The Gaels successfully crashed the party at Waterloo this weekend, making their presence felt on the field.
On Sept. 20, Queen’s football team rolled into Waterloo for the Warriors’ annual homecoming game and stormed away with a 58–18 victory, extending their winning streak over Waterloo to nine straight matchups since 2007.
The Gaels got the party started early with an 80-yard rushing touchdown by Jared Chisari, MSc ’26. Before the game, quarterback Alex Vreeken told The Journal in a media availability that scoring early would be a major key to the game, saying, “when you score early and often, it really helps.”
READ MORE: Queen’s football aims to upset Waterloo’s homecoming game
After a couple of great defensive stops shut out the Warriors, the offence came back on the field and put together an impressive drive starting on their own 30-yard line. Through big plays, including a 36-yard catch-and-run by Nathan Falconi, ArtSci ’26, and a 31-yard run by Isaiah Adams, ArtSci ’26, the Gaels found themselves in the red zone. The drive finished off with a quarterback-designed run by Anthony Lio, Kin ’27, for his first touchdown of the season, giving the Gaels a commanding 14-0 lead late in the first quarter.
The Warriors responded, pushing the Gaels’ defence deep into their own territory, but through strong team defence, the Gaels ultimately held them to a field goal. Queen’s offence immediately answered with an 85-yard march down the field, highlighted by a 39-yard run by Adams and a beautiful 13-yard toe-tap catch by Cedric Smith, ArtSci ’26. The Gaels took complete control early in the second quarter, leading 21-3.
Midway through the second quarter, the Gaels proved that all three phases can contribute on the board, including a safety and subsequent rouge to make the score 24-3. The Warriors’ hopes of coming back were stifled by a second-down sack by Steven Kpehe, Kin ‘26. The Gaels would push down the field, ending with a Chisari touchdown, his second of the game. However, the Warriors would answer with a touchdown of their own.
In the final play of the half, Justin Pace, ArtSci ’26, delivered a huge hit on the Warriors’ starting quarterback, Nick Orr, that resulted in Pace’s ejection from the game. Orr left the game and didn’t return.
At half, the Gaels led Waterloo 32-10.
The third quarter began with the offence not skipping a beat, marching down for another touchdown by Adams. The Warriors struggled on offence, with the Queen’s defence smothering any Waterloo efforts. At the end of the quarter, Chisari added another touchdown to his game, this time with a 105-yard run. Both teams would trade touchdowns in the fourth quarter, with the game ending in a 58-18 victory for the Gaels. When the dust settled, the two teams recorded a whopping total of 17 penalties.
On offence, Gaels standouts included Vreeken with 245 passing yards and a passing touchdown, Chisari with 223 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and Smith with 70 receiving yards and his first touchdown as a Gael.
Standout defensive Gaels included Brandon Spence, Kin ’27 recording five tackles and one sack, and Alex Tuck, Kin ’26, with five solo tackles. Additionally, Kpehe, Jeremy Hiscox, ArtSci ’26, and Eli Bennett, Sci ’28, recorded a sack apiece.
The Gaels will continue their season against the York Lions at Richardson Stadium on Sept. 27 at 3 p.m. ET.
Tags
Alex Vreekan, Football, Gaels, Isaiah Adams, Jared Chisari, Nathan Falconi, Waterloo
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