Gee-Gees trounce York
Despite his team’s 51-7 score, coach wasn’t pleased with players’ efforts
University of Ottawa quarterback Derek Wendel described Monday’s season opening 51-7 win over the York Lions as a pretty good game for the Gee- Gees overall.
His coach Jamie Barresi wasn’t as pleased with the effort.
“Not at all,” Barresi said after the first time the Gee- Gees have opened the Ontario University Athletics season with a win since 2011.
“Too sloppy. Too many penalties. If it’s lack of discipline, it will be straightened out. I’m not going to tolerate it. We can’t do that against the teams coming up. We can’t take those penalties. When we make a big play we can’t afford that.”
Not only did the Gee- Gees take 20 penalties for 170 yards, but they had scoring plays wiped out because of penalties as well as big plays that likely would have led to more points.
Vince Campbell returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown and teamed up with Wendel on a 30-yard catch and run TD, but he also had a punt return score called back on a penalty along with other big returns.
“Not only does it hurt the team, but it hurts him. How many times can you run a 100-yard sprint and then be ready to go? It’s hard. When you get that opportunity, you can’t let it slip by. I mean, I’m happy that we won the game, I’m very pleased, but I won’t tolerate it. I took kids out of the game in the second half,” Barresi said.
While Campbell agreed with his coach about the penalties, he was just happy the team opened the season with a win.
“We can’t afford to do this against better teams,” he said. “It was really frustrating but at the end of day what matters is on the scoreboard and we won so my personal stats don’t matter.”
Defensively, the Gee- Gees held the Lions to a pair of field goals and a punt single.
As for as Wendel, he completed 24 of 26 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns in leading the Gee- Gees to a 34-7 lead at the half.
“I think we had some good execution but we need to be more disciplined,” the third-year pivot from Belleville said. “We have to take the positives and move on to next week.”
Next week they won’t be dealing with the lowly Lions either as they travel to Kingston to face the powerhouse Queen’s Golden Gaels.
RAVENS GET FIRST WIN
Sixteen years following an 0-8 regular season last year, their first year back in the CIS since 1998, the Carleton Ravens collected the first win of their current era Monday went they went into Waterloo and laid a 33-14 beating on the Warriors. The Ravens had over 500 yards in total offence but only led 12-11 at the half.
Quarterback Jesse Mills threw two touchdown passes and ran for another. The Ravens have a bye next week and will be in tough the week after, as they will be in Hamilton to face the McMaster Marauders.