November 7, 2004
SEMI-FINAL WINS SET WLU AND MAC FOR 2003 YATES CUP REMATCH
The top ranked teams in Ontario advanced to the 97th Yates Cup championship this Saturday at 1 p.m. with big semi-final wins. The perfect Laurier Golden Hawks (9-0 overall) defeated the visiting Ottawa Gee-Gee 46-7, on the strength of quarterback Ryan Pyear and his three touchdown passes. The Hawks will host the four-time defending champion McMaster Marauders (8-1overall) who took down the Western Mustangs, 40-23 in the remaining OUA semi-final. Record-breaking running back Jesse Lumsden and key cornerback Kwame Aidoo were both injured during the game, with their status uncertain for Saturday's championship.
Laurier 46, Ottawa 7
At Waterloo, Ont. Ryan Pyear threw three touchdown passes to help the
second-ranked Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks secure a place in the Yates Cup
final with a 46-7 win over the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
The undefeated Hawks (9-0), who last captured the Yates Cup in 1991, will
host the four-time defending OUA champion McMaster Marauders (8-1) next
Saturday for the provincial banner. Laurier won the only previous
head-to-head match-up this fall 34-33, on Sept. 25., handing the Marauders
their first defeat in 39 games against a conference opponent.
\"We're truly excited at the opportunity to play and host the Yates,\" said
Laurier head coach Gary Jeffries. \"We know what it feels like to be there,
this year we'll be prepared.\"
The Hawks defense played a spectacular game, allowing only 22 yards of
offense in the first half and an additional 99 in the second. Two
interceptions, two fumble recoveries and seven sacks were all a part of the
strong effort.
Down 3-0 after one quarter, Laurier scored 39 unanswered points in the next
two period to run away with the win.
Pyear took charge on offence completing 14 of 19 attempts for 217, three
majors and one interception. Pyear found Andrew Agro and Nick Cameron in the
second quarter, and added a TD toss to Joel Wright in the third.
Cameron was the leading rusher in the game with 66 yards on 23 carries, and
added 42 yards on two catches.
Steven Frake returned an interception on 65 yards for a major in the second
quarter, while Adam Scheerer, on a 22-yard pass from backup Jamie
Partington, had the final Laurier major late in the game.
Freshman Joshua Sacobie had a rough day at quarterback for Ottawa, going
6-of-17 for 56 yards and one interception. Backup Michael Crabtree went
4-of-8 for 78 yards and one pick.
(Source: Michel Belanger, CIS Communications)
McMaster 40, Western 23
It was a nerve-wracking day for the McMaster Marauders, but it wasn't the
Western Mustangs who were responsible for the anxiousness during Mac's 40-23
win.
On a day when the Marauders flew out to a 30-0 lead at halftime, their
celebrations were tempered by injuries to running back Jesse Lumsden
(Burlington, ON) and Kwame Aidoo (Oakville, ON) in the second half. Both
suffered knee sprains in the third quarter, and their status is uncertain
for next week's Yates Cup.
Lumsden still managed to rack up 217 yards rushing and a touchdown on 25
carries in a little over one half of play. Lumsden's biggest run came in the
second quarter with the Marauders leading 16-0. After a fumble recovery by
Western, Mac linebacker Greg Vrantsis (Hamilton, ON) picked off a pass on
the very next play, setting up Mac in great position. Lumsden rumbled 31
yards to the Mustangs' 4-yard line on the next play from scrimmage and
scored two plays later to give Mac a commanding 23-0 lead. A Brandon Little
(Burlington, ON) 75-yard punt return touchdown late in the quarter crushed
the spirits of Western before the half and put McMaster ahead 30-0.
The game was highlighted by a strong eastbound wind on a beautiful Saturday
at Ivor Wynne Stadium. The conditions definitely affected the passing game
of Western, as star receiver Andy Fantuz (Chatham, ON) only caught one pass
for eight yards in the first half. Fantuz finished with six catches for 86
yards and a touchdown. His partner, quarterback Chris Hessel (London, ON)
ended the day going 19 of 45 for 260 yards with two touchdowns and three
interceptions. Randy McAuley (London, ON) led the team in rushing with 11
carries for 113 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown early in the fourth.
Freshman defensive back Matt Carapella (London, ON) had perhaps the best
defensive game in the country this season, amassing 14.5 tackles, a forced
fumble, and two interceptions.
For McMaster, quarterback Adam Archibald (Kingston, ON) fought through the
windy conditions to perform very well for the Marauders. He completed 17 of
33 passes for 266 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and also ran in
a six-yard touchdown on a beautiful bootleg in the second quarter.
Vaughan Swart (Welland, ON) caught 10 balls for 149 yards (7-125 in the
second half) and a touchdown. Andre Cockett (Hamilton, ON) caught five
passes for 92 yards and a touchdown.
The McMaster defence swarmed Hessel all day and admittedly confused Fantuz
with coverage looks he had not seen prior to this week. Jason Pottinger
(Whitby, ON) led the team with six tackles and a forced fumble. Jeff
Robertshaw (Hamilton, ON) also had two sacks for the Marauders.
The win sets up a rematch with the first-place Laurier Golden Hawks in next
Saturday's Yates Cup (1 p.m., The Score). Laurier beat Ottawa 46-7 today.
Because of their 34-33 loss to the Hawks in the regular season, Mac will
have to travel to Waterloo for the title game.
(Source: Chris Black, McMaster)
Laurier 46, Ottawa 7
At Waterloo, Ont. Ryan Pyear threw three touchdown passes to help the
second-ranked Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks secure a place in the Yates Cup
final with a 46-7 win over the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
The undefeated Hawks (9-0), who last captured the Yates Cup in 1991, will
host the four-time defending OUA champion McMaster Marauders (8-1) next
Saturday for the provincial banner. Laurier won the only previous
head-to-head match-up this fall 34-33, on Sept. 25., handing the Marauders
their first defeat in 39 games against a conference opponent.
\"We're truly excited at the opportunity to play and host the Yates,\" said
Laurier head coach Gary Jeffries. \"We know what it feels like to be there,
this year we'll be prepared.\"
The Hawks defense played a spectacular game, allowing only 22 yards of
offense in the first half and an additional 99 in the second. Two
interceptions, two fumble recoveries and seven sacks were all a part of the
strong effort.
Down 3-0 after one quarter, Laurier scored 39 unanswered points in the next
two period to run away with the win.
Pyear took charge on offence completing 14 of 19 attempts for 217, three
majors and one interception. Pyear found Andrew Agro and Nick Cameron in the
second quarter, and added a TD toss to Joel Wright in the third.
Cameron was the leading rusher in the game with 66 yards on 23 carries, and
added 42 yards on two catches.
Steven Frake returned an interception on 65 yards for a major in the second
quarter, while Adam Scheerer, on a 22-yard pass from backup Jamie
Partington, had the final Laurier major late in the game.
Freshman Joshua Sacobie had a rough day at quarterback for Ottawa, going
6-of-17 for 56 yards and one interception. Backup Michael Crabtree went
4-of-8 for 78 yards and one pick.
(Source: Michel Belanger, CIS Communications)
McMaster 40, Western 23
It was a nerve-wracking day for the McMaster Marauders, but it wasn't the
Western Mustangs who were responsible for the anxiousness during Mac's 40-23
win.
On a day when the Marauders flew out to a 30-0 lead at halftime, their
celebrations were tempered by injuries to running back Jesse Lumsden
(Burlington, ON) and Kwame Aidoo (Oakville, ON) in the second half. Both
suffered knee sprains in the third quarter, and their status is uncertain
for next week's Yates Cup.
Lumsden still managed to rack up 217 yards rushing and a touchdown on 25
carries in a little over one half of play. Lumsden's biggest run came in the
second quarter with the Marauders leading 16-0. After a fumble recovery by
Western, Mac linebacker Greg Vrantsis (Hamilton, ON) picked off a pass on
the very next play, setting up Mac in great position. Lumsden rumbled 31
yards to the Mustangs' 4-yard line on the next play from scrimmage and
scored two plays later to give Mac a commanding 23-0 lead. A Brandon Little
(Burlington, ON) 75-yard punt return touchdown late in the quarter crushed
the spirits of Western before the half and put McMaster ahead 30-0.
The game was highlighted by a strong eastbound wind on a beautiful Saturday
at Ivor Wynne Stadium. The conditions definitely affected the passing game
of Western, as star receiver Andy Fantuz (Chatham, ON) only caught one pass
for eight yards in the first half. Fantuz finished with six catches for 86
yards and a touchdown. His partner, quarterback Chris Hessel (London, ON)
ended the day going 19 of 45 for 260 yards with two touchdowns and three
interceptions. Randy McAuley (London, ON) led the team in rushing with 11
carries for 113 yards, including a 79-yard touchdown early in the fourth.
Freshman defensive back Matt Carapella (London, ON) had perhaps the best
defensive game in the country this season, amassing 14.5 tackles, a forced
fumble, and two interceptions.
For McMaster, quarterback Adam Archibald (Kingston, ON) fought through the
windy conditions to perform very well for the Marauders. He completed 17 of
33 passes for 266 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and also ran in
a six-yard touchdown on a beautiful bootleg in the second quarter.
Vaughan Swart (Welland, ON) caught 10 balls for 149 yards (7-125 in the
second half) and a touchdown. Andre Cockett (Hamilton, ON) caught five
passes for 92 yards and a touchdown.
The McMaster defence swarmed Hessel all day and admittedly confused Fantuz
with coverage looks he had not seen prior to this week. Jason Pottinger
(Whitby, ON) led the team with six tackles and a forced fumble. Jeff
Robertshaw (Hamilton, ON) also had two sacks for the Marauders.
The win sets up a rematch with the first-place Laurier Golden Hawks in next
Saturday's Yates Cup (1 p.m., The Score). Laurier beat Ottawa 46-7 today.
Because of their 34-33 loss to the Hawks in the regular season, Mac will
have to travel to Waterloo for the title game.
(Source: Chris Black, McMaster)
