The Western Mustangs overcame two opponents in their 45-9 Yates Cup semi-final victory on Saturday at Western Alumni Stadium in London, Ont.
They had to beat the Golden Hawks and a stiff south wind.
Gusts came in at up to 60 kilometres per hour and made kicking and throwing the ball tough in the first and third quarters for the Mustangs and in the second and fourth quarters for the Golden Hawks.
That was exemplified by Evan Hillock’s very first interception of the season, which got caught up in a blast of wind and was picked off and returned for a touchdown in the first quarter by Laurier’s Shomari Hutchinson. That and a single point from a missed field goal had the Golden Hawks ahead 8-0 halfway through the first quarter.
The game went Western’s way from that point on.
The Mustangs outscored Laurier 45-1 over three and a half quarters and advanced to face the Queen’s Golden Gaels in the Yates Cup championship game on Saturday, Nov. 12, in London, Ont.
Queen’s defeated the Ottawa Gee Gees in the other Yates Cup semi-final.
Western’s Keon Edwards rushed for 138 yards on 24 carries. Edouard Wanadi rushed the ball 16 times for 68 yards.
Hillock ended the day with 139 yards passing and, despite the difficult conditions to throw the ball, the second-year QB completed 63.2 per cent of his passes.
Seven of those passes went to Savaughn Magnaye-Jones, who led all receivers with 93 yards overall.
The wind and Western’s defence held Londoner Taylor Elgersma to 52 yards passing on the day.
This week, the OUA announced that the Most Valuable Player award will be named the Larry Haylor trophy in honour of the late Western Mustangs head coach.