Laurier looking to avenge last season’s playoff loss at the hands of the Mustangs
Game Date/Time: Saturday, September 12, 2015 – 7:30 p.m.
Game Location: University Stadium, Knight-Newbrough Field, Waterloo
Live Webcast/Stats: OUA.tv
Audiocast: RadioLaurier.com
Tickets: tickets.laurierathletics.com
THE SKINNY
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (1-1) host the No. 3 Western Mustangs (2-0) for their 2015 home opener. The contest is also a rematch of last year’s OUA Quarter-final game won by Western.
FAN PROMOTIONS
– Laurier Students are able to purchase tickets to both the home opener and the Homecoming game in two weeks time with the Rivalry Pack ticket option on tickets.laurierathletics.
– First year Laurier Students get into the game for free if they are wearing their t-shirt or wristband as a part of Orientation Week activities. Residence Dons can also attend for free with valid ID card or t-shirt.
– The first 1,500 fans will receive a Rally Towel
NEED TO KNOW
– Laurier will be out to avenge last season’s playoff loss on the road in London. The Golden Hawks led that game for much of the contest before Western took the lead and pulled away late to advance.
– This will be the second consecutive week that the Golden Hawks face a Top 10 team in the country after the purple and gold battled the Guelph Gryphons on Labour Day Monday
– The Hawks have just one victory in their last five home openers, that coming last season when they shutout the Waterloo Warriors 44-0
– Western has won their last four games at University Stadi um, with their last appearance coming in September of 2013 when they rallied to defeat the Hawks 45-24
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Mustangs lead the all-time series with a 46-21-0 record in matchups that date back to 1967. Laurier has not beaten Western in their last 10 meetings, with their last win coming on Nov. 4, 2006 in the OUA Semifinals.
MEET THE TEAMS
Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (1-1)
Laurier finds themselves stuck in a log-jam of teams in the OUA with one victory after two weeks. The purple and gold are currently one of six teams in the conference that have two points this season and will be looking for an upset today to distinguish themselves from the pack.
Last week, the Golden Hawks had a chance to rally in the second half against the then-sixth ranked Guelph Gryphons but came up short in the fourth quarter, falling 30-19.
Laurier was led by their defence in the contest as the Hawks and defen sive coordinator Ron VanMoerkerke found a way to limit a very good Guelph team to just two touchdowns. Malcolm Thompson of Windsor, Ont., Nakas Onyeka of Brampton, Ont., and Ronald Kinga of Guelph, Ont., continued their strong starts to 2015 as they were the top three tacklers against the Gryphons. Both Onyeka and Kinga also had forced fumbles and fumble recoveries in the contest.
On offence, quarterback James Fracas of Waterloo, Ont., returned under centre for Laurier and after a slow start, finished the game 32-for-46 for 318 yards. He is expected to get the start once again for the Hawks. Dillon Campbell of Whitby, Ont., and Carson Ouellette of Windsor, Ont., were two of the Hawks more dangerous players as Campbell had 171 all-purpose yards, including 104 yards receiving, while Ouellette had eight catches for 82 yards.
Western Mustangs (2-0) – No. 3 in Canada
The Mustangs roll into Waterloo this week coming off of two blowout wins over the Windsor Lan cers in Week 1 and the York Lions in Week 2. The Mustangs were never tested in either game as they are averaging 75.0 points per game while holding their opponents to just 8.5 points per game.
As is usually the case, Western has been using their ground game to wear down opponents. So far this season, four Mustangs have over 100 yards rushing, led by 238 yards from Alex Taylor of Winnipeg, Man. Taylor also has three rushing touchdowns this season.
Expected to start at quarterback for Western will be Will Finch of Burlington, Ont. The Hawks have not faced Finch since 2013 after he missed both meetings with Laurier last season due to a concussion. This season, Finch has been very good completing 81 percent of his passes for 530 yards and five touchdowns.
Defensively, third year defensive back Jesse McNair of London, Ont., is the Mustangs leading tackler with 14 total tackles in 2015. Both Malcolm Brown of London, Ont., and Josh Woodman of Chatham, Ont., have recorded t wo interceptions so far this season.
Source: Jamie Howieson, Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks Sports Information
Marauders prepare for home opener
The Marauder football home opener is always an exciting event, and on Saturday, September 12th, two teams without a loss will clash on the field at Ron Joyce Stadium.
Currently ranked No. 7 in the national rankings, McMaster will tackle a tough opponent as the Ottawa Gee-Gees make the trip to Hamilton. The Marauders are coming off their bye week after beating Toronto on August 30th, while Ottawa is looking to start a win streak, having beaten Queen’s 41-17 last week in the nation’s capital.
The Gee-Gees were the only team to beat the Marauders in OUA play last season, winning at home 38-18 to gain a playoff spot. McMaster got some payback two weeks later by beating the Gee-Gees 42-31 in the semi-finals at Ron Joyce Stadium.
But 2015 is a new season and both teams know a victory on Saturday will likely impact league standings farther down the road.
Ottawa features some talented offensive players with veteran quarterback Derek Wendal, tailback Bryce Vieira, and receiver Ian Stewart. Like McMaster, the Gee-Gees are breaking in several new players on the defense after some graduation losses.
The Marauders will be looking to keep up the momentum they enjoyed in the second-half of the Toronto game, shaking off a halftime deficit to dominate the final two quarters, outscoring the Varsity Blues 31-7 en route to a 55-33 victory. Ottawa will have to contend with McMaster’s powerful passing attack, that features quarterback Asher Hastings and receiver Danny Vandervoort, who tied an OUA record with four touchdown receptions versus Toronto.
The McMaster defense took some time to find its legs in the opener, as the Blues scored 26 first-half points, but the maroon & grey buckled down after halftime, holding the Blues to seven points and blanking them in the fourth quarter.
McMaster will be looking for homefield advantage to play a factor as the team will enter play with an overall record of 33 wins and 4 losses at Ron Joyce Stadium since its opening in 2008.
There are still good seats available for Saturday’s game; tickets can be purchased ONLINE or at the stadium box office on game day. A special feature for Marauder fans on Saturday is a post-game autograph session with team members on the field at Ron Joyce Stadium.
If you can’t be there, Saturday’s game is being televised on Hamilton community television Cable 14, streamed on the internet atOUA.tv, and broadcast on radio at TSN 1150 on your AM dial.
Source: Bill Malley, McMaster Marauders Sports Information
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