The Gryphon men's rugby team defeated the Laurier Golden Hawks 38-3 on the road on Sunday afternoon.
Winning in another lopsided affair, 38 - 3 the Gryphons had tries scored by Joe Newman, Adam Maahs (2), rookie Byron Boville, Mark Dismore and Nathan Lippert with conversions kicked by Joe Newman and rookie John West.
The game started with a slow start. The Gryphons were not able to link enough play together to control the ball long enough to score as their hands were giving them trouble and knock-ons were a consistent issue throughout the first half. Finally, just past the half way point of the first half, the Gryphons backs were able to link together and Braden Stubel released Joe Newman with a pass just before he hit contact to put Newman down the sideline for the first of the Gryphons six tries of the day. Newman followed up his try scoring effort with kicking the conversion.
The backs were not finished their scoring efforts in the first half and Sean Sinel made a great run towards the try zone and was tackled just short. Adam Maahs, who was following Sinel in support, scooped up the loose ball and scampered in for the try. Newman was again good on the conversion. Ending the first half with a 14-0 lead, the Gryphons were looking to keep the pressure on and score at least two more tries to get the win and the bonus point.
The second half was a better performance for the Gryphons. They rarely let the Golden Hawks into their end and when they did, the Gryphons defense came up big smothering and chances for the Hawks to score a try. The only points that the Gryphons let in were from a penalty kick early in the half. The Gryphons first scoring opportunity came less than 10 minutes into the half when rookie scrum half Byron Boville took the ball off the base of the scrum and deked around two would be tacklers and scored his first try as a Gryphon.
Not to be out done by the rookie, veterans Mark Dinsmore, Adam Maahs and Nathan Lippert also scored tries in the half. Rookie fly half John West was able to convert two of the four tries to put the Gryphons up 38 - 3.
With the four points for the win and the one bonus point for scoring four or more tries, the Gryphons have moved themselves up the standings with a total of 12 points, good enough for third place in the OUA.
Joe Newman's nine points on the day puts him in third place in individual scoring in the OUA. The Gryphons will continue to build on their recent success as they prepare this week to host the Waterloo Warriors on Varsity Field Friday night. This will be a huge contest for both teams as it stands to have playoff implications with respect to seeding.
