LENNOXVILLE, Que. - Rookie quarterback,
Mason McGriskin (North Bay, ON/West Ferris S.S.), stepped onto Coulter Field for the first-time sporting the purple and white in the 2021 Thanksgiving edition of Friday Night Lights. In his debut, McGriskin went 9-for-19, passed for 139 yards and connected with sophomore receiver
Nykolas Pierre-Masse (Laval, QC/Collège Montmorency) for two touchdowns.
Pierre-Masse, a sociology student, caught five passes on the day for 89 yards and received Subway Player of the Game honours for his performance.
Louis-Philippe Gregoire (Jonquière, QC/Cégep de Jonquière) also had a game with sixteen carries for 108 yards.
After a slow start to the game by both teams, McGriskin and Pierre-Masse connected on a 35-yard pass for the Gaiters' first score of the game just 17 seconds into the second quarter. Six minutes later, the Huskies found the end zone on a Malik Williams' 1-yard run to even the score. SMU took a 9-7 lead into the break after Bishop's conceded a safety late in the second stanza.
Following halftime, the home team stuck to the game plan and, once again, the dynamic duo of McGriskin and Pierre-Masse teamed up for the Bishop's second major of the night. The Huskies got close with the addition of a single and a field goal in the final quarter but the Gaiters never relinquished their lead and finished the game on top, 14-13.
The victory is Bishop's second over the Huskies since joining the AUS in 2017 and moves the Gaiters (1-2) ahead of SMU (1-3) in the conference standings. The win marks the first time the Gaiters have collected points this season and vaults Bishop's back into the playoff picture.
