WATERLOO – They were like two heavyweight fighters exchanging punishing blows in the championship rounds of a fight. But the Guelph Gryphons football team snuck in the last meaningful punch. The Gryphons got three rushing touchdowns from fifth-year running back Johnny Augustine, including the winning score in the final minute, to rally and defeat the Waterloo Warriors 53-49 in an OUA classic at Warrior Field Saturday afternoon.

Guelph scored 27 points in the fourth quarter to improve to 3-3 in dramatic fashion.

"The guys battled hard and believed in themselves," said head coach Kevin MacNeill. "It was nice to see them persevere through adversity."

In a wild fourth quarter that featured each team answering their opponent, Augustine got the job done late. The Welland, ON native took the ball from quarterback Theodore Landers and broke away from pursuing Waterloo defenders to scamper in from 22 yards out with just 22 seconds left on the clock. It was Augustine's third rushing touchdown of the afternoon, tying a career high for a single game and keeping him atop the OUA with eight rushing scores this season.

In Guelph's final drive, the Warriors took a critical unnecessary roughness penalty in the final minute, helping the Gryphons creep closer to what most thought would be a tying field goal. But Augustine's final touchdown run on second and short iced it for the Gryphons, who were looking to avoid a third overtime in six weeks.

"We never gave up and kept fighting until the end," Augustine said.
 

"We thought that we'll get the first down here and then Johnny took it in," MacNeill added. "That was great. We were obviously trying to score but we had been in overtime a couple times so we wanted to get the first down, take some shots and if we didn't score, kick a field goal.

"Johnny just put the team on his back, with outstanding blocking from the receivers."
 
Augustine, who impressed at the last CFL Combine and tried out with the Edmonton Eskimos last Spring, finished the day with 96 rushing yards on 18 carries. His first touchdown came from one yard out at 8:25 of the third quarter, a critical scoring drive for the Gryphons, who trailed 29-12 at the half and then 32-19 after a 28-yard field goal from Waterloo's Caleb Girard just minutes after the break.

Guelph gambled after that touchdown and successfully executed an onside kick, recovered by Dotun Aketepe, giving the visitors possession just past midfield. Landers found Jacob Scarfone for a huge 46-yard strike and Augustine went right back to work, scoring a three-yard touchdown at 7:49 of the third to help the Gryphons snatch momentum from the aggressive Waterloo offence with 14 points in a 36-second span. Guelph tried another onside kick after Augustine's second score and almost recovered again but Waterloo came away with the ball.

"We figured we would go for the pooch kick and limit their ability to return it," said MacNeill. "We were down, needed a spark, and needed to get more opportunities to get our offence on the field. It was part of the strategy coming out of the half, being more aggressive and taking the game to them."

Landers was making his first career start after fourth-year veteran James Roberts was injured against McMaster last week and he was solid, completing 16 of 26 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown, while running the ball 13 times for a game-high 106 yards on the ground and another touchdown. Scarfone led all Guelph receivers with six catches for 86 yards and had a critical fourth-quarter touchdown.

"Theo was very poised," MacNeill. "Even in the first half, he wasn't quite making all the plays but he was very composed and we believed in his ability to extend drives."

The Gryphons' defence was busy all day trying to contain Waterloo's dual quarterback threat of Tre Ford and Lucas McConnell. Fourth-year defensive back Royce Metchie led all players with 10 solo tackles and two assisted tackles, to go along with an interception and a sack, while linebacker Luke Korol added eight solo tackles, two assisted tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
 

Guelph did a good job slowing down Waterloo early and took a 5-0 lead after a safety and 32-yard field goal from Gabriel Ferraro. But the Warriors quickly got into rhythm, beginning with a one-yard rushing score from Dion Pellerin. Guelph did answer that with an incredible 96-yard kickoff return from second-year defensive back Jason Richards to go up 12-7. But two big plays, a 95-yard touchdown hookup by McConnell and receiver Tyler Ternowski and a 23-yard touchdown pass from Ford to Brandon Metz, helped Waterloo establish a 29-12 lead going into the half.

"Waterloo is a good team," said MacNeill. "They've done a great job this year in utilizing the pieces that they have to move the football. That's not the same team as a few years ago. They've recruited a lot of good pieces, have a very good receiving corps and two really good quarterbacks that can make plays with their feet and arms."

After Augustine scored his first two touchdowns, Ford ran one in from 15 yards out late in the third quarter, setting up the wild fourth that saw the two teams exchange scores at will. Landers found Scarfone just four seconds into the quarter from five yards out to make it 39-33 Waterloo. Ford again showed why he leads the Warriors in rushing by running in another touchdown from the Guelph six-yard line.

It was then Landers's turn, as the Maple Ridge, BC native kept the ball for a five-yard score. Two Ferraro field goals, from 51 and 41 yards out, tied the game 46-46. Girard would hit from 42 yards himself to put the Warriors up three with 1:16 left in the game before Augustine ended it.

The Gryphons go into their bye week and will host the Laurier Golden Hawks at Alumni Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 14 for Think Pink/Senior Day. Game time is 1 pm.