Except for a tightly contested Week One loss to Windsor, the Queen’s Gaels football team has been playing near-perfect football this season.
“Defensively, we’re very disruptive right now, whether it’s getting in the backfield, creating turnovers, you know, those are the things that we’re doing really well and it’s helping us win games right now,” Gaels coach Steve Snyder said.
The Gaels hold a 4-1 record and are in a strong position to secure home-field advantage in the first round of the OUA playoffs, but that’s not guaranteed yet.
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This weekend, Queen’s faces its arch-rival, the Western Mustangs, in what also happens to be the team’s homecoming game.
“Obviously, it’s a big game. They’re going to have a ton of fans down there coming off a loss, so they’re going to really want to put on a show for their fans,” said defensive back Dawson Matthews-Reid.
Linebacker Justin Pace emphasized the importance of staying focused. “It does feel special when we play Mustangs, but it’s just about staying level-headed and going into the week like we would normally do and not get overexcited.”
Queen’s has struggled against Western in recent years, including a narrow loss last season.
“I think this game is very important for us,” said H-back James Preston. “Getting over this hump is a big thing for this team, a big thing for the Brotherhood, and we need to get it done.”
“We’ve been scratching at them, clawing at them, getting closer and closer, feels like every time we play them,” Dawson-Reid added. “So, you know, we always feel like we have the ability to go in there and upset them.”
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Saturday in London.
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