LONDON, Ont. - For a moment, it looked like #1 Western's place atop the OUA was vulnerable. Early in the first quarter, the Golden Hawks became the only team this season to take a lead against the Mustangs, and the only team to pick off quarterback Evan Hillock. Â
A few costly mistakes to start the second half as well as strong performances from Western's offensive and defensive lines proved too much for Laurier to overcome, however, as the Mustangs came away with a convincing 45-9 victory. They now move on to face the Queen's Gaels in next week's Yates Cup Final, while the loss marked the end of the Golden Hawks' 2022 football season.Â
Laurier started off strong, forcing Western to punt on their first drive into the strong wind at Western Alumni Stadium. The wind was a significant factor all afternoon and Laurier made good use of it in the first quarter.Â
The first big play of the game was a long pass to Raidan Thorne, who laid out to make the diving catch. This set up a field goal attempt which Dawson Hodge unfortunately missed, but sent through the back of the endzone for a rouge.Â
On the ensuing Mustangs drive, Hillock's pass was deflected right into the hands of Shomari Hutchinson, who took it to the house for a touchdown.Â
Laurier's Manager of Football Operations and Head Coach Michael Faulds opted to try and build on the momentum and called for a surprise onside kick, which the Golden Hawks nearly recovered, but ultimately led to Western starting with the ball at their own 52. The defence was able to hold them to a field goal.Â
On the next drive, Dawson Hodge unleashed a punt into the wind that went on the scoresheet as a 94-yard rouge to push the lead to 9-3.Â
The second quarter saw the Mustangs begin to shift the momentum back to their side, as they opened the frame with a one-yard touchdown run from Jackson White. Â
On their next drive, they showed off their U SPORTS-best ground attack, as Keon Edwards and Edward Wanadi traded big gains. Laurier's defence once again held strong as the play neared the redzone, forcing Western to settle for another field goal to make it 14-9.Â
The Golden Hawks defence continued their strong play, holding the Mustangs on their own side of midfield for the rest of the quarter and keeping the lead at five heading into halftime.Â
"We were super excited for that second half," said Manager of Football Operations and Head Coach Michael Faulds after the game. "Going in (to the locker room) down 14-9, it's a close game." Unfortunately for Faulds and his team, the third quarter was one they would have loved to restart.
On just the second play of the opening drive, Tanner Nelmes fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Western. It took the Mustangs nine plays to finally find the endzone, but find it they did, as Wanadi ran it in from two yards out. Â
On the ensuing kickoff, Western received a gift from the wind, as the ball hung in the air long enough for the Mustang's cover unit to recover it on the Laurier 31, making for an unusual 34-yard onside kick.Â
With the ball in excellent field position against a tired Golden Hawks defence, Western made no mistake, and Edwards scored a nine-yard major just four plays later.Â
Laurier's next drive ended with another fumble, this time coming on a strip-sack by Malcom Hinds on Taylor Elgersma. The Mustangs would add a field goal to make it 31-9.Â
"We play with an oval object, and sometimes it bounces in weird ways, and unfortunately in those five to six minutes that happened to us," said Faulds. "Credit to Western. They were opportunistic, they made the plays."Â
The Golden Hawks showed signs of life on the following drive, with three straight twelve-yard gains coming courtesy of Elgersma on the scramble, Thorne through the air, and Nelmes on the carry. Two straight Western sacks and a missed field goal kept the Golden Hawks from gaining any significant momentum, however.Â
Other than a fake punt in which Hodge ran for a first down, the fourth quarter was mostly a show of dominance in the trenches by the Mustangs, earning them two more touchdowns.Â
"I was proud of how the guys continued to battle," said Faulds. "There's no one on this field of the 48 guys we dressed that didn't want it badly."Â
TOP PERFORMERSÂ
Laurier Golden HawksÂ
Shomari Hutchinson's pick six to take an 8-0 lead might have been the most exciting play of the season for Laurier. He finished what may be his final career OUA game with 3.5 total tackles.Â
Western MustangsÂ
The offensive line had a game for Western, and so did the guys they were clearing the way for. Particularly Keon Edwards, who finished with 136 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.Â
UP NEXTÂ
"We'll talk more about our next steps for next year in the weeks to come," said Faulds. "I told the guys, the next 24 or 48 hours are about consoling our seniors and thanking them for all they've given to the program."Â
