With over 100 program alumni on hand, the York University Lions football team returned home following a two-game road trip to take on the Waterloo Warriors on homecoming day at York Lions Stadium. 

The Lions were looking to win for the second time in three games, a streak not seen since the 2018 season in which the Lions went 3-5. Their opponent, on the other hand, entered the game 0-5 looking for its first win since October 21, 2023 over Toronto. 

Things did not start well for the home side, as, following a two-and-out on the opening possession, Nathan Walker had his punt blocked, setting the visitors up on the York 23-yard line. From there, it was the Anthony Miller show, as he ran four straight times to reach paydirt and give Waterloo an early 7-0 lead. 

The second York drive saw them get one first down courtesy of a big Avery Ford play, but a tackle for loss and a sack forced the Lions into another punting situation. This time, a bad snap resulted in the Warriors taking over at the York 16-yard line.  

Waterloo capitalized on another short field just three plays later, as Quinten Springer bounced off what would have been a tackle for loss on third down, got outside and scampered to the end zone. Just like that, it was 14-0 Waterloo under six minutes in. 

The Lions, however, responded on the next drive. Starting quarterback Shawn Lal – replacing the injured Matt Linn – engineered a key 70-yard drive, capped off by a 3-yard TD throw to Melchis Ilunga out of the backfield to make it 14-7 Waterloo after one. 

The theme for the Lions defence for the rest of the day was, 'bend but don't break,' as illustrated by holding the Warriors to just three field goals and a rouge the rest of the way, with the field goals all coming from deep in the red zone. 

With Waterloo up 23-10 with just 20 seconds left in the first half, York took over at the Warriors 35. A nine-yard run from Ilunga on first down set up the Lions in 2nd and short, where Lal connected with Avontae McKoy to cross midfield. Then, a pass from Lal was hauled in by Blake Van Bruggen, setting the Lions up with one final play from Waterloo's 46. On that final play, a bust in coverage on the far sideline left Ford wide open, and Lal found him on the deep shot for a major with no time left, getting the Lions to within a score, down 23-17 at the break. 

After the Warriors added a rouge on a Cole Crossett missed field goal, the Lions tied the game on a penalty-aided drive, with big plays mixed in to Ford and Gerren Hardisty. The drive was punctuated by a Rex Walker 1-yard plunge, squaring things at 24-24. 

York took the lead for the first time early in the fourth. After they pinned Waterloo deep in its own territory, a punt and a no yards penalty give the hosts the ball at the Warrior 43. It took just two plays for the Lions to find the house, both Lal-to-Ford connections – the latter a 22-yard touchdown toss – giving York a 31-24 lead. 

The Warriors looked primed to get back to within four, but the third missed field goal of the day from Crossett – a line drive that hit the back of one of his linemen – gave the Lions possession at their own 42. They marched down the field once again, with relative ease, and Hardisty finished it off with a 6-yard touchdown grab, solidifying what finished a 39-24 Lions win. 

The victory is York's second of the season, matching their most since 2018. It is also the first win for the Lions at York Lions Stadium, since beginning play full-time play in the new stadium in 2021. The win is also their first at home since the 2019 Red & Blue Bowl on Oct. 11, 2019. 

LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions will wrap up the home portion of their schedule on Friday night when they welcome the Guelph Gryphons. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 pm.