The Gee-Gees football team moved to 5-2 and will finish no lower than fourth in the OUA standings, clinching a home playoff game thanks to a 40-30 victory over the Waterloo Warriors (4-4) on Saturday afternoon. Playing at Gee-Gees Field, Ottawa got another game-changing play late in the fourth quarter from Jackson Bennett, while fifth-year kicker Lewis Ward added an OUA record to his historic career points and field goals made totals.
Ward began the game for Ottawa with three field goals in the opening eleven minutes of play from distances of 15, 37, and 32 yards. The first set Ward atop the OUA All-Time record books for most field goals in a career, and he finished the day four-for four with a career total of 88.
"It was different, and it made me excited about how the day was going to go," said Ward of the busy start to the day. "We've had a good strong tradition of kicking and I hope that it continues. We're here to win football games and kicking is a big part of it if we do our jobs," continued Ward. "Matt [Falvo] was a big influence for me when I first started here in terms of how he went about things."
Ward now ranks second in U SPORTS history for field goals made in a career and sits three back of record-holder Johnny Mark from the Calgary Dinos, 2011-15. He also inched up the U SPORTS all-time rankings in points and now sits fourth, two points behind Gee-Gees record holder Neil Lumsden.
With the game tied 30-30, Jackson Bennett turned the tide for Ottawa. He nabbed the second Gee-Gee interception of the day and returned it 36 yards for the game-winning touchdown. "Everybody was in the right position on that play," said Bennett. "The eleven other guys carried me to the end zone for sure."
Bennett was all over the field, leading the team in tackles with 8.5, picking up his first sack of the season, ranging deep in coverage to assist a pass breakup, returning three kickoffs for 69 yards, and even gaining 15 yards on a carry early in the first quarter. Defensively, Ricardo Lubin was also a standout making six solo tackles including one for a six-yard Warrior loss.
Waterloo's day was highlighted by a 20-yard touchdown strike and athletic catch by Lam Diing to begin the second quarter with a 10-9 lead, and a 27-yard pass to Tyler Ternowski to tie the score at 30-30 to start the fourth. Waterloo out-gained the Gee-Gees offensively, and used 271 yards of rushing to do so. Quarterback Tre Ford led the way with 164 yards on the ground - a season high.
Long catches were key to the Gee-Gees attack, combined with Bryce Vieira's work on the ground. Alex Lavric set a new career high with 337 yards passing, with a notable long completion of 69 yards to Tyler McLaren to set up Ottawa's second touchdown of the game.
Vieira, who finished with 111 yards rushing and 88 yards receiving, hobbled off field with 5:41 to play in third quarter. On his return he powered straight down the field 21 yards to set up a corner touchdown catch as Lavric went right back to him.
"When I go on the field I just block everything else and no matter what I play as hard as I can. For some reason it works out that when I'm hurt I'm still able to make a play," said Vieira. "I think we're a very composed team - when push comes to shove we just play."
Ottawa will finish its regular season slate of games at Western (7-0) next Saturday.
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