The Waterloo Warriors took their best swings at the champ, and they stayed on their feet to go the distance. But in the end, they just couldn't land the final knockout punch.

The Warriors saw their season come to an end, as they dropped a 30-24 decision to the two-time defending Yates Cup champion Western Mustangs in OUA semifinal action from London on Saturday afternoon.

"We're disappointed right now, that's what sets in," said head coach Chris Bertoia following the loss. "We'll reflect back on the season when the time comes, and realize that major steps were taken again, and that we're moving in the right direction. But right now, it's difficult."

For the second time in just under a month, the Warriors stuck right with the nation's top-ranked team. But, unlike Western's wild 45-42 regular season victory in early October, this game was very much in the classical playoff mould of a defensive slugfest. And it was Western's defense that made what turned out to be the decisive play: a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown by Mustangs rookie Kojo Odoom.  

Warriors quarterback Tre Ford (Niagara Falls/) was once again dynamic despite the loss, completing 20 of 31 pass attempts for 226 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He also added a team-high 72 rushing yards – many of which came in the second half, after star running back Dion Pellerin (Abbotsford/) was forced from the game with an injury.

Rushon Dagelman (Niagara Falls/) caught 5 balls for 58 yards and a pair of scores, while Gordon Lam (Kitchener/) hauled in 4 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. On the other side of the ball, Waterloo's defence bent but didn't break – despite Trey Humes and quarterback Chris Merchant both running for over 100 yards, the Warriors held Western to just a single offensive touchdown. Humes rushed 16 times for 121 yards and a score, while Merchant added 113 yards on the ground and 211 yards through the air.

Leading the charge for the Waterloo defence was fifth-year defensive back Lautaro Frecha (Sault Ste. Marie/). The heart and soul of the Waterloo defence registered 7 solo tackles and a pass breakup, while forcing incompletions in the endzone twice. Jack Andrews (Niagara Falls/) was also a force for Waterloo, highlighted by a strip sack on Merchant in the first quarter.   

The Mustangs jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, and their defence came up with a huge play as they forced a Pellerin fumble deep in Mustangs territory. With Western carrying a modest 6-0 lead late into the second quarter, Ford and the Warriors marched down on an 8-play, 90-yard drive that was capped with a 10-yard touchdown pass for Lam, giving Waterloo a 7-6 lead. A Marc Liegghio 36-yard field goal gave the lead back to Western, as the defending champs went into halftime leading 9-7.

Waterloo's start to the second half couldn't have been better, as they forced a two-and-out off the third-quarter kickoff. Then, on the ensuing drive (and after a 3^rd down conversion by way of a pass interference penalty on the 'Stangs), Ford hit Dagelman from 6 yards out to give Waterloo the lead back at 14-9.

Liegghio booted a 39-yarder to cut the Waterloo lead to two points, and, on the first play of the Warriors' next drive, Odoom came up with his first of two interceptions on the day. That led to Western's only offensive major – a two-yard plunge from Humes – to put the Mustangs up 19-14. A late third-quarter Jonah Zlatinszky (London/) field goal from 38 yards out narrowed the Western lead to 19-17 heading into the fourth.   

After Liegghio connected from 21 yards out for his fifth field goal of the day, and after his miss from 39 yards went out of the endzone for a single, the Warriors got the ball back, trailing 23-17 with just over 8 minutes to play. But on a 2^nd-and-7 play from just past midfield, Odoom jumped a route and picked off Ford, running it back 65 yards for a game-changing major. The Warriors refused to quit on the following drive, and Dagelman's second touchdown catch of the day capped a 14-play, 88-yard drive. But the drive also used up 5:25, so Waterloo – down 30-24 – was forced to try the onside kick. Zlatinszky's effort had plenty of air, but it was angled just out of bounds, giving Western possession and a chance to run out the clock.

As the seconds ticked down on their season, Bertoia said the disappointment started to set in on the Warriors sideline – especially for the veteran players, who were watching the ends of their varsity careers. But the head coach also said it was a time to reflect on where the program has come, which was a sentiment shared by Frecha.

"I'm proud of my guys," said Frecha. "I'm proud of everything that's happened with this program. I came so far, from day one. Everyone has. The change I've seen in this program, the culture, the structure, the recruiting, everything; I'm just proud, and I wouldn't take anything back."

"I feel disappointed mostly for our fifth-year guys," added Bertoia. "They were the guys that came into the program when I was hired here. The guys who took a chance to come to Waterloo, which is a great school, but was not a very good football program at that time."

Bertoia and the staff will now take some time to reflect on the season, and recruiting efforts will ramp up. And, with their first playoff win in 20 years under their belts – and with a core of returning talent on both sides of the ball – the Warriors have every reason to be optimistic heading into 2020.

"We wanted more, and we expected more today," said Bertoia. "But we'll let the dust settle and get back to work."