CIS FOOTBALL: LIONS WELCOME GOLDEN HAWKS FOR FROSH FRENZY GAME
Kick-off is set forΒ 1pmΒ at York Stadium and can also be seen live online on LionsTV (yorkulions.ca/lionstv). The atmosphere promises to be exciting as thousands of first-year York students will be in attendance to watch the Lions at their first ever home football game. In addition, the first 500 fans in attendance will receive free Lions-branded sunglasses.
Both squads are looking to get into the win column for the first time this season. The Lions started the year on Aug. 25 with a 52-1 loss to the No. 2 nationally-ranked Queenβs Gaels and did not play last week as the squad had its bye.
The Golden Hawks, meanwhile, are currently 0-2 on the season following a 21-7 loss to the No. 7 Guelph Gryphons in Week 1 and a 27-20 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Varsity Blues on Labour DayΒ Monday.Β
The Lions came close to upsetting the Golden Hawks in Week 3 last year in a thrilling game that came down to the final drive. Laurier jumped out to a 17-0 lead and led 17-3 at the half, but the Lions came all the way back to take a 20-17 lead late in the fourth quarter. However, Laurier scored the winning touchdown withΒ 1:11Β left on the clock for the four-point win.
The Lionsβ roster now has many players with CIS experience under their belts, but overall the roster remains young with just six players in their fourth and fifth years of eligibility. The squad will look for one of them, starting quarterback Myles Gibbon (Montreal), to return to the form that saw him finish third in the OUA in passing yards last season. He got off to a slow start in the opener β 100 yards on 10-of-19, and an additional 54 yards on the ground β but proved last year he can be a game-changer on offence.Β
Week 1βs defensive leaders were lineman James Tuck (Aurora, Ont.) and defensive back Cory Bellerdine (Orleans, Ont.), who both had 4.5 tackles against Queenβs. The defence will also get a big boost this week with the return of key players in linebackers Hussein Hazime (Toronto) and Jevon Wisdom (Mississauga, Ont.), as well as defensive end Micheal Livingston (Toronto). All three of them missed the opener but are ready to go for this week.Β
Like the Lions, Laurierβs roster is also young. The team kept the game against the Gryphons close despite amassing only 71 yards of offence, and was much better the following week with more than 400 yards against the Varsity Blues. In that contest, the Golden Hawks let the Blues take a big lead after three quarters β 27-10 β before mounting a comeback that fell one touchdown short.
Second-year receiver Gregory Nyhof (Georgetown, Ont.) had his first career 100-yard receiving game against Toronto, accumulating 113 yards on six catches and a touchdown. Rookie quarterback Julien John (Oakville, Ont.) also had a big game, going 25-for-49 for 345 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception.
Saturdayβs game also marks the return of Laurier head coach Michael Faulds, who was Yorkβs offensive coordinator for three seasons before taking over the Golden Hawks in December.
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