Mustangs host Golden Hawks in Thursday night showdown
After the McMaster Marauders provided the Mustangs with their first regular season defeat since 2012 last weekend, on their home turf nonetheless, the purple and white will have a short week to regroup as they host the Laurier Golden Hawks this Thursday, October 9 at TD Stadium.
Last Saturday’s action saw the Marauders put a stop to the Mustangs four game winning streak with a 32-29 McMaster victory, and in doing so, improve their regular season record to 6-0, tops in the OUA. For the Mustangs the recent defeat now gives the team a 4-1 record, putting them into a four-way tie with Guelph, Windsor, and Laurier for second place.
Despite the loss the Mustangs put up some strong performances, including the play of new Mustangs receiver Shaquille Johnson, who led the team with seven catches and 137 yards receiving with one touchdown.
The 2012 CIS rookie of the year is becoming an important part of the Mustangs offence, averaging 67.2 receiving yards per game so far this season. He also plays a key role in the return game, with 313 total return yards in only four games played.
Third-year quarterback Will Finch put up solid numbers despite facing heavy pressure from the Marauders defence as the Burlington, Ont., native connected on 20 of his 29 pass attempts for 279 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception. He also led the team in rushing, carrying the ball 13 times for 86 yards and one rushing touchdown. Five games into the season Finch is third in the OUA with 274.6 passing yards per game, and is also third in both passing and rushing touchdowns with 10 and five respectively.
The Golden Hawks will enter this Saturday’s contest coming off of a 27-10 victory over the York Lions last weekend, a victory that extended the team’s current winning streak to three games, with the other two wins coming against Waterloo and Carleton.
Fourth-year running back Dillion Campbell continued to impress in last weekend’s action as he became the fifth player in Laurier history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season, as he totalled 1,021 yards after Saturday’s victory. Campbell has been an outstanding offensive force this season, and last Saturday’s game was no different for the St. Mary’s, Ont., native as he led the Golden Hawks offence, rushing for 171 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions. Campbell sits in the top spot in the CIS for both rushing yards per game and rushing touchdowns with 204.2 and ten respectively.
While Thursday’s contest is key for playoff positioning, it also carries special significance for the man patrolling the Laurier sidelines as it will be the first time he returns to his former stomping grounds as a head coach. Legendary Mustangs quarterback Michael Faulds will once again be on the turf at TD Stadium, however he’ll be wearing a different shade of purple as head coach of the Golden Hawks. Midway through his second season with Laurier Faulds has already compiled a 5-8 record as the team’s bench boss, taking the team from a 1-7 record last season to a 4-1 mark midway through 2014. There’s no question that Faulds will have his team ready to go as they look to steal a win from the Mustangs under the bright lights at TD Stadium.
Game time for Thursday’s matchup is set for 7 p.m. at TD Stadium. Fans can watch all the action live on OUA.tv, on Rogers Cable 13 in London, or throughout Ontario on Rogers Sports Plus. Fans can also listen live on CHRW Radio, or on Newstalk 1290 CJBK with Tom McConnell and legendary Mustangs coach Larry Haylor calling all the action.
Photo credit: Grace Chung
Source: Western Mustangs Sports Information)
Golden Hawks aim to end losing streak against Mustangs
WATERLOO – The No. 10 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men’s football team faces their first test as a nationally-ranked squad on Thursday night as they tangle with the No. 4 Western Mustangs at TD Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game can be seen heard live on RadioLaurier.com or watched online at OUA.tv.
There are plenty of storylines surrounding this game as the 4-1 Golden Hawks square off against their rivals, the 4-1 Mustangs, for second place in the conference. Laurier enters the game as the newcomers to the CIS Top 10 rankings after cracking the exclusive list earlier this week. With Western sitting at No. 4, it represents the first time that the two foes have faced each other as nationally-ranked teams since the opening game of the 2010 season when the No. 6 Hawks lost 46-1 to the No. 9 Mustangs on the road in London.
That defeat came right in the middle of Laurier’s eight-game losing streak to Western, a string of losses which the purple and gold will be looking to end on Thursday night. The Hawks have not handed the Mustangs a notch in the loss column since the 2006 OUA Semifinal, a 20-15 victory at University Stadium, and the last time Laurier won a road game in London was during the regular season in 2005.
However, this is a different Golden Hawk team than the editions that have face the Mustangs over the past number of years. After giving Western their toughest game of the season a year ago, a game in which the Hawks led at halftime and held the Mustangs to their lowest point-total in a record-breaking season, Laurier promises to be full of confidence entering this showdown. Called the “best 1-7 football team” last season, the purple and gold have carried the confidence gained from that game against Wester n into this year and are off to their best start since they posted a 7-1 record back in 2007.
A big reason for that success rests squarely on the shoulders of running back Dillon Campbell of Whitby, Ont., and the Golden Hawks offensive line. Campbell, last season’s OUA leading rusher, has carried that success into this season and last week, broke the 1,000 yard rushing mark in just his fifth game. Behind the strength of a bigger and stronger offensive line, Laurier’s fourth-year back has 1,021 yards this season, just 58 yards shy of breaking Jim Reid’s all-time school record of 1,078.
Campbell will face his toughest challenge of the year on Thursday as the Hawks go up against the number one rush defence in the conference. Western is allowing just 57.8 yards per game on the ground, proving they have been stingy against the run all season. However, a similar situation exists for the Mustangs, a team that also enjoys running the ball, as they go up against a Laurier defence that is second in the OUA, allowing just 86.4 yards per game.
One final key storyline to examine is the health situation of both teams. According to head coach Michael Faulds, the Hawks enter Thursday’s game with their healthiest lineup of the season. One of the big reasons for that statement is the fact that top receiver Greg Nyhof of Georgetown, Ont., will make his return to the Hawks against Western. Staying healthy has been one of the top priorities for Faulds and his coaching staff this season and gives his group confidence heading into one of their biggest games of the year.
On the other side of the ball, Western appears to be a banged up group following their games against McMaster last week. A number of players have gone down to injury this season for the Mustangs and if the Hawks can take advantage of a weakened opponent, it could spell the end of their losing streak.
HAWKS TO WATCH
– RB Dillon Campbell leads the country in both rushing yards (1,021) and touchdowns (10) and last season, had 155 yards on 15 carries who the purple and gold against Western, highlighted by a 100-yard touchdown run.
– QB James Fracas threw his first interception of the season last week, ending his unblemished record of four-straight games without throwing a pick. He will need to bring his best effort in the same stadium where he made his first appearance for Laurier back in 2012.
– DL Kwaku Boateng is second in the OUA in sacks this season with six, a number which is just 3.5 shy of the single-season record at Laurier. If the second year defensive end can get into the backfield against the Mustangs, it could make for a long day for their starting quarterback.
– REC Greg Nyhof will be a primary target for Fracas on Thursday in his return to the lineup. Despite only playing two games this season, the third year receiver still ranked second on the team in receiving yards with 155, demonstrating the chemistry that he has with his starting pivot.
Photo credits: Thomas Kolodziej)
(Source: Jamie Howieson, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks Sports Information)
Friday Night Lights: No.6 Gryphons host Ravens at Alumni Stadium
Guelph, Ont. (Oct. 8, 2014) – The sixth ranked Guelph Gryphons (4-1) and the Carleton Ravens (3-2) are set to kick-off under the lights at Alumni Stadium on Friday, October 10. Game time is scheduled for 7pm. With a log jam in the OUA standings, all three of Guelph’s remaining regular season games will have a huge impact on playoff seeding. The good news for Gryphons fans is that Stu Lang‘s squad still control their own destiny in the pursuit of securing a first round bye and spot in the OUA semi-finals.
The Gryphons are coming off another impressive defensive performance in a 24-9 win over Austin Kennedy and the Windsor Lancers. This week, Guelph’s defence will have to deal with another athletic quarterback-receiver duo when they face the Ravens. Carleton quarterback Nick Gorgichuk (Ottawa, Ont.) has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes this season and is also one of the most athletically gifted quarterbacks in the conference. His favourite target is Nate Behar (London, Ont.) who in just his second year has already developed into one of the best all-around receivers in the country. Despite the fact that the Gryphons beat Carleton 48-12 last season, Behar was able to rack up 12 catches and 152 yards in the game – both season-highs. From a rushing standpoint, the Gryphons will focus on containing Carleton’s small but speedy running back Jahvari Bennett (5-8, 163 – Mississauga, Ont.) who currently sits fourth in the OUA in rushing. While Carleton’s feature running back may be undersized, the offensive line is anything but. With three players standing 6-foot-7 or taller, the Ravens boast one of the biggest o-lines in the country.
T – Tyler Young 6-7, 307
G – K.C. Bakker 6-7, 340
C – Matt Lapointe 6-4, 310
G – Eric Fowler, 6-3, 310
T – Kwabena Asare 6-8, 280
The good news for the Gryphons is that their defensive line has been perhaps their best unit all season long. After recording 10 sacks in the homecoming win versus Queen’s, the Gryphons front four were once again outstanding in the victory over Windsor. The Gryphons were also helped out defensively on the back end last week with the return of starting free safety Tristan Doughlin (Toronto, Ont.). Overall, the Gryphons will face a tough test against a young but talented Carleton Ravens offense that is much improved from a year ago.
For the Gryphons on offense, fourth year quarterback Jazz Lindsey (Markham, Ont.) leads an attack that has done a tremendous job all season long of limiting turnovers. Aside from boasting one of the best turnover ratios in the country, the Gryphons have scored 41.8 points per game (good for fifth in the CIS) and rushed for 204.4 yards per game (good for sixth in the CIS). But perhaps the most impressive offensive stat for the Gryphons this season has been their execution in the red zone. Of Guelph’s 28 trips inside the 20, 16 have resulted in a touchdown while 11 have ended in a made field goal. The 96% success rate in the red zone is one of the best in CIS (T-2). This week, the Gryphons face a Carleton Ravens defense that is extremely athletic and who have proven they can hang with the best. McMaster quarterback Marshall Ferguson was kept out of the endzone versus Carleton (his only game this season without a touchdown pass) and completed a season-low 54.8% of his passes. With the Ravens in the hunt for a playoff spot and the Gryphons continuing their pursuit of a first round bye in the crowded OUA standings, Friday night’s game promises to be a good one.
Come on out and help ensure the Gryphons football team head into Thanksgiving weekend with another win! For those who are unable to make it to Alumni Stadium on Friday night, the game will webcast on oua.tv, with kickoff set for 7pm.
(Source: Guelph Gryphons Sports Information)
Golden Gaels & Varsity Blues meet for Thanksgiving battle in Kingston
This weekend the Gaels are back in action against the Toronto Varsity Blues at 1pm on Saturday at Richardson Stadium. Two weeks ago, Queen’s gave McMaster a scare in Hamilton at their homecoming game. Throughout the game, the Gaels had high defensive pressure, which resulted in Corey Flude (Kingston, Ont.) recovering a Marauders fumble, halting a McMaster attack. Alex Carroll (Victoria) picked up a touchdown on a pass from Billy McPhee(Burlington, Ont.), who also completed 21 of 29 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns, throwing one interception. The last time the Gaels saw Toronto was two years ago when they beat them 35-7, shutting Toronto out of the OUA playoffs in the final league game of the season. Coming off a bye last weekend, Queen’s has been preparing for the Thanksgiving match against Toronto, who sits just ahead of the Gaels in OUA standings.
(Source: Queen’s Golden Gaels Sports Information)
Gee-Gees head into home stretch at Windsor Friday
Under Friday night lights, the 4-2 Gee-Gees will take on the team which sits right in front of them in the standings, the 4-1 Windsor Lancers in week seven of the OUA regular season. With two games remaining, uOttawa is in charge of their own playoff fate. Two wins – albeit against two very tough teams – will ensure them a strong seed in the post-season.
“Every game that we’ve had in the last month has been crucial,” says head coach Jamie Barresi, not downplaying anything. “This is just the next big game. We have to be ready. That’s all there is to it and we’ll be up to the task.”
Windsor is coming off a disappointing loss at the hands of the Guelph Gryphons, their first of the season that counted as Queen’s defeated them in their first game but was forced to forfeit because they used an ineligible player. Against Guelph, Windsor put up just nine points and 164 passing yards.
But that’s not bringing down the Gee-Gees’ guard going in to Friday.
“They’re good on offence. They do a lot of different things,” says Barresi of the Lancers. “It’s going to be difficult to contain those guys. They’ve got good receivers. Their quarterback is outstanding. They have a good running back. They’re a veteran group and they have high expectations. Defensively, they’re carrying their load.”
Windsor quarterback Austin Kennedy has been dangerous. He leads the OUA with 290 passing yards per game but has been sacked 10 times. So rest assured the Gee-Gees will look to let OUA sack leader Ettore Lattanzio and the rest of their pass-rushers loose on Kennedy. That pressure may help force inaccurate throws and let the secondary jump on routes as Kennedy also leads the OUA in interceptions.
Barresi’s own offence has shown improvement over the last couple weeks. Quarterback Derek Wendel racked up 288 passing yards and three TD passes in one half of work against Waterloo while six rushers combined for 288 yards on the ground in the blowout win.
The Gee-Gees have averaged more than 36 points per game and gained the second most yards on offence in the OUA. But the offence can always be better and will continue to reach its full potential. So with two games to go, they need to be at least as good as they’ve been.
uOttawa will look forward to an 11-hour trek down to Windsor for their first night game of the season. They won’t allow that to be an advantage for the Lancers.
“It’s the longest road trip I’ve done in quite a while,” adds Barresi. “I’m talking to them [his players] about it and coaching them up on it. Trying not to make it an issue and making it our advantage.”
The Lancers are 2-1 at home this season. Kickoff is 7 p.m. this Friday and can be viewed on OUA.tv.
(Source: Ottawa Gee-Gees Sports Information)
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