GUELPH, Ont.- Playing their final home game of the 2021 OUA regular season, it would have been very difficult for the No. 8-nationally ranked Guelph Gryphons to have dreamed a better script than what played out Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium. With an offence that was nearly scoring at will, and a defence that was not allowing any points, the Gryphons cruised to a 48-0 victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues.
Right in the middle of a very crowded West Division playoff race, the Gryphons came out on Saturday and played arguably their best football of the season. Led by a four touchdown performance from freshman quarterback Shawn Lal, over 100-yards receiving from both Kiondre Smith and Clark Barnes, and a defence that was constantly in the Toronto backfield, the Gryphons put together an incredible sixty minute performance to finish the home portion of their schedule undefeated.
"I was happy with all three facets of the game today," said Gryphon's Head Coach Ryan Sheahan. "The defence pitching a shut-out was outstanding and our special teams were solid again. I thought the offense started to click a little bit, with our quarterback showing plenty of poise. Everybody played hard and played well."
The Gryphons could not have gotten off to a better start on Saturday on both sides of the ball. Watching their defence force back-to-back two and outs, the Guelph offence took full advantage. On their first drive, the Gryphons moved the ball 54 yards down the field before Lal connected with Clark Barnes for an eight yard score. Then on their next drive, it was more of the same for the Gryphons. After moving the ball 31-yards to the Toronto 32-yard line, Lal aired the ball out for Kiondre Smith in the back of the end zone and he made a tremendous diving catch to put Guelph up 14-0.
"We came out with a simplified game plan today and we executed the things that we are good at," Smith said. "We got the ball into our play-makers hands and when we do that, good things tend to happen."
Seeming to be on the verge of blowing the game open at the end of the first quarter, the Gryphons perfect start hit a brief speed bump. After once again marching down the field on their third drive and getting the ball down to the Toronto six-yard line, Shawn Lal's pass was intercepted in the end zone by Keon Fuoco to keep the Varsity Blues in the contest. Although Lal wound up throwing another interception on the next Guelph drive, the Gryphons quickly responded and paid back their defence for not allowing any points off the two turnovers.
With 6:38 to play in the first-half, Guelph got the ball back and quickly got back to what was working. Using the ground game and quick passes, the Gryph's offence got back into a rhythm and again started to methodically move the ball down the field. Then on a second and four play from the Toronto 38-yard line, Kiondre Smith dazzled the Gryphon Faithful. Receiving a quick pass in the flat, Smith eluded multiple Toronto defenders before darting for the end zone scoring his second major of the contest.
Not to be outdone by his teammate,
Clark Barnes was able to find his way back into the end zone again before the end of the first-half. Capping off another strong drive, Lal unleashed a 38-yard bomb that Barnes tracked over his shoulder in the back of the end zone for his second touchdown of the contest as well. With four touchdowns from Lal in the first half, two of them to Smith and two to Barnes, the Gryphons entered the locker room with a 28-0 lead at the break.
"There was no competition between us but Kiondre did say something to me at halftime about if I'm trying to outscore him," Barnes said with a smile. "As long as we are getting in the end zone, we don't care who it is with the ball."
Knowing the Varsity Blues were going to have to air the ball out in the second-half to try and get back in the game, the Gryphon's defence continued to pin their ears back and get after the quarterback. Despite Toronto boasting one of the best aerial attacks in the OUA with the likes of quarterback Clay Sequeira and receivers Will Corby and Nolan Lovegrove, Guelph kept them off balance all day and made life very difficult for the Varsity Blue's offence.
"This defence is one of the best in the country," said Gryphon's 5th year linebacker A.J. Allen who was one of the Gryphon's seniors being honoured in what was potentially his last home game. "Playing with (Jared) Beeksma and (Justin) Lauzon, who are very smart and capable, and this defensive line, it's young, but we are getting better. I'm just so proud of these guys."
Rewarding their defence, the Gryphons continued to roll on offence. Mixing up the run and the pass, the Gryphon's finished off a nine play drive with another touchdown when DeAndre Rose came in for short yardage and wound up throwing a three yard touchdown to Barnes. It was the third touchdown of the game for the Brampton native.
For the remainder of the contest, the Gryphons kept the pressure on the visitors. A pair of field goals from Eric Stranz, who went two for two from 21 and 13 yards away, and a fourth quarter touchdown from back-up quarterback Ettore Casati III to Nicholas Mirijello rounded out the scoring for the home side.
"Having three quarterbacks throw touchdown passes, with the starter throwing four which is fantastic, the short-yardage throwing one inside the five was great and the number two quarterback coming in late in the game, managing the fourth quarter and getting a touchdown pass was awesome," Sheahan said. "Everybody played, and on Senior's Day that's all you could ever ask for."
Totaling over 600 yards of offence, the Gryphons were firing on all cylinders. Shawn Lal finished the game 25 for 32 with 394 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. Having the most success they've had in 2021 on the ground, each Guelph running back that carried the ball seemed to find every hole available. Leading the Gryphs on the ground, Kwame Osei carried the ball 12 times for 80 yards. Also making an impact, Craig Sherrington had five rushes for 26 yards and Teo Jean-Gaston carried the ball three times for 31 yards.
Stealing the show in the receiving core, Kiondre Smith and Clark Barnes both had tremendous games. Smith finished with 12 catches, 175 yards and two touchdowns, while Barnes went for 119 yards and three touchdowns on eight receptions.
On defence there were a number of play-makers for the Gryphons. Justin Lauzon had a pair of sacks to go with a forced fumble. A.J. Allen, Ben Lack, Kole Watson and Brandon Ferigo each recorded a sack as well. Lack also intercepted Sequeria to go along with his sack of the Toronto quarterback.
Now 3-2 with one week to go, the Gryphons will wrap up their regular season schedule in Hamilton on Saturday against what will be a desperate McMaster Marauders squad fighting for their playoff lives. With Western being the only team to have secured a playoff berth heading into the final week, Saturday's contest will go a long way in sorting out the playoff picture. Kick-off from Ron Joyce Stadium is scheduled for 1:00pm.
"We would like the opportunity to host a playoff game," Sheahan said. "If we go up there and take care of business that will hopefully help us do that. We're going to need another effort like today though. McMaster is good and it's always tough to win in Hamilton so we will need to be sharp and take it to them."
