Dinos whip Mustangs 44-3, advance to play Rouge et Or in Vanier Cup

CALGARY – The third-ranked Calgary Dinos blew out the top-ranked Western Mustangs 44-3 at the Mitchell Bowl on Saturday to go on to face the defending champion, and number-two ranked Laval Rouge et Or in the Vanier Cup next weekend in the CIS football championship.

Rashaun Simonise gave the host Dinos a 17-0 lead in the first quarter when he scored on an 80-yard punt return.

Andrew Buckley threw two touchdown passes for Calgary, a 15-yarder to Brett Blaszko that made it 10-0 in the first quarter, and a 24-yarder to Jake Harty in the third quarter, making it 27-3.

Buckley finished the game completing 18 of 27 passes for 211 yards, with no interceptions.

Mercer Timmis and Doctor Cassama scored the other Dino touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Timmis scored on a 41-yard run, and Cassama, on a 71-yard interception. Timmis finished the game with 16 carries for 131 yards.

Western quarterback Will Finch completed 9 of 20 passes for 105 yards, and was intercepted once before he was injured in the second quarter. His replacement, Blake Huggins completed 1 of 11 passes the rest of the way, and was intercepted once.

Mustangs running back Yannick Harou ran 17 times for 87 yards.

Johnny Mark booted three field goals for the Dinos, and Liriam Hajrullahu provided all of the Western points with a 26-yard field goal in the second quarter.

Earlier, Laval downed the Mount Allison Mounties 48-21 to earn their fourth consecutive trip to the Vanier Cup.