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Devlin kicks last-minute FG, Hawks win second Vanier Cup
HAMILTON (CIS) The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks are the 2005 Canadian Interuniversity Sport football champions.
Fifth-year kicker Brian Devlin of Sarnia, Ont. booted a 32-yard field goal with 19 seconds remaining in the game to lead the third-ranked Hawks (12-0) to a 24-23 victory over the No. 2 Saskatchewan Huskies (11-1) in front of a crowd of 16,827 at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
Laurier, the 10th team in history and the first since Saint Mary's in 2001 to complete a perfect season, captures its second Vanier Cup in five CIS final appearances. The Hawks, first crowned in 1991 following a 25-18 victory over Mount Allison, are the first team from the OUA to claim the CIS banner since Western Ontario in 1994.
The Huskies lose in the CIS championship game for the third time in four years. Saskatchewan, which lost 7-1 to Laval a year ago, was also defeated by Saint Mary's in 2002.
Fifth-year quarterback Ryan Pyear of Belleville, Ont. claimed the Ted Morris Trophy as Desjardins Vanier Cup MVP. Pyear, who orchestrated an 11-play, 45-yard drive that took two minutes and seven seconds to set up the winning field goal, completed 20 of 30 passes for 254 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
The 2005 first-team all-Canadian pivot completes the campaign with 28 passing majors and only five interceptions in 12 outings.
"What a fantastic way for the seniors to end their careers," said Pyear. "This is a dream come true. To think that only three years ago we were 1-7, this is simply unbelievable."
Down 23-21, the Hawks got the ball back at their own 40-yard line with 2:26 left. The turning point in the game came moments later when, facing third-and-16 at midfield, Pyear completed a 17-yard pass to Dante Luciani (Oakville, Ont.) to keep the winning drive alive.
After trailing since the sixth minute of the second quarter, the Huskies took a 16-15 lead 2:19 into the fourth frame on a 41-yard field goal by Braden Suchan (Humboldt, Sask.). David Stevens increased the lead to 23-15 six minutes later when he scampered on 85 yards all the way to the end zone.
Laurier responded with a score of its own with 2:53 left on the clock on a 10-yard pass from Pyear to Bryon Hickey (Burlington, Ont.), but the ensuing two-point convert attempt failed, leaving the Hawks two points short.
However, after getting the ball back at its 35-yard line, Saskatchewan was only able to take 27 seconds off the clock before it was forced to punt the ball back to the Hawks.
"I am so proud of these guys," said Hawks head coach Gary Jeffries, named OUA coach of the year in each of his three seasons at the helm. "We said all season that after last year's loss in the Uteck Bowl our only goal was to win the Vanier Cup, and we made it happen."
"These guys showed so much character," continued Jeffries. "When we missed the two-point convert, we could have been down. But our defence stepped up once again, and we kept fighting."
Third-year Hawks defensive end David Montoya of Burlington, Ont. was awarded the Bruce Coulter Trophy as defensive MVP after tallying two tackles, including a quarterback sack, and recovering a fumble.
Fifth-year running back Nick Cameron of Waterloo, Ont. led the ground attack with 115 yards on 24 carries. He scored on a five-yard passing play 6:29 into the third period to give Laurier a 15-7 advantage.
Andy Baechler (Ayr, Ont.) scored the other Laurier major on a 23-yard pass in the second quarter.
The Canada West Hec Crighton Trophy nominee, Stevens, who missed last year's Vanier Cup with a knee injury, was all over the field for the Huskies in the losing effort, finishing the game with 193 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. He also caught four passes for 47 yards and a major.
The fifth-year back from Moose Jaw, Sask. is the ninth player in history to tally three touchdowns or more in the Vanier Cup, one shy of the CIS final mark. His 193 rushing yards and 259 all-purpose yards (he also had 19 yards on two punt returns) both rank fourth in Vanier Cup history, while his 85-yard run was the second longest ever. Stevens ends the campaign with a CIS-high 22 touchdowns, including 19 on the ground, in 12 outings.
Fifth-year quarterback Steve Bilan of Saskatoon was 15-of-30 for 226 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
The 2006 Vanier Cup will be played on Nov. 25 at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon, marking the first time ever the CIS championship game is contested outside of Ontario.
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
WLU 3:29 Brian Devlin, rouge (missed 30-yard field goal), 1-0
Second Quarter
SASK 2:35 David Stevens, 1-yard run (Braden Suchan, convert), 7-1
WLU 5:18 Andy Baechler, 23-yard pass from Ryan Pyear (Brian Devlin, convert), 8-7
Third Quarter
WLU 8:31 Nick Cameron, 5-yard pass from Ryan Pyear (Brian Devlin, convert), 15-7
SASK 13:54 David Stevens, 6-yard pass from Steve Bilan (missed 2-point convert), 15-13
Fourth Quarter
SASK 2:19 Braden Suchan, 41-yard field goal, 16-15
SASK 8:14 David Stevens, 85-yard run, 23-15
WLU 12:07 Bryon Hickey, 10-yard pass from Ryan Pyear (missed 2-point convert), 23-21
WLU 14:41 Brian Devlin, 32-yard field goal, 24-23
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