Western Mustangs eye star receiver’s return for semi-final clash with Guelph

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The Western football team expects to have its top receiver back for the Ontario university semifinal clash with Guelph Saturday.

Seth Robertson, who hobbled off early in the regular-season finale against Windsor, sat out last weekend’s playoff-opening 46-10 victory over McMaster. The nine-touchdown star aimed to work out at full speed in practice Thursday and was gearing up to face the Gryphons.

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“I wanted to play (against Mac) but I don’t think I was ready to go,” the 6-foot, 188-pounder from Cambridge said. “Coach (Greg) Marshall thought it was best to let it rest for another week and that worked out well in our favour.

“We figured we had a great game plan and we won. Hopefully this weekend, I’ll be alright.”

Seven Mustangs receivers caught passes – including fullbacks Craig Coleman and Sandro Pierini with touchdowns – but Robertson remains the team’s most reliable deep threat.

“This is go time,” Marshall said. “Guelph’s good, so we can’t get Seth ready for next week again. This is ‘next week.’ Unless it’s really bad Saturday morning, we’ll have to make a game-time call.

“But right now, he’s playing.”

Both sides will know pretty early about Robertson’s ability to make cuts and run his routes effectively. The ball-catcher isn’t concerned about easing his way back into action.

“At this point in the season, it’s all mental,” he said. “Ev (quarterback Evan Hillock) and I have the chemistry, so reps isn’t a concern. The guys did a great job against Mac. We want to keep it rolling.”

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NEW TEST: Western-Guelph is one of the better rivalries in Ontario university football but the teams have not met in more than two years because of unbalanced scheduling.

That unfamiliarity does make a difference.

“Especially in playoff games,” Greg Marshall said. “Most years, you always have your regular season game to look back on. Guelph has basically the same offence (as in the past). Their defence is new. We look at games they have played against similar type of offences to us – Windsor and Waterloo, for example. They are big and stout up front and good at stopping the run.

“They’re pretty balanced.”

Guelph brought in Matt Berry to run its defence. He had been defensive co-ordinator at the University of Calgary for the previous seven years with most of his recent experience in Canada West.

Berry replaced Dennis McPhee, who is now coaching Western’s defensive line. Before that, the Gryphons defence was overseen by Adam Grandy, now the Mustangs special teams co-ordinator and linebackers coach.

Current Western defensive backs coach Mark Forsyth and quarterbacks coach Marcello Campanaro were also with Guelph before joining the Mustangs. They had previously helped Marshall in his McMaster days.

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“Our offence hasn’t changed a lot,” Marshall said, “but Guelph’s defensive co-ordinator hasn’t prepared against it (before this week), either. As a coach, you think you know what they might do but you have to wait to see it on the field.

“We’ve seen enough defences over the course of the season so we need to adjust to what they do.”

SACK MASTER: Soren Hallschmid recorded three sacks against McMaster’s mobile quarterback Keagan Hall and has emerged as a force on Western’s defensive line.

He is motivated to get back to the Yates Cup game, where he broke his fibula a year ago against Laurier.

“That injury that happened to me, I didn’t want to go out like that,” said the 6-foot-2, 242-pounder from Victoria, B.C. “I knew we had a great core group of guys coming back and I wanted to be a part of something special and another chance at the brass ring. I still had more left in the tank. But this is it for me.

“It’s the last dance.”

Hallschmid arrived at Western as a linebacker, eventually tried to play tackle and gravitated to the edge. He was inspired by the dedication and work ethic of former teammate Bruce Maas and is now filling the same important role.

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“We came in together in 2018 and I watched him earn his stripes the way he did,” Hallschmid said. “I wanted to put in my time and I’m grateful to go out there and play on Saturdays. I truly believe if we execute the way we’ve been playing as a defence the past month or so, no one’s going to beat us.”

Marshall figures Guelph’s base approach will be to work the ground game. The Mustangs have done a masterful job the past few weeks in the yardage battle.

“Since that Laurier (loss), the defence has got better every single game,” Marshall said. “In September, everybody’s throwing the ball all over the place. In November when the weather starts to turn, defences win.

“You’ve got to stop the run.”

rpyette@postmedia.com

OUA FOOTBALL

SEMIFINAL GAME

Western (8-1) vs. Guelph (7-2)

When: Saturday, 1 p.m. at Western Alumni Stadium.

The matchup: The Mustangs beat the Gryphons 34-11 in their last meeting – Aug. 27, 2022 at home.

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