The defending Hardy Cup champion Manitoba Bisons failed to advance to a third straight Canada West football final on Saturday as they lost 52-10 to the sixth seeded UBC Thunderbirds in a rain soaked semifinal.
UBC struck first a little more than five minutes into the opening quarter following Theo Deezar’s second interception in as many possessions. Thunderbirds receiver Trivel Pinto hauled in an eight-yard touchdown pass from Michael O’Connor for the first of two majors in the game. Pinto also had a ten-yard touchdown catch in the dying seconds of the second quarter to give the Thunderbirds a 29-0 lead at halftime.
UBC also got touchdowns from Brandon Deschamps, Alex Morrison and Mitch Barnett. Barnett returned one of four interceptions Deezar gave up in the game 55-yards to the end zone in the fourth quarter. Deezar completed 15 of 34 pass attempts for 158 yards and a touchdown in his first start since the Herd’s week seven match-up against the Regina Rams on October 17. The Manitoba quarterback missed the last two games with an apparent concussion.
Thunderbirds Quinn van Gylswyk added 20 points off five field goals and five converts. His longest field goal came from 42-yards out.
Dustin Pederson scored the Bisons only touchdown of the game, a 14-yard catch, late in the fourth quarter.
UBC will face the Calgary Dinos on November 14 in the 79th Hardy Cup. The Dinos advance to their eighth straight conference championship game thanks to a 37-29 come-from-behind victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies. The Hardy Cup will be shown across Canada live on Global.
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