Knights wrap preseason; Western wins Homecoming; NASH Cup crowns Canadians

Gameday in 5: A look to the week ahead — and a recap of the week that was (Sept. 18-24) — for London’s teams and athletes.

The London Knights wrapped up their preseason Friday. They’ll drop the puck for real this Friday, Sept. 29, 2023 at Bud Gardens. (Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

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London Knights

The Knights wrapped up their preseason schedule last week by splitting two games against the Erie Otters, giving them a 2-2 record overall in exhibition play before they drop the puck for real this Friday.

A Thursday road game, that took place at Joe Thornton Community Centre in St. Thomas, ended in a 3-2 London win. The Knights found themselves down 1-0 early, but a Kaeden Johnston goal tied things shortly after the 10-minute mark of the opening period. Then, late in the frame, newcomer Henry Brzustewicz gave London the lead, with Ruslan Gazizov and Juan Copeland picking up assists. Riding the momentum into the second period, Blake Arrowsmith extended the lead and the Knights held off Erie from there.

It was a different story Friday, as the Knights mustered just one goal in a 3-1 loss at Budweiser Gardens. Down 2-0 late into the second period, Gazizov scored a powerplay marker (assisted by Sam O’Reilly and Sam Dickinson). The team put up a fight, but they were unable to tie things up. The Otters then added a late empty net goal to put the game away.

Up next:

The Knights kick off their 2023-24 OHL regular season this Friday against the Niagara IceDogs. They’ll then complete a home-and-home the following night in Niagara.

Fri. Sept. 29 (7:00pm vs. Niagara IceDogs)
Sat. Sept. 30 (7:00pm @ Niagara IceDogs)

Western Mustangs Football

Coming off a last-second win over Queen’s the prior weekend, the Western Mustangs football team found its groove in the second half of Saturday’s Homecoming game, ultimately earning a lopsided 50-17 win over the visiting Ottawa Gee-Gees in front of a packed house at Western Alumni Stadium.

Down 7-0 early, Mustangs quarterback Evan Hillock connected with Savaughn Magnaye-Jones for a touchdown pass to even things up. Finding themselves down again in the second quarter, backup QB Jerome Rancourt, in the game for a short yardage situation, took the ball outside and ran it 22 yards for a touchdown. The Mustangs led only 14-10 at the break, but the second half was a different story.

Western exploded for a combined 36 points in the third and fourth quarters to cruise to their fifth win of the year. Hillock finished 23-for-27 for 318 yards and three touchdowns (Magnaye-Jones, Mohsen Jamal, Seth Robertson). Running back Keon Edwards rushed for 126 and a pair of touchdowns on just 12 carries. Backup Keanu Yazbeck had eight carries for 70 yards, while third back Troy Thompson earned a touchdown on the ground.

Up next:

The Mustangs (5-0) are back on the road next weekend for a game against Windsor. Then, after a bye week, they’ll return home Oct. 14 for a game against the University of Toronto.

Sat. Sept. 30 (1:00pm @ Windsor Lancers)

London Beefeaters

The Beefeaters won for the third straight week Saturday, cruising to a 43-7 victory over the visiting GTA Grizzlies at City Wide Sports Park. The win clinched second place for the Beefeaters and a first-round playoff home date set for Oct. 14.

The defense held strong all game, allowing just a single touchdown in the third quarter. Meanwhile, the Beefeaters scored in each of the first three quarters. They were up 34-0 by halftime. Overall, London logged 417 yards on offense, including 342 on the ground. LJ Dyer, as usual, led the way, racking up 120 on 16 carries, scoring three rushing touchdowns along the way. The talented back surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season in the win.

After scoring 15 points in the first quarter, the Beefeaters put up another 19 in the second to take a commanding lead into the locker room. Three quarterbacks logged time in the game, including Damon Barrow, who found Luca Rosiello for a 22-yard touchdown pass.

Up next:

The Beefeaters (5-2), who clinched second place behind the St. Clair Saints in OFC play, have one regular season game remaining — against the Quinte Skyhawks — this Sunday. They’ll then get a two-week break before hosting a semi-final game Oct. 14.

Sun. Oct. 1 (2:00pm @ Quinte Skyhawks)

NASH Cup

For the first time in NASH Cup history, a Canadian won both the men's and women's draws at London's international squash tournament. David Baillargeon (Lévis, QC) and Hollie Naughton (Mississauga, ON) did the honours, each capturing a $20,000 USD purse Saturday night in front of a packed crowd at the London Squash Club. Baillargeon beat Faraz Khan (U.S.) in four sets, while Naughton beat Egypt’s Salma Eltayeb in five sets.

Baillargeon is the second Canadian male to win in the tournament's 15-year history (the first since 2011). Naughton is also the second Canadian to win on the women’s side (first since 2016), which has now run for 10 years.

Players from 19 countries competed at this year’s NASH Cup, which ran from Tuesday through Saturday. Forty-eight players in total took part, including 25 ranked in the top 100 in the world.