GUELPH - Tonight (Nov 9), the Guelph Gryphons men's rugby team met the Brock Badgers at Varsity Fields to defend their OUA Bronze Medal.  Duplicating their earlier success of 33-3 over the Badgers earlier this season, the Gryphons closed out their season with a decisive 48-8 win to earn their second OUA Bronze.
 
A deep Gryphon lineout in Brock territory opened the scoring scene as Robert Paris (Barrie, Ont) was able to break through to put Guelph on the board.  Joe Newman (Waterdown, Ont) would tack on the extra points with his first of four converts on the night.
 
Brock's kick for points minutes later on Guelph's doorstep to drop Guelph's lead to four as they put their first of two scores up to bring the game to 7-3.
 
Gryphon momentum would continue on to carry them into Brock's 22 following a strong break brought the Gryphon ruck to the Badger doorstep.  Gryphon tenacity would eventually pay off as Joshua Van Horne (Cambridge, Ont) picked the ball and drove in for the second score of the game to go up 14-3.  
 
Brock would close in on Guelph's try zone one more time before the end of the half, but OUA MVP Byron Boville (Barrie, Ont) was able to steal the ball in his own try zone to halt the Badger charge.  On the ensuing play, Boville reasserted his presence to force a Brock knock-on to regain Gryphon control to relieve the defensive effort to hold the Badgers to 3 in the first.
 
Robert Paris, Sean Sinel (Toronto, Ont) and Joshua Morgan (Barrie, Ont) would each add their own trips into the Badger try zone in the final 10 minutes to put the Gryphons up 31-3 to round out the half.
 
In the 52^nd minute, Joe Newman reigned in a Badger kick around midfield and was able to break through the Brock line to chip it in for his first try of the night to spark the Gryphon spree in the second as he put the team up 36-3.
 
Minutes later, the Gryphons were able to continue their offensive momentum to bring them within Brock's 22.  After a quick ruck on Brock's doorstep, Nick Walters (Mississauga, Ont) was able to spin around the Badger wing-line to bring it down between the uprights to give Newman an easy convert to go ahead 43-3.
 
The Gryphon charge refused to let down and, following a failed Badger gruber, Guelph used the ensuing ruck to collect their backs to dish it down the wing line to Joe Newman who scrambled into the corner of the try zone for his second try of the night to tie off the Gryphon scoring stage as they jumped ahead 48-3.
 
Yet the Brock Badgers were determined to close their season with a try and, after several pushes at the Gryphon goal line, they were finally able to break through touching down for the final time of the 2012-2013 season to close the night at 48-8.