LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs football team ended the Windsor Lancers post-season with a 33-27 victory this afternoon at TD Waterhouse Stadium in front of 4,768 in the OUA Football Semi-Final. The Mustangs will now have the chance to defend their Yates Cup title from last year next Saturday at 1:00 PM on their home turf. [Click for full game stats]

Coming off a 37-0 loss to the Queen’s Gaels two weeks ago, the Mustangs’ first shut out loss since 1973, it was a do-or-die for the Mustangs. The Lancers (5-3), hot off a 50-33 OUA Quarter-Final win over the Ottawa Gee Gees, were looking to continue their playoff run right to the Yates Cup next weekend.

The Mustangs took early control of the game, with Tyler Varga picking up close to 50 rushing yards in the first three minutes of the quarter. However a fumble in Lancers territory derailed the drive and on the ensuing drive Lancer’s quarterback Austin Kennedy rushed for 74-yards before being thrown to the ground by David Lee. Two plays later the Lancers had to punt, missing a golden chance to put points on the board.

Two possessions later, cornerback Simon Bahru grabbed his first interception of the season, giving the ball to the Mustangs, ending up as a 35-yard Lirim Hajrullahu field goal at 8:36 of the first.

Finally, at 11:39, Varga scored the first touchdown of the game on a 10-yard rush.  Windsor responded with a field goal with less than a minute to go in the quarter as Western led 10-3 at the end of 15 minutes.

The Lancers earned their second field goal of the game early in the second to come within four points of the Mustangs. That would be the closest the Lancers would get.

Varga’s 17th touchdown of the season (regular season and playoffs) at 11:32 sent him to the top of the CIS scoring list with 17 touchdowns and 102 points on the season. Western followed up the touchdown with another two points, as Windsor conceded a team safety.

Although Windsor put up nearly 140 passing yards in the second quarter they were unable to capitalize and put the ball in the end zone until the final minutes of the half. The Lancers’ Dylan Whitfield scored on a 12-yard pass from Kennedy, to make it 19-13 in favour of the Mustangs.

The final play of the half did not go as the Lancers had planned as an attempted field goal was kicked short, caught by Sean Blake and Blake returned it 65-yards for the touchdown. Giving the Mustangs a much needed boost and cushion, leading the Lancers 26-13 at the half.
 
The Mustangs scored on their first possession of the second half as quarterback Ben Rossong threw a 73-yard pass into the hands of Andrew Thibaudeau. The seven points boosted the lead to 33-13 and the game was starting to look as though the Mustangs were fully in control.

Windsor’s T. J. Simpson (Brandon, Man.) and Udoka Nwaesei (Windsor, Ont.) had huge interceptions in the quarter; however the Lancers were only able to turn one of the turnovers into points. After three quarters, Western continued to lead 33-20.

The Lancers scored the lone touchdown in the fourth and were able to shut down the Mustangs offensively, but they came up just short as the Mustangs held on to win 33-27.

The Mustangs will head to the Yates Cup Final next weekend for the fifth straight year.  Western will be hosting the McMaster Marauders at TD Waterhouse Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 1:00 PM. McMaster defeated Queen's 40-13 in today's other Semi-Final.