LONDON, Ont. - The #1-ranked Golden Hawks took a trip down the 401 to meet their rivals, the #2 Western Mustangs, in a heavy weight, high stakes clash where only one could leave with a perfect record and first round playoff bye. Â
The Golden Hawks proved why they are the best team in the country as they dismantled the Mustangs 60-13. For the first time since the 2004 and 2005 seasons, the Golden Hawks have gone a perfect 8-0.Â
The 47-point difference marks the largest margin of victory over Western in Laurier football's program history; the previous high was 24-points in both 1975 and 1993.Â
The win was also Laurier's first regular season win at Western since 2005. And, to make matters worse for the Mustangs, it was their first regular season home loss since 2014. Â
Laurier got on the board first at 9:21 of the opening quarter when the Mustangs conceded the safety, putting the Golden Hawks in front 2-0.Â
Both teams would trade multiple scoreless drives throughout the first quarter, but the Golden Hawks eventually made it into the end zone when Cal Wither found Jaxon Stebbings wide open over the middle, and Stebbings proceeded to break three tackles to just get across the goal line. Â
The extra point was blocked, and the Golden Hawks closed the opening frame up 8-0. Â
Western started the second quarter on second down and five with Evan Hillock looking to swing momentum in his side's direction. He sent a high-arching throw to Seth Robertson, but Owen Goetz climbed the ladder for his second interception of the season.Â
Unfortunately, the Golden Hawks could not take advantage of Goetz's effort, going two-and-out on the ensuing drive. Â
Yet, back-to-back two-and-outs featuring three missed passes forced the Mustangs to concede their second safety of the game, putting 10 on the board for Laurier at 9:43 of the second quarter.Â
The Golden Hawks were looking to put Western into an early hole, and they did just that. Facing second and 10, Wither wiggled out of a jam, avoiding the sack, and found Tayshaun Jackson who spotted the gap and collected a fresh set of downs. Â
A couple plays later, Jackson, who recorded a combined 47-yards, finished what he started. Following the block of Josh Rietveld, he went straight up the gut and leveled the lone Mustang defender standing in his way.Â
This time, the extra point went up and through for a score of 17-0. Â
With 13 seconds remaining in the half, the Mustangs put three on the board from a 38-yard field goal, going into the break down 14. Â
The Mustangs entered the game with the best rushing attack in the nation, averaging just under 294-yards per game. Through the first half, Laurier put on a defensive clinic to limit Western to just 16 rushing yards and 73 through the air. Â
On the other end, Laurier's offense put up 270 total yards split between 175 passing and 96 rushing. Â
"We're so proud of our defense," manager of football operations and head coach Michael Faulds said. Â
"It really takes all 12 players rallying to the ball. We knew they were the premier rushing program in the conference, and we had to get all 12 guys to the ball, and we did that. We couldn't be happier with all three phases."Â
Western's passing front continued to struggle to begin the second half as they started with two more incomplete passes that led to giving up a third safety and a 19-3 Golden Hawks lead. Â
In a game that was slated to be a shoot-out, it quickly became a one-sided affair with the Golden Hawks putting up 33 unanswered points in the third quarter. Â
At 12:45, Wither shot a pass through a tight window to second-year receiver Keyon Robinson, who made his first reception of the season in the same breath as he ran 45-yards for his first career touchdown and gave the Golden Hawks a commanding 26-3 lead. Â
Moments after Dawson Hodge added three points, the Golden Hawks' offense was back to work. Wither sent a sky-high pass to Ryan Hughes, who, despite the close coverage, brought the ball down for Laurier's third passing touchdown of the afternoon. Â
The Golden Hawks separated themselves by 33 points at 36-3.Â
On that touchdown, Wither put his name in the history book, setting a new program record in single season passing touchdowns with his 24th of the year, surpassing the previous mark of 23 set by Bill Kubas in 1994. Â
Wither and Hughes were not finished there, nor did the scoring stop. Much like the first time the duo connected, Wither sent a pass over the middle where Hughes had a step on his defender. Hughes double-dipped on back-to-back touchdowns, giving the Golden Hawks a 40-point lead with 2:23 remaining in the third quarter. Â
To cap the frame off, Wither went back to his number one option in Ethan Jordan with the last play of the quarter. 59-yards down field, Jordan was wide open and all he had to do was step into the end zone for the 50-3 lead, and his second consecutive 1,000 receiving yard season. Â
"I thought in the first half they were trying to take away Ethan and Ryan. So, it was Jaxon Stebbings, it was Jace Atkinson making a lot of plays. And then in the third, we found both Ethan and Ryan several times and really opened the game," Faulds said.Â
Wither ended his day with 352 passing yards, a career high five touchdowns, a 70.5% completion rate, and no interceptions. It was the fourth time on record in program history that a quarterback has thrown five touchdowns in a single game. He now also sits third in regular season passing yards with 2,461.Â
"He mentioned he didn't sleep a lot the night before, which is natural with a big game. But wow, did he perform. He missed a few passes in that second quarter that I know he'd love to have back, but in the third, that's some elite quarterback play," Faulds said about Wither.Â
At 3:53 in the fourth, the Mustangs tallied their first touchdown of the game almost six minutes after Hodge put another three-pointer on the board, bringing the score to 53-10. Â
With Wither out of the game, Will Russell came in and picked up right where Wither left off. The play-action dragged Western's defense the wrong way, leaving Jace Atkinson wide open and the field empty around him as he found his way 51-yards into the end zone.Â
The Mustangs would add a field goal in the later stages, but the game was already too far out of reach. Â
Laurier's six touchdown passes in the game are now tied for second in program history for the most of that kind in a single game. Â
The Golden Hawks set a new program benchmark in total points scored in the regular season with 355, the previous being 343 in 2004, and 28 total touchdown passes broke the previous best of 24, also set in 2004. Â
UP NEXTÂ
The Golden Hawks have earned themselves a first round playoff bye and await their opponent. Â
Next Saturday, Guelph faces Western, Ottawa is at Windsor, and McMaster visits Queen's. Â
On Saturday, November 1, the purple and gold host the OUA semifinal match at Knight-Newbrough Field with kickoff set for 1pm.Â
Tickets are available here. Â
