The Guelph Gryphons remarkable turnaround continues.
After starting the OUA regular season with a 2-3 record and looking like a longshot to even make the playoffs, the Gryphons reeled off their fourth straight victory Saturday at Alumni Stadium, defeating the Waterloo Warriors 45-34 in an OUA quarter-final playoff matchup.
Guelph now travels to Ottawa next Saturday for a semifinal match-up with the Gee Gees.
In the regular season Ottawa beat Guelph 12-10.
They did it the old fashioned way, with a persistent ground attack led by first-year running back J.P. Ciminkanda running around like a hungry baby moose.
The six-foot-one, 225-pound Ottawa native rushed for 256 yards on 29 carries, scoring three touchdowns, all in the first half.
In total, the two sides racked up almost 1,100 yards in total offence.
Coach Todd Galloway was asked if he attributed the second-half season turnaround to anything in particular.
"To them," was his short answer.
"I think they left last year and they were looking for a little bit of change and they were looking for something to believe in again and I think we've helped with that.
"I kept asking them to stay the course and believe in each other and we're starting to see the results of that now."
Galloway said he was very proud of Ciminkanda, who after carrying the ball just seven times for 20 yards in the team's first five games this season, has carried it 58 times for 532 yards in the past four. He ran for 157 yards last week against the same Warriors team.
"I was very proud of JP. I just got the stats as I walked off and 258 yards rushing is a heck of a number for a true freshman in a playoff game," Galloway said.
"We knew what we thought when we were getting him and it just take him a little longer to mesh with the offence and pick up the playbook and now he's finally hitting his stride."
The key touchdown for Guelph came with just 12 seconds left in the first half.
Waterloo had just scored on a 36-yard run by quarterback Tre Ford to narrow Guelph's lead to 24-21, but the Gryphs marched right back down the field, with Ciminkanda scoring on a two-yard run to make it 31-21 Guelph at the half.
Guelph receivers Kade Belyk and Thomas Bresciani caught touchdown passes from Theo Landers in the second half.
