PREVIEW (OUA 5x): Western hosts Windsor; Lions welcome Warriors; “Must Win” game for Gee-Gees; Laurier looks to lock up playoff spot; Gaels battle Ravens

Western hosts Windsor to close out regular season

The Western Mustangs football team endured their second loss of the season last Saturday, falling 46-49 to the Guelph at the hands of a last-second Gryphons’ field goal. In their last game of OUA regular season action, the Mustangs will act as host to the Windsor Lancers; looking to earn a win at TD Stadium to finish the season off on a strong note before heading into the playoffs.

With last Saturday’s result the Mustangs now sit with a 5-2 record on the season; the same record held by the Lancers as both teams head into the final match of the season looking to claim one last win.
Although the Mustangs were unable to come away with the victory in last weekend’s action, the purple and white did put up some impressive performances on the day.

On offence, third-year quarterback Will Finch racked up 259 yards in the air, throwing three touchdowns and one interception. The Burlington, Ont., native went 24-for-37 on passing on the day while also adding 62 yards on the ground. Finch continues to rank amongst the best in the OUA for both passing and rushing; he is currently tied for third place for passing touchdowns with 13 and holds the fourth place spot in the OUA for rushing touchdowns with five.

Running backs Garret Sanvido and Adam Sinclair both had impressive games of their own on Saturday with Sanvido leading the Mustangs’ ground game with 98 yards on 23 attempts, while Sinclair recorded two touchdowns on the day and hauled in five passes for 41 yards. Sanvido has had a strong season so far; the Vancouver, B.C., native is currently tied for third on the OUA leaderboard for rushing touchdowns with six.

On the defensive side of the ball, Ricky Osei-Kusi led the Mustangs with eight tackles and one sack against the Gryphons. Osei-Kusi now holds the fifth place spot in the OUA for total sacks with 4.5 on the season. Phil N’Djore and Preston Huggins also impressed in last Saturday’s contest as both players tallied six tackles apiece on the day.

The Lancers also head into this Saturday’s contest with a recent loss on their record, as the team was handed their second loss of the season after falling to Carleton 21-18 last weekend.

Despite the tough loss, the Lancers had some standout performances as Terrance Crawford continued to lead Windsor’s rushing attack with 89 yards on 15 carries, while Beau Lumley led the receiving corps with 88 yards and one touchdown before being forced to leave the game early due to injury.

Kennedy Photo credit:  Mona Ghiz, Ghiz Photography (www.GhizPhotography.com)

Source:  Tony Von Richter, Western Mustangs Sports Information

Lions welcome Warriors for FANfest Game

The Match-up: York (0-7) vs. Waterloo (0-7)
 
Last Meeting
The two squads haven’t met since 2012, when the Warriors edged the Lions by a single point – 23-22 – in Week 4. The Warriors led the contest 23-11 after three quarters before the Lions mounted an exciting fourth-quarter response, scoring a touchdown with 4:30 left and then getting a pair of conceded safeties. But the final drive ended with an interception in the end zone, cutting the Lions comeback attempt just short.
 
Quick Facts
 

• York’s best game of the year came against the OUA’s other team from Waterloo, the Laurier Golden Hawks. They trailed by just six points after three quarters before falling 27-10 on the road. Waterloo’s closest contest was its season opener against the Carleton Ravens, a 33-14 defeat at home.
• The Lions have allowed 5.3 fewer points per game than the Warriors, and the Warriors have scored 1.7 more per game than the Lions.
• Head coach Warren Craney‘s first career win with the Lions came against the Warriors in Waterloo in 2011, a 20-18 overtime victory that came after a 17-point second-half comeback.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
 
York
 
QB Jahmari Bennett – Since taking over the starting quarterback job in Week 6 he has been solid under centre. In those two games he has gone 28-of-50 for 446 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
 
DE / LB Hussein Hazime – Leads the Lions and ranks fifth in the OUA with 44 tackles this season. He also has 4.5 sacks and one pass break-up.
 
REC Joey Ricottone – The rookie receiver has appeared in every game as a true freshman. He scored his first career touchdown against Queen’s last week and has seven receptions for 77 yards this year.
 
Waterloo
 
WR Mike Dedys – Is tied for fifth in the OUA with 40 receptions this year. He is first on the team in total receptions and second in receiving yards (343).
 
LB Greg Zaitz – Leads the Warriors and is third in the OUA with 48.5 tackles this season. He also has one fumble recovery and one pass break-up.
 
WR Paul Cecile – Ranks 17^th in the OUA with 355 receiving yards this season, the most on the team. He is also second on the Warriors with 29.

Source: Alyson Fisher, York Lions Sports Information

Must Win Game in Final Week

It’s win and then see what happens for the uOttawa Gee-Gees in the final week of the OUA season. They host the conference-leading and undefeated McMaster Marauders Saturday.

uOttawa is one of three teams currently at 4-3, along with Carleton and Laurier, on the playoff bubble.

“I told them just to have fun with this,” said head coach Jamie Barresi. “It’s supposedly the number one team in the OUA. They’re a good team so look at it from that perspective.”

With an eight game season there’s bound to be a number of complicated playoff tie-breaking scenarios. The Gee-Gees are relevant to seven of the 15 OUA playoff tie-breakers. With a win Saturday they can finish anywhere between fourth and sixth with help from other teams but could also still miss the playoffs if Waterloo, Carleton, and Western all win. Ottawa cannot make the playoffs with a loss.

The Gee-Gees have had the benefit of a bye week to prepare for Saturday’s meeting. The team is coming off a tough road loss to the Windsor Lancers in which they trailed 23 points by the second quarter and could never recover. But that’s in the rearview mirror now with McMaster right between them and a potential playoff spot.

That win will be no small task against the CIS no. 3 Marauders. But the Gee-Gees are optimistic and won’t get caught up thinking about McMaster’s record to date.

“There’s a lot of things to exploit,” added Barresi of the Marauders. “They’re very well coached. But as you keep looking at the film and studying it you see some different things. What will have to happen for us is that we’ll have to be precise. We’ll have communicate. They’ll give you some opportunities if you do prepare properly.”

“It was very helpful to have the bye week ahead of this game. They’re all taking exams and they needed to get some rest. Some of our guys are a little banged up so that gave them a chance to get away from it and rest up.”

The McMaster defence that has allowed an OUA-low 104 points this season also specializes in takeaways. They’ve picked off opposing quarterbacks 10 times. They will certainly look to limit Ottawa’s robust running game that averages 222 yards per game. McMaster allows an average of just 123 each game. Their pass defence allows an average of 201 yards per game and have racked up 19 sacks.

The two quarterbacks – Derek Wendel of Ottawa and Marshall Ferguson of McMaster – have comparable numbers. They’re both nearing 2,000 passing yards on the season while Ferguson has thrown 14 TDs and six interceptions on 149 completions to Wendel’s 15 and seven on 148 completions.

Photo credit:  Richard Whittaker

(Source:  Ottawa Gee-Gees Sports Information)

Golden Hawks look to lock up playoff spot versus Guelph

WATERLOO  – One year after missing out on the playoffs, the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men’s football team will look to return to the postseason on Saturday when they host the Guelph Gryphons in their regular season finale.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at University Stadium

With only two of the six playoff spots in the OUA set in stone heading into the final weekend of play, Saturday will make for a very entertaining day for fans across the conference. For fans of the purple and gold, the Hawks enter the matchup with the No. 4 Gryphons with a chance to finish anywhere from fourth in the OUA standings, and hosting a playoff game, to seventh and out of the playoffs.

In order to finish fourth, the Hawks need a win agai nst Guelph plus some help from other teams in the conference. The only scenario in which Laurier misses the playoffs is if they lose to the Gryphons and both Carleton and Ottawa win their respective games. With plenty on the line, the Hawks should be expected to give their best effort of the season as they look to secure a spot in the postseason.

On the other side of the ball, the Gryphons are locked into the number two spot in the OUA, securing them a first round playoff bye. Guelph earned their spot following a thrilling 49-46 victory over the Western Mustangs in front of their hometown fans last week. The win moved Guelph to 6-1 on the season and vaulted them ahead of the Mustangs in the CIS Top 10 rankings.

Meanwhile, Laurier (4-3) is coming off a tough 27-10 loss at the hands of the No. 3 McMaster Marauders on the road last week. Despite a great effort from their defence, in which they held a team averaging 41 points per game to just 27, Laurier’s offence w as unable to put together any consistent drives after a touchdown on the opening series of the game.

Although Guelph holds a distinct advantage in the standings, these two teams have a history of playing very competitive games over the last three years. In the three meetings since 2011, the largest margin of victory for either squad has been 14 points, a 21-7 win by the Gryphons in Guelph a year ago. Prior to that, Guelph squeaked out a 22-19 win on Homecoming in 2012 while the Hawks were victorious 15-10 on the road in 2011.

Laurier will need their defence to be at their best once again if they hope to pull off the win over Guelph. The Gryphons enter the game averaging 43.1 points per game, the second most in the OUA. To do that, the Hawks will need to shutdown Gryphons quarterback Jazz Lindsey of Markham, Ont., who had a career-day against the Mustangs, throwing for 514 yards.

Prior to the game, Laurier will recognize their 11 seniors who will possibly be pla ying in their final home game as a Golden Hawk. As well, during half time, four lucky fans will compete for a total of $3000 in a Punt, Pass, Kick competition.

HAWKS TO WATCH
– RB Dillon Campbell will have his final opportunity to etch his name is CIS history this week. Campbell enters the weekend 16th all-time for single season rushing yardage with 1,255 and his 11 rushing touchdowns are among the most in Canadian university history.
– K/P Ronnie Pfeffer continues to lead the CIS is punting, averaging an impressive 43.1 yards per attempt. His ability to put the opposition in long field positions will be key against a strong offence like the Gryphons.
– QB James Fracas will be looking to put his worst game of the season behind him with a strong performance against the Gryphons. Despite his struggles last week, the third year quarterback still ranks sixth in the nation in completion percentage at 64.2.
– DB Chris Ackie has been a beast for the purple and gold all year. His 41.5 tackles are a new career high and rank him eighth in the OUA this season. Ackie needs just three tackles on Saturday to crack the Laurier record books for most tackles in a year.

Photo credit: Adam Gagnon

(Source: Jamie Howieson, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks Sports Information)

Guelph  – Dillon Campbell.  The best player in Canadian university football.  That is what many around the country are saying at the moment about Wilfrid Laurier’s star running back.  If the Gryphons are to improve to 7-1 and finish their regular season on a high note, they will need to find a way to contain Laurier’s super star in the backfield when the Gryphons and Golden Hawks clash on Saturday afternoon in Waterloo.
 
One week after having to contend with the reigning OUA MVP in Western quarterback Will Finch, the Gryphon defence will now face another tough task as they match up against a player who many feel could take home OUA MVP honours in 2014.  Laurier’s fourth year running back Dillon Campbell (Whitby, Ont.) currently leads the CIS in rushing yards (1,255), rushing touchdowns (11), rushing yards per game (179.3) and carries (150).  He has rushed for over 200 yards twice this season (falling just seven yards short of 300 in week one).  He has fumbled just once all year.  This Saturday, Campbell and the Golden Hawks (4-3) will be fighting for their playoff lives when they welcome the Gryphons to University Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1pm.
 
Defensively, the Gryphons are led by fourth year middle linebacker John Rush (Niagara Falls, Ont.).  He will be leaned on heavily this weekend as the Gryphons attempt to slow down Dillon Campbell and that Laurier offensive attack.  Rush, a second team OUA All-Star in 2012, has fully recovered from a torn knee ligament suffered a year ago, and has established himself as one of the top linebackers in the OUA.  His patented style on the field (with his jersey tucked under his shoulder pads) makes him easily identifiable from the stands; his natural instincts and ability to read plays on the field make him easily identifiable to coaches during film sessions.  Rush is flanked byMacKenzie Myers (Guelph, Ont.) and Curtis Newton (London, Ont.) who round out a linebacking core that has provided the Gryphons with consistent, strong play all season long.  Complementing that group is a hard-working defensive line unit that is led by two-time All-Star defensive end Cameron Walker (London, Ont.).  Walker’s athleticism and tremendous pursuit off the edge has been on display all season long.  All eyes will be on this Gryphons talented front seven on Saturday as they attempt to slow down Laurier’s ground game.  Aside from Campbell, the Golden Hawks feature a dual-threat quarterback in James Fracas (Waterloo, Ont.) who completes a high percentage of his passes and spreads the ball around to a balanced receiving core.  
 
Last week, it was not a balanced receiving core for the Gryphons.  It was more of a two man show.  Receivers Alexander Charette (St. Catherine’s, Ont.) and A’dre Fraser(Halifax, NS) were Jazz Lindsey’s favourite targets against Western, combining for 24 catches, 398 yards and two touchdowns in a thrilling 49-46 victory.  This weekend, the Gryphons will face a Laurier defense that features talented athletes at every level.  At 6-2, 205 pounds, defensive back Chris Ackie (Cambridge, Ont.) has garnered some attention from CFL scouts and will pose a difficult matchup for Charette and the other Gryphon receivers who line up in front of him.  The strength of Laurier’s defense lies in the defensive line, which is anchored by All-Star calibre players in Kwaku Boateng (Milton, Ont.) and Ese Mrabure-Ajufo (Mississauga, Ont.).  

(Source:  Michelle Pino, Guelph Gryphons Sports Information)

Gaels battle Ravens

In their final game of the season, the Gaels battle the Carleton Ravens on Saturday at 1pm in Ottawa. Last week Queen’s dominated York with a landslide 57–10 win. The Gaels put on a nice show for fans celebrating Queen’s Homecoming, and fifth year veterans Billy McPhee (Burlington, Ont.) and Alex Carroll (Victoria) had particularly good games in their final matchup at Richardson Stadium. Carroll picked up over 200 yards on passes from McPhee and scored three receiving touchdowns. Queen’s hasn’t seen Carleton since their football team rejoined the league, so it should be an interesting matchup between the two recently unaquainted teams. The Gaels have had a tough season, having to forfeit their first two games due to the participation of an ineligible player on top of adjusting to the loss of many senior players last year. Queen’s will look to win their third game in a row as the young team looks ahead to next season. 

Photo credit:  Mona Ghiz, Ghiz Photography (www.GhizPhotography.com)

(Source:  Shawn MacDonald, Queen’s Golden Gaels Sports Information)