September 14, 2005
WESTERN AND MCMASTER CLASH IN UNIVERSITY RUSH OPENER ON THE SCORE
HAMILTON – A national television audience will see one of the greatest football rivalries that Ontario University Athletics (OUA) has to offer this Saturday, September 17. A potential record crowd for a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football game may be on hand to catch the No. 8 Western Mustangs and the No. 7 McMaster Marauders square off at Ivor Wynne Stadium as The Score Television Network broadcasts the University Rush opener, presented by Pizza Pizza (air time is 2:30 p.m. ET). The day will feature the first Canadian Football League (CFL)/CIS doubleheader of the modern era (post-1965), with the hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats taking on the Calgary Stampeders following the marquee OUA match-up.
The Mustangs and Marauders, who last met in the 2004 OUA Semi-Final (which McMaster won 40-23), are both undefeated entering the third week of the season. The successful programs are in transition after losing key offensive catalysts from last year’s teams but neither has shown any slide in jumping out to identical 2-0 record and a spot in the CIS Top 10.
Despite the departure of All-Star quarterback Chris Hessel, Western has scored an OUA best 99 points in wins over Toronto (70-1) and Guelph (29-10), while allowing an OUA low 11 points on the defensive side of the ball. University of Toledo transfer Michael Faulds has helped ease the loss of Hessel, completing 29 of his first 36 passes in 2005, for 514 yards (third in the CIS) and three touchdowns.
Faulds has arguably the best target in the country in Andy Fantuz, a 1st Team All-Canadian last season and the all-time reception yardage leader in CIS history. The Chatham, ON native has 13 catches for 242 yards and a touchdown so far this year, proving he’s recovering well from a debilitating off-season thigh injury. Randy McCauley and D.J. Bennett provide a solid one-two punch on the ground as the two Mustang veterans have combined for 429 rushing yards and five touchdowns in Western’s first two wins.
McMaster will get to see their old star running back Jesse Lumsden on Saturday. Unfortunately, he’ll be suiting up for the Tiger-Cats in the back end of the doubleheader after returning north of the border following a training camp stint with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League this summer. But the McMaster ground attack appears to be in capable hands as a new threat has emerged this season. Marauders’ head coach Marcello Campanaro has to be impressed with rookie running back Jordan Kozina, who has done a solid job in replacing the Hec Crighton Trophy winner Lumsden in the McMaster backfield. Kozina, from Brantford, ON, has grabbed a hold of a spot on the first team by racking up 264 rushing yards in the first two university games of his career, including a week-two, CIS-best 193 yards against a tough Ottawa Gee-Gees team in McMaster’s recent 28-18 win.
Third-year quarterback Adam Archibald enters week three ranked ninth on the CIS passing yardage list after throwing for 466 yards and three touchdowns in the two wins. The Marauders have been tested early with difficult match-ups against Windsor and Ottawa but other than giving up a few more points than usual, the Yates Cup finalists have got the job done.
The Score Television Network Ltd. (“The Score”) is a national specialty television service which provides sports news, information, highlights and live event programming, available across Canada in over 5.5 million homes. The Score’s website www.thescore.ca provides up-to-the-minute sports news and information, as well as interactive contests and polls. The Score is a wholly owned subsidiary of Score Media Inc.
- 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
The Mustangs and Marauders, who last met in the 2004 OUA Semi-Final (which McMaster won 40-23), are both undefeated entering the third week of the season. The successful programs are in transition after losing key offensive catalysts from last year’s teams but neither has shown any slide in jumping out to identical 2-0 record and a spot in the CIS Top 10.
Despite the departure of All-Star quarterback Chris Hessel, Western has scored an OUA best 99 points in wins over Toronto (70-1) and Guelph (29-10), while allowing an OUA low 11 points on the defensive side of the ball. University of Toledo transfer Michael Faulds has helped ease the loss of Hessel, completing 29 of his first 36 passes in 2005, for 514 yards (third in the CIS) and three touchdowns.
Faulds has arguably the best target in the country in Andy Fantuz, a 1st Team All-Canadian last season and the all-time reception yardage leader in CIS history. The Chatham, ON native has 13 catches for 242 yards and a touchdown so far this year, proving he’s recovering well from a debilitating off-season thigh injury. Randy McCauley and D.J. Bennett provide a solid one-two punch on the ground as the two Mustang veterans have combined for 429 rushing yards and five touchdowns in Western’s first two wins.
McMaster will get to see their old star running back Jesse Lumsden on Saturday. Unfortunately, he’ll be suiting up for the Tiger-Cats in the back end of the doubleheader after returning north of the border following a training camp stint with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League this summer. But the McMaster ground attack appears to be in capable hands as a new threat has emerged this season. Marauders’ head coach Marcello Campanaro has to be impressed with rookie running back Jordan Kozina, who has done a solid job in replacing the Hec Crighton Trophy winner Lumsden in the McMaster backfield. Kozina, from Brantford, ON, has grabbed a hold of a spot on the first team by racking up 264 rushing yards in the first two university games of his career, including a week-two, CIS-best 193 yards against a tough Ottawa Gee-Gees team in McMaster’s recent 28-18 win.
Third-year quarterback Adam Archibald enters week three ranked ninth on the CIS passing yardage list after throwing for 466 yards and three touchdowns in the two wins. The Marauders have been tested early with difficult match-ups against Windsor and Ottawa but other than giving up a few more points than usual, the Yates Cup finalists have got the job done.
The Score Television Network Ltd. (“The Score”) is a national specialty television service which provides sports news, information, highlights and live event programming, available across Canada in over 5.5 million homes. The Score’s website www.thescore.ca provides up-to-the-minute sports news and information, as well as interactive contests and polls. The Score is a wholly owned subsidiary of Score Media Inc.
- 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
