GUELPH, Ont. – The Guelph Gryphons football team certainly didn't lack incentive as week 2 of the OUA regular season came around. Guelph's players wanted to right the ship after a narrow defeat last week in Hamilton – and getting a first ever for their new head coach was high on the list of priorities. The Gryphons accomplished both as they defeated the York Lions 33-18 in the annual O-Week Game with 5,669 fans on hand at Alumni Stadium.
 
Fourth-year quarterback Theo Landers passed for 144 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 31 yards and adding another score on the ground. The Gryphons churned out 252 net rushing yards with an impressive attack led by back Juwan Jeffrey, who had a game-high 129 yards. Guelph also manufactured another fantastic defensive performance that included two interceptions, one of which was a game-changing pick-six from fourth-year star Job Reinhart.
 
Despite some adversity, the end result was gratifying for both interim head coach Todd Galloway and the Gryphon players intent on getting one in the W column.

 
"I'm just proud of the guys," said Galloway, who received a well-deserved Gatorade shower from veteran linebacker Lukas Korol after the game. "We showed a lot of resilience. They bounced back in the second half and showed heart.
 
"The first one feels good but it's also getting the monkey of your back. I told the guys, it's not just me, it's their first win of the season, as well. They proved in the second half that they're a great football team and that they can compete with anybody. They just have to show that every week."
 
The Gryphons didn't let the disappointment of last Saturday, a one-point loss to McMaster, phase them in any way. After York took an early 4-0 lead, Guelph responded with a 29-yard field goal from 2017 All-Canadian Gabe Ferraro and then went ahead when Landers found slotback Kade Belyk from 11 yards out at 3:14 of the second quarter.
 
After Ferraro put the Gryphons ahead 13-12 with his second make of the afternoon, this time from 42 yards out, Reinhart came up with the signature play of the game. York's star quarterback Brett Hunchak had just set the Lions' all-time passing yardage record on a previous completion, though his happiness was short-lived. Reinhart intercepted Hunchak's next attempt and ran it back 26 yards for the touchdown, prompting the big Alumni Stadium crowd to explode.
 
A quarterback in his days at Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute, Reinhart verified that it was his first regular season touchdown since he ran one in in his senior year of high school, which also happened to be at Alumni Stadium. And he gave lots of credit to defensive coordinator Adam Grandy for getting the imposing unit to buy in to what they need to do on the field.
 
"It's been a while," the versatile star, who is also the reigning OUA heavyweight wrestling gold medalist, said of the big play. "I just did my job. I was responsible for the running back, I saw the quarterback about to throw it to him. So I drove down on it, grabbed the ball and ran to the endzone."
 
"Job's pick-six was crucial for our momentum in the second half," Galloway added.
 
Landers would score from the one-yard line later in the quarter, extending the Guelph lead to 27-12. Ferraro hit from 27 yards out on the final play of the third quarter and then nailed a 47-yard effort midway through the fourth to complete the scoring.
 
Hunchak passed for 313 yard but was generally held in check from the hungry Gryphon defence. He connected with his brother Colton for a two-yard touchdown in the dying seconds of the game to make the scoreline slightly more flattering.

 
Galloway liked what he saw from the defence, which played well for the second straight game. Akeem Knowles was a standout in the secondary, leading the team with six tackles, while also adding an interception and two pass break ups. And the running attack was humming, with four backs seeing carries. Jeffrey led them all with 18 rushes.
 
"That was our gameplan," the first-year player from Brampton said of the team's 44 rushing attempts. "We wanted to get down on these guys. And I was the hot hand today."
 
Jeffrey said that the players and coaches have been accepting and helpful in acclimating him to the new environment.
 
"They have really worked with us one-on-one so that we're mentally and physically prepared to go out and play," the Criminal Justice major explained.
 
With that first victory out of the way, the Gryphons will look to carry the momentum into next week when they travel to Ottawa to face the Gee-Gees.
 
"It feels great," said Reinhart. "We know we can win. It's great to get one and build some confidence."
 

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