De Pass sets career mark, Blues fall to Lancers

The University of Toronto Varsity Blues football team dropped a 26-11 decision to the Windsor Lancers on Saturday, September 21 at Alumni Stadium.

BOXSCORE

With the loss, the Blues fall to 1-4 and are tied for eighth, while the Lancers improve to 3-2 and move into fourth place in the OUA standings.

Fifth-year Blues receiver Paul de Pass of Ajax, Ont., recorded a career-high 192 yards on 12 catches, which jumps him into second in all-time Varsity Blues career receiving yards leaders with 2,000 even. Two-time CIS all-Canadian and U of T Sports Hall of Fame inductee Mark Magee holds the record with 2,385 yards in the 1977-81 seasons.

Rookie Llevi Noel (Toronto) notched his second 100+ yard game of the season, with five receptions for 111 yards, and third-year quarterback Simon Nassar (Toronto) was 25-of-43 for a career-high 397 yards on the night.

Linebackers Chris Johnson (Toronto) and Dylan Gordon (Cambridge) led Toronto with six and 6.5 tackles, respectively, with Johnson adding two sacks. Fifth-year veteran Harrison Beeforth (Richmond Hill) chipped in with 5.5 tackles and two sacks in the loss.

Windsor QB Austin Kennedy went 8-for-16 for 90 yards, while Mitch Dender (Amherstburg, Ont.) led all players with six carries for 89 yards and one major. Mike Dubuisson (Montreal) and Frank Renaud (Windsor) led all players with eight tackles in the win.

Blues defensive back Trevor Harvey picked off Kennedy on Windsor’s first series of the game and Nassar connected on a 68-yard strike with Noel to set up a 29-yard Eric Hewitson field goal.

It was much of the same on Toronto’s next series as Nassar found de Pass for a 54-yard gain and Hewitson’s 32-yard field goal gave the Blues a 6-0 lead after the first quarter.

The Lancers got on the board early in the second quarter when Marcus Hobbs’ punt was blocked and recovered by Dubuisson, who ran it 35 yards for the major. Windsor conceded two safeties and Toronto took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

The Lancers took the lead midway through the third quarter when third-year running back Gilbert Stewart (Brampton, Ont.) capped off a seven-play, 67-yard drive with an eight-yard rushing major.

Up 19-11 with less than three minutes remaining, Dender secured the home team’s win with a 49-yard rushing touchdown.

The Varsity Blues return home this Friday, September 27 as NFL Canada’s On Campus Experience takes over Varsity Centre when the Blues do battle with the Carleton Ravens at 7 p.m.

Photo credit:  Lindsay Nemeth

Source:  University of Toronto Varsity Blues Sports Information