It was a heck of a game on Saturday. I hope you caught it on the Score Sports Network.
GRYPHONS LOSE HOMECOMING HEARTBREAKER TO VISITING MARAUDERS, 32-31
September 20, 2008
GUELPH, Ont. - McMaster quarterback Ryan Fantham (London, Ont.) threw four touchdowns including a clutch 52-yard bomb to Andrew Ross (Burlington, Ont.) with 58 seconds left in the game as the Marauders came from behind to defeat the Guelph Gryphons, 32-31 in front of 7,200 fans at Guelph's Alumni Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The win wasMcMaster 'st first of the season after dropping their first three close contests. Guelph fell to 1-3 on the year.
Guelph kicker Rob Maver (Brampton, Ont.) missed a 45 yard field goal attempt wide to the right with 17 seconds left on the clock which would have put the Gryphons ahead of the Marauders in the dying seconds.
Fantham finished the game off going 24-for-42 for 283 yards while Ross caught seven of those passes for 125 yards and one touchdown.
In front of a boisterous homecoming crowd, Guelph quarterback Justin Dunk (Guelph, Ont) got the game rolling late in the first quarter when he ran in a four yard touchdown on a bootleg play to put the home team up 7-0. McMaster answered the call four minutes later when Fantham hit receiver Josh Kreidl (Hamilton, Ont.) in the end zone for a 13 yard score.
Although it would seem that Guelph was going to get some momentum on their side after forcing a McMaster punt, things took a turn for the worst as sure-handed Sean Riley (Burlington, Ont) dropped the incoming punt which was subsequently recovered by McMaster at the Guelph nine yard line. Fantham would capitalize on the Guelph turnover finding wideout Matt Peressini (Hannon, Ont) in the end zone for the touchdown. Before the half was over both teams would exchange field goals to put the Marauders up 18-10 heading into the locker room.
The second half saw a brighter offensive output for Guelph as late in the third quarter Dunk would find a streaking Jedd Gardner (Niagara Falls, ON) over the middle with a 22 yard pass. The Gryphon defense continued the momentum and stepped up a few minutes later as safety Jamie Shaw (Mississauga, Ont) picked off a Fantham pass and returned it 27 yards for the score.
With the scoreboard reading 24-18 the Gryphons continued their success in the second half as Dunk once again found the speedster Gardner sprinting down the right sideline uncovered for a 58 yard pass-and-run touchdown. Gardner would finish the day with six catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
With a sizable lead of 13 points early in the final quarter it would seem as though Guelph was on its way to their second victory of the season. However, McMaster answered with 3:28 left in the game when Fantham threw his third score of the game, this time to Kevin D'Hollander (London, ON) from five yards out to lesson the gap to six points. As Guelph got the ball back at roughly their 40 yard line, Dunk rolled out to the right, and with pressure in his face he threw an interception into the hands of a waiting Marauder reserve defensive back Harrison Jones (Aurora, ON.) With the ball back in their possession and faced with a third and five situation, Fantham threw a bomb down the middle of the field to a wide open Ross to put the Marauders up by one.
The Gryphons proceeded to respond by marching their offense down the field into field goal range. The ensuing missed field goal attempt would sail wide right and a heart-broken Guelph squad left the field with their third loss of the year, dropping to a 1-3 regular season record.
The Marauder denfese was led by Ryan Chmielewski and his seven solo tackles and five assists.
McMaster will return home Friday night, September 26 when they play host to the York Lions later at 7:00 PM at Ron Joyce Stadium.
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