Season over for Gaels

The Gaels were outclassed by the McMaster Marauders on Saturday in Hamilton, losing 40-13 in the OUA semifinal. They fell behind 33-3 in the first half and didn’t have the weapons to overcome the deficit.

The Gaels felt quarterback Billy McPhee’s absence. Backup Ryan Mitchell threw six first-half interceptions in the second start of his Gaels career. Although he had a solid game against the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in last week’s quarter-final, his turnovers against the Marauders limited the Gaels’ ability to generate points.

A banged-up Gaels defence struggled to stop a potent McMaster offence, giving up 279 yards in the first half alone. Key linebackers Sam Sabourin and Frank Pankewich missed time last week while defensive linemen Osie Ukwuoma and Derek Wiggan both played through injuries.

The defence showed signs of life in the first half with a red zone interception from TJ Chase-Dunawa, but it didn’t make enough of a difference to compensate for the lacklustre offensive effort.

The loss snaps the Gaels seven-game winning streak and ends their 2011 season. The Marauders will go on to face the Western Mustangs in the Yates Cup next weekend.

Tags

Football, OUAs, Yates Cup

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