WATERLOO, Ont. - With 2,103 fans filling University Stadium for this year's edition of the Battle of Waterloo on Saturday afternoon, the game didn't quite live up to its name until the second half. A valiant effort by the Warriors wasn't enough to overcome the #6 Golden Hawks' explosive opening quarters as they cruised to a 47-20 win.
It was all purple and gold from the opening kickoff. After two games off due to injury, Ethan Bayfield's first play back was a 32-yard return to set the Golden Hawks up on their own 49.
The offence then got rolling right away, marching down the field for a tidy seven-play drive that ended in a Quentin Scott touchdown run.
They'd get the ball back shortly, as Johari Hastings forced a fumble which Maliek Cote-Azore recovered. It took Laurier only one play to find the endzone again; Jace Atkinson was left wide open on play action for a 62-yard touchdown, marking the team's longest completion yet this season.
Atkinson had a solid start to the season, his first as a starting receiver. He broke the century mark in this game for the first time, recording a game-high 104 yards on four receptions.
Waterloo went two-and-out on their next drive, forcing their tired defence to try and slow down a Laurier offence in the midst of what is undoubtedly their hottest stretch in recent memory. Consecutive first down receptions by Raidan Thorne set up a screen pass to Tanner Nelmes, which he ran in from 29 yards out for another major.
A 12-yard sack by Abraham Odiase quickly put an end to Waterloo's next drive, and their second straight two-and-out ended this time with a conceded safety, pushing the lead to 23-0 in Laurier's favour.
The offence wasn't done just yet. Four straight completions by Taylor Elgersma got the Golden Hawks down near the red zone before the first half buzzer sounded. Coming off a record-tying performance last week in which he threw for 440 yards, Elgersma nearly halved that in the first quarter alone, throwing for 212 and two touchdowns.
His third major came on the second play of the second quarter thanks to an incredible play from Jesulayomi Ojutalayo to make it 30-0.
Waterloo was finally able to generate some offence of their own, and a 49-yard field goal from Cole Crosset – tied for the longest yet this OUA season – got the Warriors on the board.
They followed it up with a strong drive their next time out, but it ended in a goal-line interception by Laurier's Ethan Gregorcic. It was the first-year linebacker's second pick of the year.
The Warriors' defence was now finding their rhythm as well, and heavy pressure on Elgersma forced Laurier's second consecutive two-and-out, giving the Warriors decent field position which they converted for another field goal.
Waterloo's defensive line was constantly in Elgersma's face throughout the rest of the game. Tensions threatened to boil over when the fourth-year quarterback took a late hit after finding Ryan Speight for another touchdown just before halftime. Cooler heads prevailed, though this rivalry matchup remained heated.
Trailing 37-6 to start the third quarter, the Warriors put together an impressive eight-minute drive capped off with a touchdown run by quarterback Nick Orr.
Laurier would answer later in the frame. After the defence stopped Waterloo on third-and-two, the offence made good use of the short field. Jaxon Stebbings made an impressive catch in the endzone to make it 44-13.
Another Waterloo touchdown did little to change the game's complexion in the fourth quarter.
"The game started off really well," said Laurier's manager of football operations and head coach Michael Faulds. "We moved the ball well, played well on special teams, played well on defense."
While it was indeed a complete team win, it's impossible to ignore the MVP-caliber play of Elgersma. He finished with 318 yards on 20-27 passing and five touchdowns.
"I think what's making it tough for opposing defenses is there's so much attention on Raidan Thorne and Ethan Jordan," said Faulds.
Thorne and Jordan had identical stat lines of 38 yards on three receptions. Meanwhile, Elgersma found five different receivers for touchdowns, including two – Speight and Stebbings – for their first career majors.
"Receivers are making plays, so it's easy when I can just go kick the balls to those guys and let them do their thing. It's a lot of fun," said Elgersma.
"I told the guys though, I was disappointed that we kind of took our foot off the gas," continued Faulds. "I think maybe it's natural when you see the score the way it is, but I want us to continue to get better, continue to finish, continue to have pride in everything we do."
The need to continue improving is something Faulds has stressed since training camp, and it's especially relevant now heading into the second half of the regular season. Three of the Golden Hawks' four remaining opponents are ranked in the U SPORTS top 10.
"Everyone knows that we have the toughest schedule in the OUA, so it's easy to keep the guys motivated," he said. "We can't be playing our best football in September. Our goal is to get out the cold gear and play late into November. We have great veterans and leadership that isn't going to let us become complacent."
With the win, Laurier stays undefeated at 4-0. They sit tied for first place in the OUA with #9 Windsor and #2 Western, two teams they'll face in the coming weeks. Waterloo, meanwhile, drops to 1-3.
"Beating Waterloo, it's always a big thing for this team," said Elgersma. "It's important for our alumni to make sure that we keep this city ours and I'm glad we were able to do it this week."
TOP PERFORMERS
Laurier Golden Hawks
Over the last two games, Taylor Elgersma has completed 50 of 62 passes for 758 yards and scored twelve total touchdowns.
"I'm seeing the field really well right now," he said. "I'm trusting my guys and I'm feeling very confident out there, so we've got to keep it rolling."
Waterloo Warriors
Waterloo's entire defensive line deserves credit for the job they did. The standout was Tyson Hergott, who had four solo tackles including a sack, and caused problems for Laurier's offensive line on every snap.
UP NEXT
The Golden Hawks will be back in action next Saturday, September 23 for Homecoming. They'll take on the McMaster Marauders (1-3) at 1 p.m. at University Stadium. Tickets are still available.
