Gee-Gees defence backs up Air Show in Waterloo

The Gee-Gees football team opened its season with a strong overall performance and earned a 65-1 victory against the Waterloo Warriors in Waterloo on Labour Day Monday. The win was marked by an excellent passing offence led by both Derek Wendel and Victor Twynstra at quarterback, while the Ottawa defence showed its new look and allowed the fewest points of any OUA game so far this season.

Second-year corner Cody Cranston contributed two of Ottawa's three interceptions on the day, and defensive end Sam Randazzo set the tone early with a first quarter sack. Waterloo was limited to 213 yards of offence and completed just eight passes.

Meanwhile, Derek Wendel led the offensive unit down the field with efficiency in the first half and scored on every drive before halftime. The fifth-year quarterback connected twice with Luke Ffrench for touchdown passes, while Mitchell Baines got the Gee-Gees down field quickly with a pair of jaw-dropping 47-yard and 60-yard receptions. Baines added a major of his own on a 10-yard catch and finished the day with 139 yards.

"We came out and worked hard," said Baines. "I've been playing with Derek since 2011 and we can make plays like that because we know what we're doing together. We were trying to do well for our defence because they were making plays for us."

When Wendel gave way to Victor Twynstra late in the third quarter the fourth-year showed off his arm with an 86-yard touchdown pass to Tyler McLaren. On a play which started at the Ottawa 24, McLaren out-ran his defender to the end zone after catching the ball at the Waterloo 50-yard line.

Senior kicker Lewis Ward went three-for-three on field goal attempts for Ottawa, while Waterloo's lone point came on a missed field goal attempt from 34 yards out in the second quarter.

Source: Ottawa Gee-Gees