WLU to host Western in Yates Cup in front of sold out crowd

North America’s oldest still-existing football trophy will be in Waterloo Saturday afternoon, as the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks host the Western University Mustangs in the Ontario University Athletics football championship.

“Our game day routine for all home games stays the exact same. So that's a huge advantage,” said Michael Faulds, head coach of the Golden Hawks.

The 116th edition of the Yates Cup kicks off at 1 p.m. at University Stadium.

Laurier hasn’t hosted the Yates Cup since 2005.

The school is busy preparing for the sold-out crowd of over 5,000 fans.

“We're certainly in the process of redeveloping our stadium. So while hosting a big event is really exciting, we've had to do some creative thinking to make sure we can be completely full to the seems so that we can have a full house and it's already a sellout,” said Kate McCrae Bristol, director, athletics & recreation at WLU.

Laurier enters the provincial final after an undefeated season and ranked second in the nation.

“We're the smallest football playing school in Ontario, just over 15,000 students. And yet we've got a powerful football program,” Faulds said.

Western enters ranked fourth with only one loss this season, when they fell 43-28 to Laurier in week four.

“Getting the monkey off our back in the regular season was big. Getting the chance to beat them here. I think that them having to come here and play again will put a little bit of doubt in their mind,” said Taylor Elgersma, a fourth year quarterback with the Golden Hawks.

But when it comes to regular season scoring, the Mustangs hold the crown. The Mustangs outscored their opponents this season by 267 points, and Laurier by just 126. The Golden Hawks know they have to be sharp on both sides of the ball.

“If we can establish, a strength, a little bit of aggressiveness, that'll kind of set the tone for the rest of the game,” said Marcus Tenney, a fourth year defensive tackle with the Golden Hawks.

Both teams said the playoffs are always a little different compared to the regular season.

“We throw out the regular season match up because the playoffs are such a different animal. But our guys do have confidence. But we know it's unlike hockey, basketball and baseball. It isn't a seven-game series. It's one game, four quarters. It's going to take our best football,” Faulds said.

Elgersma was behind centre when Laurier lost to Western in last year’s Yates Cup. The London native is hoping having home field advantage this time will makes a difference.

“We had to play there last year. This year we earned the right to play here with our regular season win. We know it's not going be the exact same game as it was in the regular season, but excited for the challenge,” Elgersma said.

For Elgersma, it’s another chance at a title as his varsity days near an end.

“As a Canadian it's tough and I hope that I've shown enough to prove that I deserve a shot. I have a fifth year of eligibility, but we'll see. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Elgersma said.

Elgersma and Faulds were recently named OUA football most valuable player and coach of the year, for a second straight year.

Both said it’s an honour to receive the awards, but they’re focus is on winning in the playoffs.

“Coach of the Year is really staff of the year. Taylor would admit, you know, league MVP, it takes, you know, an army of people around him to get an award like that,” Faulds said. “It'd be nice on Saturday around 4:00 if we're lifting the Yates Cup, that would be more important to us. But we are proud of our individual accomplishments this year.”

“Those will feel a little bit sweeter when we get the victory on Saturday,” Elgersma said.

Laurier has won eight Yates Cups in its program history. Western has won 35, including last year.

The winner of Saturday's championship rematch will head east to take on either St. Mary's University or Bishop's University in the Uteck Bowl on November 16.

The Vanier Cup is set for November 23 in Kingston.