Playoff preview: Lancers look to upset the Mustangs on the road

HAMILTON, Ont. – Game one of University Rush semifinal weekend kicks off at TD Waterhouse Stadium in London this Saturday, November 5 as the Western Mustangs play host to the Windsor Lancers. Catch the action, presented by AMJ Campbell Van Lines, live on The Score beginning at 1 p.m. as these teams battle for a berth in the 104th Yates Cup Championship.

The Lancers and Mustangs have seen a lot of each other in the postseason throughout OUA history, as eight of the Lancers’ 14 playoff games have been against Western. They have split the last two meetings, with Windsor advancing in 2003 and Western winning more recently in 2006.

The visiting Windsor Lancers are coming off a convincing victory over Ottawa in the quarterfinals last weekend. The Lancers lit up the scoreboard for 50 points and secured a 50-33 win for the school’s first postseason victory since the defeat of Western in 2003.

The victory was an important one for the club, but Head Coach Joe D’Amore and his troops realize what is still at stake. “It’s an exciting time for the kids,” D’Amore said about the win, “but at the same time they realize it’s only one step in the long road and we still have things we want to accomplish. We are not satisfied with the one victory and we got back to work very quickly this week to prepare for Saturday.”

Prior to last week’s game, coach D’Amore touted the importance of Austin Kennedy (Windsor, Ont.) and Matt McGarva (Surrey, B.C.) having good games in order for the Lancers to be successful. Mission accomplished. They both rose to the challenge and put up big numbers. Kennedy threw for 429 yards and five touchdowns on 25 of 34 pass attempts. He also led the team in rushing with 86 yards on the day and picked up a touchdown of his own. On the other side of the ball, McGarva racked up eight tackles, including one for a loss, and recovered a fumble.

When asked who needs to bring their game to the next level this week, D’Amore was quick to reiterate the importance of his quarterback but also put his defence in the spotlight. “Offensively, we live and die with Austin. Defensively, we have to stop what they [Western] are great at and that’s running the football. We struggled against teams that are bigger than us so guys like Seamus Postuma and Joe Tritler need to step up and use their big bodies to their advantage.”

The Lancers and Mustangs were non-combatants during the regular season this year, which poses unique challenges in terms of preparation. Both teams will have to rely solely on video, a source teams can only get so much information from, and wait until game time to see the speed and size of their opponent first hand.

Western enters Saturday’s semifinal after some much needed rest. With injuries aplenty, the ‘Stangs were forced to sit ten starters in their final regular season game. After the bye week, Western expects key players Tyler Varga (Kitchener, Ont.), Matt Norman (Montreal, Que.), Brian Marshall (London, Ont.), and Zach Bull (Port Colborne, Ont.) to be back in the lineup. Also expected to dress is starting quarterback Donnie Marshall (London, Ont.) who has been out with an ankle injury. However, Saturday’s starting QB is still a game time decision for coach Marshall.

The Mustangs finished the regular season on a sour note with a shutout loss to long-time rival Queen’s. Though the bye week was necessary to help heal injuries, it also provided a lot of time to reflect on that 37-0 loss two weekends ago and Western is eager to get back on the field and wipe that game from their memory.

Coach Marshall talked about the preparedness of his club, stating, “It’s not easy to just turn it off and on,” referencing the ability to bounce back from the loss, “but we’ve got some healthy bodies back and we will definitely be ready.”

With most of their key players back in the lineup, the Mustangs look to return to the strong offensive numbers they registered early in the season. The dynamic running back duo of Varga and Nathan Riva (LaSalle, Ont.) will execute the ground game. Varga finished second in the league with 793 rushing yards and posted a league leading 15 touchdowns in seven games while Riva was second in rushing touchdowns with nine.

The Mustangs will need to contain the Lancer receiving corps, which is easier said than done. “Their receivers are big, can go up and catch the ball, and add on yardage after the catch. Defensively we cannot get discouraged, because those guys will make plays,” commented Marshall.

Western is looking for their fifth consecutive Yates Cup appearance, but know that a strong Lancers squad stands in their way. Windsor looks for their first trip to the Yates Cup since their last appearance in 1975 when they claimed the championship trophy.

Catch all the action live on The Score beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday as these teams write another chapter in their playoff history.

Be sure to stay tuned to The Score following the Lancers and Mustangs game, as the second semifinal begins at 4:30 p.m. live from Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton, as the Queen’s Gaels visit the McMaster Marauders.

WINDSOR REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS

PASSING

Austin Kennedy (Windsor, Ont.)
138 completions, 212 attempts, 2,108 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 interceptions

RUSHING

Shomari Grant (Kissimmee, Fla.)
559 yards, 3 touchdowns

RECEIVING

Jordan Brescacin (Tecumseh, Ont.)
50 receptions, 773 yards, 7 touchdowns

Cory Fernandes (Mississauga, Ont.)
50 receptions, 644 yards, 5 touchdowns

DEFENCE

Matt McGarva (Surrey, B.C.)
45 solo tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 4 tackles for loss

Brad Adams (Windsor, Ont.)
37.5 total tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble

WESTERN REGULAR SEASON STATS LEADERS

PASSING

Donnie Marshall (London, Ont.)
68 completions, 124 attempts, 990 yards, 5 touchdowns, 4 interceptions

RUSHING

Tyler Varga (Kitchener, Ont.)
793 yards, 15 touchdowns

Nathan Riva (LaSalle, Ont.)
568 yards, 9 touchdowns

RECEIVING

Andrew Thibaudeau (Kitchener, Ont.)
28 receptions, 398 yards, 1 touchdown

Brian Marshall (London, Ont.)
20 receptions, 378 yards, 3 touchdowns

DEFENCE

Beau Landry (Kitchener, Ont.)
38 total tackles, 4 interceptions, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack

Luke Reda (Mississauga, Ont.)
33 total tackles, 1 interception, 3 tackles for loss

David Lee (London, Ont.)
28.5 total tackles, 1 interception, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks