Liam Putt had three consecutive second-half touchdowns and the McMaster Marauders handed the York University Lions football team their fifth defeat of the 2021 campaign, 48-0 on Saturday afternoon.
 
The loss came in front of a season-high homecoming crowd of 1,232 at York Lions Stadium.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Marauders quarterback Andreas Dueck connected with Justice Allin for a touchdown on McMaster's first drive of the day, and after the convert the score was 7-0 early.
• McMaster expanded their first half lead through reliance on the skillful, experienced leg of veteran kicker Adam Preocanin, who nailed four field goals over the course of the half, the longest of which being 40 yards. He brought the score to 17-0 after the first half.
• York had one field goal attempt in the first half, a 32-yarder from Dante Mastrogiuseppe, which was missed.
• Putt turned the game into his show during the next half, notching a hat trick of touchdowns for the Marauders, which put the game out of reach for York. He also had six receptions for 70 yards, second on the team.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• Alexander Tachinski led the way in receiving yards for McMaster, putting up 86 yards over nine receptions.
• Tachinski teamed up with a duo of Marauders quarterbacks over the course of the game; Andreas Dueck and Keagan Hall. Dueck, who led the OUA in efficiency rating heading into the game, went 25-for-32 over the course of the contest, racking up 252 yards.
• First-year runningback Avontae McKoy was an offensive bright spot for the group, putting up 76 yards, including a 24-yard run over 10 attempts.
• Defensively, York defensive lineman Kevin Musai had two of the Lions' four quarterback sacks over the course of the game. Kwadwo Boahen and Desi Dixon Jr. had one each.
• Matt Vassos broke out with seven total tackles, leading the Lions defensive corps.

 

FB | McMaster in the redzone, but Musai with a huge sack! Marauders settle for a field goal. Lions trail 16-0 with 1:30 left in the half. pic.twitter.com/GXbektr3mM

— York Lions (@yorkulions) October 23, 2021

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
 
"I thought we bounced back on the defensive side of the ball, but you don't win football games on one side of the football. If you look at the game against Ottawa, we were so close to winning and deserved to win. Who knows what the season would have looked like? All these kids need is a little taste of what success looks like, and they'll achieve it." – head coach Warren Craney

LOOKING AHEAD
 
York will wrap up its 2021 regular season on home turf, honouring the team's graduating class with a ceremony before their contest against the Toronto Varsity Blues. York will be looking to avenge their earlier loss of the Argo Cup, with a 1pm kick-off Saturday, Oct. 30.