Ottawa Gee-Gees at a sold out football game at York Stadium on September 28. Both teams had a lot riding on the game as they sat side by side in the standings: a win for Ottawa meant leap-frogging both York and U of T in the playoff hunt, while a win for York would have made getting into the playoffs much easier, likely only requiring a win against U of T in their final three games to get in. Unfortunately, the ball did not bounce in the Lions’ favour all afternoon as they eventually fell to the Gee-Gees 46-16.
The Lions had a great start as they opened up the scoring festivities with a short two-yard touchdown run by Errol Brooks. Brooks went on to have yet another massive game, finishing the afternoon with 199 yards rushing on just 22 carries in the effort.
A back-and-forth battle ensued throughout the first quarter with the Lions managing to hold off one of the league’s top offences, while the Gee-Gees’ offence fought an internal battle of their own.
A major development throughout the game was the Gee-Gees’ quarterbacking situation. Ottawa began the game with their star quarterback Aaron Colbon under centre but soon after kick-off, Colbon was pulled in favour of Derek Wendel, and it appeared at first that the Lions’ chances had increased.
Wrong.
The Lions went on to surrender 46 points in the final three quarters, with the first of those points coming off a Vincent Campbell 45-yard punt return touchdown just seconds into the second quarter, a play which Lions’ head coach Warren Craney sees as a turning point,
“Special teams broke our hearts again. I thought we had momentum, and special teams definitely caused the momentum shift. We knew we were young on defence this year, we knew that was going to be our downfall. We know our offence can do it and they are going to bounce back next week, but we need to be better on special teams.”
Gibbon was only able to finish with a season low of 88 yards through the air, while completing just over 50 per cent of his passes. Not all the blame can be placed on Gibbon however, as dropped balls among many other mental breakdowns plagued the Lions’ all afternoon.
“Undisciplined. We weren’t disciplined,” Craney explained disappointedly. “One thing we have been all year is disciplined, and we kind of let that get away from us.”
In addition to their lack of discipline, the Lions’ defence was subject to yet another massive outing from the opposing team’s offence, as Wendel came off the bench to throw for four touchdown passes, while leading the Gee-Gees’ offence to 488 total net yards. York’s defence has now allowed 30 points or more in four of their five games this season, which has put a considerable strain on the offence to produce points in bunches. One dimensional teams can usually only make it so far, a problem Craney knows his team needs to address if they want to be successful for the remainder of the season.
“At times our offence is very good,” Craney boasted, “but when we can’t move the ball, we have got to step it up on defence.”
An overall bad game by the Lions on an afternoon where they needed everything to go right might decide their playoff fate this year. Craney is not oblivious to the blow his team’s playoff chances have taken, but still the scrappy Lions believe they will be in the playoff discussion come season’s end.
“The way the OUA is right now, we have to focus on next week. Guelph is a heck of a football team, they are playing some great defence but they are struggling on offence. I am confident that our offence can put together a game plan to move the ball on them. Obviously we want to try and take Guelph down but regardless, it is all going to rest on the U of T game in terms of the final playoff spot I think.”
While the loss to Ottawa stings alot, the sounds of a Red and Blue Bowl for all the playoff marbles does sound exciting. Both the Varsity Blues and the Lions have resurrected their football program in the past couple of years, going from conference doormats to opponents that nobody should take lightly.
While the Lions turn their attention to the Guelph Gryphons this week, it’s probably safe to say thoughts of their impending blood bath with U of T have begun to creep into their minds, as this year’s edition of the Red and Blue Bowl is shaping up to be one of the greatest of all time.
Ryan McCabe
Sports & Health Editor
