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FOOTBALL – Gryphons fall in homecoming loss to Mustangs, 41-39


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In the final seconds of the game the Western Mustangs booted a 16-yard field goal to defeat the Guelph Gryphons 41-39 in front of a sold-out homecoming crowd of 8,750 wild fans at Alumni Stadium in Guelph, Ont. on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 26).

Western's Nathan Riva (LaSalle, ON) caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Michael Faulds (Eden Mills, ON) to lead the Mustangs. Riva finished with 86 yards receiving and 21 carries for 122 yards on the ground. Meanwhile Faulds completed 34 of 55 for 415 yards and four touchdowns. Western wideout Josh Svec (Blenheim, ON) led all pass-catchers with 121 yards on seven receptions. The Mustangs totaled a gigantic 565 total offensive yards in the shootout.

The Gryphons were equally as impressive on the day in offensive yards tallying 500 that were led by quarterback Justin Dunk (Guelph, ON). The fifth-year pivot completed 22 of 39 for 335 yards and one touchdown, and even more impressive ran the ball 16 times for 128 yards and scored three touchdowns.

Defensively the Gryphons were led by the outstanding play of Adam Dunk (Guelph, Ont.), who notched ten solo tackles, as well as defensive back Jerryd Baines (Ottawa, ON) who registered nine.

Things got started right away on the opening kick-off when the Gryphons recovered a forced fumble on the return, setting up Justin Dunk (Guelph, ON) with great field position. When Dunk took the snap at the ten yard line a few plays later he did what he does best and scrambled to the left corner of the endzone to put the Gryphons up 7-0. Five minutes later Western would respond as quarterback Michael Faulds (Eden Mills, ON) hit his second-year running back Nathan Riva on a short out pattern in which Riva muscled his way into the corner for a 14-yard score. After Mustangs kicker Darryl Wheeler (Hamilton, ON) kicked a 25-yarder to make the score 10-9, Dunk took the ball down the length of the field with efficiency. Dave Harrison (Waterdown, ON) ran a seam route and caught a nice pass for about 20 yards which then set up Dunk for his second rushing touchdown of the day in which the fifth-year gunslinger sprinted right to the endzone from 21 yards out.

The second quarter saw heavy rain fall which made for a rather uneventful first ten minutes, however things started to turn around at the 11:00 minute mark. With the ball on Guelph's five yard line Riva was stuffed two straight times which led to Faulds lobbing up a three-yard pass into the endzone to Jerod McCrory (Burlington, ON) to make the score 19-17 in favour of the home side. Less then two minutes later Riva would feed off of this momentum when he took a short pass from Faulds seven yards into paydirt. Now trailing 24-19 Guelph did manage to respond with very little time left, working their way into Mustangs territory and letting kicker Rob Maver (Brampton, ON) take over with a 15-yard field goal. Both teams headed to the locker rooms in anticipation of the second half with the score set at 24-22 Western.

With Western fielding the kick-off to open the second half it looked as though the Mustangs were ready to put another six points up on the Gryphon defense. Riva started things off when he ripped a nice 31 yard run into Guelph territory. Faulds then finished the deal off when he hit Guelph native Jesse Bellamy (Guelph, ON) on a nice out route for eight yards to make the score 31-22. At this point in the game the Mustangs were rolling and on their ensuing possession they would again drive the ball into Gryphons territory. Safety Jordan Duncan (Grimsby, ON) had other plans however as he stepped up and made a beautiful interception on a Faulds pass intended for the right side of the field just in front of the goal line, bringing it the other way 12 yards. Dunk fed off of this great play on the Gryphons ensuing possession when he took a snap and rolled out right before hitting wideout Jamie Shaw (Mississauga, ON) for 30 yards. Now in Western territory with five minutes remaining in the third quarter Dunk hit an open Harrison in the middle of the endzone for an 18-yard td strike. The Gryphons again got the ball back with just 21 seconds left before the commencement of the final quarter. Dunk relied on his athleticism once again and charged down the middle of the field 22 yards to paydirt.

The fourth quarter started with excitement as well as Riva took a handoff from Faulds at the Gryphons one yard line but was met with ample punishment from linebacker Adam Dunk (Guelph, ON). Unfortunately Faulds then snuck the ball in on the very next play to re-take the lead, 38-36. The Gryphons got the ball back with decent field position due to the consistent return work of defensive back Brad Lively (Calgary, AB), who racked up 212 yards on 11 kickoff and punt returns throughout the afternoon. Running back Nick Fitzgibbon (Puslinch, ON) took a short dump-pass from Dunk and took it 63 yards into Mustangs territory, dragging at least three defenders on the final five yards. Forced to a field goal attempt Maver made good from 10 yards out to put the Gryphons up 39-38.

However it was the Mustangs who got the last laugh as Faulds methodically drove his offense into Guelph territory with under a minute left, which culminated with Wheeler's game winning field goal.

The Gryphons (2-2) next host the Waterloo Warriors (1-3) at Alumni Stadium in week five of OUA action. Game time is 1:00 pm.

Tickets for the game are available online at www.gryphons.ca

- written by Joseph Czikk -
 
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