TORONTO - The McMaster Marauders football team fell 33-19 versus the Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday afternoon at Varsity Stadium.
 
Toronto entered the game as one of only two winless teams in the province but put on a defensive show to secure the victory. The Blues were impressive scoring two interception return touchdowns and a blocked punt return touchdown.
 
McMaster opened the scoring to go up 7-0 early after third-year quarterback Keagan Hall rushed 7-yards for a touchdown. However, the Varsity Blues answered back in the second quarter with two back-to-back touchdowns and a field goal before Michael Horvat added three for the Marauders on a 48-yard field goal to make the score 17-10 Toronto at the half.
 
The second half was a back-and-forth affair. Toronto had the first big play of the third quarter with a 106-yard interception return for a touchdown. McMaster responded with an 8-yard touchdown reception from Jacob Mason to make it a one score game. The Marauders threw another interception which was returned 86-yards for the touchdown. Both teams conceded safeties late, but the damage was done for the visitors, falling to 1-5 on the season. The true difference between the two squads was felt in the air with the Varsity Blues recording four interceptions on the day.

Ryan Leder and Domenic Limanni led the Marauders defensively with nine combined tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble.
 
Offensively, Hall passed for 265 yards and added 14 rushing yards. Third-year running back Brayden Kelly led the backfield averaging 4.5 yards per carry, recording 68 rushing yards on fifteen rushing attempts. Second-year receiver Mathieu Gale pulled in six catches for 77 yards.

For the Varsity Blues, Adam Williams was the main rusher going for 85 yards on 10 carries. Toronto quarterback Scott Barnett focused on his key receivers, completing six of eleven passes for 108 yards and one passing touchdown.

Still in search of their second win of the season, the Marauders will return home for the final time in 2023 on Friday, Oct. 6 to challenge the Waterloo Warriors.