De Pass sets record, Blues top Warriors (VIDEO)

Paul de Pass capped off his five-year career by becoming U of T’s all-time career receiving yards leader as the University of Toronto Varsity Blues football team defeated the Waterloo Warriors 50-18 on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 19) at Varsity Centre.

BOXSCORE

The Blues 4-4 season marks the first time the program has finished .500 since U of T claimed the Yates and Vanier Cup championship titles in 1993. Toronto finishes 2013 in a three-way tie for fifth place, but falls to the seventh spot and shy of playoffs after tiebreaking procedures.

“The past three weeks we have evaluated the program against the teams that we have to compete against and I think we came up pretty well,” said Varsity Blues head coach Greg Gary. “I think we won those battles decisively and have an opportunity to move from the lower part of the OUA and I’m looking forward to that. We have to sustain what we did in these last three games.”

de Pass made seven catches for a career-high 232 yards and three majors and ends time in a Varsity Blues uniform with 2,490 yards, to better two-time CIS all-Canadian Mark Magee’s tally of 2,385 (1977-81), as U of T’s all-time career receiving yards leader.

The Ajax, Ont., native caught a 67-yard touchdown reception early in the third quarter, his second of the day, which broke U of T’s single season receiving yards record, previously held by Francis Etienne’s 1995 season (860 yards). With 57 seconds to go in the third quarter, de Pass caught a four-yard pass to top Magee’s career mark.

He ended his career with a bang, as he and QB Simon Nassar connected on a 103-yard strike for this third touchdown of the game.

“It was amazing,” said de Pass after the game. “It was obviously something I wanted to accomplish before the season was done but wanted to make sure the team was put first. It all kind of fell into place after the first half. We hit a few long throws and it was a really satisfying feeling. It was good reward for all the hard work I have put in the past five years.”

Third-year returner Kevin Bradfield also etched his named into U of T’s record book, passing Glenn McCausland’s (1990-94) career punt return yardage record of 1,135 yards. The Toronto native had nine punt returns for 98 yards on the day, bringing his career total to 1,138.

Bradfield previously set a new U of T record, and added to it today, for the most punt returns (59) and punt return yardage (734) in a season, surpassing Roger Lippert’s 1983 records of 49 returns for 539 yards.

Waterloo’s Nick Anapolsky (Guelph, Ont.) also got in on the action, breaking both the OUA and CIS single-season receptions record, ending the game with 11 catches for 109 yards and one touchdown, to set a new national-record with 74 receptions on the year.

Fourth-year receiver Alex Pierzchalski ended the game with six receptions for 45 yards and two touchdowns. The London, Ont., native ends the 2013 season just seven catches shy of breaking Cory Kennedy’s U of T most career receptions record.

Not to forgotten in all of the record-breaking performances, Toronto quarterback Simon Nassar was 23-of-34 for 392 yards and four touchdowns, bring his season totals to 1,549 yards and 13 majors. Running back Aaron Milton had a season-high 140 yards on 13 carries.

Photo credit:  Martin Bazyl

Source:  University of Toronto Varsity Blues Sports Information

Waterloo receiver Nick Anapolsky (Guelph ) capped off his tremendous Waterloo career in style breaking both the OUA and CIS single-season receptions record with his 11 catches against Toronto to set the new national-record of 74 receptions.  Anapolsky and his Warriors dropped the game 50-18 to the Varsity Blues on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Toronto.

Anapolsky’s sixth catch of the day in the first half broke the previous provincial record of 68 catches set by Windsor’s Jordan Brescacin.  Anapolsky then got his name in the record books once again on his 10th catch of the day surpassing the previous national record of 72 receptions in one season by McGill’s Charles-Antoine Sinotte.

Anapolsky finished the 2013 season with 683 receiving yards on his 74 catches while finding the end zone three times including a 28-yard touchdown catch in today’s loss to the Blues.

Toronto’s starting quarterback Simon Nassar was impressive in the win throwing 23 completions on 34 attempts for 392 yards.  For the visiting Warriors, Brian Chris (Waterloo) finished the day with 164 passing yards with his 15 completions.

On the ground Glorian Ganza (Kitchener) had 10 touches for 54 yards while Aaron Milton put together a strong game with his 140 rushing yards.

Fifth year receiver Paul de Pass was unstoppable for the Blues making seven catches for a career-high 232 yards and three majors.

Source:  Dan Ackerman, Waterloo Warriors Sports Information