HALIFAX – The No. 10 Bishop's Gaiters offense tallied 608 yards including 405 on the ground as they ran past the Saint Mary's Huskies 63-7 on Saturday in Halifax.
The Gaiters' defense was as equally effective. They allowed just four first downs through three quarters, recorded three sacks, forced three fumbles and
Yani Gouadfel (Mitry-Mory, France/Cégep de Thetford) grabbed his U SPORTS-leading fourth interception of the year.
Mason McGriskin (North Bay, ON/West Ferris S.S.) made his first start of the season at quarterback for Bishop's. After a slow start to the game, the Bishop's defense stopped the Huskies on third down. McGriskin rushed eight yards for a touchdown on the ensuing drive and the Gaiters were off and running.
The hosts looked like they bounced back by returning the next kickoff 106 yards for a touchdown, but it was the lone bright spot for the Huskies who were outmatched in all statistical categories.
Bishop's scored 57 unanswered points over the next three-plus quarters as they head into their final bye week with at 4-2 record.
The win also clinches a playoff berth for the Gaiters who cannot finish lower than third place in the AUS, however, have a firm grip on the second seed. StFX clinched top spot with their win over Acadia on Saturday.
Marco Briones led the rushing attack. He carried 10 times for 98 yards and a career-high 3 touchdowns.
The three-headed rushing attack was complimented by
David Chaloux (Joliette, QC/Cégep régional de Lanaudière) (12 carries, 95 yards) and
O'Shae Ho-Sang (Lasalle, QC/University of Calgary) (11 carries, 87 yards) along with five other Gaiters who recorded rushes during their video game-like offensive output.
McGriskin finished 13-25 for 168 yards and two touchdowns before giving way to
Xavier Gervais (Ottawa, ON/Cégep de l'Outaouais) who finished the fourth quarter. Gervais was 4-5 for 35 yards and a major.
Oliver Burnett (Fredericton, NB/Fredericton HS) grabbed his league-leading fifth touchdown catch of the season in the first quarter after it was redirected three times before falling into his hands.
Bishop's played their most discipline game of the year taking just four penalties for 25 yards while Saint Mary's was flagged 14 times for 140 yards.
The 63 points is the most for Bishop's since Sept. 13, 2003, when they beat Sherbrooke during their expansion year. The 608 total yards of offense is the most since the final regular season contest of the storybook 2013 season.
The Gaiters head into their bye week but will be keen observers of the other AUS contests that have playoff implications. They return to the field on Saturday, Oct. 21 when they travel to Acadia to face the Axemen (1-5)
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www.gaiters.ca.
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