Box Score The University of Toronto Varsity Blues football team dropped a 37-6 decision to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks on Saturday, September 11 at University Stadium.

The highlight of the night came at the end of the first quarter when first-year linebacker Christopher Johnson blocked Mark Surya’s punt to set up a 22-yard field goal by U of T kicker Andrew Lomasney. A Toronto native, Johnson and teammate Todd Inkila (Thunder Bay, Ont.) currently lead the OUA with two punt blocks each, while U of T leads the league with five in three games played.

“Special teams stepped up with the two punt blocks tonight,” said Varsity Blues head coach Greg DeLaval. “We improved throughout the game. Our defence held them to no touchdowns in the second half and we didn’t give them much field position.”

Laurier came out strong, scoring on each of their first three drives. Shamawd Chambers (Markham, Ont.) opened the scoring with a 14-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Shane Kelly (Basking Ridge, N.J.). Following a single in their second series, Toronto native Anton Bennett would rush five yards into the end zone.

After conceding a safety, Johnson’s punt block would set up Lomasney’s (Toronto) first of two field goals and the Golden Hawks held a 17-3 lead after the first quarter.

Battling through wind and rain, U of T gave up their second safety and Bennett would score his second major of the game on a 13-yard run. Surya’s (Burlington, Ont.) 37-yard field goal in the dying seconds of the second quarter gave Laurier a 26-point lead at halftime.

The Blues improved throughout the second half, holding Laurier to only eight points. Two more Surya field goals and a team safety would round out the Golden Hawks scoring, while Lomasney capped of U of T’s night with a 22-yard field goal.

“We gave up big plays and that was really the story today,” added DeLaval. “Our guys didn’t make any big plays and their guys did. We had a lot of opportunities but we dropped a lot of passes and missed a lot of tackles.”

Kelly led Laurier with 281 passing yards and one TD, while Bennett finished the night with 75 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Chambers made eight receptions for 138 yards and one touchdown in the win.

Andrew Gillis (Markham) rushed seven times for 50 yards and completed six passes for 33 yards, while Jordan Scheltgen of Surrey, B.C. made seven passes for 61 yards. Third-year receiver Michael Prempeh (Toronto) had five catches for 54 yards. Both Johnson and Mississauga native Wilkerson DeSouza led U of T’s defence with six tackles in the loss.

The Varsity Blues return to action next Saturday, September 18 when they host the 41st annual Red and Blue bowl versus the York Lions at Varsity Centre. The battle for the Argo Cup will begin at 1 p.m.

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