The Guelph Gryphons (3-3) host the visiting Windsor Lancers (2-4) this Saturday (Oct. 16) in OUA football action.  The Gryphons are looking to put an end to their current slump and battle for playoff positioning, as the two teams go head-to-head at 1:00pm in Alumni Stadium.

Starting the season with a perfect 3-0 record, the Gryphons were on fire, handing losses to Toronto (15-13), York (26-2) and the defending Vanier Cup Champions, Queen's Gaels (21-15).  However, in their last three outings, the Gryphons have been unable to claim a victory, leaving the team at .500 going into the final two games of the season.  In Guelph's last two games, the Gryphons have struggled to score in the first half. The Gryphons are currently in 5th in the OUA, a position that would send them into the postseason, but you can be assured that sitting on the brink of playoff contention isn't good enough for Coach Lang and his Gryphons. Guelph has showcased their abilities on both sides of the ball and will be hoping to pump out back-to-back victories to make their way into the postseason with some momentum.

"We've been slow out of the gates in the last two games and didn't really get into gear until the second half," said Gryphon head coach Stu Lang. "One benefit of the last game is Chris Rossetti's performance in the second half.  He is getting more confident every week.  Against McMaster, the second half was probably his best half of the season.  As the game progressed he got more confident throwing the ball into tight zones."

Veteran running back, Nick Fitzgibbon (Puslinch, Ont.), has been an unstoppable force, once again for the Gryphons, leading the OUA in rushing with 667 yards and averaging 111 yards per game.  Although he's been held out of the end zone in the last several games, Fitzgibbon has still managed to post excellent stats, helping the Gryphon offense remain successful over the course of the season.

Fortunately for the Gryphons, veteran receiver, Jedd Gardner (Niagara Falls, Ont.), has taken form late in the season.  Starting off a little slow in the first few games for Gryphons, Gardner is now the leading receiver for Guelph posting 290 yards on 19 receptions, with two touchdowns.  Against McMaster last week, Gardner tied an OUA record, returning a missed field 129-yards for a touchdown. Dillon Dimitroff (Burlington, Ont.) has also been a primary target in the passing game, amassing 245 yards on 15 receptions, with just one major to his name.

Gryphon quarterback, Chris Rossetti (Mississauga, Ont.) has also had continued success in his first season as the starter, racking up 882 yards in passing and 236 yards of rushing, while striking the end zone five times through the air and once on the ground.   

Defensively for the Gryphons, Adam Dunk (Guelph, Ont.) has been stellar, with 57 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and a recovery.  Alongside Dunk, senior linebacker, Matt Rossetti (Mississauga, Ont.) has also chipped in the tackle department claiming 38 of his own.

Defensive backs, Jordan Duncan (Grimsby, Ont.) and Mark Durigon (Rockwood, Ont.) have also had strong seasons for the Gryphons picking off quarterbacks on a regular basis.  Duncan has five and is tied for first in the CIS while Durigon is tied for second with four.

The Windsor Lancers will be a challenging opponent for the Gryphons this weekend.  Although posting a 2-4 record, the Lancers are riding a wave of momentum coming off a huge, 61-15, win over the York Lions.

The Lancers have shared quarterback duties between Austin Kennedy (Windsor, Ont.) and Sam Mallan.  Kennedy has 682 yards of passing with six touchdowns and a team-leading 195 yards on the ground.  Mallan has been slightly less successful, picking up 652 yards through the air for two majors.

Jordan Brescacin (Tecumseh, Ont.) leads the Lancer receiving corps with 398 yards on 32 receptions and 2 touchdowns, while Cory Fernandes (Mississauga, Ont.) follows close behind with 384 yards and 4 trips to the end zone.

Highlights of the Windsor defence are defensive backs Matt Buckner (Hamilton, Ont.) who shares the CIS lead for most interceptions, and Daryl Townsend (Windsor, Ont.) who leads the team in tackles with 37. Junior defensive lineman, Seamus Postuma, has also been a major contributor, leading the team in sacks with 3.5 and racking up 23 tackles.

With playoff hopes on the line, this weekend's tilt should be an interesting one.  The Gryphon defence will have to come out strong to hold off the fired-up Windsor offence, but should pose a difficult challenge for the Lancers.  Meanwhile Windsor is faced with the Gryphons' and one of the league's top running backs, Nick Fitzgibbon, is looking to work his way further up the record charts.

Kickoff is this Saturday (Oct. 16) at 1:00pm at Alumni Stadium.