If you know a thing or two about McMaster Football, the name Tyler Crapigna rings a bell. The fifth-year kicker hailing from Nepean, Ont. has made a name for himself and he will go down as one of the best in McMaster Football history.

But it did not always come easy for him.

On Oct. 7, 2010, in his rookie year donned in maroon, Crapigna suffered a broken leg after a failed kick return against the Guelph Gryphons. Though it was what he called a very gruesome injury and could have been the end to a premature career, he was given the encouragement he needed from family and friends that year off the field to come back better than ever.

“Throughout the whole process of recovering from an injury everyone was there, always giving me that extra push I needed to get back on the field and be back with the team,” Crapigna said.

Being away from football practices and absent from team games really took a toll on Crapigna, but he knew that he wanted to help his squad in any way he could when he was back suited up.

“That first season coming back from the injury, I wanted to be serviceable to the team,” said Crapigna.

Having a great rebound season, Tyler and the Marauders came face-to-face with the opportunity to hoist the coveted Vanier Cup in 2011 vs. Laval Rouge et Or. This was McMaster’s second time having a chance at the title, with the first attempt being a loss in 1967. Crapigna, who was named to the first all-Canadian team in both 2011 and 2012, kicked the game-winning field goal in a double overtime of a 41-38 victory over Laval, the only national title in program history.

“It was definitely a special moment to realize that things came full circle from the lowest point of being injured and not being able to play, to being in the biggest game of my university career,” he said.

Crapigna, a fifth-round pick for the Calgary Stampeders in the 2014 CFL draft, had a chance to experience the game on a professional field as he booted the game-tying and game-winning field goals for the Stampeders in their pre-season.  Now back at McMaster, he gained great life lessons and learned from some of the best kickers in the league.

“I learned how to be a pro about stuff, the way to handle things and you learn tips on how to deal with certain aspects of the game.”

Crapigna is now the CIS record holder for career field goals. Having the home game against Waterloo put on pause and the fans in Ron Joyce Stadium applaud his work meant a lot for the fifth-year veteran.

“It’s nice to see that the countless amount of hours you put on and off the field is recognized,” said Crapigna.

His parents, who are present at almost every football game, his team and the fans, are whom he is greatly thankful for.

“It’s a whole team game and without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” praises Tyler of the teamwork responsible for his successes.

With a 42-31 OUA semi-final win against the Ottawa Gee-Gees this past weekend, the mentality now amongst the team is preparing for the Yates Cup. The confidence level is high approaching this game.

“We have a team we can go places with,” said Crapigna.

As Tyler’s last year in maroon dwindles down, he wants to salvage the experience as much as he can.

“I want it to last as long as possible. You come into the last season and these five years have flew by quicker than I thought.”

Crapigna sees a great future for the McMaster Football program long after he leaves.

“I hope we can continue the kicking tradition and being a recognizable program to the country. The program is in good hands with the coaching staff they have,” said Crapigna.

Wherever Tyler goes in life, the Marauder way of life will stay with him forever. “I’ve bled maroon for five years and it is something that will never leave me.”

Having five years as a McMaster kicker on his athletic resume, Crapigna will return to training camp with the Calgary Stampeders this summer and hopes to use his talents professionally. His focus is on the next level and the training that will go on during his road to the CFL.

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The McMaster Marauders are a game away from their second straight trip to the Vanier Cup after a record-breaking season that culminated in a 30-13 Yates Cup victory over the Guelph Gryphons on Nov. 10.

Mac set a new CIS record for consecutive wins with 20, surpassing the mark of 19 held formerly by the 2004-05 Laval Rouge et Or. Several Marauders received individual OUA honors. Kyle Quinlan took home the conference’s MVP award for his play at quarterback, linebacker Aram Eisho captured the Presidents Trophy, awarded yearly to the OUA’s outstanding defensive player, and Ben D’Aguilar was the J.P. Metras recipient for lineman of the year.

Additionally, Stefan Ptaszek was honored as the Dave “Tuffy” Knight coach of the year. The numerous accolades for both the team and its players, ten of which were named first team OUA all stars, could be a distraction, but Ptaszek doesn’t let his team get distracted.

“Championship football teams, awards, all stars – and we have a few – are byproducts of a great season. We will continue to focus on the on field product and reaching our full potential on the field. These side things, we don’t let them distract us from the task at hand, which is to get back to our second straight Vanier Cup,” said the seventh-year head coach.

“It is about getting these young men to their full potential, and their potential is very high,” he added.

For this year’s team, there have been many challenges. Injuries have been an issue since before the season’s first snap. During training camp, Michael DiCroce and Chris Pezzetta both went down with ailments that saw both miss the entire 2012 regular season.

Ptaszek admires his team’s perseverance.

“We saw our receivers all grow and develop. In the absence of Michael DiCroce, Robert Babic and Bradley Fochesato had career seasons.”

In the backfield, though, Pezzetta was not the only casualty. “We saw in the absence of Chris Pezzetta that Jimmy Hill can step up. In the absence of Hill, we saw Tanner Forsyth step up, and in the absence of Forsyth, Kasean Davis can step up and so forth,” said Ptaszek.

Despite all of the uphill battles, the Maroon and Grey have found their way back to playing for a chance at the national title. Over the past two seasons, Mac has a record of 21-1. But if you ask Ptaszek, it is the last game that matters the most.

“If you are going to look at the most dominating teams in the history of the CIS, I think that you will find the second Vanier to be much more relevant than 20, 21 or 22 wins in a row,” he said.

“It’s a neat thing. It signifies some great things going on in the program, but in order to be considered to be one of the best teams to ever play in the CIS, we have to get a couple more things done.”

In short, there is plenty of football left to be played. Standing between the Marauders and a trip to the Rogers Centre in Toronto on Nov. 23 is the Calgary Dinos.

On the field, the Mitchell Bowl will be the season’s toughest test. However, home field advantage is invaluable to the team’s success, according to Ptaszek.

“It is a real and tangible and contribution that those six thousand fans are making, then afterwards, when you celebrate, to look and see a sea of maroon and Ron Joyce in the background. These are memories for these young men that they will never forget.”

Although Saturday’s game is only a semi-final matchup, the Marauders (10-0) and Dinos (9-1) are ranked one and three, respectively, in the CIS top ten ranking. The second ranked team is the Dunsmore Cup champion Laval Rouge et Or, who Mac defeated to win the 2011 Vanier Cup trophy.

 

No. 1 McMaster Marauders (10-0)

 

For the last three seasons, the Marauders have had the best secondary in the CIS. No team has had more regular season interceptions (53) than the Marauders in that time period. It seems that the “dirty birds” are even more vicious in the playoffs.

“When it comes to interceptions, they seem to get more in the playoffs than they do in the regular season. It seems that the bigger the game, the bigger the contribution is from those kids,” said Ptaszek of his defensive backfield. The Marauder defense has been among the most solid units in the CIS as a whole this season, with a front seven including the likes of Aram Eisho and Ben D’Aguilar, who each took home some hardware this year for their play.

There can be no mistake, though, that the Kyle Quinlan-led offense is the heart of this team. According to Ptaszek, Quinlan is the leader of this team. “He is the guy we all look to to make a play. The chips are down, coaches, players, offense, defence, they look at 12 to right the ship. Most guys in that role would feel the pressure and wouldn’t be as calm, as collected and as patient with everyone around them. Kyle manages that role better than anyone I have ever seen, and he is a unique leader.”

Recently returning from injury, Michael DiCroce has contributed heavily in the first two playoff games. The Marauders air attack led the nation with 22 passing touchdowns in 2012. If the game is close, kicker Tyler Crapigna can make a large contribution. No CIS team has been more successful in field goal attempts this year.

 

No. 3 Calgary Dino’s (9-1)

 

Head coach Blake Nill has put together a powerhouse team at the University of Calgary. This season, the Dinos were the most prolific scoring team in the country. No team in any conference scored more points (380) and no team had a better point differential (283). The Dinos allowed only 117 points all season.

According to Ptaszek, the Hardy Cup champions are a force to be reckoned with. “Once you watch the film, Coach Nill of the Dinosaurs has put together a team with one purpose in mind, and that is to win a Vanier Cup. They are the most talented group we have seen so far. They are wired to be a national champion. It will take our best game to survive the day.”

Calgary has some extremely talented playmakers on both sides of the ball. Offensively, quarterback Eric Dzwilewski had an outstanding season and has been nominated for the Hec Creighton trophy (competing against Mac’s Quinlan for the honors). Runningback Steve Lumbala is also a constant threat to break a big play, averaging 8.1 yards per carry, the best average in the CIS for backs with 70 or more rushes. On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Mike Edem is a production machine, recording 55 tackles, four sacks and one interception in 2012.

For Calgary’s playmakers, it all starts on the line. “At the line of scrimmage, between the defensive and offensive lines, they have about six or seven future CFL’ers. In the trenches, this will be as solid a team as we will ever see,” said Ptaszek.

The Dinos are certainly a difficult team to stop, leading the nation with 75 per cent success on third down conversions. The McMaster passing game will also face the stingiest secondary in the nation; the Dinos allow only 167.8 pass yards per game.

The Western Mustangs kept it close through the first three quarters, but the Maruarders pulled away for a 42-28 win Saturday night in the OUA semi-final game at Ron Joyce Stadium. Receiver Michael DiCroce, who returned from injury to play his first game this season, earned Player of the Game honours for McMaster, scoring two touchdowns, including a 103-yard score on a pass from QB Kyle Quinlan. Mac will host the Guelph Gryphons next Saturday for the 105th Yates Cup match. When the two teams met earlier this season, McMaster came out on top 50-9.

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.

Brandon Meawasige

Assistant Sports Editor

 

By defeating the Queen’s Gaels 40-13 at Ron Joyce Stadium last weekend, the McMaster Marauders not only clinched the program’s first trip to the Yates Cup since 2004, but gave the team’s senior players an opportunity to play at least one more football game sporting the maroon and grey.

Stand out linebacker Ryan Chmielewski, who leads the team in tackles, is one of nine seniors faced with this reality of OUA football in November: each game could be the last.

McMaster’s veterans seem not only able to cope with this reality, but seem to draw inspiration from it.

“We need to play like it is not our last game. I think all of us expect to play three more games,” said Chmielewski. “We expect to win.”

This attitude translated into results, evident by the play of McMaster’s defensive unit, which features six seniors, during the semi final game.

The Marauders “D” neutralized a powerful Gaels offense by containing the nation’s leading rusher Ryan Granberg and paralyzing the passing game.

Queen’s quarterback Ryan Mitchell threw six interceptions, including four to cornerback Joey Cupido and the Marauders converted the turnovers into enough points to put the game’s outcome out of the question early on.

A similar performance would go a long way towards a victory on Saturday at Western’s TD Waterhouse Stadium, where they will contend for the 104th Yates Cup.

Standing in their way are the defending champion Mustangs, who have had a dominant season of their own. Although both teams finished with identical records of 7-1, it is Western who got the better of the head-to-head matchup defeating the Marauders by a score of 48-21 in the second week of the season.

Western had the element of surprise on their side in week two as rookie running back Tyler Varga, who ended up leading the CIS with 15 touchdowns, had played in only one CIS game, making it very difficult to gauge his ability to impact a game.

“It was tough to put into context how tough Varga was. We walked into the hornets’ nest and found out first hand how good they were,” said McMaster head coach Stefan Ptaszek.

This time around, the Marauders know what to expect from Varga, the 18-year old phenom.

“They are the premier rushing team in the nation and can flat out run the football. That is going to be a huge challenge for us. [Stopping the run is] not a weakness of our defense, but our strength is certainly in the back end which they won’t attack too often,” said Ptaszek.

The Marauder secondary has intercepted opposing quarterbacks 25 times in 9 games, which would certainly suggest that Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall will continue with his run-heavy strategy. In their semi-final victory over Windsor, the Mustangs had more turnovers (7) than pass completions (6).

To answer, McMaster will need to see disciplined and ferocious play from the front seven. In the eyes of coach Ptaszek, the leadership on the defensive line will be an integral part of any success.

“We need the fifth-years on our defensive line to have the best games of their entire career. We need Roberto Filice and Mackenzie Dent to have the game of their lives to help contain that run game,” said the coach.

On the offensive side of the ball, Marauder quarterback Kyle Quinlan must continue to move the ball with the same efficiency that helped McMaster lead the CIS with an average of 530.5 total yards per game this season.

Held to only 21 points in the first meeting between these conference juggernauts, the McMaster offense has grown into the most formidable unit in the country.

However, it is not the 50-yard bombs or 30-yard rushes that will be the deciding factor in this game.

“Taking care of the football and turnovers will have a huge impact. Both [McMaster and Western] are high powered offenses, so keeping the other offense on the sideline by sustaining drives and ending with touchdowns instead of field goals will decide the winner of this game,” said Ptaszek, adding “it’s going come down to the subtle differences".

Comparable in essentially every categorical comparison, there is a looming intangible factor that may play a roll in the outcome of this game. A key difference between McMaster and Western is the playoff experience.

Coach Ptaszek does not have one player on his roster with Yates Cup experience, compared to a Western team that returns a many of its key players from their 2010 championship team.

“Our opponents are defending champions and have won two of the last three. They have way more experience in this big game, that is an advantage we will have to address" said Ptaszek of the challenge presented to his team.

Western advanced after a 33-27 victory over Windsor. Varga ran for 209 yards and a touchdown. Mustang starting quarterback Donnie Marshall, who has been out since an Oct. 10 win over York with a severe ankle sprain, did not play. It’s still unclear whether he will play vs. McMaster.

The Yates Cup, which kicks off at 1 p.m., will not only produce a provincial champion, but a legitimate national championship contender as well. The winner will play the AUS Champion in the Uteck Bowl for a right to play in the Vanier Cup Nov. 28 in Vancouver.

Brandon Meawasige

Assistant Sports Editor

 

The McMaster Marauders are one game away from the Yates Cup, thanks to a six game winning streak that has Mac ranked third in the CIS top ten .

On Saturday, Mac will host the Queen’s university Golden Gaels at Ron Joyce Stadium for the OUA semifinal game. The contest kicks off at 4:30 pm and will be broadcast on The Score.

Quarterback Kyle Quinlan and the McMaster offense, nine weeks removed from their 26- 2 victory over the Gaels in the season’s first game, lead the country in yards per game with an average of 530.5.

Saturday will surely have a different look than the first time these two teams played; Gael’s running back Ryan Granberg, who carried the ball nine times for 27 yards in that game, finished the season as the nations leading with 1068 yards, averaging 152.6 each game, also chipping in the winning touchdown against Laurier in the OUA quarterfinal game.

In addition,

The Gaels boast the stingiest brand of defense in the OUA allowing a conference low 308.9 yards per game with 14 interceptions and 19 quarterback sacks.

Quite the suitor for McMaster’s offensive unit ranked #1 in Canada, moving the ball for 530.5 yards per game, over 300 of them coming through the air.

Both teams come into the contest on six game winning streaks, poised for a chance to hoist the Yates Cup, which the Gaels got a chance to do in 2009 and McMaster has not been able to do since 2003.

A true clash of the titans, Saturday’s game will feature many key matchups including Michael Dicroce, the nation’s top receiver lining up across from a Gaels secondary who shut down a juggernaut Laurier receiving core last week,

Ryan Granberg will also have a tough test facing a stout McMaster run defense that has conceded only two 100 yard rushing performances this entire season.

It will be interesting to see the winner of each match up this game will offer.

By the time the final whistle blows,

a variety of strategic moves from the coaching staff of each team and highlight real plays by the many OUA all-stars on both sides will ultimately determine who will play in the Yates Cup championship game. ‘

The winner of this game will face the winner of Windsor and Western which will also be broadcast on The Score at 1 pm.

Benjamin Deans

Queen’s Journal

 

The Gaels’ season isn’t the only thing on the line at Saturday’s OUA semi-final at McMaster. Given the Gaels’ 26-2 home opener loss to the Marauders, there’s a good deal of pride at stake as well.

“We got embarrassed at home in front of a big crowd, so we need to rectify that,” CIS-leading running back Ryan Granberg said. “We want a little revenge.”

The Gaels beat the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 14-10 at Richardson Stadium in the OUA quarter-final last Saturday, Oct. 29.

The game will be the Gaels’ first OUA semifinal since 2009. They also faced the Marauders in the semi-final that season, pounding them 32-6 en route to winning the Vanier Cup.

Following the 2009 playoffs blowout, the Gaels traveled to McMaster for the school’s 2010 home opener. With their championship players lost to graduation, the Gaels lost 18-23.

The two teams faced off again in the first round of the 2010 playoffs and the Marauders ended the Gaels’ season with a 40-19 defeat in Hamilton.

The game that still stings is that Queen’s 2011 home opener. In quarterback Billy McPhee’s first start, an offence straight out of training camp failed to score a touchdown, but was missing leading receiver Giovanni Aprile. The loss seemed to forecast another disappointing season for the Gaels.

Two weeks later, they turned it around.

Head coach Pat Sheahan focused the offence on Granberg. The defence stopped allowing points and started catching interceptions. The team started winning and hasn’t stopped for seven straight games.

But the Marauders have some stories of their own.

Two weeks after his 349-yard performance at Queen’s, McMaster quarterback Kyle Quinlan was suspended from his team for three games after a fight at campus bar.

He returned as good as ever and leads the CIS in passing yards per game.

The Marauders will be coming off two weeks of rest on Saturday. They finished the regular season second in the OUA with a 7-1 record the Gaels were third with 6-2 and earned a bye week.

The Gaels have struggled with injuries late in the season.

McPhee was on the sidelines last weekend with an undisclosed injury.

Backup Ryan Mitchell wasn’t at McPhee’s level, but was good enough to lead the Gaels to a win over the Golden Hawks.

 

Brandon Meawasige

Assistant Sports Editor
It’s been nearly a decade since McMaster last hosted the penultimate round of the OUA playoffs, but that drought has officially come to an end.

The seemingly unstoppable Marauders earned the right to host the conference semifinal on Nov. 5 after clinching second place in the province and the accompanying first round playoff bye with a victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Oct. 22.

The win, which extended McMaster’s streak to six games, featured stellar play from the Marauder defence, a unit that has been responsible for picking off opposing quarterbacks more times than any other team in the country with 15 interceptions in 2011.

However it was the offence carrying the team to victory on Saturday, utterly dominating an Ottawa secondary that appeared unprepared to face a McMaster group that leads the CIS with an average of 530.5 yards per game.

By half-time the score was 45-10 thanks in part to a spectacular performance from the duo of quarterback Kyle Quinlan – who threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns – and CIS receiving yardage leader Michael Dicroce who caught six passes for 124 yards, including one a touchdown.

Never looking back after their offensive showcase in the first half, the Marauders would rest some starters for the second half en route to an eventual result of 51-24. The game, loaded with playoff ramifications, was part of an interesting day across the OUA.

In Kingston, the Queen’s Gaels laid a beating on the Western Mustangs, who were the top-ranked team in the country entering play on Oct. 22. The final score of 37-0 in favour of the home team was not only Western’s first loss of the season but it marked the first time the Mustangs have been shut out by an opponent in 38 years.

Before the game, having clinched first place in the OUA, Mustangs’ coach Greg Marshall decided to sit 11 regular starters. That decision, in combination with a Gaels’ defence ranked first in the OUA, played a significant role in the contest’s shocking score line.

Although the game had no impact on the Mustangs’ playoff standing, it certainly impacted their national ranking. In the CIS top ten rankings of Oct. 25, Western fell to no. 4 behind undefeated Calgary, defending Vanier Cup champion Laval and McMaster.

The quarterfinal match-ups will take place on Oct. 29 with the sixth-seeded Laurier Golden Hawks visiting Kingston to take on three-seed Queens, and fifth-seeded Windsor travelling across the province to face Ottawa.

Both games will kick off at 1 p.m. and will have an audience from across the province as the winner will move on to face either McMaster or Western in the following week.

A bye week traditionally involves the resting of key playmakers, the installment of new blitz packages and offensive running schemes. However, for McMaster this weekend will be the first since Sept. 10 where they do not win a football game.

Since that loss against Western in the second game of the season, the Marauders have overcome a plethora of obstacles. The campaign saw several key playmakers miss time on the playing field including running back Joey Nemet, quarterback Kyle Quinlan, defensive back Joey Cupido and receiver Jarred Jones.

The resilience and depth demonstrated by the Maroon and Grey this season make them ideal contenders. But they will have to wait another week to resume that contention.

The Nov. 5 contest at Ron Joyce will be the first time McMaster will host a semifinal since 2002. When that season was said and done, the Marauders were Yates Cup Champions.