After a narrow loss to Windsor in Week 1, the Queen’s Gaels football team is eager to bounce back during its home opener against the McMaster Marauders on Saturday.
The Gaels’ first game of the season against the Windsor Lancers ended in a dramatic finish. A last-second Hail Mary pass fell incomplete, leaving the Gaels with a season-opening loss.
“Ultimately, it just comes down to you got to execute in those situations,” head coach Steve Snyder said of the game. “A lot of credit, I think, goes to Windsor. I mean, that’s a very impressive roster, very athletic defence. And they did a really great job.”
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Despite the setback, with seven regular-season games remaining, there is still plenty of time to turn things around.
“It’s really early in Week 1,” Snyder said. “Certainly won’t define your season by any means. And for us, it’s really just bounce back with that unity, make sure this team’s together and they are, and that’s what we’re really proud of.”
Now, the focus shifts to their next opponent, the Marauders. Under Snyder’s leadership, Queen’s has only faced McMaster once, but the coaching staff and players have been diligently studying game tapes to prepare.
“They’re a very well-coached team,” defensive back Ashton Miller-Melancon said. “They have excellent athletes, a great quarterback, very technical receivers. And it’s just diving into the little details of how they play, but then at the same time, trusting our game plan and trusting the systems we have in place defensively especially. And just going out there and doing our job is the big thing.”
The Gaels are counting on a strong home-field advantage with first-year students arriving in Kingston, bringing fresh energy to Richardson Stadium.
“Getting back to Richardson Stadium and the home crowd and the energy and in our community and in our campus and just giving the guys an opportunity to get out and compete,” Snyder said. “I think they’re chomping at the bit to get back out and play. They’re excited about the challenge.”
Saturday’s game kicks off at 6 p.m., marking the Gaels’ only night game of the season.
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