Third-year quarterback Clay Sequeira combined for 423 all-purpose yards but the University of Toronto Varsity Blues football team dropped their 2018 home opener, 41-18, to the Waterloo Warriors on Saturday night (Sept. 1) at Varsity Stadium.
 
TORONTO STATS
 
A native of Pierrefonds, Que., Sequeira went 31-fot-47 for 361 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing five times for a team-high 62 yards and one major on the night. His 31 completions and 361 passing yards were both career-highs.
 
Sequeira's favourite target was second-year receiver Daniel Diodati, who had seven catches for 95 yards and scored his first career touchdown. Sophomore Will Corby had seven receptions for 69 yards, while third-year veteran Nick Stadnyk had six receptions for 62 yards.
 
Fourth-year defensive back Damoy Robinson led the Blues with six tackles, while veteran linebacker Lamar Foyle had 5.5 tackles in the loss.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Waterloo scored on their first three drives. Third-year running back Brandon Metz opened the scoring with a 20-yard rushing major, followed by a 34-yard field goal from fifth-year kicker Caleb Girard. Warriors quarterback Tre Ford then connected a 10-yard pass with fifth-year receiver Mitch Kernick and Waterloo led 17-0 after 15 minutes of action.
 
Ethan Shafer got Toronto on the board with a 30-yard field goal early in the second quarter, but the Warriors responded as Taylor Ternowski scored off on a 52-yard catch and run TD. The Warriors conceded a safety and led 24-5 at halftime.
 
The third quarter saw Girard kick a 26-yard field goal and Ternowski add his second touchdown of the game, this one off a 13-yard pass from Ford.
 
Sequeira scored Toronto's first TD of the season off a beautiful rush early in the fourth quarter.
 

FB: WHAT. A. RUN! Clay Sequeira scores Toronto's first touchdown of the season, dodging everything in his way! Blues trailing @WlooWarriors 34-11 with 9:02 to go.  @UofT @UofTKPE @UofTBluesFB @OUAsport @USPORTSca @USPORTS_FB pic.twitter.com/K82wJFGUTB

— U of T Varsity Blues (@Varsity_Blues) September 2, 2018

The Warriors responded on the next drive, capping off a seven-play, 83-yard drive with a one-yard Kernick touchdown reception.
 
Diodati rounded out the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown catch with just over one minute remaining in the game.
 

FB: TORONTO TOUCHDOWN! Daniel Diodati with his first career major! The Blues trailing @WlooWarriors 41-18 with 59 seconds to go int he game. pic.twitter.com/6Utv0PczTO

— U of T Varsity Blues (@Varsity_Blues) September 2, 2018

 
UP NEXT:

The Varsity Blues hit the road for the next two weeks, first stopping in Kingston, Ont., next Saturday, September 8 to take on the Queen's Gaels. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.

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