The 2012-2013 season is shaping up to be a memorable one for Marauders fans.

McMaster is looking to repeat upon last year’s successful campaign, which included Mac’s first ever Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) football championship, the Vanier Cup, an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship from the men’s soccer team, an OUA championship appearance from women’s rugby and a young men’s basketball team that reached the OUA Final Four.

The football season begins on Sept. 3, kicking off at Ron Joyce Stadium as the Marauders look to defend their championship. There will be some familiar faces in this year’s title run, with the reigning OUA Most Valuable Player Michael DiCroce returning at the wide receiver position.

Kyle Quinlan will be back under centre for the Maroon and Grey and look to top his 2011 season, which included the Most Valuable Player award in both the OUA and CIS championships.

Linebackers Nick Shorthill and Aram Eisho are also returning, and expectations are high for both players after successful rookie campaigns.

The fall athletics season will also see the women’s rugby team look to build off an amazing 2011 season. After going undefeated in conference play, the squad lost in the OUA finals to the University of Guelph Gryphons. Despite the loss, the team qualified for the CIS championships. The women’s team is poised to contend again for the OUA championship and looks to bring the 2012 banner to the David Braley Athletic Centre.

The men’s soccer team will be back on the field Sept. 5 at the University of Waterloo to defend their championship. The home opener for the men’s team will be on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 3:15 p.m., as the Marauders take on the University of Windsor Lancers.

Returning to lead the McMaster attack is forward Gersi Xhuti, who won OUA Rookie of the Year in 2011. The outlook is optimistic for the team, which includes a number of other returning key players.

With winter comes the return of basketball and a young men’s team looking to establish themselves as a force for coming years in the OUA. After a surprisingly successful season last year, Marauders fans can expect another playoff run and possibly a shot at the Wilson Cup.

The team will feature reigning OUA Rookie of the Year Adam Presutti at the point while rookie Rohan Boney aims to use his athleticism to aid the Marauders’ fast-paced offence. This season could see the return of the Maroon and Grey to the CIS championship tournament, a level of competition the Marauders have not reached since 2006.

The Silhouette will be there every step of the way this athletic season, following all of the student athletes’ journeys to bring championship glory to the Mac campus.

After the news broke of quarterback Kyle Quinlan’s recent signing with the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes, McMaster’s football community, still on the highs of 2011’s historic Vanier Cup-winning season, has been confronted with the harsh reality that has long been entrenched in collegiate athletics: players of the highest calibre will eventually leave, ready or not, to begin their professional careers.

After leading his team to national football supremacy, Quinlan will now be expected to work at a much higher level. From such a successful team, one deemed to be among the best in CIS history, surely more than one player would be considered to have “next-level” talent.

Enter All-Canadian guard Jason Medeiros, who has recently signed with the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

Medeiros, a Hamilton native, will get a chance to fulfill a lifelong dream of any athlete: to make the roster of his hometown team. Keeping things truly close to home, Medeiros attended the May 31 TiCats rookie camp on some familiar soil, as the camp was held at McMaster’s Ron Joyce Stadium.

Full training camp began on June 3 and it can be expected that the 6’4”, 315-lbs. sociology major will make a strong showing throughout the duration of the pre-season.

Marauder head Coach Stefan Ptaszek weighed in on Medeiros’ readiness, saying that the third-year lineman will make McMaster proud at the very least.

“I am so happy that Jay has earned the opportunity at a professional career. I know he will be a positive representative of the McMaster Marauder Football program.”

Now, supporters of the defending champion Maroon and Greys may be experiencing some mixed emotions. On one hand, Medeiros and Quinlan have a shot at joining the six CFL players who started their playing careers out of McMaster’s program. On the other, one of the country’s best offenses in 2011 could lose at least two of its players to the pros, one of whom was arguably the best player on that offense.

In fact, both Medeiros and Quinlan have one year of CIS eligibility remaining. So, if neither makes the roster of their new team, Mac can expect to have them return for the defense of both provincial and national football titles.

If successful, the two players would join the ranks of receiver Mike Bradwell, safety Jason Arakgi, linebacker Jay Pottinger and offensive linemen Andrew Jones, Chris Van Zeyl and Kyle Koch in Canada’s proleague.

A notable name missing from this CFL list is former Marauder running back Jesse Lumsden, whose career was cut short due to injury.

Now a member of the Canadian National Bobsledding team, Lumsden holds several offensive records at Mac, though he was never able to bring a national championship back to the Steel City, despite his illustrious career.

The success of both Medeiros and Quinlan as part of the 2011-12 Marauder squad that won the Vanier Cup sets them apart from those who have blazed the path from Mac to the ranks of professional football.

That note on their football resume might be indicative of a promising career for both players – one that raises the bar of excellence for those graduating out of Canada’s top university football program.

Either way, whether they don the colors of their new team, or come home to once again wear numbers 61 and 12, respectively, the future is bright for Jason Medeiros and Kyle Quinlan.

McMaster quarterback Kyle Quinlan has signed a two-year deal with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes. He’ll get a chance to crack the team’s roster this spring.

Quinlan led the Marauders to the Vanier Cup last November, beating out the Laval Rouge et Or to capture the school's first national championship. He was named MVP of the Yates Cup, Uteck Bowl and Vanier Cup.

The star quarterback will compete for the third-stringer job with Montreal, hoping for the chance to play behind starter Anthony Calvillo and backup Adrian McPherson. He has another year of eligibility with Mac, so should he not make the cut with the Alouettes, he could be back with the Marauders. Much of the core Vanier Cup-winning team would return in Maroon and Grey next year if that were the case.

Quinlan, who many speculated would have a CFL future after last autumn's championship run, was overlooked in last week’s CFL draft, allowing him to negotiate with any of the league's eight teams in search of an opportunity to play professionally.

Calgary Stampeders backup Brad Sinopoli is the only Canadian quarterback currently on any CFL roster.

On Tuesday, the Al's signed a second Canadian quarterback, Kyle Graves of the Acadia Axemen, who will also compete for a roster spot with the team. The Marauders beat the Axemen in the Uteck Bowl prior to their Vanier Cup victory.

The 23-year old Quinlan is continuing to serve out the one-year probation following his discharge after an incident at TwelvEighty last year, for which he was initially charged with one count of assault and two counts of assaulting a police officer.

 

Brandon Meawasige           

 

Assistant Sports Editor

 

 

 

Before each CIS football season, programs from coast to coast compete in a recruiting frenzy for the nation’s premier high school in order to develop for the future and address team needs with hopes of building the next Vanier Cup contender.

 

For the McMaster Marauders, as defending Vanier Cup champions, this year’s recruiting season provides an opportunity for the coaching staff to establish connections with high school players based on a winning reputation alone. Adding to their already youthful lineup, head coach Stefan Ptaszek and his staff has been aggressive, making waves recently by releasing a star-studded list of 16 defensive prospects from around Ontario.

 

“It is all about personal relationships and getting to know the best players around the country. Certainly the big trophy in my office and the Vanier cup rings may help break some of the ties in the competitive recruiting wars, but there is still allot of elbow grease in getting to know these kids around the country” said Ptaszek.

 

It would appear from the announcement that the emphasis lies on the defensive side of the ball for the Marauders, especially on line, which was one of the most experienced units for Mac in their Vanier Cup run.

 

“Defensive line is an area that we need to address. There are three or four young men coming to camp that will provide some depth, help keep us afloat and in the long-term become excellent football players,” said Ptaszek.

 

“One kid in particular to note is Zach Intzandt from London, he is one of the best D-lineman in that city and it is good to get him away from the evil empire [the rival Western Mustangs] down there is a big victory for us,” he continued.

 

Intzandt, a 6’4” 275 lb. beast from London’s St. Thomas Aquinas leads the group of defensive recruits, but offensively there remains some grey area for Ptaszek and his staff.

 

“We are going to announce some receivers in the coming weeks that are going to add some value,” he shared staying tight lipped about both the remaining targets and players that have already committed.

 

As expected, there are plenty of question marks surrounding certain offensive positions, namely at quarterback, with pivot Kyle Quinlan on CFL draft boards after competing at this month’s combine in Toronto. Regardless of whether he returns for his final year of eligibility, the Marauders are beginning to prepare for life after their star, which may be an easier transition that originally thought.

 

During this past season backup Marshall Ferguson, who was a highly touted recruit in his own regard, emerged as a more than suitable successor to fill the large shoes left by Quinlan.

 

McMaster is also interested in a pair of quarterback recruits, including local standout Alex Hill from Stoney Creek’s Cardinal Newman. The Marauder missed out, however, on local standout quarterback Will Finch, who chose the Mustangs after a successful high school career at Burlington’s Nelson High School.

 

Traditionally, recruits are forced to choose between playing time on the field and program prestige, which is not the case at Mac.

 

“All six years that I have been here, we have had at least 15 or more true freshman dress and play every single year, this year was no exception with players like [Linebackers] Aram Eisho, Nick Shortill and [Running Back] Chris Pezzetta starting and playing every down,” offered Ptaszek.

 

Looking to continue with his tradition of developing talent through experience Ptaszek is sticking to his faith in youth.

 

“McMaster’s philosophy has always been if talent is equal, the young man who is going to be here the longest is going to get the majority reps. We are hoping to bring in a talented group where 15 or more can dress and contribute again. I’d suspect well have some that are pushing to start right away,” he added.

 

In most cases, schools are looking to improve on their results from last season. For the Marauders, sticking to their philosophy of emphasis on youth seems to be the most effective strategy, as it paid off in 2011 eclipsing the pinnacle of CIS football in 2011.

 

For Ptaszek and his staff, rounding up recruits for next season’s squad lends itself to the old adage “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fraser Caldwell

Sports Editor

 

Very few athletes are presented with the opportunity to realize a childhood dream, but McMaster’s Jason Medeiros may soon be one of them.

That’s because Medeiros – a standout offensive lineman for the Marauders’ Vanier Cup winning football team – has been ranked tenth in the CFL’s latest pre-draft scouting report.

Having already accepted an invitation to the league’s Evaluation Camp to be held in Toronto in March – alongside McMaster teammates Kyle Quinlan and Brad Fochesato – Medeiros looks to be well on his way to the professional ranks.

For his part, the lineman is clearly over the moon with the value CFL scouts have placed on him. He insists that professional consideration in any form would have been enough. Instead, he has been anointed as one of the most promising prospects on offer across Canada.

“I really wasn’t expecting to be ranked at all,” Medeiros confessed. “Coming into this season, I knew that I had to do well because it was my draft year. Just to get noticed at all would have been fantastic, but to be ranked this high is unbelievable.”

Medeiros is excited to represent McMaster at the highest level, and believes that the inclusion of three Marauders at the league’s evaluation camp is a testament to the strength of the program as a whole.

“Representing your colours at this level is something you always dream that you can do, and I’m sure that Kyle and Brad feel the same way,” said the veteran lineman. “It’s amazing to be able to represent Mac like this, because we’re an organization and a team that competes at the highest level.”

Marauders’ Assistant Head Coach Jon Behie called the plays for Medeiros and his fellow offensive players this past season, and believes that the recognition that the lineman has garnered reflects well on the program as a whole and provides an example for younger teammates.

“It feels great when one of our guys is recognized,” said Behie. “It’s something that our entire program can be proud of, and also gives our younger guys something to aspire to. The same goes for Kyle and Brad being invited to the CFL evaluation camp as well.”

The lauded play-caller is unsurprised by Medeiros’ position on the scouting list, citing a sterling season from the lineman as ample reason for his being placed in the upper echelon.

“I’m not surprised by Jay’s being ranked tenth,” said Behie. “He had as good a calendar year as a CIS player could have had in 2011. He tested and played well at last year’s East-West Bowl, and was part of the Senior Men’s National Team over the summer.

“It certainly helps that CFL scouts saw him more than hold his own against some of the best defensive lines in the country, including Queen’s, Western, Acadia and Laval. But as great as being ranked tenth on that list is, Jay knows that in the end it really doesn’t matter all that much.

“He still needs to work hard leading up to the E-Camp and have a great showing that weekend.”

One thing is certain: Medeiros will not lack for motivation as he strives to crack a CFL lineup. Having long dreamt of a shot at playing professionally, the lineman is thinking of nothing else as the evaluation camp looms.

“It’s one of those dreams that you have ever since you were a little kid,” said Medeiros. “When you’re at the level that you’re ready to make the jump, it’s the only thing that you think about.

“I wake up thinking about the CFL. I eat and sleep it. It’s all I do.”

Fraser Caldwell

Sports Editor

 

Stefan Ptaszek’s contract may have been expiring, but after the colossal accomplishment of his squad this past season, the future of the Marauders’ bench boss didn’t remain uncertain for long.

McMaster’s Department of Athletics and Recreation announced the signing of Ptaszek to a new five-year contract on Dec. 14, along with the promotion of offensive coordinator Jon Behie to the role of Assistant Head Coach.

The move comes as no surprise after the Marauders stormed to victory in the Vanier Cup under the leadership of Ptaszek, and with the considerable contribution of Behie’s CIS-leading offensive unit.

McMaster’s Director of Athletics and Recreation, Jeff Giles is adamant however that the decision to keep Ptaszek at the helm was made long before the Marauders’ well-documented playoff success.

“It wasn’t so much about winning for us this year, whether you define ‘winning’ as taking the Yates Cup or however you want to define it,” said Giles of the new deal. “It was about showing that we were moving towards our goals. And obviously we did that – we did more than that.

“I offered [Ptaszek] an extension before the Yates Cup, because I wanted him to know that it didn’t matter if we won or lost at that point. We had shown progress.”

For his part, the Marauder coach explains that the news of his rehiring was a great weight off his shoulders, coming as it did at the conclusion of McMaster’s conference season. The impending end of a contract is a stressful time for any coach, for whom the job is his livelihood and that of his family.

“This is how I feed my family, and the joys of coaching and the privilege of working with these young men is not indefinite,” said Ptaszek. “It comes with some stress, and renewing contracts is a big deal in this industry.

“For every coach that you see who has a 20-year career in Canada there are hundreds that fell short of that. The only way to do this job right is to think long-term and invest in these young men on a long-term basis. Unfortunately, your contract doesn’t always reflect that.”

In that respect, Ptaszek’s new five-year deal allows him significant latitude, particularly with regards to recruiting, where the assurance of stability at the head coaching position could be a major selling point for potential athletes and their families.

“The nice thing about McMaster is that the majority of the staff has been here for closer to 20 years than five,” said the Marauder coach. “Isn’t it nice to be able to come in here and know that your positional coach will probably be here until you graduate? It’s pretty unique to have that stability.

“It makes a difference when you’re in a mom and dad’s living room and they know that you’re going to be there for the duration. If they decide that they like you, then they know that you’ll be there to direct the ship for the next four or five years.”

With the new deal comes an inevitable salary increase for the championship-winning coach. The most recent public salary disclosure figures from 2010 list Ptaszek as having earned $131, 870 in that fiscal year, which made him the second-highest paid head coach in Ontario for the reporting period behind UWO’s Greg Marshall ($131, 937).

However, Giles indicates that the reported figure was unusually high as a result of an “extra-ordinary payment.” While declining to disclose the exact financial figures involved in the new contract, the Athletic Director did admit that they represented a marked increase.

“He got a bump,” Giles said of Ptaszek’s compensation. “Part of the process was talking to the other Athletic Directors in the OUA and talking about what their coaches make – coaches that have similar track records to him.

“I think the offer we settled on is more than fair and it compensates him along the lines of his coaching brethren and what they’ve achieved as well.”

While Ptaszek enjoys a renewed role with the program, his resident offensive guru Jon Behie has seen his importance within the Marauder football hierarchy reaffirmed.

The coordinator – whose creative and devastatingly effective offense dominated the country’s statistical charts – is now officially recognized for what has long been his de facto role as Ptaszek’s overall assistant.

On the topic of his promotion, Behie is quick to express the degree to which he is gratified by the confidence in him shown by his head coach and the department as a whole.

“I’m only 28, so to have that title [as Assistant Head Coach] at this point in my career means a lot,” said Behie. “It tells me that Stef and Jeff Giles appreciate the work that I’ve done and that they’ve recognized it. So it’s pretty cool.”

The newly promoted coach indicates that the greatest change inherent in his new role will be an administrative one, as he continues to learn the nuances involved in running a varsity football program.

“On a day-to-day basis there aren’t many changes to my role,” said Behie. “I might be poking my nose in a little bit in terms of the behind the scenes stuff, just because I want to make a life-long career out of this. That means understanding how the financial side works on the basis of what Stef does.

“I’ll be looking in for observational purposes to understand how a program really works. I think I have a pretty good idea already, but there are always going to be unexpected things if I make that next step, and I’d like to be as prepared as possible for that whenever it comes.”

If there is one thing that the new role for Behie indicates, it is that Stefan Ptaszek has a very apparent understudy on hand, and one that is uniquely homegrown for a McMaster program that is traditionally used to looking elsewhere for coaching talent.

While his lengthy contract makes no mystery of the fact that he intends to remain with the Marauders for the foreseeable future, Ptaszek also recognizes the value of having a talented veteran of the program on hand.

“McMaster, in choosing its head coaches in recent history has gone outside of the program,” said the Marauder bench boss.

“I take tremendous pride in the fact that we’re starting to develop some of our bright student athletes and retaining them so that the next time this program is looking for a head coach, they don’t have to look outside of the Maroon and Grey.”

Behie makes no secret of his desire to one day become a head coach in the CIS, and the fact that such an opportunity at the school he once donned the uniform for would be the stuff of dreams. However, the coordinator has no intention of unseating a man he enjoys working with, and one under whom he has flourished.

“My goal professionally is to become a head coach at the CIS level,” said Behie. “That’s what I want to do and what I’ve wanted to do since I finished playing. This place means more to me than any other place in the world ever could. Ultimately, it would be great to accomplish that goal here.

“But at the same time, Stef is one of the best head coaches in the entire country and I really enjoy working with him. He gives me the freedom to do what I think is necessary offensively, and I’ll work under him happily for as long as he’s around here.”

It's the day they've all been waiting for. Every CIS player dreams of playing in the Vanier Cup, and for the players and coaches of the McMaster Marauders, that dream has finally come true.

The Sil's got your Vanier Cup needs covered. Check here tonight for the game story and follow @Decker_Brian, who's live on site in Vancouver, and @SilSports for updates.

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A few of the Mac players have Twitter, and by the looks of their tweets, they're raring to go for tonight's game. Here's what a few of the players have had to say so far:

LB Ryan Chmielewski (@Chummer_54): "Few hours til #Vanier can't wait. #macmen gonna put on a show for our viewers. We promise we won't disappoint.@tsn_sports" - at 1:09 PM

CB Joey Cupido (@joecup18): "#Macmen getting ready to win one more game at the #VanierCupthanks to everyone for your support on this journey #bringittoMcMaster" - at 9:51 AM

LB/DE Shane Beaton (@SB13x0) "Hay is in the Barn. #MacMen ready to go to war tomorrow. #VanierCup" - yesterday. (note: 'Hay is in the Barn' is a Stef Ptaszek/Gary Jefferies term that means all the preparations have been made for a game and all that's left to do is play)

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If you're looking to get caught on the Marauders, the Rouge et Or and how they got to the Vanier Cup (as well as a bunch of other interesting stories), here's a little post with all your required reading for tonight's game.

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Interested in tonight's game? You've got a few options for following along.

- Vanier Cup parties are being held in the Burridge Gym and at TwelvEighty. Both were pretty well attended for last week's Uteck Bowl, and the atmosphere at TwelvEighty was lots of fun. I was there last week and it's nice to see that many people into the game. Have to imagine they'll be even better tonight.

- TSN is carrying the game live at 6 p.m.

- You can follow the liveblog commentary of the CIS Blog, where I'll be joining Andrew Bucholtz, who runs Yahoo! Sports' CFL Blog, The 55 Yard Line, and a host of others.

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Brian Decker

Executive Editor

 

The last time the Western Mustangs football team lost a game at home, the Marauders broke the hearts of Mustang fans with a win at Western’s Homecoming in 2009.

This most recent loss likely hurt a little more.

The McMaster Marauders entered hostile territory and earned their first Yates Cup since 2003 with a 41-19 victory, handily beating Western and punching their ticket to the national semi-final in Moncton, where they’ll play Acadia in the Uteck Bowl.

“‘Leave No Doubt’ seems to be the motto of our athletic department, and the football team left no doubt about who was the best football team in the OUA in 2011,” said coach Stefan Ptaszek.

Kyle Quinlan threw for 275 yards, ran for 103 more and earned game MVP honours while Marauder defence held Western to a mere rouge on offence before the fate of the game had been effectively decided.

“We’ve had the monkey on our back for quite some time with this team. It was great to come out here and execute our game plan and get the win,” said receiver and OUA MVP Mike DiCroce, who caught four passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

After a slow start on offence (but some timely mistakes by the Mustangs, too), the Marauders took a 10-3 lead into halftime thanks to a Teddy Peters field goal and a Chris Pezzetta touchdown run from seven yards out. Then, with the Marauders struggling to overcome penalties and Western failing to produce much at all, one pass from the game’s MVP to the league’s MVP gave Mac all the momentum they would need.

From deep in Mac’s own end and with 6:24 left in the third quarter, Quinlan threw down the sideline and found DiCroce, who broke free from Western halfback Aaron Handsor and took the pass 102 yards for a touchdown.

“We drew it up with Kyle throwing a pump fake and I would try to get open. The halfback couldn’t get over to me and Kyle just threaded the needle to me,” said DiCroce.

Peters added a field goal before the end of the third quarter. Then, with 13:38 to go, Quinlan found Robert Babic in the end zone from 12 yards out to make it 27-3. Quinlan would tack on another touchdown to Brad Fochesato from 33 yards out to make it 34-3 with just over 10 minutes to go before any hope of a comeback from the Mustangs was lost.

Western would score two late touchdowns to make things slightly more respectable on the scoreboard.

The 10-3 halftime lead might not have been a lead at all for the Marauders were it not for a dramatic goal-line stand by the sturdy McMaster defence. The Mustangs looked to be in position to tie the game after Western fullback Dan Duff took a pass down to the McMaster two-yard line late in the first half.

But the Maroon and Grey held strong and pushed quarterback Ian Noble and running back Tyler Varga back three times to prevent the score and get the ball back.

The stand echoed week two, when the Mustangs kept Mac out of the end zone from two yards out in a 48-21 Western victory.

“The strength of [Western] is supposed to be smashing it right at you. Nobody’s been able to stop them when they got inside the five-yard line ever, and we got killed in week two inside the five-yard line. We were supposed to be undersized and a little thin inside, but in fact it was the strength of our football team,” said Ptaszek.

“The defence exceeded every expectation we ever could have possibly had for them. That’s the best football game they’ve played all year, bar none.”

Donnie Marshall, Western’s starting quarterback who had been out since Oct. 1 with a severely sprained ankle, returned to start and play in most of the game, but was limited in mobility and sported a noticeable limp by game’s end.

With Marshall looking shaky, it was up to Varga, the OUA Rookie of the Year, to carry the load on offence for Western. Varga ran for 154 yards on 30 carries, but was arguably outplayed by Marauder rookie Chris Pezzetta, who ran for 151 yards on just 19 attempts.

The Yates Cup win was Mac’s first since 2003, when Greg Marshall – the coach who occupied the opposing sidelines this year – was McMaster’s own head coach.

“[Marshall] runs the best program in Ontario over the past few years and he’s been to this game nine straight years. He knows how to build a program from top to bottom,” said Ptaszek.

“To go toe-to-toe with him and get it in his backyard, well, we’re doing some things right.”

Brandon Meawasige

Assistant Sports Editor

 

No. 9 Acadia Axemen (8-1)

Flying under the radar until late in the season, the Acadia Axemen have quietly put together one of the most successful overall teams in the CIS this season.

The Axemen will bring twelve conference all-stars to the Uteck Bowl including the AUS Most Valuable Players on both offence and defence with quarterback Kyle Graves and linebacker Tom Labenski taking home earning those honors.

In addition, Acadia’s coach Jeff Cummins, in his ninth season in that role, was named AUS Coach of the Year.

On offense the Axemen average 423.2 yards per game, ranking second in their conference and tenth in the CIS in that category.

Led by Graves, who threw for 1856 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, Acadia’s attack is based on a consistent passing game that had Graves targeting five different receivers more than ten times in eight regular season games.

On the ground three running backs carried the majority of the load for the Axemen with sophomore players Zack Skibin and Zack Clarke complementing senior Brett Haenni for an average of 175.5 yards per game. This run-by-committee style helped Acadia be the premier rushing team in the AUS.

The Axemen’s defence is one of the best in the country. Ranked third in the CIS, the unit averaged an AUS-low of 307.2 yards per game. Undeniably the greatest strength of this team, that group has been dubbed “The Wolfville Wall”, a reference to the university’s location in Wolfville, NS.

One of the Axemen’s five defensive all stars, defensive tackle Jake Thomas is a big reason why the unit allowed less than 100 yards rushing each game.  Recording nine sacks and leading the country with 16 tackles for a loss, Thomas is an exciting player to watch.

In order for Acadia to be successful, the defence must be stout against the run and continue to generate the big plays that have held opposing offences to an average of 13.5 points per game.

A loss to perennial powerhouse St. Mary’s on Oct. 1 was the only blemish in an otherwise dominant season for the Axemen. The Huskies won that game by a score of 8-3, handing Acadia its first and only loss.

Redemption was in the offing as the two faced off in the Loney Bowl on Nov. 12. St. Mary’s was the heavy favourite entering play, as they had captured the title for four consecutive seasons from 2007- 2010.

However, it seems to be a season of destiny for the Axemen, who ended the Huskies’ regional reign by the decisive score of 39-20. The AUS championship is the 12th in program history, earning the Axemen their third Uteck Bowl appearance.

The Axemen, who lost both of those previous games to Laval and Laurier respectively, are looking to make it to the Vanier Cup for the fifth time, and the first in 30 years.

 

No. 4 McMaster Marauders (9-1)

This 2011 season has been one of the most remarkable in recent memory for the McMaster Marauders.

Despite missing key players for a majority of the regular season, the team suffered only one loss and captured the Yates Cup without much playoff resistance.

McMaster has 11 conference All-Stars scattered across both their offence and defence.  Receiver Michael Dicroce, who led the CIS with over 900 receiving yards, and linebacker Ryan Chmielewski, who led the Marauders in tackles, were named conference Most Valuable Players on offence and defence, respectively.

Led by star quarterback Kyle Quinlan, the Marauders had the most potent offence in the country this season, leading the CIS with an average of 530.5 yards per game. Despite missing three games, Quinlan put together a season worthy of a First Team OUA All-Star.

However, while the passing game remains the Marauders’ focus, there is a bright spot emerging in McMaster’s backfield. Rookie running back Chris Pezzetta led the team with 468 rushing yards this season, and largely supplanted senior Joey Nemet as the team’s feature back.

In the Marauders’ Yates Cup victory on Nov. 12, Pezzetta rushed the ball 19 times for 151 yards and a touchdown, an impressive contribution from such a young player.

Look for the ground game to have a big impact on the outcome of the Uteck Bowl, as most observers focus on the more high profile passing game led by Quinlan and Dicroce.

Not to be outdone, the Marauders defence has been one of, if not the most exciting to watch in the OUA. In nine games prior to the Yates Cup, McMaster intercepted opposing quarterbacks 25 times.

Although ranked tenth in the CIS and allowing an average of 357.9 yards per game, the Marauders defence has been much more dominant in the playoffs, holding both Queen’s and Western to under 20 points.

Capturing the first Yates Cup since 2003, the Marauders have earned the opportunity to make the program’s first Vanier Cup appearance. With a mix of veteran leadership and young talent, there is no denying the Marauders’ capability to put points on the board.

If the offence and defense can work together as they did in the Yates Cup, this could be the year for McMaster’s national breakthrough.

Brandon Meawasige

Assistant Sports Editor

 

Striving for the pinnacle of university football in Canada and facing an unknown opponent, Head Coach Stefan Ptaszek and the McMaster Marauders travel to Moncton, New Brunswick this week to represent the OUA as champions in the 2011 Uteck Bowl on November 19.

Ptaszek, in his sixth season as bench boss, has coached the Marauders to the program’s first OUA title since 2003.

The 2003 championship, and Mac’s previous three in a row, were coached by Western’s current head coach Greg Marshall. By winning the Yates Cup, Ptaszek has joined Marshall in the upper echelons of McMaster’s football history.

“Its been a great week, the well wishers from former presidents, former athletic directors, alumni and the greater marauder football family have all taken the time to say congratulations, how impressed they are with the 2011 season and wishing us the best of luck going forward,” said Ptaszek of the accomplishment.

However, as he will tell you, it is not the coaching staff and their accomplishments that will drive this team forward. “It’s not about us [Coaches] lifting a Yates Cup again, it was all about watching these kids lift the Yates Cup for the first time,” he added.

Unfortunately, such is the rigor of CIS playoff football; the Marauders must put the Yates victory behind them and look towards their next game.

Lining up opposite to Mac on Saturday will be Acadia Axemen, who have had an interesting trip to the Vanier Cup semi-final of their own.

Essentially, neither team was touted as the conference front-runner until after the championship game. The losing teams in both cases, Western and St. Mary’s, were heavy favorites prior to and during the season.

That being said, the Uteck Bowl features two very worthy participants this year pitting a Mac team loaded with firepower on both sides of the ball against an Axemen squad that won 5 of 7 major individual awards in the AUS.

“They are a very well-coached, disciplined team with playmakers at every level of both the offence and defence as you would expect from a championship team" Ptaszek said of the Axemen, whose coach, Jeff Cummins, won AUS coach of the year.

Ptaszek and his staff have a very tough team on their hands this week, needing to prepare for something they haven’t faced yet in the playoffs; a star quarterback with the talent and skill set to take control of an entire game.

The case can be made that Acadia’s pivot and AUS offensive most valuable player Kyle Graves will be the toughest test for McMasters defense all season. “He has a strong arm and he can run the ball really well and has had a fantastic year,” said Ptaszek.

“The OUA is one of the best conferences in the country and it gets you ready for all kinds of football. Playing Austin Kennedy and Donnie Marshall gets you ready for a Kyle Graves,” added the coach.

One thing is certain, no matter the success of the 2011 Marauders; it will be difficult to find Ptaszek taking any form of personal credit. Even if his defence does manage to stop Graves and his team wins the game, he will surely find another Marauder whom to credit with an amazing performance. This cohesive, unselfish, team- oriented way of doing things precipitates into the style of play that has made his team so successful.

A quality that may have gone unnoticed if not for the series of setbacks endured by the team this year. Forced to play without Kyle Quinlan for three games, the Marauders had to account for the absence of their offensive heart and soul.

For a team centered on one or two players, losing those players would be disastrous - think about the affect of removing the legs of a table.

Losing their starting running back Joey Nemet, cornerback Joey Cupido and Quinlan just to name a few, Ptaszek needed to work the pieces that remained; a predicament that not only threatened the well being of a few games, but the entire 2011 season. Not for lack of personnel, however, a backup quarterback and rookie running back are not traditional picks to carry a powerhouse team to the championship.

The Marauders not only managed to get by, instead, the team dominated the conference this year, seamlessly transitioning from line up change to line up change.

Going into the Uteck Bowl, Mac is as healthy as ever and Ptaszek will be able to use the full of extent of the weapons at his disposal.

With the focus now on the Vanier Cup, every decision is bigger and the consequences magnified.

It’s not about numbers and achievements for Ptaszek at this point, but about his players and their chance at glory, especially the nine seniors on the roster. Having had a chance to watch them lift the cup was a special moment for the coach. “Watching Matt Peressini lift that Yates Cup, as a fifth-year senior, was about as cool a thing as you will ever see.”

For all involved, lifting the Vanier would be the best possible outcome.