Laurier Wins a Triller!

The Laurier Golden Hawks win the Vanier Cup by a score of 24-23 on the leg of Brian Devlin and his 6 points.

The kicker is rarely ever seen as a very important component of a football team. Brian Devlin proves that the kicker may just be the most important component.

Hailing from St Patricks High School in Sarnia, Ontario, Devlin has started five seasons and can clearly remember the Goldenhawks 1-7 season three years ago. Laurier's fought a hard battle since, going 12-0 and winning the Vanier Cup. Talk about a miraculous turn-around.


Some observers described the Mitchell Bowl, in which Saskatchewan edged No. 1 Laval 29-27, as the real Canadian university championship game. The Golden Hawks took it all in and got their revenge, proving that Ontario is the real hot bed of football in Canada!

"There's nothing better than saying I told you so," said defensive end David Montoya, named defensive player of the game. "This is the best feeling there is right now."

The strength of Saskatchewan's offence was a huge front line that averaged six foot four and 296 pounds. The Huskies utilized that advantage in the run game - outgaining Laurier 193-173 - but the Hawks countered effectively by using their superior quickness to put pressure on Bilan and prevent big plays.

"They're very quick," Towriss said. "They were able to run things down from behind, the first team we've seen do that this year."

And for Towriss, a three-time Vanier Cup champion in nine career appearances, this loss is the hardest of the three to swallow.

"In the end, they made just one more play than we did, but we played a pretty good football game, it's not like we gave it away. Laurier's chances of completing a perfect 12-0 season looked slim midway through the fourth quarter, when David Stevens broke free on the right sidelines and ran 85 yards for a touchdown that put Saskatchewan up 23-15.

But the Huskies' burly defence couldn't contain the Hawks' athletic offensive line on the ensuing drives, failing to plug holes that quarterback Ryan Pyear, the game's MVP, and running back Nick Cameron exploited.

"We have the heart of a lion," said Pyear. "In the huddle, guys had confidence, they still knew there was a lot of time left. We still knew we could win it."

They set up the exciting finish when Pyear connected with fullback Bryon Hickey on a six-yard TD with 2:53 left, cutting Saskatchewan's lead to 23-21. They looked to have it tied on a two-point convert attempt but a wide open Cameron couldn't hold on to the pass.

Laurier's defence then came up with a key stop, which Saskatchewan couldn't match.

Stalled at midfield and facing third-and-16, Pyear found Dante Luciani who dove after the catch to the Saskatchewan 38 for a gain of 17. Six plays later, after a holding penalty halted their march to the end zone, Devlin split the uprights for the winning points.

Updates of OVFL Alumni perfomances to come. Stay tuned.