MONTREAL – The McGill Redbirds football team will make a short trip to the west end for the 35th Montreal Shrine Bowl game at Concordia Stadium on Saturday (Sept. 16) at 2 p.m. To date, the previous 34 Shrine Bowls have generated just over $1 million in fundraising towards the Shriners Hospital for Children - Canada Research Centre, in Montreal. 
 
McGill owns a 1-2 record in the five-team RSEQ conference, while the Stingers are 1-1. Although this game is key to either team's playoff hopes in a short eight-game schedule, it also has a greater importance for the community as net proceeds from the contest go towards the Hospital. Initially opened in 1925, this impressive facility treats physically handicapped children and/or burn victims free of charge.

Players and coaches from both teams attended a press conference and visited the hospital on Tuesday.

"The Shriners are a pillar in our community with their ability to help families and children by covering the costs of rehabilitation in this wonderful hospital," said McGill head coach Ronald Hilaire. "Part of rehab is through attitude. I always tell my players that it's 10 per cent what happens to you and 90 per cent of how you react to it. So if we can bring some of that mentality to these children today, it's at least a small part that we can do to brighten their day."

The game's official motto is: "Strong legs run so that weak legs may walk" and funds are raised through a plethora of sources, including ticket sales, advertising, honourary coaches program and generous donations from the public.

Each year, the Canadian Shrine Bowl game in Montreal appoints an honourary king and queen, representing the patients at the Shriners Hospital. The year's king is eight-year-old Lucas and the queen is Aya, a nine-year-old girl (both are in the photo above)

This week's Shrine Bowl will mark the 23rd appearance for McGill and the 33rd for Concordia. McGill owns an 11-11 lifetime record in Shrine Bowl play, while Concordia is 13-19. Other past participants include Laval (4-0), Sherbrooke (3-1) Bishop's (2-2), Montreal (1-0), and Queen's (0-1).

Since the inaugural game in 1987, over 80 players have turned pro – including five in the National Football League – after having had the opportunity to play in the Montreal Shrine Bowl game. Those who went on to play in the NFL include offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (McGill), who was a sixth-round pick by Kansas City in the 2014 NFL Draft and helped them win a Super Bowl title in 2020.
 
Also among that elite group is long-snapper Randy Chevrier (McGill), who was drafted by Jacksonville and played for the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. Dr. Jean-Philippe Darche (McGill), also a long-snapper, played seven years with the Seattle Seahawks, two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and saw duty in one Super Bowl game. Mark Montreuil (Concordia) who played for the San Diego Chargers and Cory Greenwood (Concordia) who also played for Kansas City.

As a bonus, this game has served as a stepping stone to greater opportunities. Some 13 players from the RSEQ university conference have also been selected to participate in the East-West Shrine Classic in the USA, a showcase for 74 college football seniors played every January and broadcast on both ESPN and TSN.
 
Since 1985, organizers of the East-West game have invited Canadians from U SPORTS to participate — usually one from eastern Canada and one from the west. Among those are four McGill players, including Val St. Germain (1993), Matthieu Quiviger (1994), Randy Chevrier (2000) and most recently, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (2014).
 
Seven of the 13 Quebec league players to earn a berth in the East-West game have also played in the Montreal Shrine Bowl. In fact, of the 76 Canadian university players who have been lucky enough to participate in the East-West showcase, all but one have gone on to play pro ball.

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Montreal Shrine Bowl Results
 
1987 Concordia 20   at McGill 31
1988 Concordia 7     at McGill 27
1989 Bishop's 15    at Concordia 9
1990 McGill 15        at Concordia 27
1991 McGill 16        at Concordia 28
1992 Concordia 25 at McGill 24
1993 Concordia 24   at McGill 29
1994 McGill 34       at Concordia 33
1995 McGill 15       at Concordia 8
1996 Queen's 20     at McGill 29
1997 Bishop's 0      at McGill* 1 *(won by forfeit)
1998 Concordia 4    at McGill 9
1998 McGill 0         at Concordia 45
2000 McGill 12      at Concordia 11
2001 McGill 14       at Concordia 35
2002 McGill 28      at Concordia 8
2003 McGill 9         at Concordia 26
2004 Laval 24        at Concordia 7
2005 Montréal 24   at Concordia 21
2006 McGill 9         at Concordia 26
2007 McGill 8         at Concordia 13
2008 Laval 36        at Concordia 13
2009 Sherbrooke 22 at Concordia 34
2010 Bishop's 18   at Concordia 17
2011 McGill 16       at Concordia 39
2012 Sherbrooke 48 at Concordia 6
2013 McGill 53       at Concordia 52 (OT)
2014 McGill 28       at Concordia 30
2015 McGill 21          at Concordia 33
2016 Bishop's 34       at Concordia 50
2017 Sherbrooke 30 at Concordia 13
2018 Laval 52             at Concordia 2
2019 Laval 41            at Concordia 6
2020 (game cancelled due to COVID pandemic)
2021 (game cancelled due to COVID pandemic)
2022 Sherbrooke 38 at Concordia 14
 
Winning team listed in bold
 
 
Montreal Shrine Bowl Record By Team
 
TEAM                       W-L
McGill                      11-11
Concordia               13-19
Laval                          4-0
Sherbrooke                 3-1
Bishop's                     2-2
Montréal                    1-0
Queen's                     0-1


SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-983-7012 (cell)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca