Marshall Ferguson set a new Marauder single-season record, tossing two touchdown passes to reach a total of 20 on the year, as McMaster cruised to a 28-5 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks on Saturday.
Second-year rusher Wayne Moore added a major on the ground, handling the ball 15 times for 81 yards.
Linebacker Aram Eisho led all defenders with 12 total tackles on the afternoon, as the Marauder defence stood firm to deny the Golden Hawks on the goal line on three separate fourth-quarter series.
Laurier quarterback James Fracas put his scrambling abilities on display on the Golden Hawks’ opening drive of the game. He was forced evacuate the pocket and roll right on consecutive plays by the Marauder blitz, and found receivers along the boundary for double-digit gains.
But the Marauder defence halted the drive in the red zone, forcing the Golden Hawks to settle for a 22-yard field goal.
McMaster responded on its next drive, as Ferguson found Josh Vandeweerd on a crossing pattern and the sophomore gained the edge and rumbled inside Laurier’s 15-yard line.
The Marauders converted on their first chance in the red zone, as Mike DiCroce gained separation through the middle of the end zone and Ferguson lofted a comfortable pass to his veteran receiver. Tyler Crapigna’s convert was good, to give McMaster a 7-3 lead.
A Marauder fumble near midfield gave the Golden Hawks exceptional field position midway through the first quarter, but McMaster’s defence held firm to keep further points off the board. Rookie end Mark Mackie came unblocked through the middle on a stunt to sack Fracas and force Laurier to punt.
Ferguson and the Marauder offence were gifted favourable field position on their first drive of the second quarter, beginning inside Laurier’s 40-yard line after the Golden Hawks punted from their goal line.
They wasted no time in making the most of that advantage, as Ferguson hung a pass up for Tyler Loveday and the slotback made an over-the-shoulder catch with a defender draped over him for a 37-yard major to extend McMaster’s lead to 14-3.
The Golden Hawks saw a golden opportunity to score go begging when receiver Greg Nyhof beat coverage through the seam but dropped the pass without a defender in front of him.
Crapigna converted a field goal attempt from 40 yards out to extend McMaster’s lead to 18-3, and the visitors got the ball back almost immediately when Scott Martin picked up his first interception of season.
Nothing came of the ensuing drive, but the Marauders would get the ball back one final time before the break, when McMaster successfully sniffed out a Laurier punt fake and took over at the Golden Hawks’ 15-yard line.
A few plays later, Wayne Moore took the ball from six yards out and was carried forward by a convoy of his teammates over the goal line for a touchdown. The convert extended McMaster’s lead to 25-3.
Laurier broke the trend in a third quarter dominated by the defences by reeling off a long, time-consuming drive to reach McMaster’s 1-yard line. But the Marauders stuffed Dillon Campbell’s first-down rush up the middle, and denied Fracas on two consecutive passes to force a turnover on downs.
Crapigna added to the Marauders’ lead with seven minutes to play, converting a field goal attempt from 24 yards to make the score 28-5.
The Marauder defence produced another goal-line stand to deny the Golden Hawks late in the fourth quarter, stuffing Campbell and then batting-down two Fracas passes to force another turnover on downs.
Fracas and the Laurier offence found themselves on McMaster’s goal line yet again with a minute to play, but were denied for a third time in the quarter. Campbell rushed on three consecutive downs, but was stuffed emphatically by the Marauders on each.
Photo credit: Bill Zazuilak
Source: Fraser Caldwell, McMaster Marauders Sports Information
WATERLOO – The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men’s football team had their season come to an end on Saturday afternoon at University Stadium as they lost 28-5 to the No. 9 McMaster Marauders.
In a relatively low scoring contest, it was the Marauders’ defence that stood tall throughout the game. They limited the Golden Hawks to their lowest point total of the season, which included preventing the Hawks from finding the endzone on three different drives when they purple and gold were inside the McMaster five yard line.
“They’re a good football team,” said Head Coach Michael Faulds on the Marauders after the game. “They came in 3-3, but we know that they’re a better team than a .500 team. We had three drives inside their five yard line that we went for on third down and couldnt punch it in.”
Despite the scoreline, the Hawks got off to a quick start as a six play, 57-yard drive ended in a 22-yard field goal for Ronnie Pfeffer of Kitchener, Ont., that gave Laurier the early lead.
From that point forward though, it was all McMaster. The Marauders grabbed the lead on their next drive, which was capped by a 12-yard touchdown reception by Michael DiCroce of Hamilton.
Leading 7-3 after one quarter, the Marauders took control of the contest in the second quarter, scoring 18 points. Tyler Loveday of Kitchener, Ont., and Wayne Moore of Etobicoke, Ont., both scored touchdowns while kicker Tyler Crapigna of Nepean, Ont., accounted for the other four points on a 40-yard field goal and a rouge that gave McMaster a 25-3 lead at the half.
The second half featured almost no scoring as both defences held strong. The Hawks forced an interception and also blocked a Crapigna field goal attempt while the Marauders stuffed Lauriers offence inside the red zone three times. A conceded safety by McMaster and a second Crapigna field goal were the only points to find the board, making the final score 28-5.
Both teams recorded almost identical offensive numbers as McMaster had 318 total yards while the Hawks had 316. Marauders quarterback Marshall Ferguson of Kingston, Ont., finished the game 13-of-29 for 197 yards and two touchdowns with Loveday being his favourite target, making four catches for 76 yards and one major.
For the Hawks, Fracas threw a career-high 45 pass attempts, completing 27, for 243 yards. Running back Dillon Campbell of Whitby, Ont., fell just shy of his attempt at six consecutive 100-yard rushing games as he finished the day with 95 yards on 25 attempts.
Fifth year receiver Isaac Dell of Niagara Falls, Ont., playing in his final game in the purple and gold, led Lauriers receiving core with eight catches for 61 yards.
Third year linebacker Aram Eisho of Hamilton, led McMaster’s defensive effort with an impressive 12 total tackles while Sam Montazeri of Richmond Hill, Ont., had six total tackles.
“I think a lot of guys emerged this year,” commented Faulds when asked what the team will take with them from this season. “James [Fracas] emerged this year as quarterback and Dillon Campbell finished the season as the leading rusher in the OUA. He’s a really good player. Ese’s [Mrabure-Ajufo] really good playing on the d-line so we have a lot as we get ready for 2014.
With the loss, the Hawks end the year with a 1-7 mark, the first time that has happened since 2002, which also happens to be the last time the team missed the playoffs.
NOTES: Attendance at University Stadium was 1,188…three other Hawks suited up for their final game including running back Rashad La Touch of Whitby, Ont., defensive lineman Tommy Griffiths of Richmond Hill, Ont., and defensive back Felix Odum of Pickering, Ont….Pfeffer moved into fifth place on Laurier’s all-time punting yards list as he finished the game with 303 yards on eight attempts, pushing his career total to 6,558
Photo Credit: Thomas Kolodziej
Source: Jamie Howieson, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks Sports Information
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