FOOTBALL

An air of optimism and hope surrounds the football squad as they continue to prepare for Saturday’s showdown with archrival York Lions. This is this school’s best chance for a football victory this season.

Two key facts are at the root of the optimism that players and fans alike feel. The first is that the team nearly came back to tie Waterloo last weekend in a wild 29-27 ballgame. David Hamilton completed a touchdown pass to Adam Pomper as time ran out in the fourth quarter, pulling the Blues within two, but Hamilton could not execute the two-point conversion.

Hamilton will likely start for the Blues on Saturday, as Mark Stinson was hurt last week and may not be completely healthy by game time. Hamilton also engineered a fourth-quarter comeback that should be enough to justify giving him a shot at starting for the home team.

The other fact that should give Blues fans hope relates to York’s running game. The Lions will be without star running back Andre Durie on Saturday, as he is still suffering from a leg injury. He gave U of T fits in last year’s Argo Cup, but has been neutralized before this year’s affair can even get under way.

York is coming off a 40-7 beating at the hands of the solid Queen’s Golden Gaels last weekend. Queen’s scored 26 points in the second quarter to take control of that game,

It remains to be seen how York will respond to the recent loss to Queen’s, and to the loss of Durie. The Blues, on the other hand, need to get off to a quick start if they hope to win Saturday, building on previous momentum, and not let York get back up after their recent turmoil.

-MATT SOMERS

ALSO ON CAMPUS

If football isn’t your game, there are plenty of other free sporting events to check out on campus this weekend. Some of them promise to be as bone-jarring, and all should be entertaining to watch.

Back Campus will be alive with the sounds of clashing lacrosse sticks and loud grunts after thunderous tackles in the name of rugby. The men’s lacrosse team will do battle with Guelph on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. to kick off their season, then will take on Laurier the next day at 1. The women’s team is set to host an exhibition tournament all day Saturday, but details for it have yet to be finalized.

The rugby pitch will also be buzzing on Saturday, as the 0-1 men’s team hosts RMC at 2 p.m. in an attempt to give Ed Sun his first win as head coach. RMC is also 0-1 on the year, as they were soundly drubbed 32-7 by Queen’s last week.

Sunday will be a great day for campus soccer enthusiasts, as both the men’s and women’s team will be in action on Varsity Field. The women’s team will kick off the day with a game against York at 1 p.m., which will be immediatel followed by the Blues’ and Lion’ men’s teams doing battle on the same turf. Come for one match or stay for the double-header, the choice is yours. But remember, two games are better than one, especially when offered at one ultra-low price: FREE.

-MS

YOU ARE DISQUALIFIED

In a bizarre story, Nipissing’s women’s soccer team has been credited for a 1-0 victory over York because their game last Saturday was declared illegal due to an error on the Lion’s lineup card. A player used in the game was not on the score card for the game, making that player inelligable. York is appealing the ruling.

-MS