The Western Mustangs have earned their spot in the prestigious Yates Cup championship for the ninth year in a row, beating the Guelph Gryphons with a 30-19 victory at the esteemed Western Alumni Stadium.

In the fourth quarter, a pivotal moment came when Brayden Misseri, the Mustangs’ receiver, caught a pass from quarterback Evan Hillock, demonstrating impressive determination as he bypassed three Guelph defenders to achieve a 36-yard score. This play resulted in the Mustangs taking a 27-19 lead with 12 minutes to go, with the Western defense effectively securing the win from there.

The Mustangs displayed their defensive prowess by limiting the Gryphons to only 80 yards rushing and sacking their quarterback Tristan Aboud six times. Historically, the Western team has a 5-3 record in the Yates Cup since 2015 and a 2-1 record against their upcoming opponents, the Laurier Golden Hawks.

In an exciting turn of events, the Golden Hawks, led by London-born Taylor Elgersma, made a dramatic comeback against the Queen’s Gaels in the other Yates Cup semi-final. After trailing 12-3, they turned the game around to secure a 29-21 victory.

The Mustangs and the Gryphons had not faced each other during the regular season, but they displayed equal strength and skill on the field during this encounter. Both teams are renowned for their powerful rushing offenses and defenses, making for an electrifying match reminiscent of a tug-of-war battle.

Western, known for averaging 227.8 yards per game during the regular season, faced the Gryphons who average 214.8 yards. The game kicked off with Mustangs’ running back Keon Edwards scoring the first points.

The match progressed into a fierce standoff as the teams exchanged field goals. The Mustangs led 10-6 halfway through the second quarter, a lead they maintained until the end.

As the Yates Cup approaches on November 9th in Kitchener-Waterloo, the Mustangs are eager to avenge their only regular season loss, a 43-28 defeat, at the hands of the Golden Hawks on September 14th.