In a game filled with dazzling offensive plays and a final score of 30-23, it might be a bit surprising that there were just two offensive touchdowns on Saturday in Guelph.
Instead, we saw a 103-yard kick return touchdown by Matthew Stam off the opening kickoff, a 71-yard punt return touchdown by Denny Ferdinand, and a pick-six apiece.
Gee-Gees linebacker Jaxxon Brashear was responsible for the Gee-Gees pick six, coming after he picked off Gryphons quarterback Tristan Aboud for the second time of the day in the fourth quarter.
Brashear picked Aboud off for the first time with the Gryphons on the Gee-Gees’ side of half in the second quarter.
The Cornwall, Ont. native and son of former NHLer Donald Brashear also sacked Aboud in the third quarter with a massive hit stick which also ripped the ball loose and into the hands of Pierre-Luc Dufour.
Brashear led all players with six solo tackles and six assists (nine total).
The Gee-Gees defence had a stellar performance overall, limiting the Gryphons to just one offensive touchdown (a goal line rush by short yardage quarterback Marshall McCray).
Mikhail Nembhard added his second interception in as many games, while Patrick Cumberbatch scooped his first of the year off a tipped pass.
Both defences forced field goals often, with Zach Copeland (3-of-4) getting the better of Benjamin Lane (0-of-2), who missed wide left twice.
Janssen avenges his demons in The Royal City
Josh Janssen finished 22-of-34 in the win, avenging his playoff loss last fall in Guelph. He threw for 248 yards. Most impressive was a feed to Noah Avery late in the second quarter, with Avery toe-tapping to score.
Avery had another brilliant day overall, recording eight receptions for 112 yards and the score. With more games to play this weekend and stat corrections to come, he sits tied with Nicholas Sirleaf and behind only Chris Joseph and Jake Oseen nationally with 367 yards on the year.
The play after Nembhard’s interception, though, Janssen threw it straight into the hands of Gryphon Yunus Larry, who took it 65 yards for a touchdown.
In the third quarter, Janssen was almost picked off again by Evan Lakatos, who seemingly came up with the ball on a pass to the slot but bobbled it.
For Aboud, Jarod Tessier was the target of choice, with the Welland, Ont. native recording eight catches for 145 yards.
With third-year running back Donavin Milloy out of the lineup just one game after returning from injury and pouring in 137 yards and two scores against Windsor, it was a run game by committee for Guelph.
Mason Duvall, Isaiah Smith, and Caleb Sargeant combined for 103 yards on 17 attempts, a far cry from the tilted run lines that the Gryphons had been able to put up earlier this season.
For the Gee-Gees, Charles Asselin had his best performance and most usage of the season, running 17 times for 87 yards and adding 30 receiving yards on four catches.
Stay out of the penalty box
Untimely penalties cost both teams all game long, beginning with a long kick return called back for Guelph due to a hold in the first quarter.
A personal foul penalty for Guelph cost them huge yardage, pushing Aboud back into his own endzone before he threw the second pick to Brashear in the fourth quarter.
On second and 20 down seven points around midfield, a second personal foul penalty would negate a reception.
But the Gee-Gees would take a roughing the kicker penalty on the ensuing punt, giving the Gryphons the ball back with a chance to tie the game, before the Cumberbatch interception iced the game.
It gets late early in the OUA
Week 4 was a crossroads for these two teams. Ottawa returns home for good — with games against Laurier, a bye week before Panda, Windsor, and Toronto lined up in the nation’s capital.
As of now, the Gees stand as the favourite in their final three games of the season. If they were to finish 5-3, it would likely set up a home playoff game, depending on tiebreakers. If they were to finish 6-2, it would be a certainty.
Guelph, meanwhile, now has three losses to their name. They’ll need to take care of business on the road against Carleton and McMaster to get back to .500 and then will return home for games against Queen’s and York, wrapped around a bye week.
With the Gee-Gees now holding the tiebreaker in playoff scenarios, the Gryphons will be jostling with the likes of Queen’s, Toronto, York, Carleton, and Windsor for a playoff berth, making the back end of their schedule crucial.