Despite facing plenty of adversity through injury, the Gaels have punched their ticket to the OUA Championship.
On Oct. 31, Queen’s men’s rugby team took down the Laurier Golden Hawks in the OUA semifinal in Waterloo, ON. It was a tight matchup, with Queen’s earning a 29-22 win, but it earned the Gaels a berth in the OUA Men’s Rugby Championship.
Head coach John Lavery, though, didn’t feel that the match was too close for comfort. Instead, the game left Lavery, who’s always looking for ways for his team to get better, proud. “It was very, very satisfying,” Lavery said in an interview with The Journal. “Laurier’s a very ambitious program. We had three yellow cards and played down two guys for 10 minutes, so to be able to grind it out was a real character test.”
A character test indeed, but not just of Queen’s usual standouts. Veteran standouts such as captain Connor Hay, ArtSci ’26, Trekker James, ArtSci ’26, and Bauer Mercer, ArtSci ’26, remain unavailable to the Gaels. Instead, the Gaels’ roster featured a number of first- and second-year players who’ve grown into key roles throughout the season. Lavery credited the team’s success to a deep culture of trust.
“The biggest lesson is that they only go so far as the trust in each other,” he said. “We try to behave as though everybody’s got a role to play, and we work really hard at making people feel valued so they’re ready when opportunity comes.”
Angus Dewar, ArtSci ’27, and Coen Quinn, Sci ’28, took on significant roles and found the scoresheet with a try apiece. Owen Lee, Comm ’26 added to the total with a try of his own. And, of course, there was Marcus D’Acre, ArtSci ’26, the Gaels standout who has been an imposing presence for Queen’s all year. D’Acre scored a try, nailed a penalty goal, and went three for four on conversion kicks.
Lavery, though, appreciates more than just the numbers, pointing to D’Acre’s emergence as a leader. “He’s very good at sharing what I need to know,” Lavery said. “He’s had one of the most positive influences on a group I’ve ever seen.” He continued, saying, “He’s such a competitor, but he’s learned how to blend that with humility. That’s rare.”
D’Acre isn’t just recognized in-house. After the game, he was honoured as the OUA Men’s Rugby Player of the Year. He joined Hay, Mercer, Cam Bubyn, CompSci ’27, and Tao Nichol, Sci ’26, as OUA First Team All-Stars. Lavery praised the consistency of Bubyn and Nichol while recognizing the strong performances of Hay and Mercer before their injury troubles.
The focus now is on the OUA Championship, where Queen’s is set to rematch their rivals, the Guelph Gryphons. Last year, Queen’s took a heartbreaking loss in the OUA finals to Guelph before slaying the dragon at the national level.
With the aforementioned injuries in play, Lavery has looked to his depth for players to step up. Luckily, several players have answered the call. Specifically, second-year Evan Palmer, ArtSci ’29, is set to make his playoff debut on the biggest stage of the season, and Lavery says he’s risen to the occasion.
“Evan’s explosiveness and passing ability unlocks a lot for us,” Lavery said. “The number one thing is to play with no fear. Mistakes are going to happen. We just have to be brave in our decision-making and swing for the fences.”
That “no fear” mindset, Lavery said, defines how the Gaels approach the matchup against their rivals. “We can’t play Guelph’s game,” he added. “We have to play our way and give ourselves permission to live and die by it.”
The Gaels will head to Guelph, to face the Gryphons for the OUA title on Nov. 6. Next up, Queen’s will look to medal once again at the national level, but right now, Lavery only has one thing in mind. “Nationals will take care of themselves,” he said. “Right now, the OUA is our championship. That’s where our focus is, and that’s what matters most to the guys.”
Tags
Angus Dewar, Coen Quinn, John Lavery, Laurier Golden Hawks, Marcus D'acre, Men's rugby
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