Laurier hosts McMaster in OUA semi-final
Posted Nov 4, 2017 04:50:14 AM.
Last Updated Nov 3, 2017 02:41:22 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s semi-final Saturday in the OUA.
Laurier Golden Hawks men’s football team will host the McMaster Marauders for a third straight OUA playoff matchup.
These two teams are very familiar with each other after playing October 21 which was a 40-15 Laurier win.
It’s a different year and Head Coach Michael Faulds is not resting on the past, but looking forward to Saturday afternoon’s game.
Faulds says it’s a chance for his team to prove that they belong among the best in the OUA.
“We’re exactly in position now where we’d thought we’d be in terms of playing in a OUA semi-final and being four quarters away from being back in the Yates Cup”.
Laurier will be looking for it’s second straight Yates Cup berth and McMaster will be trying to break through this year after being cut short last season at the hands of the Golden Hawks.
Faulds recognizes that McMaster will present a tough challenge.
“It’s kind of that old school chess match where the coaches will try to put players in good positions to succeed,” says Faulds, “I’m happy where we are at heading into today’s matchup. We were very productive during the bye week getting all of our players healthy.”
Golden Hawks starting Quarterback Michael Knevel is expected to be back in the lineup Saturday afternoon after missing the last game of the regular season against McMaster.
During the regular season finale against the Marauders, Faulds felt like the Golden Hawks were the underdogs after suffering its worst loss of the season against the University of Guelph, 24-14. Faulds feels like the shoe is now on the other foot.
“I think we play the underdog card a little bit better”, says Faulds, “that’s been our challenge all week is getting our guys in the mindset that the Marauders are going to come out with revenge on the mind. They know we’ve made them exit the playoffs the last couple of years and they would love to do nothing more than to spoil our chances at getting back to the Yates Cup final.”
You can catch the game right here on 570 NEWS at 1 PM.
In the other semi-final match up, the University of Guelph will travel to London to take on the Western Mustangs.
