WATERLOO – Nearly a thousand yards of offense combined.
An 18-point Guelph lead in the third quarter evaporated.
But it was a nine-yard touchdown run from Isaiah Smith in the final minute that made the difference in a wild 41-35 win for the Guelph Gryphons Saturday afternoon in Waterloo over the Warriors.
The two teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter, including an 84-yard catch and run down the right sideline from Jake Helfrich to Vyshonne Janusas.
Helfrich ran one in to cap off a 93-yard, seven play drive early in the second, before finding Janusas again to wrap up a nine-play, 100-yard drive to extend the lead.
Waterloo would close the gap to four points by half, but Guelph had an answer for the eighth ranked team in the nation, scoring two more touchdowns to make it 35-17.
Waterloo responded with a big nine-play drive, capping it off with a Justin Succar touchdown with 56 seconds left in the third to make it 35-24.
They would then get another two points on a safety early in the fourth, before Nolan Kaban connected with James Basalyga for a 36-yard score to bring the Warriors within a field goal.
After Waterloo tied the game on a 49-yard kick with just under four minutes left, both teams exchanged punts. But Guelph had great field position after holding Waterloo inside their own 20.
Jakob Tomas returned a punt to Waterloo's 34-yard line with 1:20 on the clock, and Smith did the rest on the ground, though he got some help on an unnecessary roughing penalty to Waterloo along the way.
Waterloo got the ball back with 53 seconds left, and moved the ball ahead on the final drive of the game.
But they just couldn't get within field goal range, and Guelph sealed their first win of the season.
Helfrich's second career OUA start was a memorable one for Guelph. The University of South Carolina transfer went 19-for-32 for 370 yards passing. He posted three touchdowns in the air, along with that second quarter TD run.
Janusas led the way for wide outs, catching eight passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns.
Clark Barnes, OUA all-star receiver and fresh off an appearance in the CFL Scouting Bureau's top 20 fall rankings, was not in the Gryphons lineup due to injury.
Guelph, now 1-2 on the season, hit the road to Ottawa next Saturday at noon for a battle with the Gee-Gees.
