Marauders ready for Yates Cup championship

It all came down to some late-game heroics, but McMaster is going back to the Yates Cup final.

The Marauders defeated the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees 42-31 during a blustery tilt at Ron Joyce Stadium on Saturday, and earned their third trip to the provincial championship in the past four seasons.

With the game tied at 28 in the fourth quarter, McMaster quarterback Marshall Ferguson found Joshua Vandeweerd in the endzone with 6:57 remaining on the clock.

The Marauders defence withstood a final surge from the Gee-Gees, and McMaster added a late touchdown to seal the victory and advance to their eighth OUA final in team history.

Ferguson tossed two touchdowns in the win, going 21-34 with 287 yards, two interceptions and two rushing yards.

McMaster used a trio of running backs in the high-scoring affair, who combined for three touchdowns and 297 yards on the ground. Chris Pezetta scored a touchdown and amassed a game-high 143 yards rushing. Wayne Moore collected 99 rushing yards and a touchdown, and Declan Cross finished with 55 rushing yards and a touchdown.

The Marauders will have home field advantage against the University of Guelph on Saturday, Nov. 15, as the team battles for their seventh Yates Cup provincial title. The heated rivals also met in the 2012 Yates Cup final, with McMaster defeating the Gryphons 30-13.

Yates Cup ticket information: 

The 107th Yates Cup championship will be decided on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. at Ron Joyce Stadium. Tickets are available at the David Braley Athletic Centre and at COMPASS (located in the Student Centre).

Tickets will also be available for purchase online, beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Reserved seating at Ron Joyce Stadium is $30. General admission seating is $25, and $15 for students.