November 3, 2005
MCMASTER AND LAURIER MEET IN SEMIS ON UNIVERSITY RUSH
A playoff match-up between the Laurier Golden Hawks and McMaster Marauders has become old hat in the world of Ontario University Athletics football. Common maybe, but never boring, and the emotions will be high when the two programs meet again this Saturday, November 5. McMaster travels to University Stadium to face the Golden Hawks in OUA semi-final action on this week’s University Rush broadcast, presented by Wilson, on The Score Television Network. Air time is 1:00 pm. The winner earns a berth to the Yates Cup, presented by Pioneer Petroleums, on November 12.
Despite experiencing extremely different seasons, McMaster and Laurier both enter the semi-final with something to prove. For McMaster, it means putting three regular season losses behind them, in addition to the 31-19 defeat Laurier handed them in last year’s Yates Cup. The four-time defending OUA champs had led 13-0 before letting it slip away by allowing 20 points in the fourth quarter of that game. The Golden Hawks completed their second straight perfect season but for the veteran-laden squad, the accomplishment means nothing if they can’t follow it up with more playoff success. Many key players are in their final year at Laurier, including All-Canadian quarterback Ryan Pyear (Belleville, ON), running back Nick Cameron (Waterloo, ON), placekicker/punter Brian Devlin (Sarnia, ON) and defensive back Ian Logan (Waterloo, ON) and the nation’s third-ranked team has some self-imposed pressure to overcome.
“We know that there is no tomorrow after this,” says wide receiver Andrew Agro. “For us fifth-year guys, this is the last one. We know what has to be done and for sure, we don’t want our careers to end at Laurier.”
Agro (Burlington, ON) and the Golden Hawks understand that the semi-final isn’t you typical first-place versus fourth-place game, now that McMaster has returned to full strength after suffering a string of injuries to key personnel throughout 2005. When the rivals met in week four, a narrow 33-26 Laurier win, quarterback Adam Archibald (Kingston, ON), defensive end Jeff Robertshaw (Hamilton, ON) and linebacker Tristan Clovis (Toronto, ON) were all missing from the McMaster lineup, which is healthy again.
“All their guns are back,” says Agro. “They nearly squeaked out a win and they were missing starters.”
Nothing has seemed to faze the reigning OUA champions for the past two seasons. They have lost just one game in the past 19, 30-11 in the Uteck Bowl to the two-time defending Desjardins Vanier Cup winners the Laval Rouge et Or. Laurier is not a particularly dominating team, and as Agro explains, they are considered undersized, jokingly suggesting that in plain clothes, the players aren’t all that imposing. Yet a methodical approach on both sides of the ball, combined with a humble, get-it-done attitude instilled by head coach Gary Jeffries, has made the Golden Hawks almost impossible to beat when it matters most, a point proven in the comeback win over McMaster in the last Yates Cup.
“The psychological impact of that was huge,” Agro says of the 2004 championship game. “In the years before that, we would walk away thinking that even if we played our best, we might not have won.
“We realized how good we actually are.”
Since McMaster’s one-sided 41-17 victory over the Golden Hawks in the 2003 Yates Cup, little has separated these two teams through three games, all won by Laurier. Laurier took the September 24, 2005 meeting by a touchdown at home, though McMaster threatened in the final minute with a chance to tie the game. The Golden Hawks edged the Marauders 34-33 on September 24 last year, and with the 12-point Yates win, became the first team to beat the Hamilton school twice in a season since 1999, when the Golden Hawks knocked them off 53-27 in regular season play and 42-27 in the OUA semi-final.
While Laurier had the benefit of a bye last week, McMaster dominated their quarter-final game with the Windsor Lancers, winning 49-19. Archibald continued his torrid passing streak since returning to the lineup three weeks ago, completing 21 of 36 passes for a Marauders playoff record 465 yards, along with three touchdowns. The reigning CIS offensive player of the week and OUA athlete of the week has thrown for 1,233 and 13 touchdowns in consecutive wins over the Waterloo Warriors, the Toronto Varsity Blues and Windsor.
But head coach Marcello Camapanaro’s team hasn’t been focused solely on the aerial attack. Rookie running back Jordan Kozina racked up an impressive first year, capped off with 286 yards and two touchdowns on the ground against Toronto in week eight. He then chipped in another 177 yards and three scores in the playoff win over Windsor last Saturday. Robertshaw had a sack and Pottinger, the 2004 President’s Trophy winner, contributed three solo tackles, three assisted tackles and half a sack against the Lancers, showing that the trademark strength among the McMaster front seven can still cause headaches for opponents.
“Mac is firing on all cylinders,” says Agro.
- O U A -
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
Despite experiencing extremely different seasons, McMaster and Laurier both enter the semi-final with something to prove. For McMaster, it means putting three regular season losses behind them, in addition to the 31-19 defeat Laurier handed them in last year’s Yates Cup. The four-time defending OUA champs had led 13-0 before letting it slip away by allowing 20 points in the fourth quarter of that game. The Golden Hawks completed their second straight perfect season but for the veteran-laden squad, the accomplishment means nothing if they can’t follow it up with more playoff success. Many key players are in their final year at Laurier, including All-Canadian quarterback Ryan Pyear (Belleville, ON), running back Nick Cameron (Waterloo, ON), placekicker/punter Brian Devlin (Sarnia, ON) and defensive back Ian Logan (Waterloo, ON) and the nation’s third-ranked team has some self-imposed pressure to overcome.
“We know that there is no tomorrow after this,” says wide receiver Andrew Agro. “For us fifth-year guys, this is the last one. We know what has to be done and for sure, we don’t want our careers to end at Laurier.”
Agro (Burlington, ON) and the Golden Hawks understand that the semi-final isn’t you typical first-place versus fourth-place game, now that McMaster has returned to full strength after suffering a string of injuries to key personnel throughout 2005. When the rivals met in week four, a narrow 33-26 Laurier win, quarterback Adam Archibald (Kingston, ON), defensive end Jeff Robertshaw (Hamilton, ON) and linebacker Tristan Clovis (Toronto, ON) were all missing from the McMaster lineup, which is healthy again.
“All their guns are back,” says Agro. “They nearly squeaked out a win and they were missing starters.”
Nothing has seemed to faze the reigning OUA champions for the past two seasons. They have lost just one game in the past 19, 30-11 in the Uteck Bowl to the two-time defending Desjardins Vanier Cup winners the Laval Rouge et Or. Laurier is not a particularly dominating team, and as Agro explains, they are considered undersized, jokingly suggesting that in plain clothes, the players aren’t all that imposing. Yet a methodical approach on both sides of the ball, combined with a humble, get-it-done attitude instilled by head coach Gary Jeffries, has made the Golden Hawks almost impossible to beat when it matters most, a point proven in the comeback win over McMaster in the last Yates Cup.
“The psychological impact of that was huge,” Agro says of the 2004 championship game. “In the years before that, we would walk away thinking that even if we played our best, we might not have won.
“We realized how good we actually are.”
Since McMaster’s one-sided 41-17 victory over the Golden Hawks in the 2003 Yates Cup, little has separated these two teams through three games, all won by Laurier. Laurier took the September 24, 2005 meeting by a touchdown at home, though McMaster threatened in the final minute with a chance to tie the game. The Golden Hawks edged the Marauders 34-33 on September 24 last year, and with the 12-point Yates win, became the first team to beat the Hamilton school twice in a season since 1999, when the Golden Hawks knocked them off 53-27 in regular season play and 42-27 in the OUA semi-final.
While Laurier had the benefit of a bye last week, McMaster dominated their quarter-final game with the Windsor Lancers, winning 49-19. Archibald continued his torrid passing streak since returning to the lineup three weeks ago, completing 21 of 36 passes for a Marauders playoff record 465 yards, along with three touchdowns. The reigning CIS offensive player of the week and OUA athlete of the week has thrown for 1,233 and 13 touchdowns in consecutive wins over the Waterloo Warriors, the Toronto Varsity Blues and Windsor.
But head coach Marcello Camapanaro’s team hasn’t been focused solely on the aerial attack. Rookie running back Jordan Kozina racked up an impressive first year, capped off with 286 yards and two touchdowns on the ground against Toronto in week eight. He then chipped in another 177 yards and three scores in the playoff win over Windsor last Saturday. Robertshaw had a sack and Pottinger, the 2004 President’s Trophy winner, contributed three solo tackles, three assisted tackles and half a sack against the Lancers, showing that the trademark strength among the McMaster front seven can still cause headaches for opponents.
“Mac is firing on all cylinders,” says Agro.
- O U A -
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
