's division and fourth on the men's side.

Bessai, a 22-year-old English senior, completed the men's 10-kilometre race in 31 minutes and 52 seconds to place third of 93 runners. Laval, which had four of the first five finishers, had the top two podium positions with Rouge et Or teammates Jean-Simon Desgagnés (30:57) and Félix Lapointe-Pilote (31:51), winning gold and silver, respectively.

Bessai, as one of the top seven finishers, merited first-team all-star status -- for the second consecutive year -- while the next seven runners made the second team.

Rounding out the top five scorers for McGill was Jeremy Obrand, who finished 14th in 32:59, Simon Bernier (22nd, 33:58), Thomas Csisztu (27th, 34:37) and Hugo Schutzberg (34th, 35:27).

The women's 8k race was somewhat disappointing for McGill, which had won three of their four previous competitions heading into the Quebec title meet. Laval swept the top four spots, led by race winner Jessy Lacourse who was first of 86 entries, crossing the line in 28:25. Their other podium finishers were Anne-Marie Comeau (28:26) and Aurélie Dubé-Lavoie (28:33).

Four of McGill's top five scorers merited RSEQ all-star status, with Meggie Dargis (5th, 29:24) and Elizabeth Hirsch (6th, 29:56) earning a berth on the first team. Making the second squad was Celine Marks (9th, 30:58) and Morgane Butler (13th, 31:16).

The Martlets final scorer was Sandrine Veillette (15th, 31:17) who missed second-team all-conference honours by four seconds.

In the women's team scoring, Laval collected 17 points, followed by McGill (48), Montreal (74), Sherbrooke (83), UQTR (108), UQAM (156), Concordia (163) and UQAC (171).

Laval captured the men's title with 20 points, followed by Sherbrooke (63), UQAM (97), McGill (100), UQTR (108), Concordia (118), Montreal (146) and UQAC (168).

Next on the schedule is the U SPORTS national championship in Kingston, Ont., Nov. 10.

2018 RSEQ CROSS-COUNTRY ALL-STARS & MAJOR AWARDS

WOMEN:
FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Jessy Lacourse, Laval
Anne-Marie Comeau, Laval
Aurélie Dubé-Lavoie, Laval
Catherine Beauchemin, Laval
Meggie Dargis, McGill
Elizabeth Hirsch, McGill
Jade Bérubé, Laval

SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Margot Duval, Montréal
Celine Marks, McGill
Élodie De Coene, Montréal
Camille Brisson, Sherbrooke
Pénélope Goudreault, UQTR
Morgane Butler, McGill
Jade Bouchard-Nguyen, Montréal

MAJOR AWARDS
Athlete of the Year: Jessy Lacourse, Laval
Rookie of the Year: Catherine Beauchemin, Laval
Coach of the Year: Félix-Antoine Lapointe, Laval
Leadership Award: Jade Bouchard-Nguyen, Montréal

MEN:
FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Jean-Simon Desgagnés, Laval
Félix Lapointe-Pilote, Laval
Santiago Bessai, McGill
Keven Bédard, Laval
Samuel Poher, Laval
Xavier Grenier-Talavera, Concordia
Dominic Perreault, Sherbrooke

SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Christopher Busset, Laval
Thomas Windisch, Sherbrooke
Patrick Rouleau, Laval
Maxime Lopes, UQAM
Marc-Antoine Senneville, UQTR
Jerome Cassan, UQAM
Hubert Fortin, Laval

MAJOR AWARDS
Athlete of the Year: Jean-Simon Desgagnés, Laval
Rookie of the Year: Félix Lapointe-Pilote, Laval
Coach of the Year: Félix-Antoine Lapointe, Laval
Leadership Award: Nicolas Gilbert, UQTR