Banner Season: Formidable foes battle on familiar territory amidst lengthy Forsyth Cup dominance
Burlington, Ont. – The Forsyth Cup goes through the hammer once again, as the McMaster Marauders’ masterful play on the court has them marching on to yet another OUA championship showdown, this time against the Queen’s Gaels.
No team other than these 2023-24 championship combatants have tasted Forsyth Cup glory since 2004-05, with McMaster earning the lion’s share of titles during that stretch, including the last two. Prior to their recent winning streak, it was the Gaels who reeled off back-to-back banners, including a win over the Marauders in 2019.
The teams have met multiple times since that championship encounter, and when it came to their recent regular season matchups, it was a tale of two games, with either side earning a sweep of the other during their back-to-back at the end of January.
In the opener, it was Queen’s claiming the 3-0 win on the heels of double-digit scoring games from Reed Venning, Zig Licis, and Erik Siksna, while holding McMaster’s highest scorer to just nine points. It was just about as opposite as it can in the encore; however, as Queen’s was stymied offensively, while a pair of Marauder all-stars – Brendan Mills and Maxime Gratton – paced the Hamilton squad to the sweep.
If nothing else, those two tilts showcased the importance of all-star talent and it comes in spades across this year’s finalists. From fantastic first-years to crafty veterans, there is no shortage of star power taking the Burridge Gymnasium court on Friday, and at the heart of it, is 2023-24 player of the year Siksna.
The Markham, Ont. native, now a two-time OUA MVP and former rookie of the year, has been a force to be reckoned with for Queen’s this season, racking up 4.6 points per set, 3.50 kills per set, and a .339 hitting percentage. Fellow outside hitter and first team all-star Zig Licis has brought the power for the Gaels as well this season, connecting on nearly 2.6 kills per set en route to an average of 3.3 points.
Another former rookie of the year, setter Chris Zimmerman, also keeps the Queen’s offence rolling like a well-oiled machine with his 8.83 assists per set, while Award of Merit and Champion of EDI Award recipient Lhexen Rabit, a second team all-star in his own right, shines on the defensive side of the ball with a team-high 129 digs.
Collectively, meanwhile, McMaster will have to be mindful of the Gaels service game, as they are among the best in the business from the line. The visitors rank first in the OUA in both total service aces and aces per set, led by Siksna’s 52 on the year (good for a team-high 0.84 per set).
The influx of talent doesn’t just come from the Tricolour; however, as the Marauders are bringing five all-stars and a pair of all-rookies to the championship game.
Veterans like Mills, who matches Siksna’s 4.6 points per set; Gratton, who also claims a spot among the top-10 most productive players in the OUA with over four points per set and a second-ranked .365 hitting percentage; and Robbie Fujisawa, the veteran setter who finished with 9.43 assists per set (2nd in OUA) will be called upon to continue producing their high-calibre numbers, while newcomer and OUA rookie of the year Brady Paterson will look to offer yet another offensive option to oppose in his banner season debut.
The race to 25 points set in and set out will be scintillating to watch between this season’s highest scoring squads in the province, separating by just 0.1 points per set, but McMaster does bring an edge in several statistical categories against their familiar and formidable foes.
The Marauders hold top-three OUA ranks in kills and kills per set, hitting percentage, total and average service aces, solo and total blocks as well as blocks per set, and total points, offering very few weaknesses for teams to exploit. But the task is not impossible, and as one of just four teams to get the better of McMaster as part of their 16-win campaign, the Gaels know that fact better than most.
The veterans for the Tricolour, who have not only been there, done that this season, but as part of past championship runs, will need to put that experience on display in this tough road test ahead, but overall, a complete team effort is what it will take to topple the two-time reigning champs.
And with the frenzied feeling of Forsyth Cup success fresh in the minds of the Marauders, they’ll be chomping at the bit to hoist the OUA hardware with a backdrop of boisterous fans at the Burridge Gymnasium once again.
