Do not let the final score fool you.
Judging from the numbers alone, one might look at the Blues’ football team and think, “Here we go again.” All I ask is to not let the outcome of the game make you think the team is just as bad as last year.
Yes, the Blues did give up seventy points, including 28 in the third quarter, and only managed to score one. Yes, the Blues’ defense did give up 689 yards while the offense only managed to muster 258; but, you cannot let the statistics and the score fool you.
The reason you can’t allow the overwhelming one-sided statistics determine your judgment is because of the little things that don’t show up in the stat column of Sunday’s paper. As second-year head coach Steve Howlett so poignantly put it, “The score is just not indicative of how we played out there. I felt like we competed with them. Western is a top tier team, and that’s the first time I can say that we competed with a top tier team.”
For the 800 fans in attendance, it was clear that these were not the Blues of old. The Blues finally got their wheels in motion in the second quarter and came knocking on Western’s doorstep after Western took an early 14-0 lead.
With a first and goal inside the Western ten, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Blues would soon be celebrating their first touchdown of the season.
After two punishing runs by second year running back Marc Gaudett, the Blues opted to go to the air. Quarterback Mark Stinson, amidst strong pressure by the Western defence, threw an ill-advised ball to the far corner of the endzone, and promptly became an interception victim.
The Blues’ hopes were not dashed, however, as flags went flying due to a Mustang offside penalty. The Blues, after being given new life, took two unsuccessful plunges for the end-zone then opted to go to the kicking game, only to have the field goal attempt blocked.
The ensuing drive gave Western a 21-0 lead and most of the crowd thought that the Blues might as well close up shop. Toronto must have missed the memo on giving in to the Mustangs, though, as it wasn’t long before the Blues were once again threatening to score inside the Western ten.
However, Western’s defenders tightened up and didn’t allow the Blues to cross that much sought-after yellow stripe, and the Blues settled for another field goal attempt. This attempt subsequently went wide and the Blues were held to the single point on the rouge. That’s two drives inside the ten and only one point to show for it.
The things that don’t show up on the score sheet are things like fans’ attitude and an atmosphere in the stands that has been absent in years past. The attitude in the stands wasn’t one of negativity, but an optimistic breath of fresh air. The fans recognized how far the Blues have come.
At halftime many Toronto fans were echoing the sentiments of one U of T supporter who said, “This could easily be a 21-10 or even a 21-14 game right now. We’re gettin’ there. We’re not there yet, but we’re gettin’ there.”
Costly turnovers and big plays cost the Blues in the second half, as Western was able to punch in 49 unanswered points, running the score to an embarrassing 70-1 tally.
Andy Fantuz was the best receiver for the Mustangs in this game, as he caught five passes for 106 yards and also scored a touchdown. Western quarterback Mike Faulds had an oustanding day in the air overall, throwing for 261 yards and three touchdowns on 12 complete passes.
The ground attack was also extremely deadly for the London school. DJ Bennet and Randy McCauley each ran for over 150 yards.
There was nothing embarrassing about how Toronto played, especially when one considers how much worse the team was just a couple of seasons ago. Inspired, tough opponents that fought to the last down, and competitive are all words that can describe U of T’s efforts on this Saturday.
What was embarrassing, however, was the lack of blue and white in the stands. It wasn’t as if the Western cheering section outnumbered the Toronto fans, it was just that they all came donned in their purple shirts and hats to make an apparent sea of purple in the stands. The players are doing what they can on the field, so it’s up to us, the fans, to do what we can in the stands.
In two weeks, on September 17th, when the Blues take on York in the annual Red and Blue Bowl. U of T students who come dressed in their best blue and white will receive free admission to the game,
Last year the Blues had the home crowd in a frenzy at half time during the rivalry game, as U of T was leading York 27-10. Fans were excited and hopeful that they would see the first Blues victory since Varsity Stadium was demolished, but alas, it was not to be. York made a stunning comeback in the fourth quarter to win the contest 45-41.
The Blues have not beaten York in a regular season game in ten years, but that could all change very shortly. Quarterback Mark Stinson and the rest of the team will be fired up come game day, as they know this is their best shot at victory this season, and their best chance to show the world just how far they have come in a year.
If you like football come out and support your boys on the gridiron. If you don’t like football, come out and get drunk under the beer tent and make some noise for the football team. Either way, it’s going to be a good time, as the Blues look to avenge their narrow loss in last year’s contest.
