Around U Sports: Guelph Gryphons hand Windsor Lancers first loss of season

Photo: Laurel Jarvis/Guelph Athletics

We are fast approaching the end of the U Sports regular season as two teams suffered their first losses of the year, the Panda Game drew a tremendous crowd yet again, a winless team squandered a double-digit fourth-quarter lead, and multiple Hec Crighton Trophy nominees had standout performances.

Around U Sports is a weekly feature on 3DownNation that takes readers across the country to summarize collegiate football action, highlighting standout performances and tracking possible playoff matchups. It will run for the full season through the Vanier Cup in Kingston, Ont. on Saturday, Nov. 23.

No. 5 Windsor Lancers, 40 — No. 10 Guelph Gryphons, 45

The Lancers are a defensive team but were completely unable to slow down the Gryphons on Saturday, allowing 494 yards of offence and 45 points to suffer their first loss of the season. Tristan Aboud threw for 267 yards, ran for 54 yards, and recorded three total touchdowns in the win, while Corson Roy struggled under centre for Windsor after starting in place of the injured Danny Skelton. Guelph is now one game away from clinching its first home playoff game since 2019.

Acadia Axemen, 5 — Saint Mary’s Huskies, 27

Saint Mary’s built a 19-0 lead by the midway point of the second quarter and never looked back as Malik Williams rushed for two touchdowns and Acadia committed five turnovers. This might have been the chippiest game of the U Sports season thus far as the two teams combined for 35 penalties for 328 yards. The Huskies are currently in position to host a playoff game for the first time since 2018, though St. FX has a game in hand.

McGill Redbirds, 28 — No. 2 Montreal Carabins, 38

The Redbirds held a shocking 20-13 lead at halftime as Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald threw touchdown passes to Darius Simmons and Abdala Traore. The Carabins came roaring back in the second half, however, as Elijah Cramaix recorded an early pick-six and Jonathan Sénécal hit Enrique James-Leclair for two scores. Despite the loss, McGill can clinch its first playoff berth since 2019 with a win over Sherbrooke next week.

No. 7 Manitoba Bisons, 24 — Saskatchewan Huskies, 42

The Huskies spoiled Manitoba’s perfect start to the season after erupting for 24 points in the second quarter as Ryker Frank notched his first of two touchdowns and Anton Amundrud hit Dawson Lennea and Branson Pipko for scores, the former of which occurred off a shocking deflection. Maya Turner made the longest field goal of her collegiate career shortly before halftime, hitting a kick from 48 yards out.

No. 9 UBC Thunderbirds, 35 — Alberta Golden Bears, 25

Hec Crighton Trophy hopeful Isaiah Knight had a relatively quiet day for the Thunderbirds, rushing 19 times for 66 yards and two touchdowns, though Garrett Rooker put up 370 yards through the air, falling just shy of a new season high. Cade Labrecque started in place on an injured Eli Hetlinger for Alberta, throwing for 234 yards and one interceptions and rushing twice for 30 yards. Ben Sangmuah iced the game for UBC, intercepting Labrecque and returning it for the 71-yard score.

No. 4 Western Mustangs, 61 — McMaster Marauders, 26

Ryan Barthelson opened the scoring for Western on a 85-yard pick-six and the Mustangs never looked back, moving into second place in the OUA standings. Evan Hillock had his best performance of the season, completing 17-of-21 pass attempts for 259 yards and four touchdowns, while Keanu Yazbeck, Ethan Dolby, Jerome Rancourt, and Keon Edwards combined for 32 carries for 313 yards and two touchdowns. Both of McMaster’s touchdowns came from short-yardage quarterback Lucas Barresi.

No. 8 Queen’s Gaels, 21 — No. 1 Laurier Golden Hawks, 51

Taylor Elgersma had a signature performance for the Golden Hawks in his effort to win the Hec Crighton Trophy, shredding Queen’s for 417 passing yards and five touchdowns. Anthony Lio hit Matt Camillo and Mateo Tuioti for scores but it wasn’t enough to keep the Gaels close as first-year linebacker Jessie Wilkins made the defensive play of the day, sacking Lio, forcing a fumble, and recovering it all on the same play. Laurier is now a perfect 6-0 on the season with games against Windsor and Carleton remaining.

Waterloo Warriors, 24 — York Lions, 39

Veteran quarterback Shawn Lal made his first start since transferring to the Lions and shone brightly, throwing for 150 yards and four touchdowns. Anthony Miller and Quinten Springer recorded 26 carries for 185 yards and two touchdowns for Waterloo but it wasn’t enough to prevent the team from falling to 0-6. York has now won more than one game in the same season for the first time since 2018 and the fifth time since 2006.

Calgary Dinos, 23 — Regina Rams, 20

Calgary quarterback Dom Britton threw a 71-yard pick-six to Jacob Tkachuk on the team’s first possession but got the score back moments later on a five-yard touchdown run. Marshall Erichsen was sensational in a losing effort, accounting for over 75 percent of Regina’s net offence with 22 carries for 169 yards and six catches for 39 yards. Vince Triumbari overcame windy conditions to seal the win for the Dinos, booting a 29-yard field goal with a little over one minute remaining.

Sherbrooke Vert et Or, 27 — Concordia Stingers, 35

Sherbrooke held a 27-13 lead to start the fourth quarter but was unable to hold on as Santino Sparagna scored two touchdowns and Dwante Morgan iced the game with a last-minute score from 10 yards out. Jonathan Martel-Joseph was brilliant for the Vert et Or in a losing effort, rushing for 147 yards and one touchdown, but it wasn’t enough to get the team its first victory of the season. After finishing 1-7 last year, Sherbrooke is at risk of finishing winless for the first time since 2003.

No. 6 Bishop’s Gaiters, 42 — St. FX X-Men, 37

The Gaiters needed double overtime but they eventually preserved their perfect record with a win over the three-time reigning AUS champions. Justin Quirion threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Marco Briones to force overtime before the teams traded touchdowns on their first two minigames. Ben Hadley’s 13-yard field goal attempt went for a rouge on St. FX’s second overtime possession before O’Shae Ho-Sang sealed the game for Bishop’s with a six-yard touchdown run on the final play of the game.

Carleton Ravens, 32 — Ottawa Gee-Gees, 35

The Gee-Gees won the Panda Game for the sixth straight time as Josh Janssen threw for 295 yards and one touchdown, Charles Asselin added two scores along the ground, and Daniel Briere scored off a blocked punt. Carleton quarterback Elijah Barnes threw for 329 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions, the latter of which came late in the fourth quarter in Ottawa territory. The annual rivalry game drew a crowd of 23,499 to TD Place Stadium, a figure the Redblacks have surpassed only once this season.

The Mount Allison Mounties (AUS), Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA), and No. 3 Laval Rouge et Or (RSEQ) were on bye this past week.

Atlantic University Sports (AUS)

Bishop’s Gaiters 6-0
Saint Mary’s Huskies 3-3
St. FX X-Men 2-3
Acadia Axemen 2-4

Mount Allison Mounties 1-5

Ontario University Athletics (OUA)

Laurier Golden Hawks 6-0
Western Mustangs 5-1

Windsor Lancers 5-1
Guelph Gryphons 5-2
Queen’s Gaels 4-3
Ottawa Gee-Gees 3-4

McMaster Marauders 2-4
York Lions 2-4
Carleton Ravens 2-5

Toronto Varsity Blues 1-5
Waterloo Warriors 0-6

Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ)

Laval Rouge et Or 5-0
Montreal Carabins 5-1
McGill Redbirds 2-3

Concordia Stingers 2-4
Sherbrooke Vert et Or 0-6

Canada West

Manitoba Bisons 5-1
UBC Thunderbirds 4-2
Saskatchewan Huskies 3-3

Alberta Golden Bears 2-4
Calgary Dinos 2-4
Regina Rams 2-4

John Hodge
John Hodge is a Canadian football reporter based in Winnipeg.