Gryphon rugby men overpower Laurier in second half

GUELPH – Four consecutive tries to open the second half powered the Guelph Gryphons into the OUA men’s rugby championship game that they’ll host in the next week.

Those four tries helped the Gryphs to a 47-26 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks in semifinal play Friday at Varsity Field. They also prevented Laurier from posting semifinal surprises in two consecutive years as they had defeated the Queen’s Gaels in semifinal play in Kingston last year before falling to the Gryphs in the league final.

This year a pair of tries five minutes apart late in the first half lifted the Golden Hawks into a 12-12 tie by halftime.

The Gryphs asserted their will in the second half and half an hour after the halftime break they were up 40-12.

Jacob Ince scored two tries for the Gryphs while Owen Williams, Josh Ince, Tomas Dallan and Gus Murphy each scored one. Dallan also added six converts.

Dylan DiGirolamo, Dougal Graham, Ethan Voskamp and Wyatt Brown each scored a try for Laurier. Adam McKnee kicked three converts.

The Gryphs are to host the winner of Saturday’s semifinal between Queen’s and the Brock Badgers in the OUA final. It’s tentatively set for 1 p.m. next Saturday.

• Guelph Sports Journal