WATERLOO, Ont. (September 15, 2012) – Running back Lance Freeman of Denver, Colo., scored his second touchdown of the game with just over a minute remaining in the fourth quarter to lift the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (1-2) to a 24-20 win over the York Lions (1-2) at University Stadium.
Freeman, who finished the game with 100 total yards, ran in a 28 yard pass from backup quarterback Steve Fantham of London, Ont., to give Laurier the win after York had taken a 20-17 lead just four minutes earlier.
“On that drive, I made so many mistakes,” said Freeman of the game-winning score. “I had to make it up someway, somehow. I was so amp’ed to mak e it up. I was not going to let us lose this game with too many mistakes.”
Laurier linebacker Mitchell Bosch of Langley, B.C., also shone for the Hawks on this day as his 4.5 tackles moved him into first place all-time on Laurier’s career tackles list. Bosch, who now has 181.0 tackles over his five year career, surpassed former Hawks great Kevin MacNeill of London, Ont., who had 180.5 tackles as Hawk over five years.
In what was a back-and-forth affair, the Hawks jumped out to a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when quarterback Travis Eman of Brampton, Ont., capped off an eight play, 76-yard drive with a one yard touchdown run. The score was Eman’s first of his CIS career.
Laurier stretched their lead to 17-0 in the second quarter thanks to two quick scores. First, Ronnie Pfeffer of Kitchener, Ont., connected on his first field goal of the year, a 26-yard boot, before Freeman ran in a 16-yard score two minutes later. The touchdown was also Freeman’s first of his CIS career.
As time expired in the half, York kicker Heneri Dervishi of Toronto, hit a 24-yard field goal to get the Lions on the board.
Down 17-3 entering the third quarter, the Lions continued to chip away at the lead. Dervishi hit his second field goal of the game just two minutes and then, on the final play of the quarter, York got the big play they needed to turn the momentum. Quarterback Myles Gibbon of Montreal, hooked up with Lashane Oldacre of Toronto, for an 81 yard major to cut the cut the Hawks lead to just four points.
Late in the fourth, just two plays after the Hawks made a goal-line stand to keep York out of the endzone, the Lions grabbed the lead thanks to defensive back Chris States of Brampton, Ont. The rookie halfback picked off an errant Eman pass and returned it 22 yards to giv e the Lions a 20-17 lead with just over five minutes remaining.
Needing a late rally to avoid falling to 0-3, the Hawks turned to Fantham. He drove the Hawks 55 yards on nine plays, capped off by Freeman’s 24 yard touchdown, to give Laurier the four point lead.
With time still remaining for York to drive, Gibbons looked deep down field but his pass was intercepted by rookie defensive back Anthony Petrucci of Sarnia, Ont., to cap the victory.
“Weve been talking all year about making plays at significant times during the football game,” said Jeffries after the win. “Full credit to Steven Fantham coming in. He came in with five minutes to go, and we had to have a drive [and] we did.”
Freeman was the Hawks all-around best offensive player on the day as he finished with a team-best 40 rushing yards as well as 60 receiving yar ds. Fantham and Eman combined to throw for 242 passing yards, a season-high for Laurier
Defensively, Bosch and the rest of the Hawks stood up, holding CIS Offensive Player of the Week Kyle Exume of Whitby, Ont., to just 67 rushing yards. Laurier also sacked Gibbons, who completed just 11-of-27 passes for 274 yards, on two occasions, giving them 10 on the season.
Laurier will now look to get back to .500 when they travel to Ottawa next weekend to play the Gee-Gees (0-3). Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Beckwith Park in Carleton Place, Ont.
NOTES: Saturday’s victory kept Head Coach Gary Jeffries perfect record against the Lions in tact…he is now 10-0 against York since becoming the Hawks head coach in 2003…the victory moves the Hawks into a three-way tie with Toronto and York for sixth place in the OUA…Bosch now tops the Hawks all-time tackles list which features a number of Gold en Hawk greats including Jesse Alexander, Ian Logan, Anthony Maggiacomo and Giancarlo Rapanaro…Laurier’s 10 second quarter points were the first points the Hawks have scored in that quarter this year…Attendance at the game was 874
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