OTTAWA - Quarterback Brad Sinopoli led the no. 4 nationally ranked University of Ottawa Gee-Gees to a 32-31 victory over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in front of 2,370 fans at Frank Clair Stadium.
The win advances the Gee-Gees to the Yates Cup while Laurier's year ends for the second year in a row in the semifinals.
Sinopoli played a solid game leading the garnet-and-grey to 412 yards of offence including several big plays on route to his 315-passing yard performance.
In what was one of the most exciting contests of the season, the Hawks and Gee-Gees swapped touchdowns several times both with significant drives but the game came down to the final minutes.
"The kids made plays back and forth and we just ran out of time today," commented manager of football operations and head coach Gary Jeffries. "I just have the utmost respect for our football team at how resilient they are and the stuff they've gone through this year battling to the last seconds of the clock."
Laurier had two chances to go ahead in the final minute of the game but quarterback Evan Pawliuk of Kingston, Ont. couldn't get the completions the team needed to put them in field goal range.
Starting quarterback Shane Kelly of Basking Ridge, N.J. was knocked out of the game late in the second quarter with a suspected concussion after completing 11 of 18 for 134 yards. Pawliuk, who was already playing in red-zone situations, took the helm to add 137 passing yards in the second half of the contest making several key plays to match each of Ottawa's scores.
Pawliuk completed to a variety of receivers including Dillon Heap of Waterloo, Ont. and Alex Anthony of Victoria, B.C. who each caught six passes for 76 and 69 yards respectively.
"We just couldn't come together in the end and get what we needed to do," commented Pawliuk post-game. "I was a bit nervous at first but as soon as I got out there it was what every football player dreams of, you can't ask for anything better then a game like this and sometimes in the end it doesn't work out for you."
The Hawks were behind at the end of the first 14-7, but then outscored Ottawa 17-2 in the second with two majors from Kelly to Jeff Emberley (Oakville, Ont.) and Anton Bennett (Toronto, Ont.). Linebacker and place kicker Giancarlo Rapanaro of Niagara Falls, Ont. hit a 36-yard field goal after recovering his own punt before the team conceded a safety to end the half. The third quarter saw a pair of touchdowns swapped and the fourth is when Ottawa scored a touchdown and then Gee-Gee Matthew Falvo hit the 31-yard field goal, which ended up as the game winning points.
Veteran lineman Stephen Cormack of Waterloo, Ont., who had six tackles as well as two sacks in the contest, led Laurier's defence. Defensive back Scott McCahill of Kingston, Ont. had some key plays including a late interception.
"We said all week we were going to down swinging and we brought as much pressure as we could," said Cormack, when asked about the game. "That's all you can really ask for, is the effort we had."
Laurier has had trouble in the nation's capital before. The team is 2-2 over the last four contests including the 44-21 loss earlier this season.
The game is the final one for several veterans including Cormack, Emberley, Rapanaro as well as Vince Lunciani of Oakville.
