Twelve seconds, that's all it took to erase 16 years of suffering. On September 15 of last year, the Warriors walked into University Stadium and scored 17 fourth quarter points to defeat cross-town rivals Laurier in an instant classic.

OUA MVP and first-team all-star Tre Ford (Niagara Falls/) took a snap from his own 22-yard line, down 32-27 late in the fourth, and sent a rocket down field to Tyler Ternowski (Hamilton/) who did the rest with his legs in a play that took 12 seconds, stunning the Golden Hawk faithful with the 34-32 victory. The win was Waterloo's first over the Hawks since 2002, and as fate would have it, would end up being the victory needed to win the tiebreaker over Laurier to clinch their first playoff berth since 2003.

"It was much more than just 12 seconds," said head coach Chris Bertoia. "It's been a total team effort from top to bottom to turn this program around; from the players to the coaching staff, everyone has bought in to have only positive expectations and work our tails off each and every day."

Bertoia, the 2017 OUA Coach of the Year, enters his fifth season with the Warriors and knows all too well you can't get too comfortable in the OUA but has seen the confidence rising in his guys.

"From Day 1 of taking over this program, the respect has just never been here for the Warriors. We have always been the have-nots. Not anymore, we have shown the last two seasons we can compete with and defeat all OUA football programs and you can see it in our player's eyes before they enter the field. They expect to win and that's the culture we have built and continue to preach."

The last two years, the Warriors have finished a respectable 4-4, missing the post-season in 2017 and then earning their spot in 2018. But when you look closer to the results, 4-4 could have easily been 6-2 or even 7-1 in both seasons.

In 2017, the Warriors came out of the gate on fire going 4-0 but then dropped their next four. In 2018, besides a lopsided loss to the Western Mustangs, the Warriors lost by a combined eight points including a double overtime loss in Guelph on Week 8.

"There's no doubt in my mind our season could have had a different outcome, had we won even just one more of those games. Home field could have altered our course in the post-season and that is one of our main goals heading into the 2019 campaign, not only making the playoff but having home field advantage."

The black and gold have a real strong opportunity at reaching that goal with the core of their offence returning for 2019.

Tre Ford (Niagara Falls/) returns for his third season after earning Rookie of the Year and MVP honours in his first two. Ford became the fourth Warrior to win the OUA MVP title after putting up eye-popping numbers in 2018,  leading the OUA in touchdown passes (27), passing yards (2822), and completion percentage (74.1%, which is a new OUA single-season record). He also threw the fewest interceptions amongst all qualified passers (2), while rushing for 641 yards - good for 6th in the OUA.

A pair of Ford's favourite receives also return with Tyler Ternowski (Hamilton/) and Gordon Lam (Kitchener/) ready to make noise in 2019. Ternowski put the league on notice that he is one of the elite pass catchers in the country. Ternowski, who enters his fourth year, led the country in passing yards (144.9 YPG) by more than 40 yards per contest while also setting a new OUA single-season touchdown record with 14. Not to be outdone, Lam ranked second in the league with nearly 102 yards per game and reeled in five of Ford's touchdown passes last year. Both were named U SPORTS All-Canadians.

At running back, Dion Pellerin (Abbotsford/) enters his fourth year and was a workhorse for Waterloo last year with 104 carries for 547 yards and three touchdowns. Brandon Metz (Cambridge/) will also get many touches after his strong season of 22 carries for 114 yards in 2018.

On the line, Waterloo lost a pair of superstars in Jesse Gibbon (Hamilton/) (drafted second overall by the Ti-Cats) and Ben Koczwara (London/) (Winnipeg Blue Bombers product) so Kyle Boismier (London/) and several young lineman will be relied on to pick up the slack to protect Waterloo's potent offence.

Defensively, linebackers Kurtis Gray (Waterloo/) and Michael Reid (Sault Ste. Marie/) will be called upon for big seasons after going one-two in tackles with 42.5 and 35 respectively one season ago. Defensive backs Tyrell Ford (Niagara Falls/) and Lautaro Frecha (Sault Ste. Marie/) will also be key in Waterloo's backfield while a pair of rookies who cracked the 2018 OUA all-rookie team, Andy Melo (Georgetown/) and Daeshaun Jupiter-Deane (Pickering/) will be asked to step up after OUA Rookie of the Year Jack Hinsperger (Waterloo/) will miss the 2019 campaign due to an injury suffered this off-season.

"Most of our core remains intact for the 2019 season and coupled with some key recruits who could see some big minutes, we are poised for another strong season," said Bertoia.

Waterloo's season kicks-off on Sunday, August 25 at 7pm against Toronto on Warrior Field, while many will have Thursday, October 10 circled on their calendar, when the Battle of Waterloo hits Warrior Field at 7pm.