Vanier champs run right over young Lancers
Windsor no match for Mustangs as Joseph rushes for 355 yards in one half
Coach Joe D’Amore and the Windsor Lancers weren’t feeling much love Thursday at Western University’s TD Stadium. Western running back Cedric Joseph rushed for 355 yards and three second-quarter touchdowns as the Mustangs crushed the visiting Lancers 66-14.
The 1-5 Lancers came into London fresh off their first win of the season over the last-place Toronto Varsity Blues, but the defending Vanier Cup champions were looking to send a message after a subpar outing against the Queen’s Gaels in Kingston.
The undefeated Mustangs sent that message early, taking a 16-0 lead by the midway mark of the first quarter on two touchdown passes from Chris Merchant to Harry McMaster and a safety. The Lancers looked to have found some momentum, scoring a touchdown on a six-yard pass from Sam Girard to Tristan Carter late in the first quarter and forcing three turnovers on two Merchant interceptions and a fumble. But Joseph pulled the Lancers back down to earth hard, running for 90-, 71- and 13-yard touchdowns in the second quarter and an astounding 355 yards on 17 attempts by halftime. Merchant also connected with Brett Ellerman for a nine-yard touchdown and the Mustangs led 49-7 at the half. Daniel Metcalfe was a one-man highlight reel on defence for the Lancers, stripping Mustangs quarterback Kevin John and running the ball back for a 42-yard touchdown in the third quarter and intercepting Merchant and running the ball back 64 yards to the Western 22 in the first quarter. He also recovered a Joseph fumble on the Windsor nine-yard line in the second quarter. D’Amore said the most important thing for the Lancers going into Thursday’s game was just to compete and have a really strong game against the run. “We’re a pretty young football team, but right now we are doing a great job against the run, which is (Western’s) strength,” he said. Girard, a third-year quarterback out of General Amherst secondary school in Amherstburg, went 5-for-9 in the first half for 61 passing yards and a touchdown.