Gryphons come up big in final minutes to keep unbeaten record (with VIDEO)

Photo credit Guelph Athletics

GUELPH, Ont. - The Guelph Gryphons held off a final surge by the Queen's Gaels in the bottom of the fourth quarter to seal the 21-15 win in CIS football on Saturday (Sept. 18) afternoon in front of an excited 2,000 fans at Alumni Stadium.

With the victory, Guelph moves to 3-0, while Queen's drops to 1-2.

With both teams coming off big wins last week, it was anticipated that Saturday would be an afternoon full of excitement and both squads didn't disappoint. With the decision of the game coming down to the dying minutes, the tension was high for all sixty minutes of play.

On offence for the Gryphons, Nick Fitzgibbon (Puslinch, Ont.) had a great afternoon, picking up 200 rushing yards, with his longest going for 71 yards down the center of the field. Quarterback Chris Rossetti (Mississauga, Ont.) went 12-20 for 69 yards and a touchdown and also picked up 47 yards on the ground with a touchdown. Leading the Guelph receivers, Jedd Gardener had 46 yards.

Defensively, veteran Adam Dunk (Guelph, Ont.) led the team, finishing with 9 tackles and a sack. Also having a great game, defensive back Mark Durigon (Guelph, Ont.), pulled in two interceptions (his third and fourth of the season), while Jordan Duncan snatched two as well.

Starting quarterback for Queen's, Justin Chapdelaine (Abbotsford, B.C.), was 11-for-23, with 103 yards and three interceptions. Billy McPhee (Burlington, Ont.), who took over at the end of the third quarter, went 10-for-18 for 119 yards, with one touchdown and an interception. Chris Ioannides (Toronto, Ont.) led the receiving crew with 91 yards on 6 touches and Jimmy Therrien (Montreal, Que.) was the leading rusher with 38 yards on 10 carries.

John Miniaci (Toronto, Ont.) led the Gaels on defence with 9 tackles and a sack and close behind was Sam Sabourin (Stittsville, Ont.) with 8.5 tackles.

The first quarter saw back and forth action between the teams that only amounted to a field goal for either side. Kicking was a large part of this afternoon's tilt as Guelph kicker, Julian Tropea (Niagra Falls, Ont.), had two field goals, as well as a kickoff that soared deep into the end zone for a single point. For Queen's, Dan Village was also responsible for two field goals, one of which being a 50-yarder to close the gap in the third quarter.

In the second quarter, the Gryphons would put up their first touchdown of the game to pull ahead 13-3. With the ball on the one-yard line, Chris Rossetti rolled out to pass, but seeing a gap, took off up the middle and with his feet tied up, stretched over the goal line for six points. Tropea was good on the point after attempt.

In the third, Queen's would score first on Village's 50-yard field goal, but Guelph would respond quickly with another major. After two long runs from Nick Fitzgibbons and a reception by Jedd Gardener up the middle, the Gryphons found themselves on the Gaels' three-yard line. Following one failed attempt on the ground, Rossetti sent a laser to the side of the end zone where Gardner went horizontal to wrestle in the ball. Tropea would make the point after again and the Gryphons enjoyed a 20-8 lead, soon to be 21-8, as Tropea's kickoff would roll out of the endzone.

With two minutes left in the quarter, Queen's switched quarterbacks, sending in the young cannon, Billy McPhee, who made quick work of finding the end zone. Sending all of his receivers to the right, McPhee rolled out and passed against the grain to a wide-open Chris Ionnides, who scampered into the end zone for six points. Village's point after was good and the Gaels narrowed the score to 21-15.

Neither team would score in the fourth, as Tropea was wide on a 33-yard kick and a 60-yard toss from McPhee slid through the fingertips of an airborne Devan Sheahan (Kingston, Ont.). The Gryphon defence was tested late, but on a third down conversion deep in Guelph territory, they stuffed the Gaels and ruined any chance for a comeback, leaving the final score 21-15 in favor of the Gryphons.

Next week both squads are at home to face their next opponents. The Gaels will host the Ottawa Geegee's (Sept. 25), while Guelph puts on a homecoming event against their rivals, the Western Mustangs next Saturday (Sept. 25). Kickoff for both games will be at 1:00pm.

Source:

Guelph Sports Info