Marauders fall to Hawks

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[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/football_sept2504.jpg” caption=”Photo courtesy of Laurier Athletics “]On a day when one record was set in the crowd, the Laurier
Golden Hawks ended a long-running OUA record of the McMaster Marauders.

In front of 6,641 homecoming fans, who all entered into the Guinness
book of World records for simultaneous use of a whoopee cushion in support of the Kidney Foundation of Canada, the #7 Laurier Golden Hawks (4-0) stunned the #2 McMaster Marauders (3-1) on a last-minute 27-yard field goal by Brian Devlin (Sarnia, ON) to win 34-33.

“This game really showed the character and resolve of our football
team,” a visibly excited Laurier coach Gary Jeffries said after the game.

The loss was the first for the Marauders under new head coach Marcello Campanaro, and the first for the program in 39 games, spanning almost four full seasons.

“I'm not really as concerned about the streak as I am about some of the mistakes that I saw on the field today,” Campanaro said.

Quarterback Ryan Pyear (Belleville, ON), who revealed that he was
playing with a wrist that was partially broken last week against Western, led the Golden Hawks to the win. He was pounded all day by the Marauder front seven, absorbing six sacks. But the younger brother of former Marauder Kyle Pyear hung in the pocket and managed to complete 19 of 30 passes for 277 yards three touchdowns and one interception. He also ran a quarterback sneak for a one-yard touchdown run.

“(Mac's) front seven is unrivalled anywhere in the country so I just
tried to stay aware of where (Jeff) Robertshaw and (Mike) Gow were at all times,” Pyear said. “Mac's never been beat since I've been at Laurier so this is really great.”

“I don't know what the right word is, but he (Pyear) is definitely one tough player,” Mac defensive end Jeff Robertshaw said. “This is definitely a wake-up call for us though, it's time to get down to business.”

Andrew Baechler (Ayr, ON) led the Hawks with seven catches for 134 yards and one touchdown. Nick Cameron (Norland, ON) carried the running game, gaining 46 yards on 13 carries. Other Laurier touchdowns went to receivers Joel Wright (Stoney Creek, ON) and Bryon Hickey (Burlington, ON).

On defence, linebacker Jesse Alexander (Kitchener, ON) led Laurier with 6.5 tackles. Justin Phillips (Ottawa, ON) had four tackles and two sacks for Laurier.

For McMaster, their vaunted running attack never got going against
Laurier, as the Hawks packed their defence close to the line of scrimmage and dared the Marauders to beat them downfield. Jesse Lumsden (Burlington, ON) left the game for a few minutes in the third with a high ankle injury but returned to rush for 112 yards on 24 carries, and one touchdown.

Jon Behie (Burlington, ON) started at quarterback for the Marauders and threw for 207 yards on 10 of 24 passing, including three touchdowns and one interception that was returned 54 yards to the McMaster one-yard line.

Vaughan Swart (Welland, ON) caught two balls for 94 yards, both for
touchdowns. Tight end Sean Postma (Campbellville, ON) caught Behie's
other touchdown pass.

The Marauder defence was led by Tristan Clovis (Scarborough, ON), who
had nine tackles and a sack. Robertshaw (Hamilton, ON) was in the Laurier backfield all day, sacking Pyear three times and taking him to the ground at least a half dozen other times.

Linebacker Manny Furtado (Hamilton, ON) left the game in the second
quarter with an apparent shoulder injury and did not return.

Next week the Golden Hawks, who will most likely leapfrog McMaster in
the national top 10, are the road team against the University of Waterloo Warriors (1-2-0-1), who beat Queen's 17-14 this Saturday.

McMaster will try to build a new OUA unbeaten streak next week returning to Les Prince Field for homecoming weekend against the University of Guelph Gryphons (3-1) who were hammered 41-14 against Ottawa (4-0) this weekend.

Tickets for the game can be purchased at the Ivor Wynne Centre, the
Compass Info Centre inside the McMaster Student Centre or through Ticketmaster.

For more information, visit www.athrec.mcmaster.ca