Football Hall of Fame Profile: The 1980 team journey
The largest class of inductees in Gee-Gees Football Hall of Fame history will be enshrined this year; three teams and two individuals have been selected for the honour. There are five decades of Gee-Gees history being celebrated; the 1960, 1970, and 1980 championship-winning teams will all go in to the Hall of Fame this year along with defensive standouts Steve Glenn and Sébastien Tétreault.
Each hard-won game and each bend-but-not-break defensive stand, the 1980 Gee-Gees team was forging a championship journey.
"Our team matured and improved throughout the 1980 season with great leaders emerging ready to fulfil their dreams," says Cam Innes, who was honoured as the 1980 CIAU Coach of the Year while guiding uOttawa back to an Atlantic Bowl victory and a return to the Vanier Cup.
The 1980 Gee-Gees won the inaugural edition of the Dunsmore Cup as the championship game for the OQIFC, edging Queen's 13-12 at Lansdowne Park. From there, the team triumphed 28-8 over Acadia in the Atlantic Bowl. The team was 6-1 in the regular season with the league's best defence, allowing just 11.6 points per game.
The team reached the no. 3 national ranking early in the season (Sept. 26) but also came to be labelled as a poor-weather football team, playing through rain almost each of the regular season games, a frozen icy field for the league final, and an exceptional amount of mud in the national semifinal. However, the talent shone through and 10 players were named to the league all-star teams including MVP Rick Zmich at quarterback and J.P. Metras Award winner Boyd Young on the defensive line.
Joel Baldwin led the league in recieving with 30 catches while Mike Giftopoulos led the league with 98 rushes, totalling 472 yards (second in the league). Zmich totalled a league-best 89 completions on 146 attempts (60.9 %), with five passing touchdowns, while the mobile Yvan Granger split duties at QB late in the season, including the playoffs.
"We do a lot of talking about concentration and self-discipline," noted Innes mid-way through the season to explain his team's success. "We have a consistent, explosive offence, a tough defence and strong kicking game," explained Innes prior to the Vanier Cup.
Looking back now, upon the team 's induction, Innes reflects that, "the championship journey for the 1980 team really began in May 1978. With the building of a great team of assistant coaches, the loyal commitment of a terrific support staff and the trust that the current and newly recruited players gave us resulted in our belief that the Gee-Gees could get back to the big national championship game."
"The hard work in the '78 and '79 seasons laid the foundation for the 1980 season to follow," continued Innes. One of the players who put in the foundation work in those two crucial seasons was Giulio Petrilli, who was selected as an OQIFC All-Star at guard in 1980.
"Joining the program in 1978, coming out of the city league programs in Montreal, I immediately understood the tradition and expectations," remembers Petrilli. "The credibility of the coaching staff and the talent of my teammates were evident."
"We became a second family and we grew up together trusting each other," Petrilli continues. "Staying in touch with my teammates over all these years, I can still feel the comradery. That bond was our success."
Petrilli and his teammates on the offensive line received due credit for the Atlantic Bowl victory as the Gee-Gees gained nearly 250 yards on the muddy ground. "Tackle to tackle, they just blew us out," said Acadia's head coach of Dave Upton (T), Warner Miles (T), Petrilli (G), Brent Walker (G), and Mike Reid (C).
Andy Katz was the team's kicker and scored two field goals in the Atlantic Bowl, as well as hitting the game-winners against McGill, Queen's, and Concordia (a rouge). Katz scored 38 points in the regular season (second in the conference) on kicks with six field goals, 13 converts, and seven singles.
The Hall of Fame inductions will take place at the 2022 edition of the annual Touchdown Dinner, which is slated for April 23 at Lago (Dow's Lake). Tickets will go on sale shortly.
1980 Game Results:
W 21-11 at Queen's, Sept. 13 - TDs by Rick Zmich, Brock Bundy
W 14-7 at Carleton, Sept. 20 - TDs by Joel Baldwin (10-yard pass from Zmich), Tom McMullen (pass from Zmich)
W 24-7 at Bishop's, Sept. 27 - TDs by Mike Giftopoulos (2), Bundy
W 16-8 vs McGill at Carleton, Oct. 4 - TD by Giftopoulos
W 10-9 vs Queen's at Carleton, Oct. 13 - TD by Zmich
L 21-30 vs Carleton at Lansdowne (Panda), Oct. 20 - TDs by Robin Stafford (blocked punt and recovery), Kevin McAllister, Burns (pass from Zmich)
W 10-9 at Concordia Oct. 27 - TD by Burns (18-yard pass)
Postseason:
W 22-10 vs Bishop's at Lansdowne, Nov. 1 - TDs by Giftopoulos (2)
W 13-12 vs Queen's at Lansdowne (Dunsmore Cup), Nov. 9 - TDs by Burns (47-yard pass from Zmich)
W 28-8 vs Acadia at Halifax (Atlantic Bowl), Nov. 22 - TDs by Giftopoulos, Bundy, Burns (17-yard pass from Granger)
L 21-40 vs Alberta at Varsity Stadium, Toronto (Vanier Cup) - TDs by Burns (34-yard pass from Granger), Granger, Paul McLaughlin (18-yards from Granger)
1980 OQIFC All-Stars: 10
Joel Baldwin (slotback, unanimous selection, led league in receptions with 30), Rich Zmich (2nd in passing, 89/146 completions, 1029 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT), Mike Reid (centre), Gulio Petrelli (guard), Mike Giftopoulos (running back), Don Burns (wide receiver), Andy Katz (place kicker), Boyd Young (defensive lineman), Keevin Louks (linebacker), Mike Gallagher (defensive back), Peter Huber (defensive back)
Team Roster:
#11 Yvan Granger (QB), #12 Brian Towers (DB), #13 Rick Zmich (QB), #15 Winston Beausoleil (DB), #16 Dan Wolfenden (DB), #17 Peter Pleckaitis (DB), #18 Don Burns (REC), #20 Mike Gallagher (DB), #21 Peter Huber (DB), #22 Mike Giftopoulos (HB), #23 Joel Baldwin (SB), #24 Rob Tallyhoe (DB), #25 Paul McLaughlin (SE), #30 Jim Iafelice (LB), #31 Chris Spratt (FL), #32 Kevin McAllister (HB), #35 Brock Bundy (FB), #40 Robin Stafford (LB), #41 Paul Timler (LB), #44 Mike Reid (C), #45 Bernie Jolette (LB), #50 Brent Walker (OT), #51 Keevin Loucks (LB), #52 Gulio Petrilli (OG), #55 Brian Mullally (LB), #59 Nick Georgitsos (DT), #60 Dave Upton (OT), #61 Boyd Young (DT), #62 Guy Labine (OT), #65 Warner Miles (OT), #66 John Hennessy (OT), #70 Doug Brown (SB), #71 Andy Katz (KP), #72 Jim Redfearn (DE), # 73 Andre Laroque (DE), #75 Craig Walker (TE), #77 Dave Pagnutti (DE)
Coaches and staff:
Cam Innes (head coach), Jim Clark (defensive coordinator), Jim Colton (offensive coordinator), Julian Hanlon, Hugh Gallagher, Conrad Kozak, Jamie Barresi
1980 OQIFC regular season statistics | Ottawa only statistics | Photo Gallery