LENNOXVILLE, Que. – The #2-ranked Golden Hawks took Coulter Field by storm, defeating the #6 Bishop's Gaiters 48-24, lifting the Uteck Bowl and punching their ticket to the Vanier Cup, both for the first time since 2005.
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The game was slated to be a duel on every front with the nation's top offences and defences matching up, and the first quarter held that true.
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It was not the best start for the Golden Hawks as
Taylor Elgersma was sacked on back-to-back plays on the opening drive, but the offence gained enough ground to strike first on
Dawson Hodge's 30-yard field goal.
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The sack party continued throughout the opening eight minutes. On the Gaiters opening drive,
Jessie Wilkins-Flaricee brought down Justin Quirion for the two-and-out, while the other end saw Elgersma sacked for the third time.
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Both teams were locked in a stalemate until the 5:13 mark.
Ethan Jordan began Laurier's drive on an 18-yard catch-and-run into Gaiters' territory, where
Layomi Ojutalayo and
Ryan Speight combined for 60 receiving yards bringing the Hawks to first and goal.
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Tayshaun Jackson took the reins, finding the lane his offensive line paved for him and easily sprinted across the goal line to put the Golden Hawks up 10-0.
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But, the Gaiters put themselves on the board not long after, however they were hoping for more. With Quirion looking into the end zone, he found his unmanned target quickly covered by
Maliek Cote, breaking up the would-be touchdown pass. Bishop's settled for the field goal and trailed 10-3 at the quarter's end.
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The floodgates burst on the Gaiters in the second quarter as Elgersma and company caught fire on the frigid November day.
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At 10:56, the 12-yard three-pointer from Hodge extended the lead to 13-3, and the Golden Hawks thereafter had little trouble piling on the points.
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Second year receiver
Ryan Hughes gave the Gaiters plenty of problems, none of which they had an answer to. Elgersma launched a rocket 43-yards to Hughes, moving the sticks just shy of the red zone.
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Jackson looked like he was going to collect his second major of the day, but was brought down after an 18-yard pick-up. Fullback
Sebastian Parsalidis capped off the drive, breaking a tackle and ploughing past the goal line for his first career playoff touchdown. Hodge's extra point was good, increasing the lead to 20-3 with 6:40 remaining.
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The Golden Hawks, and Hughes, were still far from done.
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Bishop's were forced into another two-and-out with Xavier Gervais making sure to angle the punt out-of-bounds to avoid Laurier's dangerous return unit, but it mattered little.
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With Elgersma set up at his own 36-yard line, he showed the 2,175 fans in attendance why he is the two-time OUA MVP, unleashing another massive throw to none other than Hughes who left his defender in the dust, bringing home the 74-yard touchdown. Bishop's found themselves deep in a 27-3 hole.
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"The best part about his game is that you can put it anywhere, and he'll go get it," Elgersma said about Hughes. "When he gets the ball in his hands, he makes guys miss, he wins one-on-one, so giving him those chances down the field is something I'm happy to do every single time."
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The Golden Hawks offensive line gave Elgersma the time and space to find Hughes again for another massive 53-yard reception, getting pushed out of play, but it only delayed the inevitable. Hughes was left wide-open in the end zone and his second touchdown of the game sank Bishop's deeper.
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Laurier took a commanding 34-3 lead into halftime. The Golden Hawks found their groove in the second quarter, putting up 24 unanswered points. Through two periods, the Golden Hawks went for 418 total yards to Bishop's 94, where Elgersma threw 388 of those yards while Hughes amassed 199 receiving yards.
The Gaiters started the third quarter strong as Quirion completed his pass to C-E. Bizier who dashed 30-yards into the end zone, bringing the score to 34-10 with 12 minutes left on the clock.
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Parsalidis was not fooled on the moon-shot kickoff, setting up his side at midfield. The Golden Hawks devoured over four minutes from the timer on their ensuing drive, and who else to cap it off than Hughes.
Elgersma faked the hand-off to
Tanner Nelmes, leaving Hughes open again, and breaking a tackle scored his third touchdown of the day at 7:36.
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"I'm comfortable with everything, and I know my assignment no matter what. Playing with [Elgersma], it can't get any easier than that," Hughes said. He left the game with 212 receiving yards.
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The Gaiters' next drive seemed promising as they entered Laurier territory, but Quirion and his receiver were not on the same page, banking the pass off his back, and the game's defensive MVP
Johari Hastings could not have wished for an easier interception.
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Bishop's would redeem themselves early in the final frame by forcing the Golden Hawks into a mistake of their own. Mason McGriskin blocked Hodge's punt attempt and recovered in the end zone, bringing the deficit down to 24 points at 41-17.
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But in typical Golden Hawks fashion, the response was pending. Nelmes and Jackson combined for 45 rushing yards on the play, all before Elgersma placed his pass just out of the reach of the diving Gaiter and into Speight's hands for his first touchdown of the postseason.
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The Gaiters added seven points at 2:10, but any hopes of making a glorious come-back like they did a week prior in the Loney Bowl was dissipated. The Golden Hawks ran out the clock, raising their second trophy in as many weeks and with the defeat, remain the only undefeated team in U SPORTS.
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"Now, 1-0 one more time gives us a national championship," Elgersma said as he was named the Uteck Bowl's offensive MVP.
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UP NEXT
The Golden Hawks have one more piece of hardware on their minds: the Vanier Cup. It will be the first time the national championship game has seen the purple and gold since 2005.Â
Laurier will be looking to secure its third Vanier Cup win in its 63-year program history.Â
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The team will travel to Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ont. to face the #3 Laval Rouge et Or. Kickoff is scheduled for 1pm on November 23.
Ticket purchasing information is
available at the Vanier Cup info portal.
The game will also be broadcast across the county on CBC Sports.
