Mustangs fall in Uteck Bowl; Knights drop two; Nats top Rockets

Gameday in 5: A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (Nov. 13-19) — for London’s teams and athletes.

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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London Knights

The Knights had a subpar week, winning just once in their three tries. That win came last Wednesday on the road in Guelph, where London claimed a 5-2 victory against the Storm. Denver Barkey got the Knights off to a fast start by scoring 1:27 into the game. Jackson Edward then doubled the lead with a power play goal just over three minutes later, but Guelph then cut the lead in half.

However, that’s as close as the Storm would get, as London scored the only goal of the second (Oliver Bonk), and then the Knights potted a pair of insurance goals in the third. Bonk finished with two goals and an assist, while Easton Cowan had three assists in the win.

Facing the Flint Firebirds Friday, the Knights lost 7-4 at Budweiser Gardens. The Knights, who fell behind early, found themselves down 4-0 in the second. Jacob Julien got London on the board with a shorthanded goal. From there, the teams traded goals with Flint always a step ahead. The closest the Knights drew was 6-4, thanks to goals by Kasper Halttunen and Sam Dickinson. Julien also scored a second in the home loss.

Looking to bounce back on Saturday, the Knights instead lost 4-2 to the Erie Otters. Down 2-0 to start the second period, Jacob Julien cut the lead in half (assists to Oliver Bonk and Kasper Halttunen). Ruslan Gazizov then tied the game just past the 10-minute mark, assisted by Sam O’Reilly and Max McCue. But not long after, the Otters took the lead back, and that goal stood as the game winner. Erie added a late empty netter to close the game out.

Up next:

The Knights have a three-game week ahead, and they’ll all be on the road — starting Thursday in North Bay. Sudbury and Barrie will follow in a three-games-in-three-days stretch.

Thurs. Nov. 23 (7:00pm @ North Bay Battalion)
Fri. Nov. 24 (7:05pm @ Sudbury Wolves)
Sat. Nov. 25 (7:30pm @ Barrie Colts)

Western Mustangs Football

After a season full of success, the Western Mustangs were unable to muster much of anything on Saturday against the Montreal Carabins in the Uteck Bowl. Heading in undefeated, the Mustangs unfortunately met their match, as the Quebec champs outplayed them from the outset and won the national semi-final 29-3.

Western turnovers and a strong Montreal defense were the story of the game, as the Mustangs were held to a single field goal (down 24-0 in the third quarter, kicker Brian Garrity converted a field goal to put Western on the board after a scoreless first half). Prior to Saturday’s game, the fewest number of points the Mustangs had scored was 21.

On the offensive side of the ball Montreal scored two touchdowns, knocked through four field goals, and earned a safety en route to the lopsided win. The Mustangs finish the season with a 10-1 record overall in the 2023 season.

Western quarterback Evan Hillock completed just 15 of 29 pass attempts and threw an uncharacteristic three interceptions on the afternoon. He was also sacked five times. His leading receivers were Savaughn Magnaye-Jones (4 catches, 70 yards) and Seth Robertson (4 catches, 61 yards).

On the ground, rookie Ethan Dolby rushed for 84 yards on 12 carries. Troy Thompson picked up 53 yards on seven carries. On defense, the Mustangs nabbed a couple of interceptions, with Jackson Findlay and Jacob Saunders doing the honours).

London Lightning

A week after signing their first five players for the 2023-24 season, the London Lightning added to their roster, first signing Sam Cunliffe, a former top-ranked high school player out of Washington. Then it was on to the inaugural Basketball Super League (BSL) Draft, where the Bolts selected Rashad Smith and then Alonzo Murphy.

If Smith and Murphy make the squad, that would put the current Lightning roster at eight, with the first five signees being returnees Jermaine Haley Jr. and Marcus Ottey, former Windsor Express foes Jachai Taylor and Nick Garth, and UK import Ben Mockford.

London is now just five weeks away from tipping off the 2023-24 season in Sudbury on Dec. 28, 2023.

GOJHL 

The London Nationals are tied with the LaSalle Vipers for top spot in the Western Conference entering a new week, with both teams sitting at 27 points — two points head of the third-place Strathroy Rockets (London holds down first in winning percentage).

Strathroy and London played each other early last week, with London coming out on top 5-3 to temporarily move into first place. Jeremy Hirsch opened the scoring for London at the Western Fair Arena. Kyler Morgan tied things up just over 14 minutes into the second period. The teams then traded goals before Hirsch netted his second with just 29 seconds left in the frame.

Riley Wood then scored his second of the contest to make it 4-2 London 5:25 into the third period. Peter Fagan made it 5-2. Strathroy’s Nathan Schaap brought the Rockets back within two, but that’s as close as they’d get.

Wednesday’s game was the only one on the schedule for London last week, while Strathroy played a second game Saturday and lost 3-1 to the St Marys Lincolns.