Box Score BOX SCORE

For the second season in a row Garret Sanvido (Vancouver, BC) ran for over 100 yards in a season opening victory against the Waterloo Warriors, but this year he wasn’t the only Sanvido on the turf. Rookie receiver Justin Sanvido (Vancouver, BC) was stellar in his CIS debut, catching two touchdown passes to add to Garret’s three rushing touchdowns to help the Mustangs to a 54-10 victory.

“I was pretty nervous coming out but I was pretty pleased with my performance. Although I dropped one or two balls and that can’t happen again,” said Justin Sanvido after the game.

Combined the Sanvido brothers accounted for five of Western’s seven touchdowns and for 305 of the team’s 658 total offensive yards. Garret rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries while Justin caught nine passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns.

Justin was one of quarterback Donnie Marshall’s (London, Ont.) favourite targets on Monday as the fifth-year senior got his final season off to a good start completing 18 of 27 passes for 281 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall was pleased with his team’s first game saying “I thought we were a bit nervous. We dropped some balls, didn’t hit the holes that were there but other than that it was a well-played game offensively, defensively, and special teams.”

“Can we get better? I’m going to watch the film, I know we can get better, but overall I thought it was a good start to the season.”

Despite two strong drives by Waterloo to open the game, neither team was able to score until the Warriors capitalized on a Western fumble, connecting on a 38-yard field goal with just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter.

The Mustangs responded before the end of the frame when Garret Sanvdio found the endzone on a short run to pick up his first major of the day. Only a few minutes later it was Justin Sanvido’s turn as he caught a 46-yard pass from Donnie Marshall to put the Mustangs up by 11.

Garret Sanvido would then add his second TD on the day, this time on a ten yard run, to put Western up 21-3 midway through the second quarter.

With the team out in front the Mustangs turned the offence over to highly-touted rookie quarterback Will Finch (Burlington, Ont.) for his first taste of CIS action. Unfortunately for Finch it wasn’t the start he was looking for as his first pass was picked off by Christian Mahler (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) who returned it 23-yards for the touchdown.

The Mustangs answered back quickly, and again it was the Sanvido brothers finding the endzone. Garret scored his third touchdown of the day on a one yard run with just over two minutes remaining in the half. Justin added another 90 seconds later as he caught a 21-yard pass from Donnie Marshall to make it 35-10 entering half-time.

During the second half the Mustangs would utilize both Marshall and Finch behind centre as well as giving younger players such as Yannick Harou (Gatineau, Que.) and Tyrel Reid (Brampton, Ont.) more opportunities.

Both Harou and Reid made the most of it, with Reid adding a pair of rushing touchdowns to the scoreboard, one to open the half just over four minutes into the third quarter, and one with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth to make it a 54-10 final for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs will host the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday, September 8 at TD Waterhouse Stadium. Kick-off is set for 1:00 p.m.