The D1 league’s playoff format was ruthless for the Montigny Cougars last season.
Only four teams (two from each pool) qualify for the semifinals. The Cougars, with a 9-7 regular-season record, finished third in their group and fifth overall – just out of reach.
After winning their first match of the season, the team lost six of their next seven. But starting in August, the Cougars – grouped in Pool A with Paris UC, Stade Toulousain, the Savigny Lions, and the Rouen Huskies – turned it around, winning seven of their last eight.
This remarkable turnaround was fueled, in part, by the late arrival of some key foreign recruits, including Alexander Santana and Raul Rivas.
Santana, a Dominican pitcher and former Los Angeles Dodgers prospect, finished with six wins, zero losses, and a 1.38 ERA. Rivas, from Venezuela, is a former minor leaguer who reached the AAA level in 2019 with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Ultimately, however, their late-season push wasn’t enough for the Cougars to catch the Savigny Lions (10-6) for the second of two Pool A playoff spots.
So, where does that leave Montigny for this season?
Good question, especially since both Santana and Rivas have moved on to other opportunities. The Cougars are nevertheless convinced they can pick up where they left off.
They’re replacing Santana with another imported pitcher, who hasn’t been named yet, and bringing in an accomplished Argentine, Agustín Tissera, to play shortstop.
Pitchers Johnathan Mottay and Yorfranck Lopez are back and healthy, as is Gabriel Do Carmo, a Brazilian who hit .320 in 2021. Montigny has recruited another Brazilian, Allan Bellen-Fagoni, to play outfield. And they’ll also have their core of French players, led by Dylan Mayeux, who batted .302 last season.
With their recruits in place for the start of the season, the Cougars will look to make their mark early, trying to overtake the Lions or the Huskies for one of the two group playoff spots. Consistency will be key, but they certainly have a shot at reaching the semifinals and beyond.
Benjamin Witte
