The York University Lions football team hit the road for the first time this season on Saturday, visiting the Queen's Gaels at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, the site of both the 2023 and 2024 Vanier Cups.
The Lions were given the ball first after Queen's won the toss and differed. However, what looked like a promising opening drive for York was snuffed out on a catch and fumble from Avontae McKoy. Queen's recovered at their own 44 and drove the field for the first major of the game courtesy of Nathan Falconi. That made it 7-0 Gaels.
Two more Lions miscues led directly to Queen's majors. First, a strip sack of quarterback Matt Linn was recovered and taken to the house by Silas Hubert to make it 14-0. Then, a Nathan Walker missed field goal was returned 119 yards for a score by Iain St. Arnault – his first of two on the day and all of a sudden, it was 21-0 Gaels.
However, the Lions continued to battle, thanks in large part to their defence. After a punt single got them on the board, they forced Queen's into two consecutive conceded safeties, and it was 21-5. Then, on the ensuing drive, Linn found Alfred Olay for two chunk plays, including a 36-yard touchdown to make it 21-12 Queen's. The home side added a field goal before the break to lead 24-12 after 30 minutes.
The third quarter saw the Gaels – who had been stagnant offensively for much of the first half – pick up some steam on that side of the ball. Their opening possession of the half went six plays for 94 yards and a touchdown, making it 31-12. They then snuffed out another promising York drive with an interception in the end zone from Keegan Vanek, taking likely Lions points off the board. They turned that into points of their own, capped off by Falconi's second touchdown reception of the game to make it 38-12. After another Walker miss late in the quarter, St. Arnault ran back his second missed field goal return touchdown of the day to put the game out of reach at 45-12.
Linn led a solid 10-play, 84-yard drive in the fourth capped off by a 3-yard Rex Walker touchdown out of the wildcat to get York's second touchdown of the day. A 52-yard Jayden Gurzi-McDonald touchdown run in the fourth closed the scoring for Queen's, making the final 52-19.
Despite the lopsided score, York out-gained Queen's 380-372 in total yards, including 122-121 on the ground. Linn finished 16-of-34 from 276, a touchdown and an interception. Meanwhile, Melchis Ilunga, who struggled in the opener, was the Lions leading rusher with 40 yards on nine carries. Walker also contributed 32 yards on five carries, including the fourth-quarter touchdown. The Lions were undone by 21 points off turnovers, plus St. Arnault's two missed field goal return touchdowns, accounting for 31 of Queen's' 52 points.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions return home next Saturday to take on the Windsor Lancers, looking for their first win under new head coach Dexter Janke. Kickoff is set for 4:00 pm from York Lions Stadium.
