Box Score Throughout the 2017 OUA football season, the Waterloo Warriors have served notice that they're a changed program. But on Saturday afternoon at Warrior field, the Laurier Golden Hawks served notice that they're still the defending Yates Cup champions.
The Golden Hawks used an explosive third quarter to pull away from the upstart Warriors in the 2017 Battle of Waterloo, as Laurier toppled the Warriors 71-24 on a scorching afternoon at Warrior field in Waterloo.
The Warriors, ranked ninth in the nation, stuck with the defending champions early in the matchup of undefeated teams, trailing by as few as four points late in the second quarter. But the fifth-ranked Hawks started rolling in the closing minutes of the half, and continued their onslaught in the third. All told, Laurier scored 38 straight points in a span of 10:26 straddling halftime, putting the game out of reach.
Hawks QB Michael Knevel helped push his team to 4-0 with 270 yards passing, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Meanwhile, Warriors pivot Lucas McConnell (Waterford/) went 12-23 with 195 yards and 2 TD in a losing cause. Rookie QB Tre Ford (Niagara Falls/) returned from a one-game injury hiatus to complete 2 of 5 passes for 44 yards and an interception, while adding 86 yards on 10 carries.
The Laurier rushing attack was punishing all day, led by Levondre Gordon's 106 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground. Osayi Iginuan added 93 yards and a pair of scores, including a 66-yard gallop in the third. Not only were the Hawks able to run the ball, but they were able to hold the Warriors' rushing attack – ranked 2nd in the nation coming into the game – in check all afternoon. Laurier outrushed the Warriors 282-142 on the day, controlling the line of scrimmage.
On the defensive side of things, the Hawks were in Waterloo's backfield all day – Laurier finished with 8 tackles for losses, including 4 sacks. For the Warriors, veteran Brandon Corelli (Sault Ste. Marie/) had a big day with a pass breakup and 5.5 tackles, while Michael Reid (Sault Ste. Marie/) added an interception.
Despite the slanted boxscore, though, the Warriors were very much in the game throughout the first half. The Hawks raced to an early 12-0 lead, but Waterloo receiving touchdowns from Brandon Loewen (Waterloo/) and Richmond Nketiah (Brampton/) made the score 19-15 late in the second quarter.
After failing to convert on a third down late in the half, Knevel and the Hawks drove 76 yards, capped off by an Iginuan 3-yard touchdown scamper to make it 26-15 Laurier. It looked like that would be the score entering the half, but, following a Waterloo 2-and-out, Kurleigh Gittens Jr returned a punt 65 yards with no time left on the clock to flip the momentum firmly on the Hawks sideline after two quarters.
Fuelled by the late return score, Laurier erupted in the third: a Gordon 1-yard run, Iginuan's 66-yarder, and a Brentyn Hall screen pass-turned-89-yard touchdown meant the rout was on. Hall finished the day with 144 yards receiving on just 3 catches, 2 for touchdowns.
The Warriors, now 4-1, will shift their focus to the Guelph Gryphons, as they close out their home schedule next week. Kick off is scheduled for 1pm on Saturday, September 30.
