WATERLOO – Although the calendar has not yet flipped to October, the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks’ (1-4) season is on the line this Saturday as they host the Windsor Lancers (3-2) in their annual Homecoming game.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at University Stadium. Fans are reminded that a limited number of tickets will be available for sale at the University Stadium box office starting on Saturday morning at 9 a.m.
With a packed house expected for the game, Laurier will undoubtedly have home field advantage with them against the Lancers. Over the last 10 years, the Hawks are an impressive 7-3 on Homecoming, including a 33-18 win over Windsor back in 2008. The Hawks will need their fans to be the 13th man once again this weekend as a Laurier victory will put them right back into the race of the sixth and final playoff spot in the OUA.
Entering Week 6 of the OUA season, the young Hawks have stuck to their mantra of improving week in and week out. That held true last week despite a 45-24 setback to the No. 2 Western Mustangs. In that contest, Laurier jumped out to a 10-0 lead and were leading Western 17-12 at halftime. Even after Western responded in the second half, the purple and gold only trailed the Mustangs by a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter before eventually losing. Despite the loss, head coach Michael Faulds felt that the purple and gold had put forth their best performance of the season.
On the other side of the ball, the Lancers enter this week on a two-game winning streak following a 26-11 victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues last Saturday. However, it was a bitter-sweet victory for Windsor as they lost starting quarterback Austin Kennedy of Windsor, Ont., during the game due to a knee injury and the Lancers pivot is questionable heading into this weekend.
The key to victory between these two squads will most likely come down to the play of their defences. Windsor and Laurier are fourth and fifth in the conference in points allowed this season which points to a game that could be low scoring on Saturday. The two teams are equally stingy in giving up passing yardage to opposing offences which means everything could boil down to the running game. For the Hawks that bodes well for them as primary back Dillon Campbell of Whitby, Ont., is currently ranked first in the conference in rushing yards with 538.
Fans who are unable to attend the game will be able to watch the live webcast on Hawk TV or listen to the live audiocast on RadioLaurier.com.
HAWKS TO WATCH: The aforementioned Campbell has been a breakout star in the OUA this season and has rushed for over 100 yards in his last three games…quarterback James Fracas of Waterloo, Ont., will make his first Homecoming start against Windsor…the rookie pivot has thrown for 382 yards and rushed for two touchdowns in his first two starts…OUA Special Teams Player of the Week Thomas Majka of Mississauga, Ont., has been outstanding for Laurier this season as he is currently fifth in the conference in tackles with 33…kick returner William Pitt-Doe of Mississauga, Ont., is only 49 yards shy of break Dillon Heap’s team record for kick return yards in a season
Photo Credit: Thomas Kolodziej
Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.
CFC Youth Game Spotlight: Quebec OL ready to lock it down
