Marauders to open season against Western Mustangs

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/marauder.jpg”]This Monday, the McMaster Marauders will open its 2004 season against the Western Mustangs at TD Waterhouse Stadium in London.
The Sept. 6, Labour Day game is expected to attract a sell-out crowd of more than 8,000 spectators. Kick-off time is 3 p.m.
The Marauders are ranked the second best team by Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and The University of Western Mustangs are ranked ninth.
The game will mark the debut of McMaster head coach Marcello Campanaro at the helm of the Marauders.
The team will be led by NFL-prospect, and Hec Creighton candidate, fourth-year, running back Jesse Lumsden. Lumsden lead the CIS in rushing last year and established an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) single season rushing record with 1,497 yards on the
ground. He tied an OUA record for most touchdowns in a season with 20. (He shares the lead with former teammate and Hamilton Tiger-Cat reserve Kojo Aidoo who set the mark in 2000)
McMaster fifth-year kicker, Michael Ray will look to become the McMaster career field goal leader. He is currently tied with Derek Livingstone (1997-2000) with 47 career field goals.
McMaster has not settled on a starting quarterback, as incumbent Jon Behie, sophmore Adam Archibald, and Mike Zaremba battle it out for the chance to lead the team.
Campanaro will start his career against the top winning coach in CIS football history, Larry Haylor. Western finished last season at 5-3, good for fourth place in the OUA, but was upset by the University Windsor in an OUA quarter-final matchup.
Haylor brings a strong team to the fold in 2004, as the Mustangs return the second leading passer in the OUA last season, 29-year old quarterback Chris Hessel, and the second leading receiver, Andy Fantuz. Fantuz, a dominating presence on the field at over 6'4 and 220 pounds, had more than 1,000 yards receiving last season and will be a tough test for McMaster's secondary.
The season opener is one-half of a great football day in the Hamilton
community. The McMaster game will precede the CFL “Labour Day Classic” football game between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts starting at 5:45 p.m.
The McMaster football game will be televised live in Hamilton, London, Halton, Niagara and Toronto. Consult the McMaster Athletics & Recreation Web site for a complete broadcast listing.
The game will be broadcast on radio on CFMU 93.3 FM and on the internet at http://cfmu.mcmaster.ca