Queen's Golden Gaels Football

Golden Gaels win a wild one

Claude Scilley Sports - Tuesday, September 04, 2007 @ 09:00

A stunning comeback, capped by a 23-yard touchdown run by Mike Giffin in overtime, gave the Queen's Golden Gaels a 26-20 win over the Western Mustangs in the opening game of the Ontario University Athletics football season last night.

A sell-out crowd of 9,413 watched the No. 7-ranked Mustangs squander a 20-6 third-quarter lead as the Gaels won for the fourth time in their last five games, dating to last season.

"That was a helluva one to be a part of," said Queen's linebacker D.J. Mullholland, whose block of a Derek Schiavone field goal attempt with no time on the clock sent the game into overtime.

The Gaels used their two timeouts after time expired to give the Western kicker time to consider his situation.

"The best two timeouts of my career," said Gaels coach Pat Sheahan. Mulholland said the Gaels did nothing unusual on the play that led to the crucial block. Twice earlier Queen's rushers got to Schiavone, but both times they were called for contacting the kicker.

"They have no film on us," Mulholland said. "They just missed an assignment on the left side and I got through clean."

Sheahan said the Gaels, down 13-3 at halftime, regrouped nicely.

"We realized in the locker room we hadn't played anywhere near our potential, and on a positive note, no one felt it was over.

"The defence hung in all night and kept us within striking distance."

Jimmy Allin almost ended the game before the Queen's offence got on the field. He took Schiavone's miss about 15 yards deep in the end zone and almost took it the length of the field before he was stopped at the Western 20-yard line.

"It would have been apropos if we'd won it with our defence," Sheahan said.

Indeed, the Gaels were fortunate to escape the first half down just 13-3. Only a splendid performance by the Queen's defence prevented the game from being a rout by halftime.

The Gaels had 86 yards of total offence, 23 of it on their first two plays of the game, as Giffin carried for 12 and 11 yards. Queen's didn't have another first down until the final three minutes of the half.

The Queen's defence, meanwhile, was mostly marvellous. The Gaels sacked the quarterback three times in the first half and twice in the second quarter denied Western a touchdown inside its 10-yard line

The first came on Western's first possession after its touchdown when Dee Stirling and Neil Puffer combined to stop Randy McAuley at the five on third-and-two. The second came in the final two minutes of the half, with the Mustangs leading 10-3, when Queen's held Western to a field goal from first-and-goal from the six.

The Gaels' only weakness in the opening 30 minutes was their inability to corral McAuley. The speedy Western back rushed for 161 yards - gaining roughly twice as much yardage by himself as the Gaels did collectively - including a 75-yard dash up the middle that set up his first touchdown of the game.

On a calm, warm night, Queen's possessed just two real weapon in the first half, the kicking toe of rookie Dan Village and the return magic of veteran Rob Bagg.

Village averaged 38 yards on six punts and Bagg returned three kicks for 146 yards. The Queen's offence, however, was able to turn only one of them - a 73-yard punt return - into a score.

The Queen's offence came to life late in the third quarter. The Gaels moved 70 yards in six plays with quarterback Brannagan completing four passes, the last a 21-yard TD strike to a wide-open Scott Stinson.

The Gaels defence held Western to two-and-out on the next two possessions and the offence then marched 62 yards in seven plays - two of them first-down completions to reserve fullback Trevor Potts - with Giffin scoring his first touchdown on a one-yard run.

Gaels 26 Western 20

Queen's: Two rushing TDs by Mike Giffin, Scott Stinson scores on a pass from Danny Brannagan; Dan Village kicks FGs of 32 and 18 yards. Mustangs: Two rushing TDs by Randy McAuley; Derek Schiavone kicks FGs of 32 and 9 yards.

The game: Gaels trail 13-3 at halftime and 20-6 late in the third quarter; Gaels tie the game and win it in overtime on a 23-yard run by Giffin.

Big play: D.J. Mulholland blocks a 43-yard FG attempt by Schiavone with no time left on the clock.

And then: Schiavone, the all-Canadian kicker, misses a 35-yard FG in overtime.

Next: Guelph, at home, Sunday