The University of Toronto Varsity Blues football fell 30-7 to the visiting Waterloo Warriors in their final home game of the season on Saturday, October 17 at Varsity Centre.

Fourth-year quarterback Evan Martin threw three touchdowns in each of the first three quarters to lead the Warriors. The Kitchener Ont. native was 21-of-29 for 348 yards in the air and also ran seven times for 24 yards.

The opening drive of the game looked promising for the Warriors until veteran Blues defensive back Kyle Kennedy (Metcalfe, Ont.) intercepted a Martin passing attempt in the end zone.

The rest of the first quarter remained scoreless until a Martin 25-yard shuffle pass to first-year running back Mike Socholotiuk (Waterford, Ont.) with 1:50 left broke the deadlock.

Toronto quickly answered in the opening minutes of the second quarter when starting quarterback Jensen Shrubb (Toronto) found a wide open Jonathan Wright (Belleville, Ont.) in the end zone to knot the game at seven.

With Waterloo up 8-7, Toronto drove the length of the field but was stopped inches short on a third down attempt inside the Warriors six-yard line. The turnover proved costly as the visitors turned the tides on the Blues and took the ball back down the field, scoring their second major on a 35 yard pass-and-catch from Martin to Socholotiuk.

“I would have to say that the missed first down [deep in their end] was probably the turning point in the game,” said Toronto head coach Greg DeLaval. “Waterloo takes the ball back down the field and scores and I don’t think that we ever recovered emotionally.”

Dennis McPhee’s team would tack on a 25-yard field and take an 18-7 into halftime.

Toronto didn’t have an answer in the second half as the Warriors added another Martin touchdown, this time to Sean Cowie (Dundas, Ont.), a David Sevigny (Peterborough, Ont.) 23-yard field goal as well as a Blues conceded safety to end the game 30-7.

Next up for Waterloo (2-5) is a home date with the York Lions (0-6) next Saturday. The Varsity Blues (1-6) wrap up their season with a visit to No.5 Western (5-1). 

For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite Toronto teams, please visit the home of the Varsity Blues at http://www.varsityblues.ca.

NOTES:

Toronto defensive back Derek Batchelor (Mississauga, Ont.) recorded 15 solo tackles to lead all players and was named the Varsity Blues player of the game.

Guelph native Drew Meerveld, tied for third in the CIS in receptions per game, had three catches for 60 yards for the Blues.

Socholotiuk accounted for 167 total combined yards, including four catches for 72 and two first half touchdowns.