Marauders women's volleyball opens year with back-to-back games against Windsor and Toronto Metropolitan University, picking up four wins in four games
Despite losing the last four games of the 2024 portion of the season, the Marauders women’s volleyball team has kick-started 2025 with four consecutive wins in their first four games. Their current record has the team sitting with 10 wins and four losses this season.
The Marauders lost to the Western University Mustangs on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16, 2024 and lost again to the Brock University Badgers on Nov. 22 and Nov. 23, 2024. The Mustangs sit just below the Marauders in the U Sport rankings at eleventh place, while the Badgers are ranked eighth.
With two tough opponents out of the way, the Marauders entered the season with matchups against the University of Windsor Lancers at home on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11, 2025. The Lancers are ranked twentieth in USports rankings.
The Marauders went on to sweep the Lancers in their first match, with a decisive three to zero scoreline. Outside hitter Emma McKinnon led the team in kills with 11 in total, while setter Chayse Victoria led in assists with 24 in total.
The Marauders went on to sweep the Lancers in their first match, with a decisive three to zero scoreline.
The two teams' second meeting was closer in score, ending with a three to two scoreline. Outside hitter Maddy Lutes stepped up, leading the team in kills with 16 total and Victoria continued leading in assists with 40 total.
The team then took on Toronto Metropolitan University on Jan. 17 and Jan. 18, 2025. Similarly to their first game against the Lancers, the Marauders swept TMU in their first match. The second game was decisive as well, as the Marauders won with a score of three to one.
As the Ontario University Athletics season continues, the Marauders will face the University of Ottawa on Jan. 24 and Jan. 25, 2025, at home in the Burridge Gym, where the volleyball team will hope to continue its recent success.
With their introduction to the 2025 season, the McMaster men's volleyball team split games with the top-seeded Windsor Lancers
The 2024 portion of the season for the McMaster men’s volleyball team could be described as disappointing. They lost six Ontario University Athletics season games, and won only four.
As the team came into the 2025 season, they’d have a mountain to climb in terms of attaining winning results. Their first two games of the new year were against the University of Windsor on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11, 2025.
For the struggling Marauders, this was a test. The Lancers came into the game against the Marauders with only one loss during the OUA season and in the first place position. Comparatively, the Marauders sat in ninth place.
The Lancers came into the game against McMaster with only one loss during the OUA season and in the first place position.
The first game saw the Marauders lose to the Windsor team, as the Lancers won three sets with the Marauders only able to win one set. In this game, Maxime Gratton and Seth O’Brien lead the Marauders in kills, with Gratton picking up 17 and O’Brien contributing 15.
The Marauders opened the new year on a loss, but took on the Lancer’s again the following day. In their second meeting, the Marauders were able to secure a win, beating the Lancers with a score of three sets to two.
In their second meeting, the McMaster side were able to secure a win, beating the Lancers with a score of three sets to two.
Leaders in total kills, Gratton and O’Brien, in game one performed strongly again in game two against the Lancers, helping the Marauders to pick up points. Gratton finished the second game with 25 total kills, with O’Brien following up with 14 of his own kills.
This result is one to be proud of for the Marauders, as their win marks only the second loss of the Lancers', who have proven themselves to be a very strong team.
Quarterback Keagan Hall helps lead the Marauders to great heights during first games of the season
In their first game of the regular season, the Marauder men’s football team faced the University of Windsor Lancers. In the highly anticipated matchup, the Marauders failed to defeat the Lancers though, losing the game 21-17.
The game was played in front of a packed Ron Joyce stadium, with McMaster University’s move-in day bringing in students and parents alike. The recorded attendance stood at 2,140.
The game was likely played with plenty of nerves from the McMaster team, especially for new starting quarterback Keagan Hall. Despite the tense atmosphere though, Hall delivered a phenomenal performance, rushing 31 yards and completing 19 of 37 passes.
After the graduation of fifth-year Andreas Dueck, Hall has found himself in the spotlight of the Marauders football offense. After falling short of qualifying for the playoffs last season, Hall and the rest of the team are looking to redeem themselves following impressive results early on this year.
In the Marauders’ second game of the season, they narrowly lost to Western University with a score of 22-34. Despite their defeat, the team had improved upon last year’s match against the Mustangs where they lost 14-47.
The Marauders' third game of the season saw them dominate York University with a score of 71-0. Hall continued to prove himself, with the quarterback throwing a total of 300 yards in the massive win.
As the Marauders head into a matchup against Guelph University, they will likely be looking to keep their energy up. Hall in particular will likely be looking to deliver another great performance and spur the Marauders onto a winning streak.
Marauders sweep the Lancers to become back-to-back OUA champions in front of a sold-out crowd in Burridge
The McMaster Marauders are back on top of Ontario! Following a three-set sweep of the Windsor Lancers on Mar. 11, McMaster has officially won 11 titles in the last 15 seasons. They managed to do this in front of a rare sold-out crowd on home turf in Burridge.
The match came as highly anticipated, as the Marauders and Lancers were the first and second placed teams in the Ontario University Athletics standings. The Marauders dominated throughout, winning the first two sets by considerable margins of 11 and nine, while the third and final set was more competitive with just a four point difference.
Several players stepped up for the Marauders through the course of the game, but it was outside hitter Thomas Williams who put the final nail in the coffin. Williams would secure the gold on a spike from the right side.
“It feels great – I mean, why wouldn’t it feel great? We’ve worked really hard for this. We always knew we had the potential, and we’re always grateful to be here. . . We put in the work and we just earned it in the end with the way we played,” said Williams.
Williams was one of many to step up when the team needed them, but it was Brendan Mills whose performance took the cake. Mills, a 2022-2023 breakout player, would be named the player of the game shortly after the win became official. Mills stood out as a true two way player, impacting the game on both sides by leading the team in kills and blocks.
“Awesome it got to be me tonight, but every night it’s going to be a different guy. . . The job that our middles did keeping their middle blockers out of the way for me, and left side is obviously Sam [Cooper], Mateusz [Wlodarski], Max [Gratton], everyone had a great game tonight. I put it away when it came to me, but those guys made my life super easy. It’s not about me, it’s about the team,” explained Mills.
As big a deal as a provincial title is, the mindset of the team has already shifted to the national championship tournament less than one week away. Though McMaster already secured a spot as the tournament host for the year, the provincial championship only solidified the fact that they deserve to be there.
“It’s a great win, but we’ve got to completely shift our focus. Just because we won [provincials] doesn’t mean we’re going to win nationals easily. We’ve got to focus on each game at a time and really gotta dial in, especially against the [western] teams that are usually stronger. We’ve got to change our mindset now. Celebrate while we can, but we’ve got to keep moving forward and put that work in like we did for the OUA championships,” said Williams.
"We’ve got to change our mindset now. Celebrate while we can, but we’ve got to keep moving forward and put that work in like we did for the OUA championships."
Thomas Williams, Men's Volleyball Team
Winning the OUA championship is certainly an effective way to gain momentum heading into nationals. The third ranked team nationally will still have to tread carefully however, as injury issues remain a concern.
Offensive superstars Sam Cooper and Maxime Gratton still appear to be feeling the lingering affects of their injuries, both lower body. While he is still playing well, Cooper has yet to return to the level of stardom he maintained early in the season, and Gratton is seeing extremely low usage and is still walking with a clear limp. Cooper appears healthy, but rusty, while Gratton is clearly playing through injury. Either player could be the x-factor next week.
Until then, the team has plenty to celebrate. The Forsyth Cup will remain in Hamilton another year.
Marauders rebound from a blowout loss with a win thanks to some unexpected contributors
The men’s baseball season is well underway with the final regular season game taking place on Oct. 2.
The Marauders faced the Windsor Lancers in a well-matched double header last weekend on Sep. 24. The Lancers outrank McMaster University for tenth place in the Ontario University Athletics standings with a record of four wins and six losses. The Marauders were eleventh in the OUA standings as of Sep. 29 with two wins and five losses.
The first game between the two teams wrapped up early in the fifth inning with a tough 14 to four loss for McMaster. The mercy rule took effect and the game ended in the fifth inning once the Lancers led by ten.
McMaster managed to bounce back in the second game, winning 11 to eight in a seven-inning affair. The Marauders were able to make critical adjustments between games, cleaning up on the defensive end and generating momentum from their offence.
Rookie pitcher, Benjamin Cook, played a key role in the team’s comeback victory. Cook came in midway during the first game and continued his strong pitching performance in the second game.
“This is pretty much my first opportunity to pitch for the team this year, so getting into the [first] game was really nice. And then getting into a situation where I really got to [perform] my best and show what I can do, it means a lot,” said Cook.
This is pretty much my first opportunity to pitch for the team this year, so getting into the [first] game was really nice. And then getting into a situation where I really got to [perform] my best and show what I can do, it means a lot.
Benjamin Cook, Pitcher
As the pitching change put a stop to the walks, McMaster’s performance on the offensive side continued to heat up. Adam Strongman, the head coach, took notice of the increased offensive production as a result of the spark provided by the pitching staff.
“Confidence was building [in the last few innings]. I would say that it started to go when the pitching flipped . . . As the pitching got better, the runs got better,” explained Strongman.
Confidence was building [in the last few innings]. I would say that it started to go when the pitching flipped . . . As the pitching got better, the runs got better.
Adam Strongman, head coach
McMaster ran into a little bit of trouble, pitching-wise, when a few close calls didn’t go their way in the middle innings and the team found themselves in a loaded bases situation in the midst of their tight game. However, Cook managed to close out the inning unscathed, proving himself once more.
“I sort of got in my own head. But after that last walk, I got to myself and said “Okay you’re better than this. You can throw strikes. You know what to do.” Then it’s just about commanding my stuff and throwing [the way] I know how to,” explained Cook.
The rookie played a big role in the series split, allowing the offense to climb back in the game and keeping the team from losing their footing in the standings.
Next up, the Marauders face one of the most difficult opponents they will endure this season in the top-ranked Guelph Gryphons on Sep. 31 in a double-header at home. The Marauders look for a strong defensive start against the offense-heavy team.
The Marauders will later finish their regular season back against the Lancers in a second double-header on the road. To follow along with the Marauders as they wrap up their season, visit their Instagram or Twitter. The team’s upcoming schedule is available here.
C/O Colin Wouda, McMaster Sports
The men’s volleyball team make OUA history once more, capping off the perfect final season for star veteran, Jordan Pereira
The McMaster Marauders men’s volleyball team is finally back on top of Ontario. In a back and forth battle starting in the 2005-2006 season, either the Queens Gaels or the Marauders have won the provincial title every year. McMaster currently holds nine titles while Queens holds the other six. In the previous two seasons the Gaels brought home the OUA title, but after an incredibly strong showing this past year, the Marauders have taken the trophy back to Hamilton.
With stars Sam Cooper and Jordan Pereira, the team was able to cap off their regular season with a perfect 12-0 record. Heading into the OUA playoffs the Marauders had some trouble with the Windsor Lancers, but managed to pull away before beating the Brock Badgers in the west division final and the Toronto Varsity Blues in the Forsyth Cup final.
“The whole playoff run was a good battle . . . Getting to play the finals at home in my last year and winning the game and having everyone celebrating really was a surreal feeling. After losing the last two, getting to win this one, I was crying after the game. I was overwhelmed with emotion,” said Pereira
“The whole playoff run was a good battle . . . Getting to play the finals at home in my last year and winning the game and having everyone celebrating really was a surreal feeling. After losing the last two, getting to win this one, I was crying after the game. I was overwhelmed with emotion."
Jordan Pereira, Men's Volleyball Team
On top of their legendary title run, several members of the team ended the year with individual recognitions. Dave Preston took the coach of the year award. Robbie Fujisawa and Maxime Gratton made the all-rookie team while Gratton also won the rookie of the year award. Wojtek Kraj and Mateusz Wlodarski were named to the second all-star team, while Sam Cooper and Jordan Pereira found themselves on the first all-star team.
The star-studded team continued their journey past the OUA playoffs and into the national tournament less than a week later. The team had their sights set on gold, but ended up losing their first matchup against the Calgary Dino’s, meaning that their first loss of the year would immediately send them into the consolation bracket.
“The quarter finals [of nationals] was a tough battle. Calgary is a really good team and we fell a little short. We fought really hard. Obviously it was a tough pill to swallow, losing in the quarter finals. We had our hopes on winning a national title,” explained Pereira.
The Marauders would follow the loss with two more wins against the Queen’s Gaels and the Manitoba Bisons, yielding a bittersweet fifth place finish in the tournament.
There were many emotional moments in the nationals run, but the player who was arguably most flooded with emotion was Pereira, who was playing the final game of his university career.
“In the Manitoba game right after the second set I was just sitting there on the bench like ‘woah, this is my last time wearing this uniform’ . . . I remember in Winnipeg after the last match I had my jersey on. Everyone was taking theirs off and changing, but I kept mine on. I didn’t want to take it off,” said Pereira.
"I remember in Winnipeg after the last match I had my jersey on. Everyone was taking theirs off and changing, but I kept mine on. I didn’t want to take it off."
Jordan Pereira, Men's Volleyball Team
Pereira spoke extremely highly of his time with the team, both this year and in the past. In his rookie year he became a champion with the team winning the OUA title. Now, he leaves a champion as well, cementing his legacy in maroon.
“Getting to win that in my final year was a great honour . . . I’m glad I chose this school. I made so many good friends, good relationships [and] met my girlfriend. It was really a great journey. We’ve had a lot of success, we’ve won some championships, we’ve lost some championships, but at the end of the day I’ve grown a lot as a person, as a player and as a student at the school. I’ll forever be grateful for picking this school,” explained Pereira.
Despite losing a star, the team is still set for years to come. It’s a very young team and the roster won’t experience much turnover heading into their next season. Pereira felt confident that the team will continue to find long term success and will have several more opportunities to reach their goal of a national title.
“This might be one of the most athletic teams we’ve had. The ceiling was really high . . . At the end of the day, we all play McMaster volleyball. Dave [Preston] runs a good show. I think they can expect the same as always with Dave as the coach because he’s built such a great culture. It’s the kind of thing that just keeps feeding into itself. Excellence breeds excellence. This team has a bright future. I see ourselves winning a championship one day,” said Pereira
"I think they can expect the same as always with Dave as the coach because he’s built such a great culture. It’s the kind of thing that just keeps feeding into itself. Excellence breeds excellence. This team has a bright future. I see ourselves winning a championship one day."
Jordan Pereira, Men's Volleyball Team
Over the course of the season, the volleyball team had to be one of the most entertaining to watch for students, packing the house in the provincial championship matchup. With much of their core still intact for next season, they will continue to be a team for students and fans to keep their eye on for years to come.
C/O Barry Gray, Hamilton Spectator
Men’s volleyball team wins their 12th straight and is heading to the playoffs with their hearts set on the gold
It’s official: Mar. 5 2021 has become a day to remember for the men’s volleyball team at McMaster. It became the day that they would finish their season with a perfect record after winning all 12 games this past season.
Historically speaking, men’s volleyball has long been a strong player in McMaster sports, having amassed a combined record of 203-25 over the last decade. In that span on the national floor they accumulated two silver medals and four bronze medals. This accompanies the six consecutive provincial titles they won from 2012-2017.
Despite incredibly strong performances season after season, this might be their best shot yet at McMaster’s first national title since U Sports volleyball began awarding medals in 1967. Undefeated seasons are no easy feat.
Going into the final regular season game, there was a lot of stress for players and fans. They were taking on the Windsor Lancers, a team that they had swept earlier in the season. Early in the game the Marauders struggled, losing the first set and just scraping together a win in the second. Tensions were high, but they were ultimately able to separate themselves in the second half.
“We were pretty confident that if we put our best product out there on the floor that we’d take the win. We had a bit of a slow start . . . We felt that maybe we were a little too confident going into that matchup. They got the better of us, but we responded well and put that product out there by the end of the match,” said Sam Cooper, McMaster’s game leader in Kills-Aces-Blocks.
"We felt that maybe we were a little too confident going into that matchup. They got the better of us, but we responded well and put that product out there by the end of the match."
Sam Cooper, Men's Volleyball Team
The final two sets came much easier for the Marauders, who won by scores of 25-20 and 25-14, cementing their legacy with a perfect record.
“It was a cool moment to see what we had accomplished . . . In our last game losing that one set was probably a good thing for us,” explained Cooper.
Cooper largely credited the success seen by the team this season to a sense of closeness within the young group. Having only a few graduating members on the team, it came as a surprise to many to see such a wonderful performance. However, members of the team itself may have been motivated by being perceived by others as green players.
“I really feel a sense of cohesion on our team with all the guys. The biggest difference [from past McMaster teams] is probably our age. We’re a pretty young team with only one graduating senior on the floor . . . Lots of guys are getting their first shot to play here and that lends a kind of excitement to our game. That’s allowing us to play older than we are and achieve some of those same things that teams older than us have done in the past,” explained Cooper.
In their first playoff game of the season the Marauders will take on none other than the team they closed out their perfect record with — the Windsor Lancers — on Mar. 12 at home. McMaster is the clear favourite in the matchup after having been rated second in the country by U Sports.
“Overall we’re not necessarily happy with the number two position, but we understand that there's lots of things that go into making that number happen . . . Trinity Western is in that number one position. I think we’re in good company there. We have a healthy respect for them. I think the rankings show that we’re pretty close. We’re right at their heels,” said Cooper.
In the playoffs the team is dead set on the gold. They feel confident that they are the best team in Ontario University Athletics and have a serious chance to do damage on the national level, should they make their way through this provincial round of playoffs.
“Our goal is to secure the OUA final — the OUA gold. That’s the number one goal . . . The mentality going into it is that it’s a new season. The teams that we’re going to play, even though we’ve played them in the past, we’re expecting that they’re going to elevate their game and we’re going to need to be prepared for that and be the more prepared team,” explained Cooper.
“Our goal is to secure the OUA final — the OUA gold. That’s the number one goal."
Sam Cooper, Men's Volleyball Team
All eyes will be on the team heading into the playoffs as they make a push for their first provincial title since the 2017-2018 season. This is a team that has what it takes to make a push for nationals so they’ll be a great team to follow over the next few weeks.
C/O McMaster Sports
After completing the season with eight wins and four losses, the women’s volleyball team is playoff bound
After completing their season on Mar. 2 with a sweep of the Windsor Lancers, the McMaster Marauders women’s volleyball team has started to look ahead to their next challenge: the playoffs.
If the win against the Lancers was a sign of things to come, then opposing teams will have lots to worry about in their Marauders matchups, and the team made easy work of their final regular season game. The three sets came with final scores of 25-6, 25-8 and 25-14 with Sullie Sundara, Jessie Nairn, Ellie Hatashita and Emma McKinnon leading the way.
“We worked really hard as a team this year and I’m really proud of us for how far we’ve come. Second in the West, that’s a big deal. We’ve had to overcome a lot of adversity this year and we’ve really pushed through that. [We have] really worked hard to get where we are,” said McKinnon.
The team is very anxious to get their playoff journey started and they’ve got their eyes on the prize as they continue to prepare for their first big game.
“We’re all preparing, watching videos [and] practicing. We’re all in a good mindset for [the] playoffs . . . Our general goal is to go to nationals. If we do what we can — if we play our game — I think that’s entirely possible,” explained McKinnon.
“We’re all preparing, watching videos [and] practicing. We’re all in a good mindset for [the] playoffs . . . Our general goal is to go to nationals. If we do what we can — if we play our game — I think that’s entirely possible."
Emma McKinnon, Women's Volleyball Team
On Mar. 12 the Marauders will take on the Western Mustangs, the fourth seed in the West who finished with seven wins and five losses. The game will take place at home in Burridge Gym, where students can attend free of charge.
By: Coby Zucker
With the departure of veteran outside hitter Brandon Koppers after capping out his eligibility last season, a void was created in the McMaster men’s volleyball team. Starting the season with a blistering 6-1 record, it’s safe to say the Marauders are managing well enough, thanks in part to the dependable play of third-year setter, David Doty.
Recognition was quick to come to Doty, who received the McMaster Pita Pit Athlete of the Week award following his strong early performances against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues and the highly-ranked University of Windsor Lancers, both in three-set sweeps.
“It wasn’t really something I was expecting,” said Doty. “I think I was more concerned about coming out of Windsor with a win. Going into someone’s gym when they’re sixth- or fifth-ranked in the country, and you have a chance to take them down in their gym, it kind of takes over your mind over your own personal [performance]. I mean, it was nice to have that recognition and I’m very thankful for it, but I think it’s more concerning myself with coming out of Windsor with a big win.”
As the starting setter for the Marauders, Doty is responsible for leading the offence on the court.
“Coach [Dave Preston] and I, we meet twice a week or so,” Doty said. “We go over how we want to run an offence against a team. We have a pretty good idea of how we like to run our offence. I think we have this idea of, if something’s working, just keep going at it. If something’s not working, we adjust and go from there.”
But even the best-laid plans need to be executed. You can toss up a pass, but someone’s got to smack it down. In the early parts of the season, that someone has been outside hitter, Andrew Richards. Second in Ontario University Athletics in hitting percentage at .374, Richards has been a force to be reckoned with over the team’s first seven games. The chemistry between Doty and Richards is hardly new; the two have been playing together over the past six years, both getting their start at Oakridge Secondary School in London, Ontario.
“Over the years it’s gotten easier and easier connecting with him cause we’ve played together that much,” said Doty. “We kind of just know what each other are doing. And he’s a freak human. He’s able to get up, to jump to balls I don’t expect him to, but you know every time he gets up there, he seems to cut the ball off at the highest point possible.”
Doty was quick in pointing the off-the-court leadership of Richards, along with the team’s other fifth-year, Connor Santoni, who is currently sporting a handlebar moustache, matching Doty’s own. Previously acting as a utility player for the team, Santoni has started to see increased playing time in his final season.
“[Richards] and Santoni, the leaders of this team, the two fifth-year guys, they’ve always done a good job of leading us,” Doty said. “They put their blood, sweat and tears into this program, so we appreciate everything they do.”
And needless to say, that effort has been paying off. Despite Doty’s assertion that the competition this year is fiercer than ever, with most teams in striking distance of one another, the Marauders opened the season with two sweeps. The Queen’s University Gaels were able to put a damper on the early momentum after a tough 2-3 loss.
“Well the first two sets against Queen’s, they played outstanding,” said Doty. “They were passing well, they were digging some balls we weren’t really expecting them to be digging up. And we made too many errors, which is why we lost that game.”
Men's Volleyball -- @santoni11 had a career night, as @MACMVB rolled to a fourth straight sweep at the expense of the Guelph Gryphons Saturday. #GoMacGo https://t.co/JCwBflcLEx
— McMaster Athletics (@McMasterSports) November 25, 2018
That game seemed to only be a slight hitch for the Marauders who have since bounced back with four straight three-set sweeps over the Royal Military College of Canada, Trent University, the University of Waterloo, and the University of Guelph. So far, Doty and the rest of the team have been putting together a run that is shaping up to be a fitting send-off for the team’s two fifth-years.
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When Andreas Dueck arrived at McMaster University last year, he arrived ready to fight for his spot. With the departure of former starting quarterback Asher Hastings, the team was looking for the next young player to step up to the plate.
After going back and forth competing for the starting position with Dylan Astrom, the role was given to fellow newcomer Jackson White. White led the Marauders for the rest of the 2017 season, taking them to the Ontario University Athletics semifinals. Through this all, Dueck was patiently waiting his turn, which was not always easy.
“[Not starting] was something that wasn't a fun experience for me while it was happening,” said Dueck. “Waiting my turn is definitely something that benefited me a lot. It allowed me to take a step back, and evaluate my game more. Also, being able to compete with Jackson every day with him was a good learning experience.”
[spacer height="20px"]The Winnipeg native used his first year away from home to work on himself as a player, to be ready for when the Marauders would need him to step up. While he worked on getting stronger, he also worked on improving his mental game to be able to compete at a university level.
“I really just focused on learning how to prepare mentally for games, and how to be in a better mental state of mind,” said Dueck. “I wanted to be able to be dialed in a hundred per cent and to make sure that I was not overthinking things when I played.”
If he could go back and tell his first-year self what he knows now, it would be a reminder to relax. He would let himself know that it is important to be able to evaluate things from a third-person point of view, and to not let himself get too emotional over situations.
[spacer height="20px"]With key senior departures and a young new offence, the 2018 season began to go through it’s up and downs quite early. After things began to look uncertain, Dueck was brought in to try and help move a struggling offence. Under his leadership, they managed to maintain a three-game winning streak, including beating their rivals, the Wilfred Laurier University Golden Hawks, in a close 21-20 win.
“It's been a crazy season in the OUA in general with how competitive everything is,” said Dueck. “It definitely teaches you no matter who you play every week, you have to go out there and fight for every yard and every possession that you have, and that nothing is really given to you.”
Although Dueck stepped up, he and the Marauders still struggled to make those much-needed passing touchdowns. Ending the season with just six passing touchdowns, the Marauders often relied upon the run game of Jordyn Lyons and sure-footed kicking of Adam Preocanin to score. Lyons ended the regular season with the fourth-most rushing yards in the OUA, while Preocanin finished with 18 field goals, tied for the third-highest in the OUA.
The team walked away with a lot of close gritty wins, including 27-24 to the Queen’s University Gaels, and 17-5 to the University of Windsor Lancers. Though they did not always win in the style they wanted to, they pulled it off when it mattered and secured a spot in the playoffs after beating the Lancers.
#OUA FBALL @McMasterSports have built an 18-10 lead against the @queensgaels in the opening half, and with plays like this from Andreas Dueck to Levi Paul, it's not hard to see how!#WeAreONE | #QUEvsMAC pic.twitter.com/VGu2Zz6Ipu
— OUA (@OUAsport) 5 October 2018
Although, during that last game, Dueck injured his sternoclavicular joint and White had to step back under centre. The two-quarterback-per-game look is something the Marauders tried before this season. With both quarterbacks being so young with strengths in different areas, switching quarterbacks in certain situations was actually something that worked for the team.
“Both of us just put the team first,” said Dueck. “We're always right behind each other and always making each other better, which ends up making the team better because we never let it get to be personal.”
#OUA FBALL
After goose eggs across the board in the 1st half, @McMasterSports puts up 17 in the 2nd half to edge the @WindsorLancers in their regular season finale! Jordan Lyons' big day on the ground helps spearhead the win!#WeAreONE | #MACvsWSR https://t.co/ODc4T6bhFe
— OUA (@OUAsport) 20 October 2018
Keeping focused on the most important thing, winning as a team, Dueck knows that is what matters most, especially going into the playoffs.
“Every down matters, and every inch counts,” said Dueck. “We're just going to go out there and be very urgent, not only with our preparation, but in every single play we make.”
Their opponents for the quarter-finals, the Carleton University Ravens, also have a 5-3 record like Mac, but are coming off a three-game win streak. Having struggled on the road this season, and the talent in the OUA being as unpredictable as it has been, the road to the Yates Cup is not a straight road just yet. Dueck and the Marauders have had many opportunities to learn from their mistakes this season, and now it’s time to use those mistakes to make victories.
Adding to their challenges for the playoffs, McMaster recently fired head coach Greg Knox on Oct. 22, less than a week before their first playoff game. Knox has a long history with the Marauders, serving as defensive coordinator during the Marauders’ multiple Vanier Cup appearances between 2011-2014.
“He was the guy here that recruited me the hardest and really believed in me, and he cared tremendously about the whole team,” said Dueck. “The fact that the school is treating him [this way]… is absolutely ridiculous. They didn't give us any information about the investigation, and when finally giving us the result, did it in an incredibly cowardly and disrespectful manner, after letting him go for something the OUA deemed only worthy of a one-game suspension, it's crazy to me.”
The suddenness of the firing has cast an air of frustration and disbelief amidst the organization as the Marauders prepare for their playoff run. It is unclear how the team will respond to this, as only time will tell if this will inspire a win or lead to a turbulent end to a promising season.
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