LONDON, Ont. – The top-ranked Western Mustangs will return to the Yates Cup for the eighth consecutive year.
Western defeated the Queen’s Gaels 47-20 on Saturday to book its ticket to the Ontario University Athletics football championship game.
Evan Hillock completed 19 of 30 passes for 308 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the semifinal win. Savaughn Magnaye-Jones had 10 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown.
The reigning two-time Yates Cup champion Mustangs entered the second half ahead just 19-17, outscored the Gaels 28-3 in the final two quarters and remained undefeated this year.
Western next faces the No. 3 Laurier Golden Hawks, who defeated the Windsor Lancers 21-14 in the other semifinal.
The Mustangs (8-0) and Golden Hawks (7-1) tied the OUA standings, with Western earning a 33-30 victory in the two teams’ only meeting in the regular-season finale on Oct. 21.
In the RSEQ Conference, reigning Vanier Cup winners Laval Rouge et Or defeated the Concordia Stingers 34:27 in double overtime and advanced to the Dunsmore Cup final.
Fourth-seeded Rouge et Or will face second-seeded Montreal Carabins, who beat Sherbrooke Vert et Or 54-3 in the other semifinal.
In the Atlantic University Sports conference event, the St. Francis Xavier X-Men ended the Saint Mary’s Huskies’ season with a 36-20 victory.
The X-Men will next face the Bishop’s Gaiters in the Loney Bowl title game. The Gaiters advanced to the AUS final with a 34-15 win over the Mount Allison Mounties.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2023.
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