KINGSTON, Ont. (October 10, 2019) - The Queen's Gaels (3-5) picked up a big homecoming victory 23-2 over the York Lions (1-7) in front of 4,229 fans at Richardson Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
THINK PINK
HOMECOMING HALFTIME
GAME FLOW
Quarterback James Keenan led the Gaels down the field for a touchdown on their opening drive of the game. Keenan marched the Gaels down the field from their own 39-yard line and found Richard Burton open in the corner of the end zone to take a 7-0 lead and give the Queen's faithful an early chance to sing the Oil Thigh.
After Nolan Bedard returned a punt out of bounds on the Gaels own one-yard line, the Lions swarmed Rasheed Tucker in the end zone to score a safety for York's lone scoring play of the game.
Gabriel Boucher hauled down Lions quarterback Brett Hunchak for an eight-yard sack to the York three-yard line. The Lions conceded a safety rather than punt out of their own end zone and the Gaels lead was 9-2.
York starting senior quarterback Brett Hunchak was carried off near the end of the first quarter after being injured on a seven-yard scramble. He returned from an injury last week to lead the Lions past Toronto and did not return to the game against Queen's.
The Gaels opened the second quarter with another Keenan touchdown pass to Burton, this time a 15-yard strike to give Queen's a 16-2 lead. Keenan finished the game completing 16 of 26 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns.
Ben Hadley later connected on a 36-yard field goal to capitalize on a six-play, 16-yard drive to give the Gaels a 19-2 lead heading into halftime.
The Gaels defence continued to dominate in third-quarter forcing York to concede two safeties. Queen's held York to just 132 yards of total offence and had four sacks on the day.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Gaels attempted a trick play but Richard Burton's pass intended for Marko Xidos in the end zone was intercepted by Daniel Loggale on the York one-yard line.
Rasheed Tucker and Jake Puskas took over in the fourth quarter as the Gaels primarily ran the ball to finish off the Lions. Tucker finished the game with 16 carries for 94 yards while Puskas had 15 carries for 83 yards in his final game as a Gael.
Ryan Licandro took over under centre for Queen's late in the quarter and took the final knee as the Gaels prevailed for a 23-2 Homecoming victory over York.
BY THE NUMBERS
628 - Number of total rushing yards for Rasheed Tucker this season
572 - Number of total receiving yards for Richaed Burton this season
203 - Number of passing yards for James Keenan accumulated in the victory.
3 - Number of safeties conceded by York in the game
HONOURING SENIORS
Queen's football honoured graduating seniors Adam Dingwall, Josh Mosley, Blake Zarubiak, Cameron Duffy, Cameron Lawson, Connor McQuilkin, Ejaz Causer, Gavin Millard, Jake Puskas, Jack Hache, Kurtis Schaefer, Marquis Richards, Max Moloney, Thompson McCallum, Tristan Kuchar, Will Bannatyne, William Koos and Zack Kealey.
JUNIOR GAELS 50-50 RAFFLE
The Junior Gaels Hockey 50-50 winning ticket "7528544" has not been claimed for Saturday's game.
Greater Kingston Hockey Association has retained the $1000.00 prize and winning ticket stub from the October 19 raffle. The prize will be held for 6 month period.
The prize winnings can be claimed by contacting Jan Kalen, Director of Fundraising, Greater Kingston Hockey Association,
fundraising@greaterkingstonhockey.com
FINAL SAY
"A really exciting day for everyone and a good football game. I'm really proud of our seniors and the way they played and it was just great to have everyone around, the spirit was in the air and it was an unbelievable experience. Success for this game was going to be starting fast, we needed to start fast and build a lead and we did that. The opening drive was methodical offensively and really well executed so it was a great way to start." - Head Coach Steve Snyder.
HIGHLIGHTS
Burton gets an early score
Burton with his second
Schaefer shuts down York
