Western moves closer to Vanier Cup defence with rout of Queen's

LONDON, Ont. — Keon Edwards rushed for 260 yards and a touchdown and the Western Mustangs moved closer to defending their Vanier Cup varsity football title with 44-16 rout of the Queen's Gaels on Saturday.

Evan Hillock threw for three touchdown passes as the Mustangs cruised to victory in the Yates Cup, the title game of U Sports' Ontario University Athletics conference.

Edwards carved through the Gaels' defence all afternoon. His standout performance included an 81-yard run in the second quarter to set up a 10-yard touchdown run by Keanu Yazbeck.

Yazbeck ran for 76 yards and two touchdowns while receiver Seth Robertson had 86 yards and a touchdown.

Griffin Campbell and Savaughn Magnaye-Jones also had touchdowns through the air for Western.

Kicker Brian Garrity added a field goal and five converts.

Anthony Soles had two rushing touchdowns for the Gaels, who got their other points on a safety with less than two minutes remaining.

Western will next face Laval in the Mitchell Bowl, with the winner advancing to the Vanier Cup.

The Rouge et Or beat Montreal 25-24 in the Dunsmore Cup, the final of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec conference.

The Mustangs will host the U Sports championship game Nov. 26 at Western Alumni Stadium in London, Ont.

The other finalist will be decided in next week's Uteck Bowl between St. Francis Xavier and Saskatchewan.

The X-Men advanced with a 21-14 win over Mount Allison in the Loney Bowl, the Atlantic University Sport final, and the Huskies defeated UBC 23-8 to claim the Hardy Cup as Canada West champions.

X-Men 21 Mounties 14

ANTIGONISH, N.S. — Malcolm Bussey rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown to lead StFX to a Loney Bowl victory and a berth in the Uteck Bowl.

Ben Harrington put the X-Men up 10-2 when he returned a punt 91 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter.

StFX followed with two safeties, and Bussey's 30-yard TD run to open the fourth gave the X-Men a commanding 21-5 lead.

Cody Barton had 113 receiving yards and a touchdown for Mount Allison.

Huskies 23 Thunderbirds 8

SASKATOON — Jordin Rusnack broke open a close game with an eight-yard touchdown reception on the final play of the third quarter and the Huskies advanced to the Uteck Bowl with a victory in the Hardy Cup final.

Rusnack's TD and a convert from David Solie gave the Huskies a 16-8 lead heading into the final quarter.

Finn Marcotte-Cribb put the game away when he returned an interception nine yards for a touchdown.

Solie added 11 points on three field goals and two converts.

Lucas Mastrodomenico had a three-yard rushing touchdown for UBC.

Rouge et Or 25 Carabins 24

QUEBEC CITY — Receiver Kevin Mital hauled in three touchdowns and Laval escaped the Dunsmore Cup final after scoring a point on the game's final play.

Tied 24-24, the Rouge et Or attempted to kick a field goal with time running out. While kicker Vincent Blanchard missed, Laval scored a rouge when Montreal was unable to get the ball out of the end zone.

It was the second single of the game for Laval, which also had a rouge on the first scoring play of the game.

It was the ninth meeting in the Dunsmore Cup final between the Carabins and the Rouge et Or, with Laval coming out on top five times.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2022.