Shamawd Chambers was in his fourth and final season playing for the Golden Hawks in 2011. During his time at Laurier, he was a three-time OUA all-star. In 2012, he was the sixth overall pick in the CFL Draft.

In his seven-year CFL career (which was cut short due to injury), he caught 169 passes for 1,822 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a Grey Cup Champion with Edmonton in 2015.  After that game, he was named the Outstanding Canadian.

It was the first day of October in the autumn of 2011, which was my first season working as a scout/recruiter for the Golden Hawks football team.

The Hawks started the season 1- 3. The week before, in London, Laurier lost a close 34-28 game at Western that dampened an incredible day by receiver Dillon Heap (176 yards receiving & two touchdowns, including a 63-yard punt return).

Five days after the Homecoming Game, Laurier would go on to demolish Waterloo 69-3 to even their record at 3-3, but before that, they faced a 3-1 Ottawa team that looked very impressive.

On this day, Laurier wore some special jerseys celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the institution (formerly known as Waterloo Lutheran University). The head coach at the time was Gary Jefferies.

"I recall the importance of winning this game for our alumni on that historic day in school history," Jeffries said. "Shamawd put on an amazing display showcasing his immense talent."  

"My memories of Homecoming feel very vivid," Chambers said. "That was my last Homecoming game, and I think it might've been Coach Jeff's as well. I was just coming off some injuries. I really wanted to rise to the occasion. I remember the crowd was electric and my family was there. It was a beautiful October day."



The Golden Hawks took an early lead on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Shane Kelly to Mark Surya (who, five years later, was the offensive coordinator for the 2016 Yates Cup Champion Golden Hawks).

Soon after, Isaac Dell scored a one-yard rushing touchdown. Before the half, Shane Kelly also had a one-yard rushing touchdown, and the Hawks led 20-3.  

In the third quarter, the Kelly-to-Chambers combination exploded. Six minutes into the quarter, Kelly threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Chambers. Four minutes later, they reconnected for another. This time, it was a long toss that covered 58 yards, putting the Hawks up 34-9. 

Two different angles of that second touchdown pass can be viewed below:





Regarding that long touchdown reception, Chambers said, "Kelly and I had something going pre-snap whenever we saw press coverage. I put my hand in the air indicating for him to throw it deep to me. I ran under it, made the catch, and kept going until I got into the end zone."

"The crowd was cheering wildly, and since it was Homecoming, there were hundreds of people in the endzone. I always had a strategy of throwing the ball down somewhere, so while the refs looked to retrieve the ball, I could engage in some form of celebration."

"Former Golden Hawk receiver Andy Baechler jumped the fence and was pointing up in the air, so I knew the assignment was to just get up in the air and celebrate with him, which resulted in the refs throwing a flag."

"I got back to the sideline, and I was laughing and trying to convince Coach Jeffries that I didn't do anything wrong. I told him that it wasn't me that got the penalty for excessive celebration; it was Andy."  

Jeffries reflected how he didn't know who took the penalty, but when he found out, he wasn't too surprised.

"It did put a smile on my face," he said.  

Chambers added how, "Coach Jeff wasn't really mad, because at that point, we were already winning by a lot. That was a tough year for the team, but that was a great day for Coach Jeff."

The penalty on that play was, in fact, unique. Baechler was a standout receiver who played five years for Laurier. From 2003 to 2007, he caught 128 passes. He still ranks fifth in career receptions and sixth in career receiving yards for the purple and gold.

He was a key contributor to the 2005 Vanier Cup Championship team. How he came to be involved in THIS game, four years after his graduation, is quite interesting.

Baechler was actually working that day. He had recently begun work at THE SCORE, and he was job shadowing a colleague that day, so that explains why he was already on technically on the field.

"I was in the end zone talking to some friends and was actually looking away from the field," Baechler said. "I heard the roar of the crowd who were reacting to Shamawd's catch on the deep ball. I turned and saw him running the last few yards into the end zone. I may have stepped around some of the placards at the back of the end zone on the spur of the moment, and jump bumped Shamawd in celebration.

"Please note, I had no such plans to involve myself in the game, and for the record, I do not condone such behaviour," he said good-naturedly.

"I did not immediately notice the flag, but after the officials announced that there was a 15-yard penalty for excessive celebration, I quickly connected the dots and knew I was likely to blame."

"Soon after the game, Coach Jeff let me know his thoughts about my antics, but it was certainly tempered by the fact we won the game in such a convincing fashion."