The best player in OUA rose to the occasion in the biggest game of the year, as the Western Mustangs toppled the Queen’s Gaels by a score of 44-16 to claim their fourth Yates Cup title in the past five years.
Western running back Keon Edwards, hot off being named the Ontario conference’s Most Outstanding Player on Thurday, carried 24 times for a whopping 260 yards and the final touchdown in the victory. The five-foot-11, 230-pound running back took home the Dalt White Trophy as the game’s Most Valuable Player for a second consecutive season.
🏈 TOUCHDOWN MUSTANGS!!!!
WOW….. just WOW….. Keon Edwards keeps his feet going and gets another TD for the @ouasport MVP.4TH QUARTER l
QUE l 14
WES l 44#RunWithUs #WesternMustangs #QUEvsWES pic.twitter.com/X4zELYgRtD— Western Mustangs (@WesternMustangs) November 12, 2022
After the Gaels held them scoreless through the first quarter, Western opened the scoring early in the second quarter with a 57-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Evan Hillock to receiver Savaughn Magnaye-Jones. Edwards would rattle off his biggest run of the day later in the same frame, racing 81 yards to set up another Mustangs’ touchdown. He finished the half with 165 yards along the ground.
An Anthony Soles touchdown kept Queen’s within six points at the intermission, but the undefeated Mustangs poured it on in the second half. They added long touchdowns from Keanu Yazbeck, Seth Robertson and Griffin Campbell, before Edwards iced the game with a final score.
In addition to Edwards’ big day on the ground, backup running back Yazbeck added seven carries for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Second-year pivot Hillock had another impressive outing, completing 10-of-14 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns. Linebacker Robert Panabaker added six tackles and an interception.
The Mustangs now advance to the Mitchell Bowl national semi-final, where they’ll face the RSEQ champions for a chance to defend their Vanier Cup title.