Huskies and Axemen ready to snap for last-minute Loney Bowl

TheAtlantic University Sport championship football game between Acadia University and Saint Mary's University willgo ahead on Tuesday, a judge ruled Sunday after a marathon court hearing in Halifax.

The game will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. on Raymond Field at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S. The winner will have four days to recover and take on WesternUniversity, the Ontario champion, in theUteckBowl in Nova Scotia on Saturday.

"Saint Mary's University is pleased with the action of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia," Margaret Murphy, the university'sassociate vice-president of external affairs, wrote in a statement shortly after the judge's decision late Sunday.

The game between the Saint Mary's Huskies and AcadiaAxemenwas scheduled for this past weekend, but was abruptly cancelled Thursdayby AUSovereligibility concerns about one of Saint Mary's players.

Jack could play Tuesday

Murphy said the university would have no issues with the player, wide receiver ArchelausJack, playing the Nov. 14 game.

Jack was at the centre of the controversy because he wason theCFL'sSaskatchewan Roughriders practice roster until October 2016.

U Sports is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Itstatesany formerCFLplayer, or anyone who remains on aCFLteam's practice roster after Aug. 15, has to wait one year before playing for a university team.

U SportsinformedAUSof the potential issue earlier this month.

Murphy would not sayif SMU would take legal action against AUSfor cancelling the game. "We're just focused on getting to the field," said Murphy.

AUSdefends decision

Phil Currie, executive director of AUS, said the organization respects the decision of the court.

"We know there's going to be a game played and we wish both teams in that game, the Loney Bowl, a very successful and very safe game Tuesday," Currie said.

But Currie said AUS still believes "very strongly" its decision to cancel the game despite court proceedings that were ongoing in Ontario at the time.The Ontario court ended up rulingin favour of SMUon the issue of player eligibility.

Currienoted the judge's decision isinterim and AUSwill have its time in court. "There's still an eligibility question that is unresolved and that is why we made our decision in the first place," he said.

"We still stand behind our values and principles in terms of providing a level playing field to all our participants regardless if it's in the LoneyBowl or any of our competitions."

Acadia won't challenge ruling

Scott Roberts, executive director of communications and marketing at Acadia, said the school will not challenge the ruling.

"That's what the courts decided so the game will proceed," said Roberts. "We're going to get ready for the game on Tuesday."

Lawyers from Saint Mary's, Acadia University and AUSwereback in Nova Scotia Supreme Court on Sundaymorning after a 5-hour hearing on Remembrance Day.

The last-minute hearingdealt with a motion from Saint Mary's to have the game reinstated. Courtadjourned Sunday afternoon, and Associate Chief Justice Deborah Smith released her decision at 5 p.m. AT.

SMU'geared up and ready' to play

Murphy said Saint Mary's University is "geared up and ready" for both the UteckBowl and the LoneyBowl.

"Our team has continued to practise throughout this and we expect that's the same of the other teams involved as well," said Murphy.

Thetight turnaround between Tuesday's Loney Bowl game and Saturday's Uteck Bowl could pose problems for the players, saidRichard MacLean, president of the International Federation of American Football and the past president of both Football Canada and Football Nova Scotia.

He said there shouldbe a minimum of 48 hours between games so that any concussions have time to be detected, MacLean said.

He said while four days fall within a safe standard, it still presents challenges for students who have other priorities such as upcoming exams.

"You're going to have players that are still sore, still banged up. That's not ideal going in to face one of the top teams in the country," he said.

Game Tuesday

The lawyer for Acadia University, John Keith, said theteam followed the rules, won the regular season, and had theright to move on to theUteckBowl under the regulations.

Keith had arguedit would be a game "that it would be played in a haphazard, slap-dash, very rushed way."

"It would be a game that would be unsafe for the players in terms of recovery time, it would be a game that would do a disservice to the town, to the university, to the fans of Acadia," said Keith on Sunday.

SMU argues contempt of court

About a dozen people showed up to the courtroom Sunday,including players from the Saint Mary's Huskies.

Nicholas Bartolacci, centre right guard for the Huskies, said he was pleased with the decision.

"I'm just excited to play. I'm really excited about how things went in there," said Bartolacci.

Brian Hope, a kicker, said the last few days of uncertainty around the game have been stressful.

"We've just been patient and obviously we're very pleased," said Hope.

Brad Herbst, a linebacker, agreed.

"We're ready to play and we're ready to go," said Herbst.