Inconsistent play down the stretch results in an early exit for the reigning silver medalists as they fail to clinch a provincial playoff spot
The men’s baseball team failed to advance to the Ontario University Athletics West Regional finals after losing 10 to eight against the Brock Badgers on Oct. 7. Finishing their regular season with a four and seven record, the Marauders’ championship redemption will wait another year following three consecutive playoff losses.
At last year’s OUA finals, McMaster University lost the title game six to two to the Toronto Varsity Blues. That season, the team entered the playoffs without major contributors Nicolas Velocci and Mark Zanette due to a collision at their qualifier against the Guelph Gryphons. Despite their injuries, the Marauders did manage to work their way into the semifinals, beating the Carleton Ravens six to five before losing to Toronto.
Heading into the 2022 playoffs, the Marauders faced stout competition in their final set of regular season games. Starting with a doubleheader against the Gryphons on Oct. 1, the team struggled to hold their own against a top-seeded opponent.
In game one, McMaster fell to the Gryphons in a close three to two matchup that went to extra innings. Rookie Benjamin Cook pitched phenomenally, allowing just two runs over seven innings of play. His replacement, James (Rory) Bredin, stymied hitters across two innings before Ashton Patterson’s RBI single in the tenth gave the Gryphons their eventual three to two win.
Following the defeat, Kenneth Noguchi took the mound in the second game; however, three defensive errors in the first left the Marauders in a four to zero hole. While McMaster would claim four runs by the fifth inning, the Gryphons completed the sweep with a 12 to four victory.
The next day, the team played the Windsor Lancers in a consecutive doubleheader. Despite their short rest, McMaster dominated Lancers’ pitching, collecting 16 runs across the pair of games to win eight to three in the first game and eight to four in the second.
Riding the back-to-back victories, the team prepared to take on their regional qualifier against the Gryphons and Brock Badgers on Oct. 7.
While Brock gained an early five to one lead in their first contest, McMaster pooled together four runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the score. Shortly after, Brock returned with their own four run rally on back-to-back-to-back doubles in the sixth. The Badgers would keep their lead and finish the game with a final line score of 10 to seven.
Against Guelph, the Gryphons lineup continued to torment the Marauders' staff. After two innings of play, the Gryphons held a six run lead. The team kept adding on until the score reached 11-1, activating the fifth inning mercy rule to hand McMaster their second tournament defeat.
On Oct. 8, the Marauders returned to face Brock for a chance to play Guelph in the tournament finale, needing to win both games in order to advance. The team came out swinging, leading to an offensive frenzy capped off by a bases-loaded, 3 RBI triple by Gabriel Knox that put McMaster up eight to three going into the bottom of the seventh.
Unfortunately, the pitching came undone, with the Badgers pulling ahead 10 to eight in the eighth inning on a four run rally. Senior pitcher Hayden Stam closed out the game to knock McMaster out of the playoffs.
The Badgers would go on to lose to Guelph 14 to two in the West Regional final.
Having played in his last season, Zanette imparted some final advice for his teammates, reminding them to always keep their plate approach the same no matter the situation.
“When you’re young and you’re having your first, second, third, at bats in the OUA and the pressure’s on, guys are yelling at you. . . it can get a little intimidating. But just sticking to your approach and doing your own thing is the biggest thing,” said Zanette.
When you’re young and you’re having your first, second, third, at bats in the OUA and the pressure’s on, guys are yelling at you. . . it can get a little intimidating. But just sticking to your approach and doing your own thing is the biggest thing.
Mark Zanette, Member of the Marauders Baseball team
Joining Zanette, Noguchi, Philip Hache and Colin Heron will be departing from the baseball program next year. Despite their losses, Heron hopes this year’s OUAs will be a steppingstone for the team to grow as athletes and leaders on the bench.
“I think that a lot of those players that got their feet wet this year, going forward, are going to be able to draw from that experience and perform well. . . [These playoffs] will serve as a good opportunity to build that experience for the future,” said Heron.
I think that a lot of those players that got their feet wet this year, going forward, are going to be able to draw from that experience and perform well. . . [These playoffs] will serve as a good opportunity to build that experience for the future.
Colin Heron, Member of the Marauders Baseball Team
For its ten rookies, maturity and development will be key to the rosters future success. Although they failed to improve upon last season’s silver medal, the Marauders’ young core of talent will be interesting to watch in their 2023 campaign.
The 2017 Ontario University Athletics Final Four did not go as the Marauders had planned. Ending the season at second place in the OUA West division, the team looked like they had a strong chance at moving on to the national championships.
Unfortunately, the trip was never meant to be as Mac struggled in their playoff matches, falling short of bringing home any hardware. The end to the season felt undeserved, but those tough-to-accept losses are far behind the 2018 team as they face the challenges of this young season.
This season appeared to be a tough test right from the start for the Marauders as a significant number of upper-year players were put on a team suspension and were forced to sit out the first four games of the season. This left a hole in leadership, calling for younger players to step up.
One such player is Antonio Sereno, a third-year winger who started six of the 13 games he played in last season. This season he had to step up and be one of the players to lead by example.
“I got to be more of a leader on the field this year because most of the guys were suspended,” Sereno said. “I was one of the older guys, so you kind of have to lead the way, show the rookies and set an example.”
That is something that Sereno accomplished on the field during Mac’s Aug. 31 game against the Western Mustangs, when the third-year notched a goal in the eightieth minute. It was his first goal of the season and gave the Mac men their third straight win to start the year.
Sereno points to the culture of the team, a united front of rookies and veterans, as a key reason why the Marauders were able to remain successful despite some holes in the roster.
“Everybody's on the same page,” Sereno said. “We just really clicked. It's like we've been playing for a while, but realistically, it's been three, four weeks and yet everybody's just on the same page.”
“Everybody wants to be there,” Sereno added. “We celebrate every goal as a team. It's like we've won a championship. Even here at Mac, you got to go over the stands but we just jump up. I love it. Like even at Western, guys are running across the field. It's amazing.”
Throughout their six games, Mac has mostly played in close contests, boasting a goal differential of +4. This is in line with Mac’s style as Sereno described the Marauders as a team that excels on the counter-attack.
“We do our job defensively everybody works hard, and then on the counter we just we just click,” Sereno said. “I don't think we're more of an offensive team, we just work hard defensively and then when we get that chance we go.”
However, the counter-attack was missing over the weekend as the Marauders had a tough time on the pitch, scoring one goal in two games against York and Guelph. They will need to work hard to get that counter-attack back on track and luckily head coach Dino Perri has been able to keep the team competitive while training.
“Like [coach Perri] says, nobody has a guaranteed spot on the team, anybody could come in,” Sereno said. “Rookies could come in and fill in spots without any problem and it's just the hard work people are putting in. Everybody's working hard, even in training. I love to see it. It's amazing.”
After a Sept. 14 match against Brock, Mac will get a little break over Homecoming weekend, where they can use that hard work and grit to prepare for the last part of the season. Sereno believes that this team can end this season with a better result than last year, but to do so they will need to put the work in.
“I just hope things go our way,” Sereno said. “There's a lot of potential on our team and, like [coach Perri] said, if we work and we want to get to that next step I think Nationals is possible for us. That's how much talent and potential we have, we just got to put our mind to it and work.”
Six games into the season, coach Perri and the Marauders are on the right track to amass another successful season on the pitch. With a long road still ahead to the end of the regular season, the team will need to continue to work hard if they want to pull ahead in a division full of tough teams.
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The McMaster Women’s volleyball team had a huge weekend, winning both their final regular season games and securing a spot in the playoffs to finish off their season.
The team’s first win came against the Brock Badgers who hosted the Marauders on Feb. 7 in St. Catharines, Ont.
Rookie player Sophie Bukovec was busy on Friday’s game with a standout performance, converting 17 of 50 hitting attempts and adding six blocks for a game high 23 points.
Taylor Brisebois and Maicee Sorenson were also among some of the Marauders to reach double-digit points in the win.
Brock appeared to seize momentum numerous times in the match but would come back to win the fourth set, tying the match and adding a deciding fifth set into the mix. The Marauders were able to take control early in the fifth set leading the Badgers 7-4 as the team’s approached the changeover.
The Marauders would build momentum and not give up another point, reaching the end of the match with a 15-4 victory over the hosting Brock squad.
McMaster would then return home to Burridge Gym on Feb. 8 and get set to host the visiting Ottawa Gee-Gees for a 6 p.m. start time.
It was Seniors night, a night which honored the senior players who will be graduating after the completion of the 2013-14 season. The Marauders would put up a commendable fight to blow the Gee-Gees out of the water and take the game 3-2.
After an emotional presentation for McMaster’s four graduating seniors, the Gee-Gees took off flying, determined to put a damper on the evening’s festivities.
The Gee-Gees strong start put them up 16-5 early in the match. After the technical timeout, the Gee-Gees lead would prove to great to catch up to, allowing Ottawa to take the first set and reach a 1-0 lead over the hosting Marauders.
With the Gee-Gees fighting for a win in order to secure a home playoff game in the first round of next week’s OUA playoffs, Ottawa was on a mission and was proving to be a difficult opponent for the Marauders.
The second set showed Ottawa once again take an early lead over the Marauders with a commanding 19-10 lead. Mac would eventually close the gap to only seven points but would not get any closer, leaving Ottawa the opportunity to close out the second set with a 25-17 win, bringing their lead to 2-0 over the Marauders.
With the risk of a 3-set sweep on home court in the Marauders midst, they knew they had to come out in full force in order to win an important third set. A fired up group of Marauders stormed the Gee-Gees grabbing an early 16-7 lead at the technical timeout. The Marauders would eventually power through to take the set 25-9 providing the spark the team needed in order to win this game.
With their momentum continuing to grow the Marauders would shake off a trailing fourth set score to grab a lead once again at 16-11. The set would reach it’s conclusion with the Marauders sitting on top, taking the set 25-21 and brining the game to a tie at 2 a piece.
For the second straight night in a row the Marauders would go into a crucial fifth set which would eventually decide the outcome of the match. The Marauders went pedal to metal and showed no signs of wavering throughout the set. Taking an early 8-4 lead the Marauders would continue their push and would eventually take the set and the game with a 15-7 victory and a 3-2 over the Gee-Gees.
Prior to the match, fifth year seniors Amanda Weldon and Kayla Ng as well as fourth year seniors Camilla Thome-Tjomsland and Kierstyn Bakker were presented with tokens of appreciation for the commitment and contributions to the Marauder volleyball program.
The ladies in maroon finish the season with a 13-6 record which gives them a second place finish overall heading into the OUA playoffs starting next week. The Marauders will host the Windsor Lancers in the division semi-final contest to be held this weekend on Feb. 17 in Burridge Gym.
Looking back at the 2011 or 2012 McMaster football seasons, it would be pretty hard to imagine a football game with anything less than a sold out crowd cheering in the stands. For the 2013 McMaster football team, that thought became a reality.
With the playoffs being questioned for most of the Marauder’s 2013 season it is hard to imagine the thought of a near empty Ron Joyce Stadium for a game like the quarterfinals. McMaster was taking on the statistically matched Ottawa Gee-Gees. It was almost a guarantee that Marauder fans would cash in to buy tickets to come out and watch their Maroon and Grey pummel that very same team the same way they did back at their home-opener in August. Sadly, the scene on Oct. 26 was in fact the exact opposite. Although weather certainly played a major role in the less than impressive attendance on Saturday’s game, the folks that did decide to attend were all dresses accordingly, not letting the lower than normal temperatures and the rain put a damper on their Marauder spirit.
Fifth-year player Michael DiCroce knows what it is like to play for a sold out at Ron Joyce Stadium and knows that this past weekend’s attendance was definitely something they were not expecting.
“The past couple years when we have been on top and winning, asking for support was simple but now that we haven’t been on top and we are doing things differently it has shown through lack of support,” said DiCroce
“Its unfortunate to think that they only want to be around when we are successful, because our true fans are out there for any game in any condition.”
Assistant Coach Jon Behie said the weather was definitely to blame but the low attendance was understandable.
“We typically haven’t had big crowds for quarterfinal games, but as we get further down the line in the playoffs that’s usually when we see higher attendance numbers,” Behie said.
“We weren’t overly surprised but certainly the weather played a big factor with attendance being as low as it was, and it’s disappointing but certainly understandable under the circumstances.”
Despite a much quieter than normal Ron Joyce Stadium, the Marauders and the coaching staff did not let that get in the way of their mission to defeat the Gee-Gee’s in order to continue on in the playoffs.
McMaster dominated with commending efforts from Wayne Moore who had 140 rushing yards in the game and Steven Ventresca who picked up a touchdown off an interception of Ottawa quarterback Aaron Colbon. McMaster was able to come out on top holding the Gee-Gees to a mere seven points with the final score reading 41-7 for the men in Maroon.
With the quarterfinals easily grasped, it’s now onto the semi-finals for the Marauders. Due to a Gryphons win over the Windsor levitra cialis viagra price Lancers, McMaster is matched up once again with their OUA rivals the Western Mustangs.
With top guns Matt Sewell and Joey Cupido all healthy and back in the roster, this Western game should certainly be a much different one for the McMaster Marauders. Mike DiCroce was also another key player who was out of the line-up the last time the Marauders laced up to face Western. With him and others back in, the Marauders are definitely going to be a force to be reckoned with.
“This week will be something else,” DiCroce said.
“It is always a full tilt battle when we play Western and being playoffs just adds to it.”
Looking back on previous seasons, knowing that the Marauders have previously taken out the Mustangs before puts some assurance back into their preparations for Saturday’s match.
“Knowing we have taken them out the past couple years in the big games has also added to the rivalry,” added DiCroce.
“It’s going to come down to how deep we can dig within ourselves to battle and win the effort war throughout the game.”
With TD Stadium expected to house more purple than maroon on Saturday it will all come down to McMaster’s integrity. It almost felt as though McMaster played an away game this past weekend, so being on the road in London, Ont. this weekend shouldn’t be a problem for the confident Marauders.
The semifinal game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. at the home of the Purple Ponies.
The Marauders women’s rugby team was able to pull off a win against the Western Mustangs to score an OUA bronze medal in miserable weather conditions.
The weather posed a challenge for both teams, as the combination of torrential downpour and rugby cleats made the ground very muddy, which increased the number of errors throughout the game.
“There were increased handling errors which is never ideal and the ground was not very solid at all. I know that the forwards, especially the front row had a difficult time adjusting to the adverse conditions. But eventually we were able to modify our game and play more our style,” said Marauders captain, Cindy Nelles.
Although the weather was bad, Nelles was able to find some positives that put them at an advantage in the game.
“I think that the conditions although adverse did play out to our advantage because we are a team that can execute fancy plays but can also break it down to the nitty gritty rucks and mauls type of game that a rainy muddy field provides.”
The Marauders executed a number of those fancy plays to get to a score of 26-5 over the Mustangs, a win that brought Mac to it’s second bronze medal in a row.
This was Nelles first bronze medal, however, as she was injured for the bronze medal match last season. Although the medal did not match up with her season goals, she believes that they proved themselves in their game and out-played the Western team.
“It was not our ideal outcome seeing as how we had our hopes set on going to nationals, but we made the most of being in the bronze medal match against Western and we were able to physically dominate them, so as far as our performance in the game, I'm pleased,” said Nelles.
As captain of the team, Nelles felt as though she had a great season as well, and proved to do better than last year.
“Individually I am proud of my season, being one of the leaders on the team was a bit of an adjustment but I feel that I was able to balance that with making my return to Mac Rugby after having a rough season last year.”
Now, the captain will continue to train hard, in order to make the national senior women’s team.
“I really want to make it to that level and think that with the support here at McMaster, and all the training and guidance that athletes are provided here, it can really help me along that journey.”
As for the rest of the team, they will be gearing up to compete in a couple of indoor tournaments, and they will also be training for a tournament in BC in March.
“There are a few sevens tournaments scattered throughout the winter and I know we will be looking to assemble some players to attend those tournaments.”
The team will look ahead to the winter season to train hard, and hopefully qualify for the CIS Championships next year.
With a convincing 41-7 win against the Ottawa Gee-Gees at Ron Joyce Stadium, the Marauders will advance purchase no rx viagra to the OUA semifinals against either Queen's or Western next week.
The Marauders had their work cut out for them as they faced the team they sat tied with in the OUA rankings. Both teams were each coming off a three-game winning streak to start the quarterfinals each with a 5-3 season.
The game also saw the return of some of Mac’s injured, with Joey Cupido, Matt Sewell and Jimmy Hill all returning to the line up for the Maroon and Grey.
McMaster came out strong to start the quarterfinal match-up against the Gee-Gees, pouncing on a Gee-Gee fumble in the opening minutes of the game.
Runningback Wayne Moore had a breakout game for the Marauders as he gave Mac their first bit on the scoreboard. With a successful kick from Tyler Crapigna, the Marauders took an early 7-0 lead against Ottawa. Moore would rush for 63 yards in the first quarter alone.
Danny Vandervoort helped out Quarterback Marshall Ferguson by running in a touchdown with just over five minutes to play in the first quarter. McMaster finished out the first quarter with a commanding 14-0 lead over the Gee-Gees.
The second quarter saw a hungry Mac defensive unit as linebacker Joe Richardson entered the quarter with an early sack on Gee-Gees quarterback Aaron Colbon. The play forced a two and out for the Ottawa team with 12:36 left in the half. Danny Vandervoort lended a hand in maintaining a Marauder lead by getting the team a first down at the 10-minute mark. Wayne Moore got Mac in the red zone once more rushing 20 yards on the play. Mac would increase their lead by 17-0.
Not long after the Marauder touchdown, the Ottawa Gee-Gees would get on the board, bringing their deficit to 17-2. Ottawa would then follow that up by scoring a 27-yard field goal, bringing the score to 17-5.
The third quarter brought lots of opportunities for the McMaster Marauders as the Gee-Gees started to lose their ground. The Marauders took advantage of a low Gee-Gee snap with Jeremy Kyei bringing it back for a touchdown at 13:18 in the third quarter.
With 8:06 left to play in the third quarter, linebacker Joe Richardson once again levelled Ottawa QB Aaron Colbon. Wayne Moore came through with 24 yards to take McMaster to Ottawa's 45 yard line. The third quarter also saw Tyler Crapigna complete his second field goal of the game, bringing McMaster’s lead to 27-7.
Ferguson went down on an awkward-looking hit by the Gee-Gee defense and was slow to get up. He would eventually walk to the sidelines under his own power and continue to play the remainder of the quarter unscathed. Ottawa recovered from the fumble from Ferguson’s sack to take over the Marauders at their 40-yard line.
The Maroon and Grey would not disappoint in the fourth quarter, finishing the game on a strong note. Steven Ventresca stripped the ball off Colbon at Ottawa’s 50-yard line. QB Marshall Ferguson connected with wide receiver Ben O’Connor for a touchdown to bring the Mac lead to 34-7. McMaster once again brought the Gee-Gees back to their one-yard line, forcing Ottawa to make an offensive play.
Ventresca struck again in the fourth quarter, picking off Aaron Colbon’s pass for an 18-yard touchdown. The Ottawa Gee-Gee’s trailed Mac with a score of 41-7 with less then 10 minutes to play in regulation.
With a massive McMaster lead, the Marauders coaching staff decided to play back up quarterback Tyler Filson for the remaining minutes of the fourth quarter. McMaster ran down the clock and came away with their fourth straight win and the quarterfinal match with a final score of 41-7.
The Marauders will face either Queen's or Western in semifinals next week, pending the result of another quarterfinal match-up tonight between the U of Guelph Gryphons and UWindsor Lancers.
Photo c/o Rick Zazulak, McMaster Athletics
The regular season viagra pills for sale has come to an end for the Marauders men’s rugby team, and they will now be playing the quarterfinal game against the Brock Badgers – a team that they know well from last year’s quarterfinals, which ended with an 8-3 loss for McMaster.
“I would be lying if I said that 'the past is the past' and that we needed to look forward,” said captain Andrew Ferguson.
“I think that everyone involved in last year's quarter final loss has a bit of a chip on their shoulder coming into Wednesday's game… We know how Brock is going to play and we are excited at the opportunity to play them with our season on the line.”
The Marauders have played Brock already this season, and were able to pull off a win, with a close score of 22-19.
This was the same case last year, where the team was able to pull off a win early on in the season against the Badgers, but unfortunately could not hold them off in the last match of the season in the quarter-finals.
But there have been some major changes and differences in this year’s team, compared to last year’s team, with the most notable change being the loss of some key veterans.
“The biggest adjustment we have had to make from last year is the loss of a few key vets who helped build a demanding environment conducive to team success,” said Ferguson.
The addition of some notable recruits, however, has made the team stand out, and have more of a connection and positive outlook on the season.
“I am extremely happy with the additions of our rookies and the atmosphere in the room. Everyone is upbeat and believes that we have the potential to win the OUA. I think that is what separates us from last year's team, cohesion and respect goes a long way in a physical sport like rugby,” added Ferguson.
The Marauders now find themselves in a position where they could end the season on a better note than last year’s, and win the OUA quarter-finals to advance to the semi-finals- which is something that they are more confident with, especially after their whopping 57-0 win over the Warriors last weekend.
“I could not have written a better game to finish the season on. Winning a game like that gives everyone confidence going into playoffs. This game also gave everyone a chance to get all the kinks out of our game and I think we are a much more complete team because of it,” said the captain.
Ferguson believes that their record of 4-3 is justifiable given the talent that lies within the OUA conference, but they definitely have the ability to be up there in the standings.
“When you look at all the talent that is present in the OUA, a 4-3 record is definitely nothing to be ashamed of. That being said, we believe that as a team, we have the pieces to compete for top of the league,” said Ferguson.
Their underdog status stands, but Ferguson and his team firmly believe that they could be a dark horse team for winning the OUA Championship after they blow by the Badgers this Wednesday.
“By conceding a few early games in the season, we put ourselves behind the 8-ball so to speak. We created a tougher road to the final then we would have liked but I think everyone is confident that we can overcome our underdog title and win an OUA championship.”
The men’s rugby team will prepare to get to the OUA Championships by taking it one step at a time. The first step will be this Wednesday, Oct. 23, against the Brock Badgers on the Back Ten field.
In the short and compact rugby season, the Marauders have been able to pull off a record of 4-3.
This mediocre record does not do the Maroon and Grey justice however, as they are up against two of the most talented teams in the country – notably the Queen’s Gaels and the Guelph Gryphons.
“The OUA has some very good competition,” said veteran captain, Cindy Nelles.
Although the OUA is stacked with exceptional teams and talent, however, Nelles believes that the Marauders have improved throughout the season, and can continue to improve their record in seasons to come, so that they can compete with the more dominant teams in the CIS.
“We definitely have room for improvement. We made huge gains throughout the season, from day one to even half-way throughout the season… we’ve just been on a steady climb. If we can continue that habit into next season or pick up where we left off this season, I think we’ll be in good shape.”
Nelles thinks that the 4-3 record is decent right now, but if this begins to be a trend for McMaster heading into next season, she won’t be proud of it.
“I think that next year, if we have this record, I won’t be satisfied,” added Nelles.
The Marauders third loss on the record was due to the dominant Guelph Gryphons on Saturday, Oct. 19, where the Maroon and grey faced a tough loss to the visiting team.
But the game was not all bad for the Marauders, as they still managed to hold their ground against the Gryphons, and they kept the team’s score to the lowest score they had all season- 20-0.
This fate is similar to what the Marauder’s faced last year in the quarter-finals, except their loss was of a greater differential. They lost 72-0 to the Gryphon team last season.
But Nelles feels as though seeing the Gryphon team so often has allowed them to become a lot more familiar with the way the Gryphon system works, and their style of play.
“The more you face a team, the more you learn a little bit of how they play, that makes you train to how they play…then you think you’ve stepped up your game, and then they change their game. It is just this constant cat and mouse effect,” said Nelles.
The Marauders managed to match the Gryphons game a lot better this season than last however, which spoke volumes about the continual improvement of the team.
“I think that says something about our team, and even just improvements from last year to this year. We’ve made huge gains,” said the captain.
One of these gains is confidence, which Nelles believes only grew over-time with experience.
“Through getting experience in the OUA, building those games and getting the chemistry going, I think that we’re a much more confident team in our skills and capabilities. I think that has helped us execute a lot of what we want to do on the field.”
This confidence has grown out of the development of the players, and the change of a young team, to an older one.
“Last year, we were a very novice team comprised mainly of first and second years. Each year we are getting more and more experience and I just think that will be huge for us,” added Nelles.
Before the team looks too far ahead, however, Nelles knows that they need to concentrate on defeating the Western Mustangs for an OUA bronze medal on home territory, which is a match that Nelles thinks the Marauders bring a lot to the plate for.
“I think that we definitely have strength in our forwards. Our forwards have been able to produce a fairly good scrum. In the backs, we definitely have some smart players back there. There are a few girls that are very good at making decisions and can execute. We definitely have a very aggressive team. I think that will bode well for us.”
The Marauders will bring their aggression and experience to the anticipated match against Western on Saturday Oct. 26 on the Back Ten field, where they will hope to receive the bronze medal for the second year in a row.
Coming off of a 45-3 victory over the Carleton Ravens on Oct. 19, the Marauders can move onto the playoffs with a little extra confidence.
McMaster finished off the OUA regular season in fourth place and are set to face the team they currently remain tied with in the standings. The Ottawa Gee-Gees, who the Marauders beat in their home opener game back viagra pfizer uk in August, currently remain tied with McMaster, both teams holding 10 points, with each securing five wins on the season.
Assistant Coach for the Marauders Jon Behie is hopeful for a positive outcome for the Marauders football squad, but also understands that it will be a very different Ottawa team faced against them this weekend.
“Ottawa is a veteran team and the score from week one is not indicative of the caliber of team they are,” said Behie.
“They have athletes at important spots and are playing with a lot of confidence. There's no question this game will be a challenge, which is ok...it is the playoffs after all.”
Not only have the Marauders secured a quarterfinal playoff game, but they will also be playing for their home crowd, with a sea of Maroon expected to attend the game on Saturday afternoon.
“Being at home gives us such an advantage,” said Behie “…and I hope our Marauder faithful fill Ron Joyce Stadium to cheer us on.”
A home game is definitely an advantage for the Marauders and will give them an upper hand on the Gee-Gee’s.
Veteran wide receiver Mike DiCroce is looking forward to the challenge ahead keeping in mind this Ottawa team will definitely give the Marauders a run for their money.
“We know they have some talented players and some CFL caliber guys, we need to set the level of intensity and effort the whole game,” said DiCroce.
It is all about Marauder execution and striking early against the Gee-Gee’s in order to set the tone for the remainder of the game.
“Our challenge this week is executing in what we do, we cannot beat ourselves and put ourselves in a hole,” DiCroce added.
“We have both grown as a unit throughout the year and I think we need to stick to what we do best and compete across the board.”
Both teams have grown this season and this weekend’s battle will set one team apart, giving them the tiebreaker within the OUA rankings.
The last time the Marauders faced the Gee-Gees this season was at the home opener on Aug. 25 at Ron Joyce Stadium.
The Marauders came a way with a 51-24 victory and their first win to start the 2013 season. The game is set to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Ron Joyce Stadium.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
If Gersi Xhuti’s breakthrough rookie season needed an exclamation point, it certainly got one on Oct. 30.
With his Marauder team struggling to find a cutting edge in their OUA quarterfinal against the Guelph Gryphons, it was the Albanian midfielder who provided the much-needed spark. After threatening the goalmouth periodically throughout the match, McMaster was awarded a golden opportunity to open scoring in the 82nd minute when the Maroon and Grey earned a penalty kick.
And when Anthony Costa’s initial attempt from the spot was beautifully turned aside by the Gryphon keeper, Xhuti grabbed hold of the spotlight. The first-year Marauder ran alertly toward the spilled rebound and hammered it home off of the crossbar and into the gaping net.
Cue pandemonium on the Marauders’ bench and among the smattering of McMaster faithful present at Ron Joyce stadium.
For his part, an obviously jubilant Xhuti ripped off his jersey and sprinted across the pitch with his arms held aloft. The Maroon and Grey would double their advantage only a few minutes later, and seal passage to the OUA’s Final Four tournament in Ottawa in the process. But it was Xhuti’s emotional strike that made that progression a reality.
In the wake of that weekend victory, the young Marauder expressed his elation after scoring a goal of that magnitude.
“It was a great moment,” Xhuti said of the goal. “I had a vision that Costa would miss that penalty, I don’t know why. If you look at the video, I started running as soon as he hit the ball and I didn’t think about anything, I just smashed the ball into the net. It felt incredible afterwards.”
The quarterfinal tally provided yet another reminder of the Albanian’s immense contribution to McMaster’s campaign this year, a yearlong effort that saw Xhuti decorated by the OUA at the conclusion of the regular season.
The midfielder was named as a First Team OUA All-Star and was awarded the province’s Rookie of the Year honour in addition.
It all marks an incredible evolution for a player who found himself out of the sport a year ago.
After playing high-level club soccer with the CSL’s Milltown FC in Milton, Xhuti entered his freshman year at McMaster in 2010 as a member of the faculty of Engineering.
He had high hopes of pursuing his studies while playing soccer at the varsity level, but the demands of his degree convinced the young midfielder to put his Marauder dream on hold.
A year later, in full knowledge of what his program demanded of him, Xhuti returned to the Maroon and Grey. And the results could hardly be better.
The Albanian credits much of his success at the varsity level to the experience he gained in the CSL, where the young midfielder was pitted against grown men and full professionals on a weekly basis.
“The level in the CSL is very high,” said Xhuti. “Playing with older players and more experienced players was a great experience, and it really helped me to grow. There are a lot of players there who played professionally before, and now they’re retired and play there.”
One player in particular had a profound effect on the Marauder’s game, providing a mentor for the raw midfield talent.
“Milltown actually signed a Dutch player who had played in the third division in Holland and he was amazing by comparison to our level,” said Xhuti. “He was a left-footer too, so I tried to look up to him and emulate what he did.”
The baptism by fire that the midfielder received in the CSL has served him well in the OUA this season, but beyond the technical demands of the sport, it is Xhuti’s attitude toward the sport that aids him in maneuvering through the weekly demands of varsity competition.
“I just try to be calm in every game,” explained the midfielder. “I think of it as a lesson every time I play and it keeps building up and up. And here we are. The bottom line is that I try to do everything I can for the team.”
On the topic of the honours he most recently received, Xhuti indicates that he is thankful but that he will not rest on his laurels.
“I felt really good about it when I found out,” said the Marauder rookie of his awards. “But I want to become much better than I am. It’s something nice for right now, but my intentions are to move higher.”
Xhuti will have an opportunity to do just that this coming weekend, as he and his teammates compete at the OUA Final Four in Ottawa.
The tournament will see the Marauders confront a team they have yet to come up against this season in the form of the Carleton Ravens.
But Xhuti believes that unfamiliarity with their opponent will not be a problem for McMaster, and that the team must trust in the brand of soccer that has brought them success to this point.
“It is a bit different,” the midfielder said of the tournament. “Because we haven’t seen them play or played them at all. We’re just going to have to look forward to playing our own game. Up to now, everything’s been working great and so we’ll try to do that again.”
The Marauders’ semifinal test comes on Nov. 5 against the host Ravens.
Jeff Tam
