GEE-GEES FOOTBALL TEAM FINDS THEIR FOOTING DURING FIRST HOME OPENER SINCE 2019
Coming off a season-opening win against the Waterloo Warriors, the Gee-Gees football team carried their momentum into last Saturday’s game against the York Lions. With the stands packed at Gee-Gees Field, Ottawa got off to a quick start. Four minutes into the first quarter, the Gees took a 7-0 lead after scoring a touchdown to cap a short, three-play, 62-yard drive. After a persistent 76-yard drive, kicker Zachary Copeland extended the lead late in the first quarter with a 24-yard field goal.
Halfway through the second quarter, the Lions responded with kicker Nathan Walker’s 29-yard field goal, cutting the margin to 10-3. Nevertheless, the Gee-Gees’ offence was ready to reciprocate. Copeland’s 28-yard kick set the stage for Ottawa’s late-half touchdown which sent the Gee-Gees into the break with a 19-3 lead.
Early in the third quarter, the Lions clawed their way back with a touchdown to get within 20-10. Later in the same quarter, with the Lions trailing 30-10, wide receiver Noah Avery caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Janssen which narrowed the deficit to 30-17.
Special teams tilted the game in Ottawa’s favour, as Copeland hit all four of his field-goal attempts, from 24, 28, 30, and 28 yards again, while converting extra points. The Gee-Gees also dominated the return game by piling up 222 return yards compared with York’s 139 which includes 166 yards on punt returns alone.
The Lions scored a last-minute touchdown, but the Gee-Gees’ lead proved too great to overcome as they closed out a 33-17 win.
The Gee-Gees completed 17 of 28 passes for 249 yards, averaging 8.9 yards per attempt, demonstrating the impact of quarterback efficiency. In contrast, the Lions gained 149 yards, completing 18 of 29 passes.
Defensively, York’s quarterback, Keagan Hall, was thwarted by Ottawa’s front line which sacked him four times for a 19-yard loss. The Gee-Gees’ protection held steady, with Josh Janssen brought down just once. Concurrently, the Lions’ sole fumble was recovered by the Gee-Gees who forced the game’s only turnover.
A win over York was expected for Ottawa. But with back-to-back matchups against 2024 Yates Cup top-three teams—Western, Guelph, and Laurier—through September, the Gee-Gees are aiming to shift into high gear.
Acknowledging the tough games ahead, Avery said, “Western’s a good team, obviously, but so are we. We’ll play our best and see what we can do.”
Reflecting on the season so far, head coach Marcel Bellefeuille commented, “These first two games were nice little steps. Now I think it’s a matter of taking the next big step in terms of our development.”
After Saturday’s game, the Lions are still looking for their first victory of the season, while the Gee-Gees continue to gain ground as they approach the second month of their OUA schedule.
