Beefeaters 4-0 at the CJFL table
London Community News
By Jonathon Brodie/London Community News / Twitter: @jonathonbrodie
The London Beefeaters are done with feeding on the bottom of the Canadian Junior Football League and are eating opponents for lunch.
The Beefeaters picked at an undisciplined Windsor AKO Fratmen at TD Waterhouse Stadium on Saturday (Sept. 1) to win 37-11 and become the only team in the eight-team Ontario Football Conference (OFC) with an unblemished record at 4-0.
The last time London opened the season without a loss after four weeks was 1976.
Right from the opening drive London was hungry for the victory over Windsor, scoring an 80-yard touchdown in the air from quarterback Blake Huggins to wide receiver Josh Woodman on the first play of the game.
From there, London never looked back and the Huggins /Woodman combo would tally up three touchdowns by final whistle.
“I haven’t seen the stats yet, but Josh Woodmen played amazing today,” said Beefeaters’ offensive co-ordinator Ryan Clutterbuck.
The defence as a whole for Beefeaters wasn't too bad either, eating up Windsor’s quarterback Christian Hackney seven times.
Even London's’ kicker Zack Medeiros had a full plate of action, hitting all three of his field goals.
This is only the second time in London’s 36-year history they’ve gone perfect after four games and maybe the happiest player on the team to see the quick start is Kyle Woldenberg-Puyda.
The third-year running back in his final year with the Beefeaters is enjoying the nice start to the season with London, already doubling their wins from last year and matching the four victories in Woldenberg-Puyda’s rookie season.
“It’s a relief, but at the same time you got to keep your composure,” Woldenberg-Puyda said. “You can’t let it get to your head, stay focused and hopefully things will stay good from here.”
After Saturday’s win, the Beefeaters doused their head coach in Gatorade, loudly cheered amongst each other and met around mid-field for sideline staff to acknowledge the players rather than waiting until the dressing room — a celebration usually fitted for a playoff win, but one quietly waiting to erupt since before kickoff.
“When it comes to game time we’re focused,” Woldenberg-Puyda said. “The change room is quite. No music, no nothing. We got something to do and we do it.”
The veteran rusher credited the change in the locker room to new head coach John Vouvalidis getting the players to believe in themselves, but the rookie bench boss isn’t taking all the glory.
“He’s (Woldenberg-Puyda) kind, it’s the players. Players make coaches as far as I’m concerned and I told them I’m blessed to be around them,” Vouvalidis said. “We (the coaching staff) set our expectations high and they (the players) set them high as well and that’s what it’s all about in the end.”
The Beefeaters’ head coach isn’t quick to crown his team champions of the OFC quite yet, but London’s winning pace isn’t expected to slow down.
“Someone asked, ‘What’s your goal?’” Vouvalidis said, still a little wet and sticky from his Gatorade shower. “Our goal is to win every game. Is it realistic? I don’t know, but I just think our guys are taking it one play at a time, one quarter at a time, one half at a time and then the halves become games and guys are starting to believe in each other.”
The first-place conference Beefeaters will try to continue their win streak on the road against the Ottawa Sooners Sept. 8.
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