Football kicks off 2012 against Toronto - Athletics & Recreation

Football kicks off 2012 against Toronto
Golden Hawks open season on the road for fifth straight year

WATERLOO, Ont. (September 1, 2012) - The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks football team will step onto the field for their first competitive game of the 2012 season on Monday night when they travel to Toronto to take on the Varsity Blues.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be webcast live on SSN Canada.

For the Hawks, the team that steps onto the field on Monday will be one that is dramatically different than the one that walked off the field following their OUA Quarter-final loss last year to the Queen's Gaels. Gone are the likes of Shane Kelly, Shamawd Chambers, Dillon Heap, George Kourtesiotis, Sam Aird and Shane Herbert, and in their place steps a new generation of talent that will look to extend the Hawks postseason streak to 10 seasons.

The biggest changes to the purple and gold's lineup is on the offensive side of the ball. While there has been much debate during the offseason as to who will be handed the starting quarterback job, it appears the job will be handed to either incumbent backup Steve Fantham of London, Ont., or NCAA transfer Travis Eman of Brampton, Ont. Those two players have gotten the majority of the snaps in practice over the past week so it is expected that one of those two will make their first career start on Monday night. The receiving core has also been overhauled with the loss of three starters. However, there is still plenty of talent for offensive coordinator Ryan Pyear to focus his offence around. Alex Anthony of Victoria, B.C., Kelvin Muamba of Mississauga, Ont., Karsten Beney of Waterloo, Ont., and Anton Bennett of Toronto, Ont., will all provide speed and skill to the Hawks attack. Finally, after Bennett's shift to receiver, the Hawks will also boast a new starting running back for 2012. Second year back Tyrrel Wilson of Hamilton, Ont., is favoured to gain the starting job after averaging 8.5 yards per carry on 21 attempts in his rookie season. However, Wilson will be pushed by Lance Freeman of Denver, Colo., who missed 2011 due to injury, as well as rookie Eric Guiltinan of London, Ont. Defensively, Laurier boasts a strong, veteran group highlighted by a very deep linebacking core. Fifth year senior Mitchell Bosch of Langley, B.C., along with Drew Galpin of Kitchener, Ont., and Nick Sapone of Richmond Hill, Ont., will receive the majority of playing time this year but keep an eye on prized rookie recruit Andrew McWhinnie of Waterloo, Ont., who will also get a chance to show his talent. The defensive line could prove to be a difference maker for the purple and gold in 2012 as a talented group of returning players, featuring Ben Ivany of Schomberg, Ont., Alex Brouwers of Campbellford, Ont., Asante Mizan of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Ese Mrabure-Ajufo of Mississauga, Ont., will make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.

With a talented, yet unproven team, facing the Varsity Blues may be a perfect way for this young squad to start off the season. In their last 10 meetings with Toronto, Laurier holds a 9-1 edge in victories with their only loss coming as a result of using an ineligible player two years ago.?

Despite this advantage, the Hawks will need to be prepared to face a team that is on the rebound. The Varsity Blues posted a 3-5 record in 2011, their best finish in more than 10 years, and missed out on the final playoff spot by one game.

Source: http://www.laurierathletics.com/createarticle.php?ID=6071

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