Late TD gives football Gryphs win over Waterloo
WATERLOO – A last-minute touchdown run by Isaiah Smith lifted the Guelph Gryphons to their first victory of the season and out of the OUA football league’s basement.
Smith’s nine-yard TD run with 53 seconds to go gave the Gryphs a 41-35 victory over the Waterloo Warriors Saturday at Warrior Field.
Guelph Gryphons 41 Waterloo Warriors 35
The TD put an end to a rally by the hosts that saw them come back from an 18-point deficit (35-17) late in the third quarter to tie it with 3:42 to go. Waterloo also gave itself a little bit of hope when the Warriors blocked Eric Stranz’s convert attempt following Smith’s touchdown, but the final drive for the hosts ran out of time as it stalled at the Guelph 34-yard-line after gaining 49 yards in five plays.
Two consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter had put the Gryphs up 21-7 before the Warriors narrowed the gap to 21-17 at halftime.
Two consecutive touchdowns in the third quarter allowed the locals to grab a 35-17 lead before Waterloo scored an unconverted TD later in the quarter.
Second-year Gryphon receiver Vyshone Janusas scored TDs on 84-yard and seven-yard passing plays from quarterback Jake Helfrich while St. James grad Jakob Tomas scored a TD on a nine-yard pass from Helfrich.
Helfrich and Tomas Berrio added TDs on two-yard runs while Stranz kicked five converts.
For Stranz, the game was his first without a field goal since a semifinal loss at McMaster on Nov. 2, 2019. He didn’t attempt any. It was also his first regular-season game since his rookie 2018 season that he didn’t kick a field goal and the blocked convert was the first convert he’s ever missed in the OUA.
For Waterloo, James Basalyga caught 37- and 36-yard TD passes from Nolan Kaban while Justin Succar caught a seven-yard scoring toss from Kaban and Nicklas Sua scored on a 25-yard run.
The Warriors had a team safety while Cole Crossett accounted for all the other points as he kicked field goals of 20 and 49 yards and three converts.
Helfrich completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 370 yards and three TDs for the Gryphs. He wasn’t intercepted, but was sacked once.
Janusas was his favourite target with eight receptions for 160 yards. Ryan Ogilvie caught five passes for 114 yards and Juwan Jeffrey caught three for 54. Centennial CVI grad caught one for 26 yards while Tomas’s TD catch was his lone catch of the game. Kaine Stevenson also caught a pass for seven yards.
Smith had 14 carries for 72 yards and Berrio had six carries for 46 yards. Craig Sherrington (19 yards) and Helfrich (14 yards) each had three carries.
On defence, Miles La Foucade had nine solo tackles and an assisted tackle while Brandon Ferigo had six solo tackles and four assisted tackles. Josh Campbell had Guelph’s lone sack of the game while Gianni Green had the game’s lone interception.
He game saw plenty of penalties called as the Gryphs were flagged 12 times for 158 yards and Waterloo was called for 13 penalties and a loss of 154 yards.
The victory by the Gryphs extended their winning streak over Waterloo to 14, including a quarter-final playoff victory in 2018. The last loss to the Warriors was a 27-24 setback in overtime in 2005.
Now with a 1-2 record, the Gryphs move into a tie with the Toronto Varsity Blues and York Lions. York was awarded a victory over the 0-3 McMaster Marauders due to McMaster using an ineligible player.
Western Mustangs lead the league at 3-0, the only unbeaten squad. Carleton Ravens, Queen’s Gaels and Ottawa Gee-Gees are each at 2-1 while Waterloo, Windsor Lancers and Laurier Golden Hawks are each at 1-1.
Next up for the Gryphs is a game Saturday at Ottawa against the Gee-Gees. Game time is 12 p.m.
Next home game is the Homecoming Game against Queen’s Sept. 24 starting at 1 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal
Late TD gives football Gryphs win over Waterloo
WATERLOO – A last-minute touchdown run by Isaiah Smith lifted the Guelph Gryphons to their first victory of the season and out of the OUA football league’s basement.
Smith’s nine-yard TD run with 53 seconds to go gave the Gryphs a 41-35 victory over the Waterloo Warriors Saturday at Warrior Field.
Guelph Gryphons 41
Waterloo Warriors 35
The TD put an end to a rally by the hosts that saw them come back from an 18-point deficit (35-17) late in the third quarter to tie it with 3:42 to go. Waterloo also gave itself a little bit of hope when the Warriors blocked Eric Stranz’s convert attempt following Smith’s touchdown, but the final drive for the hosts ran out of time as it stalled at the Guelph 34-yard-line after gaining 49 yards in five plays.
Two consecutive touchdowns in the second quarter had put the Gryphs up 21-7 before the Warriors narrowed the gap to 21-17 at halftime.
Two consecutive touchdowns in the third quarter allowed the locals to grab a 35-17 lead before Waterloo scored an unconverted TD later in the quarter.
Second-year Gryphon receiver Vyshone Janusas scored TDs on 84-yard and seven-yard passing plays from quarterback Jake Helfrich while St. James grad Jakob Tomas scored a TD on a nine-yard pass from Helfrich.
Helfrich and Tomas Berrio added TDs on two-yard runs while Stranz kicked five converts.
For Stranz, the game was his first without a field goal since a semifinal loss at McMaster on Nov. 2, 2019. He didn’t attempt any. It was also his first regular-season game since his rookie 2018 season that he didn’t kick a field goal and the blocked convert was the first convert he’s ever missed in the OUA.
For Waterloo, James Basalyga caught 37- and 36-yard TD passes from Nolan Kaban while Justin Succar caught a seven-yard scoring toss from Kaban and Nicklas Sua scored on a 25-yard run.
The Warriors had a team safety while Cole Crossett accounted for all the other points as he kicked field goals of 20 and 49 yards and three converts.
Helfrich completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 370 yards and three TDs for the Gryphs. He wasn’t intercepted, but was sacked once.
Janusas was his favourite target with eight receptions for 160 yards. Ryan Ogilvie caught five passes for 114 yards and Juwan Jeffrey caught three for 54. Centennial CVI grad caught one for 26 yards while Tomas’s TD catch was his lone catch of the game. Kaine Stevenson also caught a pass for seven yards.
Smith had 14 carries for 72 yards and Berrio had six carries for 46 yards. Craig Sherrington (19 yards) and Helfrich (14 yards) each had three carries.
On defence, Miles La Foucade had nine solo tackles and an assisted tackle while Brandon Ferigo had six solo tackles and four assisted tackles. Josh Campbell had Guelph’s lone sack of the game while Gianni Green had the game’s lone interception.
He game saw plenty of penalties called as the Gryphs were flagged 12 times for 158 yards and Waterloo was called for 13 penalties and a loss of 154 yards.
The victory by the Gryphs extended their winning streak over Waterloo to 14, including a quarter-final playoff victory in 2018. The last loss to the Warriors was a 27-24 setback in overtime in 2005.
Now with a 1-2 record, the Gryphs move into a tie with the Toronto Varsity Blues and York Lions. York was awarded a victory over the 0-3 McMaster Marauders due to McMaster using an ineligible player.
Western Mustangs lead the league at 3-0, the only unbeaten squad. Carleton Ravens, Queen’s Gaels and Ottawa Gee-Gees are each at 2-1 while Waterloo, Windsor Lancers and Laurier Golden Hawks are each at 1-1.
Next up for the Gryphs is a game Saturday at Ottawa against the Gee-Gees. Game time is 12 p.m.
Next home game is the Homecoming Game against Queen’s Sept. 24 starting at 1 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal