Gameday in 5

A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (Oct. 11-16) — for London’s teams and athletes.

The Western Mustangs’ women’s golf team earned silver at the OUA championships last weekend in Ottawa. (Photo: Tim Austen / Ontario University Athletics).

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London Knights

The Knights’ early season struggles saw an improvement last week, as the team earned a point in a 5-4 overtime loss to a tough Mississauga squad Friday night and then they earned their first win Sunday in Hamilton.

Though the Steelheads handed the Knights their fourth straight loss to open the season, Friday’s game was a close contest against a strong Eastern Conference opponent that required extra time to decide. The Steelheads put pressure on the Knights early, scoring twice in a two-minute span to open the game. London responded with two goals of their own, thanks to rookie Sam Dickinson and newly-acquired George Diaco. In the second, the Knights didn’t waste any time in taking a 3-2 lead less the three minutes into the period on a Ryan Del Monte goal. The Steelheads responded, though, tying the game shortly after, and then taking a lead in the third. But a Denver Barkey powerplay goal forced overtime. The Steelheads scored the winner just under three minutes in, but the Knights came away with a point.

After a tough loss Friday, the Knights logged their first win of the season Sunday, beating the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-2 on the road. The Knights got off to a strong start, with Dickinson scoring the icebreaker and Sean McGurn doubling the lead. Del Monte scored what turned out to be the game-winner 1:26 into the second period. The Bulldogs scored twice over the final two frames, but the Knights held on to win and added an empty netter (Barkey) in the final minute of play. 

Up next:

The Knights (1-3-1-0) will look to build on a better weekend of play this week with a three-game slate, beginning Wednesday in Owen Sound, and then featuring a home-and-home series against Saginaw.

Wed. Oct. 19 (7:00pm @ Owen Sound)
Fri. Oct. 21 (7:00pm vs. Saginaw Spirit)
Sat. Oct 22 (7:05pm @ Saginaw Spirit)

Western Mustangs

In their final home game of the regular season Saturday, the Mustangs beat the Windsor Lancers, 50-18, at Western Alumni Stadium. Despite the final score, the game was closer than it seemed — certainly, for the first three quarters (the Mustangs blew it open with 25 points in the fourth). Ahead 18-5 at halftime, the Mustangs held just a touchdown lead, 25-18, after three quarters.

Western quarterback Evan Hillock was 17 for 25 for 299 yards and two touchdowns on the day, including scoring passes to Savaughn Magnaye-Jones and Seth Robertson, the latter amassing 163 yards on seven catches. Running back Keon Edwards continued his strong season with 144 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on 20 carries. Edouard Wanadi also had two rushing touchdowns in the win.

Up next:

The undefeated Mustangs (7-0) will wrap up their regular season with a road game next weekend against the University of Ottawa before embarking on a playoff journey to the Yates Cup, the OUA championship game.

Sat. Oct. 22 (12:00pm @ Ottawa Gee Gees)

OUA Golf

Western’s women’s golf team earned silver and Rylie Grogan claimed individual gold at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Golf Championship Sunday at Hylands Golf Club in Ottawa. Led by Grogan, Lexie McKay (runner-up in 2021) and Ciara Tully-Cornic, the Mustang women claimed silver with a two-day total of 481, seven strokes behind Toronto (and 21 ahead of bronze).

Grogan's 73-80 (153) won the fifth-year senior individual gold by two strokes. McKay, who won four invitational tournaments this fall, shot a Day 2-best 75 and finished 4th overall, just one shot out of bronze. On the men's side, the Mustangs placed 8th in the team competition. William McHenry was the top Western finisher (74-78 -- 152), tying for 13th.

London Nationals

The Nationals had another successful week, winning both of their games. They got things started with a 4-1 win over the St. Thomas Stars on Wednesday. After going down 1-0 late in the first period, London tied things in the second thanks to Nolan Milne’s second goal of the season. The Nationals didn’t waste any time in the third, with Brayden Thompson scoring 36 seconds in. The Nats then added a pair of insurance goals and held the Stars scoreless the rest of the way.

After an impressive win Wednesday, the Nationals beat the Sarnia Legionnaires, 8-2, on Thursday. The game played out in a similar fashion, with the Nationals trailing (2-0) after the first period. But the Nats’ offense then took over, scoring three times in the second to take the lead (Talan Palmer, Riley Wood, and Sam O’Reilly), and then exploding for five more goals in the third to cruise to the victory.

Up next:

Wed. Oct. 19 (7:00pm vs. Komoka Kings)
Fri. Oct. 21 (7:30pm @ St. Marys Lincolns)
Sat. Oct. 22 (7:30pm vs. LaSalle Vipers)

London Beefeaters

The Beefeaters are headed back to the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) Final after they won 38-14 over the Ottawa Sooners on Saturday night. The Sooners put up the first touchdown, but London scored twice in the second quarter and maintained a touchdown lead heading into the fourth, where they pulled away.

A 17-point final quarter punched the Beefeaters’ ticket to this year’s provincial championship game, where they’ll face the first-place St. Clair Saints in a rematch of last year’s final. London is 7-2 overall, while the Saints are a perfect 9-0. The Beefeaters’ only losses this year have come at the hands of the Saints. That was the same case last year before London earned a wild 15-14 last-minute comeback win in the OFC Final. They’ll look to pull off the upset again next weekend in Windsor.

Up next:

Sat. Oct. 22 (OFC championship @ St. Clair Saints)