GUELPH, Ont. (November 13, 2016) - In a game that can only be described as one for the ages, the Gaels and Gryphons battled to the bitter end for the Turner Trophy with a second round of kicks deeming Guelph the OUA Champions.

It took three extra halves and two rounds of penalty kicks, but the Gryphons defeated Queen's in thrilling fashion to hoist the Turner Trophy as OUA champions for the first time since 1998.
 
Mark Perrin made the clinching kick for Guelph, after also ending the first round with his team's only good kick and sending the shootout to a second round. 

Two 10-minute extra halves followed regulation. Maclain Wakefield gave Guelph a short-lived lead in the first extra half, with a convert, but the Gaels responded in the second extra half with a try of their own by Nicholas DeLallo followed by an Alex Colborne convert, and the score was tied again, 24-24.
 
Another extra period, this one sudden death, saw no scoring. That forced a five-player dropkick shootout, first from 22 metres out. When the first round ended 1-1, thanks to Perrin, the ball was moved back to about 35 metres. The Gryphs won that round 2-0, with Van Der Westhuizen also making his kick.

Along with Perrin's foot, the other major key to the Gryphs' victory was their defence, which made several huge goal-line stands throughout the game. The Gaels pounded away relentlessly at the Guelph wall, but rarely broke through when the chips were down.

The road to a championship has been a tough one for Guelph, which settled for silver in each of the last two years, both times against Queen's. The third time, though, was the charm.
 

KICKS
 
1st Round – 22 metres
 
GUELPH
 
Mario Van Der Westhuizen – no good
Jordan Hofstra – no good
Mike Little – no good
Nate Stein – no good
Mark Perrin - good
 
QUEEN'S
 
Dylan Young – no good
Alex Colborne – good
Michael Douros – no good
Kainoa Lloyd – no good
Ben Bethune – no good
 

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2nd Round – 35 metres
 
GUELPH
 
Mario Van Der Westhuizen – good
Jordan Hofstra – no good
Mike Little – no good
Nate Stein – no good
Mark Perrin - good
 
QUEEN'S
 
Dylan Young – no good
Alex Colborne – no good
Michael Douros – no good
Kainoa Lloyd – no good