Gaiters make cross-town hike for Mayor’s Cup

SHERBROOKE  – The Bishop’s Gaiters are set to kick-off for the second time in three weeks against their cross-town foes, the Sherbrooke Vert et Or in RSEQ University Football action.  This time when the two teams meet at Stade de L’Universite de Sherbrooke on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. the Mayor’s Cup is also on the line.

The Gaiters (1-1) topped the Vert et Or (0-2) in dramatic fashion in week one at Coulter Field.  A 40-yard Sherbrooke field goal missed wide left as time expired to give the purple and silver a 28-27 win.  In that game Gaiters quarterback Jordan Heather (Oromocto, N.B.) was nothing short of sensational.  He was 26-37 for 387 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, a performance that earned him RSEQ and CIS offensive player of the week honours.

Sherbrooke is coming off a 20-0 home opening loss at the hands of the No.1 ranked Laval Rouge et Or last week while the Gaiters, ranked tenth at the time, lost 44-18 to the No. 3 Montreal Carabins in Montreal.

Saturday will mark the eighth time the Mayor’s Cup will be played with Sherbrooke winning it on six occasions.

Expect an aerial attack from both sides on Saturday night.  In their first meeting the two teams combined for over 930 yards of total offense and Bishop’s currently boasts the top passing offense in Quebec while Sherbrooke is second.

“I think we have the two best quarterbacks in the country,” said Gaiters head coach Kevin Mackey while referring to Heather and Jeremi Roch-Doyon (Montreal), Sherbrooke’s signal caller. “That being said we expect a physical game on Saturday.  We will have to be ready and match Sherbrooke’s intensity.  We made a few mistakes last week but are cleaning them up in practice this week.”

The Gaiters and Vert et Or will kick-off for the annual awarding of the Mayor’s Cup on Saturday night at the Stade de L’Universite de Sherbrooke at 7 p.m. It will be broadcast live on Estrie 107.7 FM and is also available on the web.  Remember to check out www.gaiters.ca for all the latest news and information on the purple and silver.

Photo credit:  Mariah Even

Source:  Marty Rourke, Bishop’s Gaiters Sports Information