LIONS END SEASON WITH LOSS TO NO. 5 GRYPHONS
The York University Lions football team was defeated by the No. 5 nationally-ranked Guelph Gryphons by a score of 39-18 in its season finale on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 20) at York Stadium.
The Gryphons earned their seventh straight victory of the season after an opening-week loss and had already wrapped up second place in the OUA standings prior to Saturday's game. The Lions finished the year at 2-6 and missed qualifying for the post-season.
Running back Kyle Exume (Whitby, Ont.) continued his impressive season with 61 rushing yards and two touchdowns, bringing his total for the season to nine. He also had 43 receiving yards on two completions, returned one kick 27 yards and had one tackle and one pass break-up on defence.
York quarterback Myles Gibbon (Montreal) went six-for-12 in the game, compiling 92 yards and throwing one interception, and also added 69 rushing yards. He came out of the game in the second quarter and quarterback Dimitar Sevdin (Toronto) took over. Sevdin was 10-of-26 for 165 yards, with two interceptions.
Gryphon starter Jazz Lindsey (Markham, Ont.) threw 10 completions in 25 attempts, racking up 163 yards, including a 61-yard bomb to A'Dre Fraser (Halifax). Lucas Nangle finished the game out, throwing three completions on six attempts for 42 yards. Each of them accounted for one passing touchdown.
Running back Robert Farquharson (Niagara Falls, Ont.) was the leading rusher on the day with 125 yards on 17 carries, including a long rush of 31 yards. He also scored one touchdown.
York received the ball to open the game, and surrendered a rouge to gain optimal field position, starting from their 35 yard line. Gibbon then led a seven-play, 85-yard drive to result in a short running touchdown for Exume at 3:09 of the quarter. Exume featured prominently in the drive, including receiving a 28 yard pass, and Gibbon heroically ran for 25 yards to get a first down on a first-and-20 play. Kicker Heneri Dervishi (Toronto) added the extra point.
The Gryphons had to settle for a 40-yard field goal off the foot of Julian Tropea (Niagara Falls, Ont.) on their opening drive.
The Lions marched back down the field, keeping the play on the ground, until a deep interception turned the ball over. The Gryphons flew back down the field, scoring a touchdown on a 35-yard pass to Fraser at 13:57, bringing the score to 11-7 for the Gryphons as the first quarter closed out.
The second quarter was considerably more defensive, as both teams were forced to punt. Gryphon kicker Daniel Ferraro (Mississauga, Ont.) added another rouge at 2:27 of the second quarter, and the Lions would score a team safety at 11:43 after a strong punt by Dervishi. Exume blocked a critical pass in the end zone to keep the Gryphons stuck deep in their own end.
The Lions' fought themselves into tying field goal range with just a minute left in the half, but Dervishi's kick was blocked by defensive back Mark Durigon (Rockwood, Ont.).
The teams finished the half with the score 12-9 in favour of the Gryphons.
A pair of big mistakes less than one minute apart cost the Lions dearly in the third quarter as the Gryphons scored 14 points on a pair of touchdowns. First, Dervishi's punt attempt was blocked and recovered by linebacker Vince Lonsdale (Barrie, Ont.), who then ran the ball in for a touchdown.
On the ensuing kick return, Ryan Rowe (Hamilton, Ont.) fumbled the ball, and the Gryphons recovered in excellent field position. Two plays later they were in the end zone again thanks to a one-yard rush by Farquharson, and the Gryphons held a 26-9 lead.
The Lions defence looked to answer, and on the next drive Chris States (Brampton, Ont.) forced a fumble that was recovered by Braedon Cameron (Thunder Bay, Ont.) deep in Guelph territory. Exume scored a one-yard rushing touchdown a few plays later, brining the Lions to within 10 at 26-16 at the end of the third quarter.
The Lions weren't able to put up any points in the fourth quarter, instead surrendering a safety to the Gryphons just 34 seconds in and allowing a 17-yard field goal off the foot of kicker Tropea less than three minutes later.
The Gryphons added their final touchdown when Nangle found Keith Walker (Burlington, Ont.) with a 26-yard pass to deep in the end zone with four minutes left.
Prior to the game, the Lions honoured their graduating players. Alex Bugdahn (Toronto), Ryan Edwards (Mississauga, Ont.), Exume, Nathaniel Griffith (Brampton, Ont.), Andrew McMillan (Sudbury, Ont.), Ed Michel (St. Catharines, Ont.), Jesse Murton (Oakville, Ont.), Brandon Rowe (Hamilton, Ont.), Patrick Russell (Brampton, Ont.), Colin Samples (Surrey, B.C.), Sevdin, Zachary Thompson (Lynden, Ont.), and Jonelle Tolbert (Mississauga, Ont.), are all now finished with the program.
Source: York Sports Info
