It didn't take Brandon Deschamps long to make an impact as a rookie running back in the CIS.
The former Kelly Road Roadrunner high school star scored the winning touchdown for the UBC Thunderbirds in a 21-10 win Friday over the University of Regina Rams.
Deschamps' one-yard run in the second quarter finished off a scoring drive set up by a 31-yard pass completion from UBC quarterback Billy Greene to receiver Jordan Grieve.
Greene hit Grieve for a 63-yard touchdown romp on the game's opening drive. On the next possession the Rams lost their fifth-year starting quarterback, Marc Mueller, who went down with a shoulder injury after an eight-yard run. Mueller did not return.
In the second half, Joey Gabrick hauled in an eight-yard TD catch for UBC.
The win over Regina (0-1), the pre-season favourites to win the Canada West Conference was the first in four years for UBC (1-0).
"Our offence was efficient from the get-go, our defence came out flying and hitting, and we got some big plays on special teams " said UBC head coach Shawn Olson, on the UBC website www.gothunderbirds.ca. " It was a classic team victory."
UBC takes on the defending Hardy Cup-champion Calgary Dinos Friday night in Calgary.
