Defense the difference as No.3 Gaels halt Gee-Gees

OTTAWA – The No. 3 Gaels (4-0) used their defense, combined with timely scoring, to shut down the Ottawa Gee-Gees (2-3) 36-21 in wet conditions at Gee-Gee field in Ottawa on Saturday afternoon.

The rain was steady all day and Queen’s took advantage on defense finishing the afternoon with four interceptions, one fumble recovery and two sacks.

It was then the Gaels run game was able to turn those big defensive plays into points on the board for Queen’s. Jesse Andrews (Arnprior, Ont.) led the Gaels on the ground with 92 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Ryan Granberg (Sherwood Park, Alta.) added a score of his own and 74 yards.

Andrews first score came after Ottawa fumbled deep in their own territory and Ryan Farrell (Halifax, N.S.) recovered the ball. After a Sam Sabourin (Stittsville, Ont.) interception in the third quarter it was then Granberg who was able to make the turnover hurt that much more for Ottawa with a four yard score.

The Gee-Gees were able to make a game of it late in the third quarter after quarterback Aaron Colbon had a 63-yard run that set up a touchdown pass to Maxime Mireault to cut the Gaels lead to 23-9. Ottawa followed up with and Andrew Mullings 11 yard catch and score to make it 23-15 after a blocked extra point.

Queen’s got the big play in the passing game they were searching for as Aaron Gazendam (Kingston, Ont.) hauled in an 80-yard touchdown pass to give Queen’s some breathing room, extending their lead to 29-15.

Billy McPhee (Burlington, Ont.) hit Giovanni Aprile (Scarborough, Ont.) late in the fourth for a seven yard score and Ottawa’s Miereault added another score through the air to bring the game to a 36-21 final.

On defense, the Gaels had solid efforts from a number of contributors. Yann Dika-Balotoken (Toronto) finished with a pair of interceptions, Sabourin and Matt Webster (Calgary) added the others for Queen’s. Sabourin specifically was all over the scoresheet adding two tackles, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and a blocked extra point. Sean Plumley (Sault St. Marie, Ont.) led the Gaels in tackles with six while Farrell finished two tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.

Ottawa was led by Ty Rusznak who finsihed with 5.5 tackles a pass breakup and a fumble recovery.

McPhee finished 16-32 with 305 yards passing and two touchdowns while Colbon had a 19-39 day with 254 yards and three touchdowns depsite briefly missing time due to injury.

Queen’s will hit the road once again next week when they travel to London to take on the Mustangs while Ottawa visits York.

Source: Shawn McDonald, Queen’s Golden Gaels Sports Information

OTTAWA– The University of Ottawa hosted their second home game, pitted against the undefeated Queen’s Gaels, at a rainy Gee-Gees Field on Saturday. Despite a fiercely fought second half, the Gaels pulled off a 36-21 victory against the Gee-Gees, who move to 2-3 on the season.

Accompanied by their vibrant band in the stands, the Gaels (4-0) scored two touchdowns in the first half, both thanks to runs by second-year running back Jesse Andrews. The scores stood at 14-2 at halftime as Ottawa’s offence struggled and scored only on a safety in the second quarter.

Queen’s quarterback Billy McPhee had a 16-32 passing performance in the steady rain, accumulating 305 passing yards. Andrews finished the day with 92 yards rushing.

Gee-Gees head coach Jamie Barresi had a bittersweet feeling when it came to how the game turned out. “I would love to play that one again.” He continued, “We are doing a much better job getting to the ball and making tackles.”

The defensive success allowed Ottawa to chip away at the Gaels’ lead, pulling within two scores, 23-15, at the start of the fourth quarter with an 11-yard Andrew Mullings strike. However, the brief window of opportunity was closed quickly when McPhee connected with Aaron Gazendam for an 85-yard touchdown on the very next drive.

Ottawa pivot Aaron Colbon, who was held under 300 yards passing for the first time this season, is convinced that his team is doing very well defensively and that it was the offence that was lacking today. “We did have some chances to score. We have just got to put up more points than we did today. ”

The Gee-Gees defensive line had an active day, picking up four sacks on Queen’s Billy McPhee, led by two from Ettore Lattanzio, who now ranks fourth in the CIS with five total sacks. Lattanzio also stretched out for a blocked field goal in the fourth quarter, one of three blocked by Ottawa on the day.

Ottawa rounded out the scoring with fifth-year receiver Maxime Mireault’s second touchdown of the day with just less than four minutes left in the game.

The team is off to Toronto next Saturday for a game at York University.

Photo credit:  Eric Zeitoun

Source:  Ottawa Gee-Gees Sports Information