Gaiters rushing attack powers 63-7 win over Huskies

HALIFAX, NS – The Bishop's Gaiters defeated the Saint Mary's Huskies 63-7 on Saturday afternoon in Halifax.

The game started as a defensive duel with the first six drives ending in punts for each team. Looking to spark some offense, the Huskies went for it on third down, and came up short, giving the Gaiters excellent field position, and quarterback Mason McGriskin (Markham, ON) rushed eight yards for a touchdown to open the scoring. A botched snap on the point after attempt resulted in a 6-0 lead.

On the ensuing kick-off, Huskies receiver Joshua Jack (Brampton, ON) received the ball at his own four yard line and sprinted through defenders and all the way to the end zone for an explosive 106-yard touchdown return, much to the excitement of the crowd at Huskies Stadium. Kicker Ethan Nagler (Winnipeg, MB) hit the extra point and the Huskies took a 7-6 lead.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Joshua Jack with a 106-yard kickoff return to the house to give the Huskies the 7-6 lead in the first quarter!

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— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) October 7, 2023

The Gaiters wouldn't trail for long however, as they showcased a potent rushing attack, as running backs Marco Briones (Guadalupe, Mexico), David Chaloux (Saint-Charles-Boromee, QC) and O'Shae Ho-Sang (Lasalle, QC) combined for 203 yards on 21 attempts in the first half, on the way to 28 unanswered points to finish out the first half.

First McGriskin completed a 19-yard pass to receiver Oliver Burnett (Fredericton, NB) for the score, with kicker Xavier Gervais (Ottawa, ON) converting the extra point.

On the ensuing drive, the Huskies were set to punt it away, but the punt was blocked by Gaiters receiver Ianis Cherdieu (Asnieres, France), and picked up by Huskies punter Cameron Brown (Hammonds Plains, NS) who scampered 46 yards for a first down. However, the drive ended in a Huskies missed field goal.

Several drives later, the Gaiters would score again with Briones running for a 35-yard touchdown and Gervais hitting the extra point to put them up 20-7.

After a Huskies fumble, the Gaiters would score another major, as McGriskin hit receiver Nykolas Pierre-Masse (Laval, QC) for a 15-yard score, and on the next Gaiters drive, Briones would score his second major of the day on a four-yard rush to put the Gaiters up 34-7 heading into the half.

The Gaiters added 12 points in the third quarter from a 43-yard field goal from Xavier Gervais, followed by the Huskies conceding a safety, and Briones plunging in a two-yard rush for his third touchdown of the game.

The fourth quarter saw the Gaiters continue scoring, as Gervais hit an 11-yard field goal, and then came in at quarterback where he connected with receiver Dylan Manocha (Abbotsford, BC) for an eight-yard touchdown reception, extending the visitors lead to 56-7. One final touchdown rush by running back Gino Carpineta (Montreal, QC) would make the final score 63-7.

Gaiters running back Marco Briones was named Player of the Game with 98 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

The Gaiters win improves their record to 4-2 on the season, clinching a playoff berth. Bishop's will be on bye next week, before visiting Acadia on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 3 p.m. in Wolfville, NS.

The Huskies loss drops their record to 1-4 on the campaign. Saint Mary's will be back on home turf next Friday night, as they host the Acadia Axemen at 7 p.m. at Huskies Stadium, as part of Saint Mary's homecoming festivities. GET TICKETS

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Mona Ghiz / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics