WATERLOO, Ont. (October 24, 2009) – The Queen's Gaels' record 17 game winning streak came to an end as the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks defeated them 25-13 in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football action at University Stadium on Saturday.

In the race for the CIS all-time passing record, QB Danny Brannagan of Burlington, Ont., fell just shy of the all-time mark finishing second to Western's Michael Faulds who threw for 550-yards against Toronto. Brannagan finishes his career No. 2 on the all-time list with 10,714 while Faulds first at 10,811.

For a short-time, Brannagan held the all-time mark surpassing Matt Connell (McGill) on a 23-yard pass to Scott Valberg of Kingston, Ont., late in the second quarter. Starting the game, Brannagan needed only 31-yards to pass Connell's career mark of 10,455. Brannagan also led Faulds by 164 yards heading into today's match.

Brannagan was 25 for 45 finishing with 289-yards and no touchdowns in the game.

Both No. 2 Queen's (7-1) and Laurier (6-2) sit idle next weekend having earned the two first-round byes in the OUA playoffs. Last week, Queen's secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first place in the OUA. Laurier tied up its first-round bye with a win over the Gaels.

The Golden Hawks led the game from the opening kickoff when kicker Chris Mamo of London, Ont. scored his first of 13 points in the game on a rouge that got past Jimmy Allin of Belleville, Ont.

The Hawks would extend their lead to 11-0 before Gaels kicker Dan Village of Abbotsford, B.C. registered his own rouge 32 seconds into the second quarter. Minutes later Village would connect on the longest field goal of his career (47-yards) to make the score 11-4.

The Gaels looked poised to tie the game at the 12:30 mark of the second quarter, but Kingston's Scott McCahill picked off Brannagan on the goal line and returned it 110-yards for a touchdown making the score 18-4. Queen's would force Laurier to concede a safety putting the score 18-6 at the break.

In the second half, Mamo would kick 45, and 32-yard field goals while adding another rouge before the Gaels added a touchdown to complete the scoring 25-13.

Ryan Granberg of Sherwood Park, Alta., recorded the lone touchdown for Queen's on a four-yard run. Granberg tallied 81-yards on 21 carries in his first game as a starter. Scott Vallberg of Kingston, Ont., was Queen's top receiver catching the ball 10 times for 159 yards.

Shomari Willams of Brampton, Ont., was Queen's top defender registering nine solo tackles and a half sack. In all the Gaels registered three sacks on Laurier QB Evan Pawliuk of Kingston, Ont., with Osie Ukwuoma of Mississauga, Ont., registering 1.5 sacks.

Pawliuk was 20 for 30 throwing for 273-yards with one-touchdown pass. Laurier's top rusher was Mike Montoya of Burlington, Ont., who netted 63-yards on 10 attempts.

In two weeks time, the Gaels will begin the hunt for their 23 Yates Cup title facing either Guelph, McMaster or Ottawa at Richardson Stadium on November 7th beginning at 1:00pm. Tickets are available by calling 613.533.2500. The game will also be broadcast nationally on THE SCORE.

NOTES: Brannagan finished his regular-season career throwing for 77 touchdowns since joining the league in 2005 which is good for third on the national list behind CIS record holder Chris Flynn of Saint Mary's (87) and OUA record holder Josh Sacobie of Ottawa (79)… He also ends third on the CIS career list with 1,211 attepts and fourth with 668 completions and and his 2580 passing-yard season this fall – despite missing a game due to an injury – ranks ninth all-time.

2009 OUA FINAL STANDINGS

1) Queen's (7-1) - bye
2) Laurier (6-2) - bye
3) Western (6-2)
4) Ottawa (6-2)
5) McMaster (6-2)
6) Guelph (3-5)