The uOttawa Gee-Gees will be travelling to Toronto this week for a visit with the Varsity Blues. For the third straight week, the garnet and grey have retained the no. 2 ranking in the CIS Top Ten.
Needless to say the Gee-Gees are coming off an emotional overtime win last weekend at Queen’s wherein third-year kicker Matthew Falvo, Welland, Ont., came through in the clutch for his team; kicking a 26 yard field goal to first send the game into overtime, and then kicking a 30 yard field goal for the win.
Although the Gee-Gees are 11-0 versus Toronto since 1972, they will be facing a well rested Varsity Blues team who are fresh off a bye week. Toronto last played on September 18 wherein the edged the York Lions by a score of 24-19.
Although they remain undefeated, the Gee-Gees know they cannot take anything for granted.
Head coach Jean-Philippe Asselin understands that it would be easy to overlook Toronto, but he is quick to point out: “If Toronto is supposed to be a weaker team, I would like to remind the guys that they have blocked eight or nine punts since the beginning of the year in four games. Also, Guelph beat Queen’s easier than we did, and Guelph only beat Toronto by two points; so there is nothing to take for granted.”
In the grand scheme of things, Asselin is committed to the bigger picture and always improving with every game, and every week: “This week’s effort to beat Toronto will also contribute to us getting better in general down the road. We need to out work them this week, and all the teams we come to face, regardless of who they are.”
Assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Sean Hall echoed Asselin’s view: “I told the guys that our whole goal is perfection this week. We have not been able to put together four quarters of solid football. Last week we started off pretty strong then we struggled in the second quarter. Third quarter we got our momentum back, and in the fourth quarter. But we always seem to have that one quarter where we just have those mental breakdowns, and they cost us. So our goal this week is to be perfect.”
Notes:
Key injuries this week for the Gee-Gees: third-year receiver Ezra Millington, Newmarket, Ont., second –year defensive end Roberto Almonte, Gatineau, Qué., and third-year line backer Samuel Leblanc-Robert, St-André-Avellin, Qué.
Football (5-0 OUA, 5-1 Overall)
@ Toronto Varsity Blues (1-3 OUA), Saturday, October 2, 1:00 p.m. at Varsity Centre in Toronto.
Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.
