(SACKVILLE, N.B.) - The Mount Allison Mounties returned home to Alumni Field Saturday after three weeks on the road and treated home fans to a 37-6 win over the winless Saint Mary's Huskies.
With the win, the Mounties move to 5-2 and hold onto first place in the AUS with one week remaining in the regular season.
The Mounties jumped on Saint Mary's early, breaking out to a 15-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. It was 22-0 at halftime and the two time defending AUS champions never looked back, adding to their lead in the second half for the eventual win.
The Mounties got on the board just two and a half minutes into the game when Ryan Lambert's field goal attempt missed wide right but sailed through the end zone. This gave the Mounties a 1-0 lead on the rouge point.
Six minutes later, the Mounties found the end zone for the first time as Quinn LeBlanc punched it in from one yard out after the Mounties had driven 62 yards on eight plays.
The Mounties scored again before the end of the first quarter when Idahosa Yorke took a direct snap and rushed seven yards for his second touchdown in as many weeks.
The touchdown play was set up by an 85-yard interception return by Mounties senior Dylan Cossar. Cossar picked off Saint Mary's quarterback Trevor Erdmann deep in Mounties territory and returned it all the way back to the Saint Mary's seven-yard line.
A conceded safety and a Ryan Lambert 33 yard field goal rounded out the scoring for the first half.
Lambert, the AUS's leading scorer, made it 25-0 when he connected from 32 yards half way through the third quarter.
Mounties freshman Josh Hicks (Moncton, N.B.) then caught his first career CIS touchdown in spectacular fashion with a diving catch in the end zone to make it 31-0 for the home side. Lambert's convert brought the score to 32-0.
Saint Mary's picked up their first points of the day when Ryan Zawacki scored from nine yards out on a play set up by Antoine Lyte-Myers' 46-yard punt return.
Another Saint Mary's safety and Lambert's third field goal of the day from 33 yards left the score at 37-6 for the Mounties.
Mounties quarterback Brandon Leyh was once again efficient, going 14-22 for 184 yards and one touchdown.
The Mounties rushed for over 200 yards on the day, including 87 yards on 23 attempts by Quinn LeBlanc and 61 yards on 15 attempts by Robbie Rodriguez.
Freshman Josh Hicks had five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown while Idahosa Yorke had seven catches for 73 yards.
For Saint Mary's, Trevor Erdmann was 14-34 for 115 yards and two interceptions. Leonardo Mantuila had 75 yards on 13 carries.
The Mounties host StFX next Saturday, Oct. 31 in a showdown for first place.
StFX sits in second place at 4-3 after a last minute victory over Acadia on Saturday. If the Mounties win or lose by less than 11 points, they will clinch first place and host the Subway AUS Loney Bowl for the second year in a row.
If StFX wins by 11 or more, they will finish first and the Mounties will host Acadia for the Subway AUS semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Source: Mount Allison Sports Communications