WINDSOR, Ont. - The Warriors made the trip down the 401 to face the Windsor Lancers in this week's U SPORTS football nightcap on Saturday night. It was an unproductive trip to the border city, as the black and gold were shut out 35-0.
The Lancers offence did not take long to get going, as Nick Dimovski found Weagbe Mombo for a 50-yard connection on just the second play of the game. Brady Lidster would convert with a field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.
On their next trip out, Dimovski connected with Tyriq Quayson for another big gain on the first snap of the drive. Again, Waterloo's bent but didn't break, with Arden Martinez (Niagara Falls/) perfectly reading a play action fake to sack Dimovski in the red zone and force another field goal.
The Lancers took a 6-0 lead into the second quarter and once again made their way deep into Warriors territory early in the frame. Once again it was Martinez making the stop, with a pass break up to force Lidster's third field goal of the game.
Waterloo found some room to run on offence with a 15-yard scramble from quarterback Emmet Ward (North Vancouver/) and a nice catch and run from Anthony Miller (Brampton/) setting up a field goal attempt that missed wide right.
Lidster would split the uprights two more to push the lead to 15-0 before halftime.
Ward has shown flashes of brilliance in his relief appearances so far this season, but his youth showed in his first start, facing one of the best defences in U SPORTS.
Windsor's Dylan Simpson picked off a throw from Ward early in the third quarter, and would have had a pick six if it weren't for a strong tackle from Ward himself. Mombo was able to convert for the game's first touchdown a few plays later, however.
The game wasn't without strong plays from Waterloo's offence. Romell Samuel-Slocombe (Brampton/) drew a reaction from the Windsor crowd on a determined catch and run from the Warriors' own five-yard line, breaking four sure-thing tackles for a 27-yard gain.
Waterloo was unable to sustain momentum throughout the night, however, as the Lancers defence hounded Ward with pressure and draped receivers in pass coverage. Windsor finished with three interceptions and four sacks, while holding the Warriors to just 147 yards through the air.
On the other side of the ball, it was a spread-the-wealth approach, as Dimovski found nine different receivers throughout the game, and led a rushing attack that saw five different players top 30 yards.
The game's MVP, however, was without a doubt Lidster, who added two more scores in the fourth quarter to break the Lancers single-game record with seven field goals, and accounted for 23 of the Lancers' 35 points.
Windsor improves to 3-2 after dropping their first two games of the season, while Waterloo drops to 1-4 with their third straight loss.
The Warriors will be back at home on Saturday, October 4 to face the York Lions in their Senior Game. Kickoff is set for 4:00 PM at Warrior Field. Tickets are on sale now.
