RECAP: Ferraro breaks CIS record in Gryphons victory over Hawks [stats]

Waterloo –  For many University of Guelph students, painting the cannon is the epitome of campus tradition.  Earlier this week, with the Gryphons and Golden Hawks just a few days away from clashing on the football field, somebody had the audacity to paint the cannon Laurier purple.  After a 41-36 victory over Laurier on Saturday, the Gryphons football team reminded everybody (for a second straight week) that purple is not a colour they are fond of.

With the Gryphons having already secured a first round bye, many presumed they would be resting starters versus the Golden Hawks in their regular season finale.  For the most part, that was not the case.  But there were a few noticeable absences, highlighted by starting quarterback Jazz Lindsey (Markham, Ont.) who was given the week off in order to heal up and prepare for the playoffs.  That meant that it was time for rookie quarterback James Roberts (Cambridge, Ont.) to make the first start of his university career.  And he got off to a dream start.

On his first pass attempt of the day, Roberts threw a beautiful pass to James Ingram (Guelph, Ont.) who was able to get behind Laurier’s coverage for a 50-yard pass-and-catch to give the Gryphons a 7-0 lead right out of the gates.  As a senior in high school, Roberts led his team (Jacob Hespeler Secondary School in Cambridge) to a city championship on the very same field (Knight-Newbrough Field at Laurier’s University Stadium).    While Roberts and the rest of the Gryphon offense got things rolling with that early touchdown, it was the special teams that would then electrify the U of G fans in attendance with a big play of their own.

Return specialist Ryan Nieuwesteeg (Niagara Falls, Ont.) has had a tremendous year for the Gryphons on both kick and punt returns.  He would pull off his best return of the season in the 1^st quarter on Saturday, showing off some great breakaway speed on an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown.  The Gryphons led 19-0 after the opening quarter.

In the 2^nd quarter, Roberts would cut it loose once again, this time airing it out for Jacob Scarfone (London, Ont.).  Scarfone would lay out to make a great diving catch in the endzone.  The 31-yard touchdown pass put the Gryphons up 26-3.

Defensively, the Gryphons were able to keep Laurier’s star running back Dillon Campbell (Whitby, Ont.) in check.  Campbell, who was averaging 8.4 yards per rush coming into the game, ran 16 times for 83 yards in the first half (5.1 yards per carry).  But with the Gryphons lead swelling early on, the Golden Hawks were forced to throw the ball.  Curtis Newton (London, Ont.) would intercept Laurier quarterback James Fracas (Waterloo, Ont.).  Initially, it looked like Newton might take the interception all the way back for a touchdown…but Dillon Campbell was able to track him down about 40 yards down the field and make the tackle.  Apparently Dillon Campbell does a bit of everything.  The turnover would lead to Daniel Ferraro’s (Mississauga, Ont.) second field goal of the day to put Guelph up 29-3.

Running back Rob Farquharson (Niagara Falls, Ont.) would provide the exclamation mark to what was a dominating opening half for the Gryphons, by ripping off a 75-yard touchdown run.  In the first half, Farquharson had 11 carries for 149 yards as the Gryphons took a 36-4 lead into the locker room at halftime.

With a big lead in hand and the first round bye just around the corner, the Gryphons were perhaps guilty of letting their foot off the pedal in the second half.  Laurier would outscore Guelph 18-0 in the 3^rd quarter to make it a 36-22 game heading to the final quarter.  And then there was Dillon Campbell who still had to be dealt with.  Laurier’s All-Star running back has been leaned on heavily all season long by the Golden Hawks, but not this heavily.  Campbell was given a season-high 35 carries on the day, and finished with 203 rushing yards (5.8 average).  His 17-yard touchdown run with just over eight minutes to go in the 4^th made it a 10 point game (39-29).  Campbell finishes the regular season with 1,458 yards rushing (highest single-season total in Laurier history, sixth highest single-season total in CIS history).

On the ensuing Gryphons possession, a Rob Farquharson fumble was recovered by Laurier.  James Fracas then threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Pizzuti (London, Ont.).  Just like that, it was a three point game.  Guelph 39 – Laurier 36.

With the wind at his back, Ferraro would launch a 71-yard punt into the endzone for a rouge, extending  Guelph’s lead to 40-36.  The Golden Hawks would get the ball back, still with a chance to win the game with a touchdown, but facing 3^rd and 5 at midfield, the pass from James Fracas fell incomplete thanks to some tight coverage from the Gryphons secondary.  Another rouge from Ferraro pushed the lead to five, and an interception by Tristan Doughlin (Toronto, Ont.) in the dying seconds would officially seal the deal for the Gryphons as they would manage to hold off a late charge from Laurier to win it 41-36.

Rookie quarterback James Roberts finished the day 11-for-24, 196 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.  James Ingram had one touchdown and 103 yards receiving on just four catches.

Kicker Daniel Ferraro hit three field goals on the day (40, 18, 42) to put his name in the record books.  His 26 made field goals is a new single-season CIS record (surpassing the mark of 25 set by Laval’s Christopher Milo in 2008).  Ferraro came into the game tied with McMaster kick Tyler Crapigna with 23 made field goals on the season.  Crapigna finished with just one field goal in a Marauders loss to Ottawa.  Ferraro finished a perfect 3-for-3 on his field goal attempts.

Despite the loss, the Laurier Golden Hawks still sneak into the playoffs and will travel to London to face the Mustangs in the OUA quarter-finals.  The other OUA quarter-final matchup sees Ottawa visit Windsor.

The Gryphons will next be in action on Saturday, November 8^th when they host an OUA semi-final.

(Source:  Guelph Gryphons Sports Information)

WATERLOO – The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men’s football team scored 32 second half points but it wasn’t enough to overcome the No. 4 Guelph Gryphons as they fell 41-36 at University Stadiumon Saturday afternoon.

Despite the loss, the Golden Hawks (4-4) qualified for the OUA playoffs thanks to the Queen’s Gaels 37-15 win over the Carleton Ravens (4-4). Both Carleton and Laurier tied for the sixth and final playoff spot but the Hawks reached the postseason with a 53-3 win on Homecoming over the Ravens.

“It really was a tale of two halves,” said head coach Michael Faulds after the game. “Offence, defensively and special teams we got out played severely in the first half, but I’m proud of how our guys rallied. We only went into the locker room at half for about three minutes and I told them we have to get out there be ready to play in the second half.”

The first half of the game belonged to the Gryphons (7-1) as they came storming out of the gate. In the opening quarter, with a stiff breeze at their back, Guelph put 19 points up on the board, highlighted by a 50-yard touchdown by James Ingram of Guelph, Ont., on a pass from James Roberts of Burlington, Ont., and an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown by Ryan Nieuwesteeg of Niagara Falls, Ont.

Guelph continued their offensive dominance in the second quarter as Jacob Scarfone of London, Ont., and Rob Farquharson of Niagara Falls, Ont., both added touchdowns to push the Guelph lead to 36-4.

After an inspired halftime speech from head coach Michael Faulds, the Hawks returned to the field a different team for the second half. Taking the wind to start the third, Laurier proceeded to post 22 points in the quarter, including touchdowns from Anthony Pizzuti of Hamilton, and Dillon Campbell of Whitby, Ont.

The Gryphons put an end to Laurier’s unanswered scoring run with a 42-yard field goal from Daniel Ferraro of Mississauga, Ont., early in the fourth quarter but the Hawks kept coming. First, Campbell busted outside for a 17-yard touchdown followed by another 17-yard touchdown, this one from Pizzuti.

However, the Hawks could not put together a drive late to win the game as they fell just short of pulling off the upset victory.

“It just shows that we can play the way we can play,” said Campbell of his team’s second half performance. “The last few weeks we haven’t been really giving it our all, but the second half was great job on our part – offence, defence and special teams.”

Campbell was the story of the game for the purple and gold as the fourth year running back recorded his third 200-plus yard rushing game of the season, racking up 203 yards and two touchdowns. Those numbers were good enough to push him into sixt h all-time in the CIS for single season rushing yards with 1,458. His 13 touchdowns are also the third most in school history behind only Jim Reid (16) and Stefan Ptaszek (14).

Pizzuti also enjoyed another solid game for the purple and gold, finishing with eight catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns. His eight catches give him 40 on the season which ties him with Dillon Heap for sixth most in a single season in school history.

As for the Gryphons, Farquharson was a difference maker on the day, rushing for 158 yards and a touchdown while Ingram made four catches for 103 yards and a major.

Laurier will now prepare for their return to the OUA postseason after a one-year absence as they travel to London to face the third-seeded and sixth ranked Western Mustangs (6-2). The Hawks suffered a 61-20 loss at the hands of the Mustangs back in Week 7 at TD Stadium.

“We’ve got to do some soul searching,” said Faulds when asked how his team will ne ed to put together a faster start against the Mustangs. “We need to find out, is it jitters, is it what we’re eating in the pregame meal, what is it that can make Laurier come out of the gates and play strong. We’ve done really well in the second halves this year, but we need to work on the first and second quarters.”

NOTES: Ferraro’s 42-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter set the new CIS single season record with 26…Laurier kicker Ronnie Pfeffer of Kitchener, Ont., also stands alone as Laurier’s single season field goal record holder as he connected on his 18th in the second quarter…defensive back Chris Ackie of Cambridge, Ont., also broke into the Hawks record books with a seven tackle performance, giving him 48.5 on the year, seventh most in school history…three of the last four games between the Hawks and Gryphons have been decided by five points or less…Faulds, the youngest head coach in the CIS, qualified for the playoffs in just his second year as Laurier’s bench boss…attendance at Saturday’s game was 2,045

Photo Credit: Thomas Kolodziej

Source:  Jamie Howieson, Wilfrid Laurier Sports Information

Guelph Gryphons vs. Wilfrid Laurier at Waterloo, Ont. 10/25/2014 at 1:07 PM
Guelph 41	Laurier 36