OUA MVP Keon Edwards picks up 260 yards, and a touchdown in a dominant win

The Western Mustangs are headed to the Mitchell Bowl after a blowout 44-16 win over the Queen’s Gaels in the 2022 Yates Cup.

Facing the Gaels in a rematch of the 2021 Yates Cup, in which the Mustangs took 29-0, the two sides started even at 0-0 after the first quarter, but the Mustangs took over from there. 

Evan Hillock found Savaughn Magnaye-Jones for the 57-yard pass early in the second quarter to make it 6-0 for Western before Keanu Yazbeck added a 10-yard run to make it 13-0. 

A late 2-yard run from Anthony Soles cut the lead to 13-6 heading into halftime. 

In the second half the Mustangs continued their attack on both sides of the football, Keanu Yazbeck picked up his second rushing touchdown of the game to make it 20-7 before Brian Garrity added his first field goal of the afternoon to make it 23-7. 

A 73-yard pass to Seth Robertson from Evan Hillock bumped the lead up to 30-7 heading into the fourth quarter and sealed the win for Western. Hillock was lights out on the afternoon, going 10-14 for 222 yards and throwing three touchdown passes for Western as the Mustangs entered the fourth up big. 

Anthony Soles picked up his second rushing touchdowne early in the fourth to make it 30-14. Soles fought valiantly to keep the Gaels in it with two touchdowns off of 35 yards but Queen’s quarterback Alex Vreeken struggled, going 17-33 for 212 yards and one interception. 

A 44-yard pass to Griffin Campbell gave Hillock his third touchdown of the afternoon to make it 37-14 before OUA MVP Keon Edwards wrapped it up with an 11-yard run to make it 44-14, before a safety ended the game at 44-16. 

The Gaels fall for the second consecutive year in the Yates Cup and are still in search of their first Ontario title since 2009.

The Mustangs now move on to the Mitchell Bowl where they play the winner of RSEQ, either the Laval Rouge et Or or the Montréal Carabins.