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The Western football team finished the playoffs last fall with their top two running backs sidelined by injury.
Keon Edwards and Keanu Yazbeck are back now and feeling fine. Both ran for more than 100 yards in their returns and the Mustangs grounded the Ottawa Gee-Gees 38-11 in their Ontario university opener on Sunday afternoon at TD Place.
The Mustangs scored their first 10 points after two early blocked punts, highlighted by a 31-yard Ben Cottrell run after Ryan Barthelson got a piece of the ball. The three-time defending Yates Cup champs held Ottawa to a single point in the second half on the strength of three interceptions by Jordan Murphy, South grad Josh Gillam and Chris Cameron-Kogler.
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Western starting quarterback Evan Hillock had a quiet season debut with just 123 passing yards while connecting on 10-of-23 attempts. Backup Jerome Rancourt was expertly used in short-yardage situations, rumbling for 35 yards on four carries and throwing his team’s lone touchdown pass on a 24-yard strike to Seth Robertson in the third quarter that essentially put the game away.
Western kicker Brian Garrity was good on five of his six field goal attempts, including a couple from 39 yards out. Oliver Griffiths, a Londoner who transferred home from Queen’s, punted six times for a 43-yard average.
The Mustangs defence stymied Ottawa quarterback Josh Janssens, who managed just 92 yards on 28 pass attempts. Charles Asselin was the only productive Gee-Gee by scoring on a 75-yard touchdown run and racking up 119 rushing yards.
The Mustangs won their 21st straight regular-season game, a streak that started after a 23-21 loss at Guelph Sept. 25, 2021. They got back in the win column after a 29-3 loss to the eventual Vanier Cup champion Montreal Carabins in the Uteck Bowl semifinal Nov. 18.
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Western safety Jackson Findlay, who recorded 3.5 tackles, is the highest-ranked U Sports player in the Canadian Football League scouting bureau’s fall list for the next draft. He is at No. 5 among eligible prospects while Mustangs all-star offensive lineman Erik Andersen checks in at No. 17.
rpyette@postmedia.com
MUSTANGS OPENER
Western 38, Ottawa 11
Mustangs touchdowns: Ben Cottrell, Seth Robertson, Keanu Yazbeck
Gee-Gees touchdown: Charles Asselin
Next: Western’s home opener is against Waterloo Sunday, 7 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.
GAME SUMMARY
Sunday at TD Place (Ottawa)
Western 38, Gee-Gees 11
First quarter
WES – FG Garrity 11 2:35
WES – TD Cottrell 31 blocked punt recovery (Garrity kick) 7:46
OTT – FG Copeland 13 12:32
Second quarter
WES – FG Garrity 39 3:26
OTT – TD Asselin run 75 (Copeland kick) 4:57
WES – FG Garrity 29 8:33
WES – FG Garrity 10 13:40
Third quarter
WES – FG Garrity 39 10:07
WES – TD Robertson pass 24 from Rancourt (Garrity kick) 13:39
Fourth quarter
OTT – Single 3:31
WES – Safety 7:29
WES – TD Yazbeck run 11 (Garrity kick) 13:33
Wes 10 9 10 9–38
Ott 3 7 0 1–11
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Rushing: Wes – Edwards 14-104, Yazbeck 15-103, TD. Ott – Asselin 7-119, TD, Camara 9-56. Receiving: Wes – Robertson 5-102, TD, Kubongo 3-29. Ott – Asselin 5-23, Kodua 2-22. Passing: Wes – Hillock 10-23, 123, 0 TD, 0 Int., Rancourt, 2-2, 50, 1, 0. Ott – Janssen 12-28, 92, 0, 3.
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