Saturday October 5th the 6-0 Western Mustangs football team was hosting the 4-1 Waterloo Warriors. The mustangs have cruised through the season. The closest thing they have ever had to a test was a 9-3 victory over the Guelph Gryphons back in week 5. The Warriors came into this game as the top-rated offence in the OUA scoring a whopping 30.8 points per game. There running back Dion Pellerin is first in the league in rush yards per game, and reigning league MVP Tre Ford is throwing it as well as anyone in any Canadian University. The warriors were in the middle of a rebuild the last couple of years, and then last year they made the playoffs for the first time since 2004, this year they were hoping to make their mark as one of the best teams in Ontario, a win versus the Mustangs would surely do the trick.
The Mustangs won a nail bitter by a final score of 42-45.
The Warriors came out firing scoring on their first possession of the game. The touchdown was scored when running back Dion Pellerin punched it from one yard out. The Mustangs responded by scoring the next 10, on a 31-yard field goal by Marc Liegghio, then a 3-yard run by quarterback Chris Merchant.
The second quarter was much of the same thing, as the mustangs scored two touchdowns, one on a 52-yard pass from Chris Merchant to Malik Besseghieur, and another on a 37-yard pass from Chris Merchant to Brett Ellerman. The Warriors on scored one on a 5-yard run by Dion Pellerin. Nevertheless, the Mustangs went into half time up 24-14.
The Second half was an offensive explosion. Both teams went back in fourth until 2 minutes left in the game when Dion Pellerin the running back scored his 3rd touchdown of the game to put the warriors up 42-19. The Mustangs subsequently drove down the field, converting on a 3rd and 1 and a 3rd and 17, and eventually Marc Liegghio hit a field goal straight through the uprights to tie the game.
With 20 seconds left, the Warriors attempted to get into field goal range, and it would prove to be a costly mistake, as Dion Pellerin fumbled with 10 seconds left. When the clock struck triple zero, Marc Liegghio hit his third field goal of the game to seal the win.
The Mustangs next game is their homecoming on October 19nth versus the Ottawa Gee Gee’s.
