Box Score TORONTO, Ontario — The Mustangs dominated York with a decisive 65-28 victory on Friday. Western's offence was relentless, amassing 742 total yards, including 376 on the ground with six rushing touchdowns. The game was highlighted by an 85-yard touchdown run from Ethan Dolby, who also surpassed the single-season program record for rushing yards at 1220, passing Tim Tindale's record from 1991.

"That's fantastic. I didn't know what the record was for Western." said Dolby post-game when told of the record. "It just shows a testament to how hard we work. We still have one more game left, and let's break the record more, but the guys up front and the blocking downfield are amazing, and that's why I've been able to do what I've been doing this season."

QB Evan Hillock tied his season high with three passing touchdowns in the game, Hillock, added to his program record for TD completions, now sitting with 69, surpassing the previous record-holder Chris Hessel, who had 62.

"I knew coming into the year how many touchdowns I needed to beat it. So, I was happy to, to beat it and it's special," said Hillock.

The Mustangs move to 7-0 on the season with the win.

"They did a good job and their (York) offence played well. I think our offensive line is stronger than they were up front." said Head Coach Greg Marshall "They brought every blitz going, right? I mean, everything was going. We know they're bringing pressure, so we had to get the ball up quicker, but you we did a good job,"

GAME RECAP
Western opened the game with a strong offensive drive initiated by Hillock, whose two key completions to Brayden Misseri and Dasani McIntosh set the tone. Dolby's powerful rushing advanced the team to the York 2-yard line, where Jerome Rancourt capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, which gave Western a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
 
York struggled to gain momentum against the Mustangs' defence, which forced a short punt and provided Western with excellent field position. This situation allowed Dolby to break free for a 24-yard rushing touchdown, with another successful kick from Garrity, pushing the lead to 14-0.
As the quarter neared its end, Western maintained its offensive pressure. Hillock's precise passing connected with Seth Robertson for a 22-yard touchdown just as the clock expired, closing the first quarter with Western leading 21-0.
 
The second quarter commenced with York executing a significant drive that culminated in a touchdown, narrowing the score to 21-7. The Mustangs responded promptly, with Hillock leading a successful drive highlighted by a 26-yard pass to Misseri and a 21-yard rush by Dolby, finishing with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Dasani McIntosh, restoring their lead to 28-7.

"It's been a while since he's been in the end zone, so I told him, we're going to get you in the end zone. I mean, that's a good play. He ran a good route. Seth was actually open on it too, but I just whipped it in there, and he made a good catch." said Hillock
York managed to score again, reducing the lead to 28-14. However, Western's offense quickly regained momentum as Dolby executed a decisive 85-yard rush for a touchdown, extending the score to 35-14.

"It's been a while, since Guelph was my last like really big one. It feels good to have those long ones, get the offence off the field quickly," said Dolby. "It's just my body's getting better as the season's going on, and that's why I think I can break those long ones."

The third quarter commenced with a significant momentum shift as the Mustangs' Hillock connected with McIntosh for a 37-yard gain, setting up Dolby for a 49-yard rushing touchdown, extending Western's lead. York responded with a drive culminating in a touchdown pass from Keagan Hall to Nicholas Adair, narrowing the score temporarily.

Western reclaimed control, with Rancourt pushing through for a 1-yard touchdown run following a York drive that stalled. As the quarter closed, York attempted to mount a comeback, but Western's defence, including a fumble forced by Jude Buchanan, held firm, securing a 56-21 lead as the third quarter ended.

The fourth quarter began with York capitalizing on their field position at the Western 30-yard line, resulting in a touchdown after Hall's 1-yard rush. Western responded quickly, as Brennan Keba's 27-yard kickoff return set the stage for a strong offensive drive. Dolby and Jack Kelly led the charge with rushes of 20 and 22 yards, respectively, though the drive was halted by an interception at the York 15-yard line.

The Lions attempted to extend their momentum but were limited by Western's defence, highlighted by Liam Taylor's tackle for a loss. Western regained possession and executed an efficient drive, with Rancourt's 54-yard pass to Keba setting up a 2-yard touchdown run by Rancourt.
 
Western sealed the game with a 63-28 victory, bringing their season record to an impressive 7-0.

KEY STATS

QB Evan Hillock 
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- 19 completions on 23 attempts 
- 299 passing yards 
- 3 passing touchdowns 
 
RB Ethan Dolby 
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- 264 rushing yards 
- 3 rushing touchdowns 
 
WR Dasani McIntosh 
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- 9 receptions 
- 119 receiving yards 
- 1 touchdown 
 
QB Jerome Rancourt 
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- 3 rushing touchdowns 
 
WR Seth Robertson 
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- 5 receptions 
- 95 receiving yards 
- 2 touchdowns 
 
NEXT GAME
The battle of undefeated squads, with a first-round bye in the playoffs, is on the line in next weekend's season finale against Laurier. It's a rematch of the 2024 Yates Cup that has been circled on everyone's calendar since the season schedule was announced.

"You can't make mistakes, you can't turn the ball over, you can't drop passes,  you can't miss a protection and get a sack. The little things are going to be the difference next week between winning and losing." said Marshall.

Hillock made his Mustangs debut against Laurier in 2021, taking over at halftime and holding the starting role ever since, his only regular-season loss in his Mustangs career was the 43-28 game against the Golden Hawks last fall.

"Yeah, I mean, they're a really good team, we know that. They won tonight, so they're 7 and 0, So yeah, I mean, it's for first place, it's for a bye week, it's for home field during the playoffs. It's a big game, but I'm looking forward to it."

Game time is set for 1:00 PM at Western Alumni Stadium. Get your tickets now at WesternMustangs.ca/tickets.