Loney Bowl Saturday in Halifax; Huskies Look to Defend AUS Crown Without Jahmeek Taylor

(photo credit: Joe Chrmala)

As a wacky season of AUS football draws to a conclusion this Saturday at Huskies Stadium, leave it to the Huskies to provide one more bizarre twist to what has become the most challenging season of Head Coach Steve Sumarah’s regime.

Monty Mosher of the Chronicle Herald reported tonight that three Huskies players have been suspended by Sumarah, including the conference’s Most Outstanding Player, Jahmeek Taylor.

Taylor has been the impetus behind the Huskies revival after a disastrous September, electrifying fans and media with breathtaking kick returns and accumulating 1439 all purpose yards in the process.

Just as pundits and observers were safely penciling in the Huskies to go to the Mitchell Bowl, the suspension of Taylor now leaves many of questions still unanswered in this crazy season of AUS football.

Can Acadia stay within three touchdowns of this unstoppable juggernaut that the Huskies have become? Can the Huskies beat anyone outside the AUS? How did Jeff Cummins get four regular season wins and a Loney Bowl appearance out of this Axemen team? Has Steve Sumarah righted the good ship Husky and does he have his team on pace for a grueling battle on the plains of

Alberta or Saskatchewan in the Mitchell Bowl?

All shall be revealed in the next ten days, beginning on Saturday with what has become an annual ritual of the fall varsity season in Halifax; the Loney Bowl at the Stadium.

The Axemen come in to the game hot off the heels of an overtime semi-final victory over the Mount Allison Mounties on a mud soaked turf in Sackville. The Axemen persevered vs. Gary Ross, Jake Hotchkiss, an undeterred Mounties home crowd, and a terrentual down pour that turned the playing field into a scene from some cheesy Hollywood football movie from the eighties.

The Axemen have been underestimated all year long by media and fans alike, but now stand only one victory away from an AUS championship.

The only problem is that the one victory would mean beating the Huskies in Halifax, which would seem akin to the chances of Mavs Gillis playing Point Guard for the Halifax Rainmen.

Since a brutal September on and off the field, Saint Mary’s has won five games in a row vs. AUS opponents, outscoring their divisional foes 193-45.

After losing 17-7 in the season opener in Wolfville, the Huskies have outscored Acadia 66-10 in two meetings since.

Not only has Saint Mary’s established themselves as the favorite to win the AUS championship, they’ve gone on a five week run that would rival the Huskies teams of the Blake Nill era.

Sumarah has reminded Huskies fans why he was the 2009 CIS Coach of the Year by systematically making one critical adjustment at a time, propelling the Huskies from the nation’s most disappointing team to a Vanier Cup contender.

QB Micah Brown has become the conferences best game manager and Craig Legere was the leading rusher in the AUS. The Huskies defense has overwhelmed opponents with speed and athleticism, and placekicker Brett Lauther has come out of nowhere to give Saint Mary’s a very suitable replacement for the departed Justin Palardy.

If Acadia is to have a chance they’ll need to withstand the initial charge of the Huskies in the first quarter. Saint Mary’s will come out of the tunnel looking to put the game away early and intimidate with their superior athleticism. If the Axemen can withstand this initial onslaught,

Jeff Cummin’s hard working group of overachievers may just pull out the upset.

The weather on Saturday afternoon in the South End of Halifax is expected to be unseasonably warm, with sunny skies throughout the day. Not good news for Acadia if you believe in the assertion that poor weather games benefit the less talented team.

Game time at Huskies Stadium is 1:00. If you can’t make it to the stadium, Eastlink will be carrying the game.

Mavs Gillis, voice of the Huskies on Haligonia webcasts: SMU 32 Acadia 21
Steve Betts, on field MC of the Huskies at the Stadium: SMU 36 Acadia 14
Henry Whitfield, the future of Bill McLean Sports Show on ckdu 88.1 FM: SMU 24 Acadia 10
Bill McLean, voice of the Dalhousie Tigers on ssncanada.ca: SMU 35 Acadia 8
Armaan Ahluwalia, writer for the Dalhousie Gazette, SMU 38 Acadia 13