On Saturday the Laurier Golden Hawks extended their perfect record on the year to 6-0 with an impressive 59-21 blowout over the visiting Toronto Varsity Blues in the school's homecoming game.
The game was never in close contention as Laurier would jump out to a 24-0 lead in the second quarter before Toronto even scored any points.
They accumulated 525 yards of total offence and averaged 9.9 net yards per pass play on 28 total throws in a remarkably efficient offensive showing. Wither even eclipsed 300 yards passing in the first half.
The game opened on a Dawson Hodge (1/2 FGM, 7/7 XPM, five rouges, 15 points) rouge point that sailed out of the back of the endzone to make it 1-0 early. From there on out, Laurier would not take their foot off the gas pedal.
On their first offensive possession of the game, Callum Wither (27-of-34, 384 yards, three TDs) and company found themselves in excellent field position, starting just shy of Toronto's 25-yard line after Zidain Allen blocked Toronto's punt attempt.
The drive would end in a laser-touchdown pass from Wither to a wide-open Jesulayomi Ojutalayo (three catches, 48 yards, one TD) on an out route before Hodge's extra point made the game 8-0 with over 12 minutes to play in the first quarter.
Hodge's leg came in handy again with another rouge point to kick it up to 9-0 before Laurier's defence would shut down another Toronto attack on the tackling efforts of Ethan Bayfield and Owen Goetz.
Wither and the offence took back over just shy of their own 15-yard line, with under 10 minutes to play in the first, before embarking on a near six-minute drive that would end in a Will Russell (two rushes, two TDs) QB sneak touchdown. Hodge's extra point would make the lead 16-0 with still time to go in the first.
Another Hoddge kick, another rouge point scored to make it 17-0 just before Toronto received the ball back for the second time.
The Varsity Blues' drive would end in a Jack Nyrose (seven rushes, 32 yds) fumble, courtesy of Johari Hastings. At the same time, the ball was recovered by Laurier linebacker, Jessie Wilkins-Flaricee (5.5 tackles, one pass breakup, two fumble recoveries).
With under three minutes to play in the first quarter, Laurier got the ball back at Toronto's 43-yard line and drove all the way to the goal line with zero seconds left in the first.
On the first play of the second quarter, on second and third, Wither took the snap in the shotgun, rolled right, and fired a pass in stride to an open Ryan Hughes (eight catches, 75 yards, one TD), who was nearing the corner pylon.
Hodge's extra point made the score a quick 24-0, which took all of one quarter of play to amass.
From here, Toronto showed a flicker of life in them as Scott Barnett and the offence took over deep into their own territory.
Building on nice plays such as passes to Ethan Gill (two catches, 51 yds), Jack Kenney (one catch, 20 yds), and Denayden Lee-Daniel (two catches, 54 yds), Toronto found themselves sitting at the goal line with just under 12 minutes to go in the first half.
Sending in their short-yardage quarterback, Kaleb O'Donoghue (three rushes, 15 yards, two TDs), the Varsity Blues scored their first touchdown of the day as O'Donoghue plunged forward on a sneak play before Sam Henke's extra point made it 24-7.
Toronto kicked back to Laurier, and the Golden Hawk offence wasted no time in answering back.
On first and ten, with over ten minutes to play, Wither passed over the middle to Ethan Jordan (eight catches, 163 yds, one TD) in space, who bounced outside and won a foot race with the Varsity Blues' secondary to become the Golden Hawks' all-time touchdown receptions leader with 29, breaking the record held formerly by current McMaster Marauder head coach, Stefan Ptaszek.
The momentum was not going to stop anytime soon.
Surprisingly enough, at 31-7, those would not be the last points scored before halftime. Laurier would embark on another big drive that would last for four minutes and eight plays with 79 yards tacked on. The drive ended in a six-yard touchdown run from Tayshaun Jackson and a Hodge extra point to make the score 38-7 with minimal time remaining.
A conceded safety from Toronto made it a 40-7 score at halftime.
The second half came, and both teams traded possessions before Laurier got the ball back and proceeded to score on a one-yard touchdown run from Wither. Hodge nailed the extra point and secured another rouge to increase the score to 48-7 in the third.
Another Toronto two-and-out set up a punt, which was blocked for the second time by Laurier with about seven minutes to play in the third. This set up the offence well and culminated in Hodge nailing an 18-yard field goal.
Laurier's last touchdown of the day came at the very tail end of the third quarter as Wither led the team deep into enemy territory on the heels of an eight-play, 59-yard drive that sucked away 3:25 of play.
With four seconds left in the third, Will Russell came out yet again and punched the ball in on another QB sneak for his second rushing score of the game before Hodge made it 59-7 with an extra point and another rouge.
One point of note in the third quarter, Varsity Blues' receiver, Chris Joseph, who is having an unbelievable year, broke a 44-year-old school record by reeling in his 58th catch of the season, which was previously held by Mark Magee, who set it back in 1981.
The fourth quarter proved to be mop-up duty for the home team, as Wither was taken out for the rest of the game in favour of Russell. The Golden Hawks would concede a couple of safeties to cut the lead to 59-11 before Kaleb O'Donaghue would rush for another score with only 4:21 remaining in the game.
That would be the last touchdown of the day, with the final points in general coming from Henke nailing a 35-yarder with under two minutes left.
Isaac Willis came in for the last possession and kneelt out the clock in front of a raucous crowd to seal the final score at 59-21.
For the 6-0 Golden Hawks, their momentum has been unwavering in advance of another strong playoff push.
Their next matchup comes against a beatable 2-3 Carleton team that has not defeated the purple and gold since 2019. Of course, the matchup everyone is waiting on comes on Oct. 18th, against Western in a Yates Cup rematch.
As for 1-4 Toronto, their next game is also a winnable one, against the McMaster Marauders on Saturday, October 4, at 1:00 pm EST.