Warriors slow, but can't stop Gee-Gees in home opener loss

WATERLOO, Ont. - "It's always disappointing when you lose." 

Chris Bertoia's Waterloo Warriors entered the 2025 season with a "quiet confidence," looking to bounce back after a difficult 2024. 

For three quarters and change, starting off the new year with a win was well within reach for the Warriors, who kept pace with an Ottawa Gee-Gees team that failed to live up to their name on Saturday's home opener. 

The garnet and grey hardly galloped out of the gate, and the teams traded field goals and rouges in what was, for the most part, a defensive showdown. Ottawa finally broke away early in the final frame to take a 27-12 victory in week one of OUA action. 

It was the Warriors who charged out of the gate, as Yinka Ogunnote (Guelph/) brought the August crowd on their feet with a 45-yard return on the opening kick-off. The Gee-Gees held the black and gold to a field goal, and hit back with two of their own plus a rouge courtesy of Zachary Copeland to take a 7-3 lead into the second quarter. 

The game didn't exactly open up, with both teams continuing to play the field position game. Rookie kicker Evan Astolfo (Burlington/) struggled, missing three of his six field goal attempts on the day, and costing the Warriors chances to take a first half lead.  

"It's his first game, he's a true freshman, we're not putting that on Evan. I thought he responded well," said Bertoia. 

Gee-Gees quarterback Danny Janssen connected with Romeo Lussier on back-to-back plays for 22 and 8-yard completions, the latter of which was a hook-and-ladder trick play that scored the game's first touchdown. 

Waterloo's defence, though, stayed calm and composed. They were particularly effective stopping the run game that was Ottawa's calling card last season. OUA all-star Charles Asselin, who averaged over 100 yards per game on the ground in 2021, was held to just 21 yards on 13 rushing attempts. 

"That was a goal of ours, holding off the run," said Warriors linebacker Michael Omoseni (Burlington/). "That's a positive." 

Omoseni isn't satisified with the defensive performance, however. "We had good moments. We just got to capitalize on the mistakes and bit more. There's a few plays here we could have turned the ball over." 

Omoseni himself had the ball slip through his hands near the end of the first half deep in the Gee-Gees' end of the field. 

"At the end of the day, I think we need some of those momentum-changing plays, you know, big sacks, whatever it may be," said Bertoia. The Warriors failed to record a single interception or sack in the game. "Overall, I thought our defense played well. There's stuff to build on, that's for sure." 

Astolfo hit his second field goal to cut the lead to 14-7 before the break. He'd hit another in the third, and the defence forced a safety to cut the lead to 14-12. 

Before the end of the third, Janssen began a methodical nine-play drive that ended with a punch-in major from Asselin four minutes into the final frame. Copeland would add two more field goals in the fourth. Waterloo's offence had no answer, with Nick Orr (Caledon/) struggling to connect with receivers against the strong eastward winds. 

Orr finished with 19 completions on 30 attempts for 210 yeards and no touchdowns or incompletions – a decent showing, but not the start the fourth-year quarterback was hoping for. 

Overall, the Warriors should be pleased with their effort, but the lack of execution, especially in redzone situations, will continue to cost them if it's not addressed soon. 

"We've just got to finish drives with touchdowns," summed up Bertoia. 

"Certainly, the effort and the attitude was there. I know the boys are disappointed, but I truly think this is a different team than it was last year, and it's a marathon, not a sprint. We're back to work tomorrow, and we'll fix the mistakes and build off all the positives from today and keep working. That's all we can do." 

The Warriors will be back in action next Saturday, August 30 when they travel down the 401 to face the Toronto Varsity Blues.  

Former Warriors Defensive Coordinator Darrell Adams led his team to a convincing 42-23 road victory over the Carleton Ravens in week one, on the strength of quarterback Scott Barnett's 567-yard, four-touchdown performance. 

Kick-off is set for 7:00 PM. Purchase your OUA.tv all-access or sport pass now to watch games live and on demand all season long.