HAMILTON, Ont. — The Wilfrid Laurier University men’s football team did not get the most out of their club on Saturday afternoon in Hamilton, as they fell by a score of 27-10 to the McMaster Marauders at Ron Joyce Stadium.
A week after losing 61-20 to the Western Mustangs, the offence had a difficult time getting going after an early score put the Golden Hawks up 7-0.
Laurier quarterback James Fracas went 13-for-28 on the day for just one touchdown and three interceptions. He managed to play through the first five weeks of the season without throwing a pick, but has thrown at least one in the last three games.
Head coach Michael Faulds thought that Fracas needed to work on maintaining a level head after getting his confidence rattled by an interception.
“The one thing as a quarterback, you have to have a really short memory. James did not do a great job of bouncing back from that interception, and it kind of escalated,” he said.
The offensive line also had a tough time stopping the rush, as Fracas was forced out of the pocket on several occasions, and was unable to find receivers on the run. He was sacked two times on the day.
Fourth-year running back Dillon Campbell managed to climb over 100 yards again on the day for the seventh straight game, picking up 129 yards on the ground.
The defence managed to step up after allowing 61 points the week before, only allowing 27 against the undefeated, third-ranked team in the country.
Second-year linebacker Nakas Onyeka got his first start of his career on Saturday after veteran Tanner Philp was sidelined. He was a pivotal point in the Laurier defence and finished with 11 tackles.
“I felt comfortable [out there], I’m not really one of those guys who gets shy. I wish that we could have got the win … Some things did not go our way,” he said.
The Hawks now have their sights set on the No. 6 nationally-ranked Guelph Gryphons for the last game of the season. The Gryphons head to Waterloo on Oct. 25. The game is a must win for the Hawks if they want to keep their fate largely in their own hands for the Ontario University Athletics playoffs.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
