Queens stunned by Guelph’s near-perfect performance
In front of 7855 fans, the Guelph Gryphons improved to 3-1 on the season with a complete shutdown of the Queens Gaels in a 66-0 homecoming win on Sept. 20. The visiting Gaels dropped to 0-4 on the season with the loss.
Sparking the offence just 2:22 into the game, Gryphons’ Ryan Nieuwesteeg returned for 35 yards, putting the home team in promising field position on the 39-yard line in Queens’ zone. Daniel Ferraro would make a 40-yard field goal, giving the Gryphons an early 3-0 lead.
Shortly after, the Gaels attempted a field goal of their own, but the snap would be fumbled and the ball recovered by the Gryphons – a significant indication of how the rest of the game would go for the struggling visiting squad.
With 4:24 left in the first, quarterback Jazz Lindsey ran the ball in for the first touchdown of the game, putting the Gryphons up 10-0 after Daniel Ferraro converted for the extra point. The fourth-year Gryphon celebrated his first of two touchdowns, much to the amusement of the sold out home crowd, with his trademark ‘Superman.’
“Every time I run one in, everyone knows the Superman is coming,” said Lindsey, who admits he took the celebration from personal favourite NFL player, Cam Newton. “That will never change.”
With another quarterback keep, the Markham, Ontario native would close out the first quarter with his second touchdown, putting the Gryphons up 17-0 after the extra point conversion.
Lindsey, who threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns on the game, with an additional rush for 52 yards and two touchdowns, put together the best game of his Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) career – a significant contributor to the Gryphons’ nearly unfaltering play against a team who has become one of the bigger rivals for the red, black, and gold.
“I think, for a lot of people, it was a bit of a monkey off our backs,” Lindsey explained of the loss to Queens that ended the Gryphons’ season last year. “Personally, all of our wins mean the same to me. I love winning and no matter the opponent I want to win.”
Lindsey’s attitude seemed to hold through the Gryphons roster, as the firepower didn’t end there. Lucas Spagnuolo and Rob Farquharson would both add touchdowns in the second quarter, with Ferraro adding a single point for an end zone kick, making it 32-0 Gryphons at the half.
The third quarter showed no mercy for the Gaels as the home team recovered a Queens fumble just 57 seconds into the second half. Overall, Queens would fumble the ball six times, losing possession all six times.
Lindsey would find A’Dre Fraser next, who would put the Gryphons up 39-0 early in the third. Just under four minutes later, Johnny Augustine found the end zone, making it 46-0 after the extra point conversion.
Things went from bad to worse for Queens as quarterback Billy McPhee was sacked in back-to-back plays with 4:06 left in the third. McPhee would be sacked a total of ten times on the day.
No signs of letting up, 55 seconds into the fourth quarter, Guelph’s Iain Hutchison would strip Queens of possession, taking the ball to the 23-yard line. While the play didn’t end with a Gryphons’ touchdown, Gabriel Ferraro – Daniel Ferraro’s brother – added a single point with an end zone kick, putting the Gryphons up 47-0.
Another Queens fumble would lead to an Alex Charette catch in the end zone, leaving the Gryphons up 54-0 with 10:08 left to play.
Augustine would put the final touchdown on the board with 1:17 left, solidifying the 66-0 Gryphon domination.
The offence put together a total of 679 total yards, 353 through the air and 336 on the ground. Farquharson led the way rushing for 170 yards, averaging 8.8 yards per carry, with a long of 25 yards and one touchdown.
St. Catharine’s, Ontario native Alex Charette was atop receivers with 10 receptions for 137 yards and one touchdown, while A’dre Fraser was a close second, with eight receptions for 127 yards and one touchdown.
A brick wall for most of the game, the Gryphons defence is credited with the Gaels’ struggle to put anything on the board. Cameron Walker, named Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending Sept. 22, led the defence with eight unassisted tackles and two sacks for a loss. Iain Hutchinson followed, with six unassisted tackles and one assisted.
The Gaels floundered for the duration of the game, unable to push against the almost immovable Gryphons defence. However, the Gryphons deserve every bit of credit for stunning the 2013 Yates Cup finalists with nearly impeccable, pressure-filled play.
The Gryphons will look to improve to 4-1 when they visit the Windsor Lancers on Oct. 4.