October 2, 2009
NO. 10 GRYPHONS LOOK TO DANCE AGAINST WARRIORS IN FOOTBALL ON SATURDAY
GUELPH, Ont. - The Guelph Gryphons football team will host the Waterloo Warriors this Saturday at Alumni Stadium at 1 p.m.
In a bizarre twist of events that no one could have foreseen, Guelph quarterback Justin Dunk (Guelph, Ont.) will sit out Saturday's game for using profane language following his third rushing score against the Western Mustangs last Saturday. Seasoned back-up Kurtis Dance (Guelph, Ont.) will likely start in Dunk's place, in which the third-year pivot will make his first career start at Alumni Stadium versus a Waterloo defence that currently sits second in the OUA in pass defence.
Last week saw Guelph fall to Western in heartbreaking fashion, quite similar to their season-opening loss to Queens in which both games were decided by time-expiring game-winning field goals. Dunk played admirably, tossing up 335 passing yards and one touchdown to go along with 123 rush yards with three trips to the end zone. His Mustang counterpart Michael Faulds (Eden Mills, Ont.) had an equally impressive showing, throwing four touchdown strikes on 34 completions and 415 yards. Fauld's efforts combined with the multi-talented attack of running back Nathan Riva (203 total yards, two touchdown receptions) made it possible for Darryl Wheeler's (Hamilton, Ont.) eventual game-winning field goal to make the final score 41-39.
Meanwhile at Waterloo last week, the Warriors unloaded 34 points in the first half on a Windsor defence, going on to win the game 49-0. Although Windsor quarterback Sam Malian (LaSalle, Ont.) injured his hand in the first half of that game, due credit should go to Waterloo quarterback Luke Balch (London, Ont.) who tossed three scores to three different receivers throughout the game while also notching the first points of the game on a 15-yard TD run. Warrior running back Matt Socholotiuk (Waterford, Ont.) had a stellar game on the ground, scampering for 134 yards on 21 carries.
The Warriors improved pass-defence thus far in the season should make for an interesting first start for a level-headed Dance. When asked about his feelings coming into such an important game mid-season into the year, the local Guelph gunslinger had this to say: "Going into my first start I'm feeling confident. At the start of the week I was a bit nervous but now I'm settling down and realizing if I go out there and do my thing to the best of my ability this offence shouldn't miss a beat and should keep rolling."
Filling in for such a leader as Dunk will pose a challenge to this week's starting quarterback, but with a plethora of talented weapons surrounding him it would seem as though the Gryphon offence should be able to continue their OUA-leading ways. Coach Kyle Walters will be looking for running back Nick Fitzgibbon (Puslinch, Ont.) to step up. While Waterloo may be able to boast a decent pass defence, their run defence is second-worst in OUA, a weakness which Dance and Fitzgibbon will certainly be looking to exploit.
"I am counting on Fitz a lot this week," said Dance. "Coach is expecting a big week out of our running game and our O-line is looking real sharp and ready to move the ball on the ground. It really benefits me having a strong receiving core with standouts like Jedd Gardner and Jamie Shaw and an O-line that is working great together and gets better and better every week."
Last year at Waterloo it was the Gryphons who prevailed, 37-22. Although Waterloo quarterback Evan Martin (who returns to the line-up this week) threw for 312 yards it was the play of Dunk, Fitzgibbon and Gardner who forced the late-season win for the Gryphons. Fitzgibbon rushed for 133 yards on 21 carries including a one-yard td plunge in the second quarter that put Guelph up 20-7. Gardner meanwhile had a monster game, racking up 175 yards on seven catches and returning a third-quarter missed field goal 125 yards to the house.
With all the talk surrounding this weeks game it looks as though the fans are in for a big match-up between the (2-2) Guelph Gryphons and the (1-3) Waterloo Warriors. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.
The Gryphons will be showing their support to the city of Guelph at the second annual "Community Day" and will be donating $1 of every ticket sold to the United Way.
If you can't watch the game live at the stadium, it will be aired on Rogers Television.
Source: Guelph Gryphons
In a bizarre twist of events that no one could have foreseen, Guelph quarterback Justin Dunk (Guelph, Ont.) will sit out Saturday's game for using profane language following his third rushing score against the Western Mustangs last Saturday. Seasoned back-up Kurtis Dance (Guelph, Ont.) will likely start in Dunk's place, in which the third-year pivot will make his first career start at Alumni Stadium versus a Waterloo defence that currently sits second in the OUA in pass defence.
Last week saw Guelph fall to Western in heartbreaking fashion, quite similar to their season-opening loss to Queens in which both games were decided by time-expiring game-winning field goals. Dunk played admirably, tossing up 335 passing yards and one touchdown to go along with 123 rush yards with three trips to the end zone. His Mustang counterpart Michael Faulds (Eden Mills, Ont.) had an equally impressive showing, throwing four touchdown strikes on 34 completions and 415 yards. Fauld's efforts combined with the multi-talented attack of running back Nathan Riva (203 total yards, two touchdown receptions) made it possible for Darryl Wheeler's (Hamilton, Ont.) eventual game-winning field goal to make the final score 41-39.
Meanwhile at Waterloo last week, the Warriors unloaded 34 points in the first half on a Windsor defence, going on to win the game 49-0. Although Windsor quarterback Sam Malian (LaSalle, Ont.) injured his hand in the first half of that game, due credit should go to Waterloo quarterback Luke Balch (London, Ont.) who tossed three scores to three different receivers throughout the game while also notching the first points of the game on a 15-yard TD run. Warrior running back Matt Socholotiuk (Waterford, Ont.) had a stellar game on the ground, scampering for 134 yards on 21 carries.
The Warriors improved pass-defence thus far in the season should make for an interesting first start for a level-headed Dance. When asked about his feelings coming into such an important game mid-season into the year, the local Guelph gunslinger had this to say: "Going into my first start I'm feeling confident. At the start of the week I was a bit nervous but now I'm settling down and realizing if I go out there and do my thing to the best of my ability this offence shouldn't miss a beat and should keep rolling."
Filling in for such a leader as Dunk will pose a challenge to this week's starting quarterback, but with a plethora of talented weapons surrounding him it would seem as though the Gryphon offence should be able to continue their OUA-leading ways. Coach Kyle Walters will be looking for running back Nick Fitzgibbon (Puslinch, Ont.) to step up. While Waterloo may be able to boast a decent pass defence, their run defence is second-worst in OUA, a weakness which Dance and Fitzgibbon will certainly be looking to exploit.
"I am counting on Fitz a lot this week," said Dance. "Coach is expecting a big week out of our running game and our O-line is looking real sharp and ready to move the ball on the ground. It really benefits me having a strong receiving core with standouts like Jedd Gardner and Jamie Shaw and an O-line that is working great together and gets better and better every week."
Last year at Waterloo it was the Gryphons who prevailed, 37-22. Although Waterloo quarterback Evan Martin (who returns to the line-up this week) threw for 312 yards it was the play of Dunk, Fitzgibbon and Gardner who forced the late-season win for the Gryphons. Fitzgibbon rushed for 133 yards on 21 carries including a one-yard td plunge in the second quarter that put Guelph up 20-7. Gardner meanwhile had a monster game, racking up 175 yards on seven catches and returning a third-quarter missed field goal 125 yards to the house.
With all the talk surrounding this weeks game it looks as though the fans are in for a big match-up between the (2-2) Guelph Gryphons and the (1-3) Waterloo Warriors. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.
The Gryphons will be showing their support to the city of Guelph at the second annual "Community Day" and will be donating $1 of every ticket sold to the United Way.
If you can't watch the game live at the stadium, it will be aired on Rogers Television.
Source: Guelph Gryphons
