SEE IT: 101-yard opening kickoff return paces Western Mustangs to 52-21 win

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Roman Campanaro called fielding the opening kickoff in front of a big home football crowd “nerve-wracking.” Sixteen seconds and 101 yards later, he was celebrating in the end zone.

“I just tried to calm myself down,” the Mustangs fill-in return man said after his first U Sports score in a 52-21 victory over winless Carleton Saturday night at Western Alumni Stadium, “and once I got the call I was going to the field, I knew what I had to do. I saw my block set and I was gone.”

Campanaro’s sensational scamper sparked a 14-point lead at the 46-second mark of the opening quarter. Carleton botched the ensuing kickoff, which was recovered by Western’s Chris Cameron-Kogler at the visitors’ 28-yard line. The rattled Ravens promptly allowed the first of three Keon Edwards touchdowns and never could draw even again.

“Just to start a game like that is the best way to do it,” said Edwards, who finished with a team-best 74 yards on 15 carries. “It’s a big-time play for (Roman). It’s a priority (to score) every time we get in the red zone.

“Once the opportunity comes, we generally have to finish and put six points on the board. It’s been great (the last two weeks).”

Western is the only 3-0 team in the Ontario university conference and one of three remaining unbeaten squads. Laurier, who the Mustangs face next Saturday on the road, and Windsor are both 2-0 so far.

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IN DEEP: The three-time defending Yates Cup champs have incredible depth. Campanaro stepped in for dynamic returner Daniel Kubongo, who suffered an ankle injury in last week’s 71-3 win over Waterloo.

The 6-foot, 185-pound receiver grew up in Hamilton and knew Greg Marshall since he was a little boy. His father Marcello, once the McMaster Marauders head coach, is now the quarterbacks coach for the Mustangs and was on the sidelines to see the big run from the son.

“It means the most,” Roman said. “He’s forever going to be my favourite coach and the one guy I always listen to. He doesn’t get into my life too much. He doesn’t get in my way.

“He’s always there and that’s the best kind of support I can have.”

Normally, special teams coach Adam Grandy doesn’t have the receivers work on full-field kickoff returns. But they did ahead of the Ravens encounter.

“This week, we put that in just in case,” Campanaro said. “Maybe if we see a certain look. We saw that look and practice paid off. The blocking was beautiful. They were set up so nicely. They were all clean.

“I knew where I needed to go and there was so much open space.”

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MOMENTUM SHIFT: The Ravens chipped away and had the ball at their 20 looking to tie it in the second quarter. But after Western’s defence forced a punt, Mustangs quarterback Evan Hillock threw a 55-yard strike to Seth Robertson for a two-touchdown lead. Before the half, Carleton fumbled away a punt, then surrendered an interception to Jacob Saunders and struggled to regain good field position.

Western kicker Brian Garrity booted a 24-yard field goal at the break for a 17-point edge. The 52 points were the most points the Mustangs hung on the Ravens since a 70-14 victory Sept. 26, 2015, in London.

“Good balance (on offence),” Western head coach Greg Marshall said. “A little inconsistent. Defensively, they were spread a little more than we’ve seen. We needed to be more consistent running the football. Guys were falling off blocks. We didn’t break those big ones as consistently as we needed to against a team that is just going to try to take away the pass.”

But the Western defence squashed the Carleton running game and the Ravens turned the ball over five times.

“Our cover teams are really good,” Marshall said. “Ollie (Griffiths) punted the ball well – even against the wind. It’s a big part. Special teams is all of us. At some point, everybody is on a special team. It’s not time to take a play off.

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“It changes outcomes of the game and it changed the outcome today.”

SIDELINES: The old scoreboard is not in use anymore and should be replaced in the coming weeks . . . Keanu Yazbeck has scored a touchdown in three straight games for Western . . . Evan Hillock threw his first interception of the season, picked off by Ravens halfback Schneider Cave in the second quarter . . . Ravens quarterback Elijah Barnes outpassed Hillock by 14 yards (156-142) in the first half, but Carleton only had 25 rush yards at the break . . . The Mustangs used three quarterbacks – Hillock, Jerome Rancourt and Luc Nolin, a 6-foot-2, 210-pounder from Calgary.  “You can’t dress three quarterbacks all the time,” Marshall said. “You just don’t have the room. But Luc has been here four years. Give him a chance to play and throw the ball.” . . . Western linebacker Max Nixon was suspended for the game after Waterloo put in an appeal on a high hit against their quarterback last week. There wasn’t a penalty on the play, but the league reviewed it. “It was a hard hit and it’s hard when it’s a moving target,” Marshall said. “Max hit him from the side and the QB is starting to go down. He wasn’t sliding because he was getting ready. We had another defender coming.” . . . Cornerback Kojo Odoom played for the first time after a two-year absence in the opener at Ottawa, but has experienced a little swelling in his knee that has forced him to sit out. “We have a brace coming in for him,” Marshall said. “We’re hopeful he’s back next week.” . . . The same goes for veteran fullback Craig Coleman, who is also on track for the Laurier tilt after missing the Carleton game. “It allows us to roll our fullbacks through,” Marshall said. “They do a lot of contact there. It’s spreads out the pain, I mean, spreads out the love.”

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rpyette@postmedia.com

OUA FOOTBALL

Western 52, Carleton 21
Mustangs touchdowns: Keon Edwards (3), Seth Robertson (2), Roman Campanaro, Keanu Yazbeck
Ravens touchdown: Tristan Rinaldis, Ben Huckabone, Matthew Morin
Next: It’s a Yates Cup rematch with Western heading to Wilfrid Laurier Saturday, 1 p.m. in Waterloo.

Game Summary

Saturday at Western Alumni Stadium

Mustangs 52, Ravens 21

First quarter
WES – TD Campanaro 101 kickoff return (Garrity kick) 0:16
WES – TD Edwards run 3 (Garrity kick) 0:46
WES – TD Yazbeck run 4 (Garrity kick) 9:55
CAR – TD Rinaldis run 1 (Forcier kick) 14:54

Second quarter
CAR – TD Huckabone pass 6 from Barnes (Forcier kick) 5:31
WES – TD Robertson pass 55 from Hillock (Garrity kick) 9:44
WES – FG Garrity 24 15:00

Third quarter
WES – TD Edwards run 10 (Garrity kick) 4:52
WES – TD Edwards run 2 (Garrity kick) 13:31

Fourth quarter
WES – TD Robertson 39 pass from Hillock (Garrity kick) 5:05
CAR – TD Morin run 1 (Forcier kick) 9:24

Car 7 7 0 7–21
Wes 21 10 14 7–52

Individual stats

Rushing: Wes – Edwards 15-74, 3 TD, Yazbeck 12-68, TD. Car – Morin 11-44, TD, Barnes 4-40. Receiving: Wes – Robertson 4-119, 2 TD, Misseri 4-54. Car – Ready 8-121, Ferdinand 5-89. Passing: Wes – Hillock 16-23, 241, 2 TD, 1 Int., Rancourt, 0-1, Nolin 0-1. Car – Barnes 22-33, 275, 1, 1, Georges 1-3, 13

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