 |  |
Yates bound! Queens defeats McMaster 32-6 in OUA football semifinal
KINGSTON, Ont. - Playing like they were on a mission, the No. 4
Queens Gaels defeated the No. 9 McMaster Marauders by the score of
32-6 to earn a berth in the 102nd Yates Cup.
Queens will host the winner of the other semifinal game between the
No. 5 Western Mustangs and the No. 7 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
(Live on theScore @ 4pm EST). Tickets for the Yates Cup are now on
sale by calling 613-533-2500.
The win earns Queens its first Yates Cup appearance since 2002 when
McMaster topped the Gaels 33-19. Next weeks game also marks the
first time the Kingston has hosted the Yates Cup since 1978 that
year the Gaels were a perfect 10-0 and marched to one of its three
Vanier Cup titles.
With the wind at their backs to start the game, the Gaels took full
advantage putting up 13 points on the Marauders. Six of those
points came off of conceded safeties by McMaster after the Gaels
defence pinned them deep in their end.
The defence also contributed to the Gaels first touchdown of the
game as Matt Vickers of Stittsville, Ont., picked off McMaster
quarterback Kyle Quinlan of South Woodslee, Ont. at the McMaster
35-yard line midway through the opening quarter. Five plays later,
Marty Gordon of Kingston, Ont., punched the ball in from one yard
out.
The Gaels would extend their lead to 20 when McMaster punter
Michael DiCroce of Hamilton, Ont., fumbled a snap and was forced to
fall on the ball at his own 22-yard line. This time, the Gaels
turned to running back Jimmy Therrien of Montreal, to get them
across the goal line.
Queens defence would continue to come up big for the remainder of
the half as they twice stopped McMaster from finding the end zone.
Holding them to a single field goal at the end of the second
quarter, Queens took a 20-3 lead into the half.
Queens would put the game out of reach early in the third quarter
when quarterback Danny Brannagan of Burlington, Ont., rolled out
and ran the ball in for a one yard score, despite McMaster having
13 men on the field.
Offensively, the Gaels were led by the running back duo of Therrien
and Gordon who combined for 146-yards and two touchdowns on the
afternoon. Therrien secured 89-yards with one touchdown while
Gordan had 57 yards and the other major.
Brannagan was 12 for 25 for 161-yards passing while Qulian was 12
of 36 for 185 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, rush ends Osie Ukwuoma of
Mississauga, Ont., and Shomari Williams of Brampton, Ont., wreaked
havoc on the Marauders backfield as they combined for 12 tackles
and two sacks.
NOTES: Queens last hosted a conference final in 1997 (Dunsmore Cup)
Defensive Tackle John Miniacis (Toronto) interception in the second
quarter was the first of his CIS career The Gaels defence held
McMaster without a touchdown in both meetings this season
Attendance at the game was 2,438.
Source:
Michael Grobe
Communications and Sports Information Officer
Queen's University
