Casselman, ground game power Mustangs past Carleton 49-7
Ben Casselman got the start at quarterback for the Western Mustangs and led them to a 49-7 victory over the Carleton Ravens in Ottawa on Oct. 10.
Casselman, a second-year QB, had been backing up Jérôme Rancourt until Saturday. That changed after Rancourt threw a combined six interceptions in games against McMaster and Queen’s.
Casselman made the most of it. He finished 10-for-15 for 177 yards and three touchdowns, two to Nik Shewchuk and one to Jackson Taylor.
Rancourt wasn’t relegated to the sidelines. He came in for short-yardage situations, ran in a touchdown and completed the only pass he attempted.
The win grew in importance thanks to the Windsor Lancers, who handed the previously perfect Queen’s Gaels a 25-22 loss. That leaves the Mustangs, Gaels and Marauders all at 5-1. The Lancers are 5-2.
In his first year as head coach, Michael Faulds has shown that ability trumps age or seniority in the purple and white. Rookie linebackers Nathan Summers and Dylan Tharby have been outstanding. Youth has also been infused at receiver, where Emmett Charles and Shewchuk have quickly become go-to targets with star power.
Western leaned on the run against the Ravens, piling up 384 rushing yards. St. Joseph’s and Parkside grad Ethan Dolby led the way once again with 140 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Jack Kelly added 87 yards.
Former London Beefeater Geoffrey Clubine also scored for the Mustangs, and Cam Bourdeau ran eight times for 61 yards.
Defensively, Western put the clamps on Carleton early, bending but not breaking. The Mustangs intercepted Ravens quarterback Elijah Barnes twice. Cyrus McGarrell picked off his third pass of the year, and Eric Klemm had the other.
Nawaz Oyewale recorded a solo sack, Summers and Conner Franzisi combined on another, and Tharby recovered a fumble.
Kicker Mateo Pasquini was 2-for-3 on field goals and perfect on extra points and added a single.
The Mustangs head right back to Ottawa on Oct. 17 to face the Gee-Gees. They return home Oct. 24 to host Faulds’ old team, the Laurier Golden Hawks, at Western Alumni Stadium.