Third win of the season essential for playoffs in the 2014 campaign
Photo credit: Remi Yuan
Coming off their crushing defeat in the Panda Game, the Gee-Gees football squad took to the road hoping to bounce back against the Toronto Varsity Blues.
The Blues have been having a forgettable season, with their only win coming against an even weaker York Lions team in the annual Red & Blue Bowl the week prior. Despite an inspired effort from Toronto, the Gee-Gees still came away with a 41-25 win.
It didn’t take long to set the tone. Just seconds after the ball left the foot of the Blues’ kicker, Gees defensive back Jackson Bennett rushed it back 101 yards into the end zone, his first return this season.
The Gees would not let up as they punched in a field goal and another touchdown on a 27-yard run from backup running back Bryce Vieria starting for injured first-stringer Mack Tommy.
Toronto would look to mount a comeback in the second quarter as they got on the board with a short touchdown run and with a fumble recovery for a touchdown later in the frame.
The Gees eventually extended their lead to 31-13 going into the half on a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Derek Wendel to Mitchell Baines.
The Gee-Gees drew first blood after the break with a short rushing touchdown from Wendel. The Blues once again attempted to get back in the game with a touchdown followed by a field goal and a safety.
At 38-25, the Gee-Gees defence stepped up to fend off the charge and put the ball back in the hands of the offence. This led to a 31-yard field goal by Lewis Ward with 25 seconds left on the clock to finally put the game out of reach for the Blues.
Wendel continued his season-long dominance, completing 26 of 32 passes for 334 yards, as well as 51 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns. His performance was enough to keep him as the number one QB in the country in yards and completions, and top 10 in nearly every other statistical category.
The Gees now have a 3-2 record going into the final three games of the regular season. Barring a catastrophic collapse, the Gees will see playoff action and hope to improve on the 2013 campaign by extending their berth past the first round.
A struggling Waterloo Warriors team is next on the schedule when they come to Gee-Gees Field Oct. 4. The Warriors have yet to win a game this year and are tied for last place in the conference.
