The HamMER in THE ROYAL CITY
Anthony Moretuzzo got his first taste of football as a young kid growing up in Hamilton. The U of G rookie, one of seven first-year players from the Steel City, would go to Ti-Cat games with his Nonno and just bask in the atmosphere created by the dedicated Canadian Football League fans with the town’s trademark industrial smokestacks providing the backdrop at the north-end stadium. Moretuzzo didn’t know the details of the game at that point in his young life but it gave him the foundation for a journey that would eventually lead to Guelph.
In his freshman year at renowned high school Cardinal Newman, Moretuzzo returned a pick for a touchdown in front of a massive Homecoming crowd. That was the first of many memorable on-field moments in a community where the game has meant so much historically.
“It was extremely motivating to know that your home games would have upward of 1,000 screaming fans rooting for you,” Moretuzzo says of game days at Cardinal Newman. “There’s something that gets passed on in the city of Hamilton where the fans have nothing but passionate support for their local teams, on every level.
“It’s a humbling experience because you know there are parents, teachers, and coaches who pour their hearts into these programs.”
These football roots developed in the grizzled city down highway 6 should serve Moretuzzo and his fellow Hamiltonians well as members of Gryphon Football. Head coach Ryan Sheahan and his staff looked at the Hammer when building the next generation of players to battle in the red, black, and gold – and the results were incredible. In addition to the standout defensive back Moretuzzo, Daniel Hocevar (offensive lineman, Bishop Ryan), Ethan Monaghan (safety, St. Thomas More), Josh Munoz (running back, St. Thomas More), Kobi Ofuokwu (linebacker, St. Thomas More), Ryan Ogilvie (receiver, Cardinal Newman), and Zachary Powell (running back, Cathedral) all saw something special in the U of G program.
“Guelph had the most family-oriented environment,” Hocevar says of his decision. “I knew almost every coach on the team when I was getting recruited and would text with Coach Sheahan and Coach (Mike) MacDonald to just chat about anything. Most schools had a ‘business-first’ vibe where they wanted the best players but didn’t care about the actual people. Guelph was the most welcoming school of all of them and clearly had a future that I wanted to be part of.”
“What swayed me towards Guelph first was the diversity I saw in the locker room,” adds Ofuokwu, who is coming from a St. Thomas More program that won four consecutive city championships. “It was a team with many backgrounds, who all connected as one, which reminded me of my high school experience. The coaching staff is reflected in the same way, with impressive backgrounds and a winning culture.
“The facilities and fans were a bonus. If you want the best Canadian football experience, I don’t see any other school topping Guelph.”
Powell echoes the feelings of his new teammates. He was drawn to the environment at Gryphon Football and admits he felt part of the team before he even committed.
“The players were welcoming and cool to be around,” says Powell. “And the coaches were just as supportive.
“Outside of football, I got to attend the Frosty Mug game (at the Sleeman Centre) and felt the support and energy of the city. It was a community and bigger than football. I wanted to experience something new and felt that I would be part of something special if I went to Guelph.”
The unfortunate part for the Hamilton Seven, as well as every Gryphon Football player, is that their careers remain on hold. The pandemic has been a challenge for everyone but it is particularly difficult for first-year student athletes trying to keep on top of online classes, assignments, workout regimens, and regular communication with coaches.
“The pandemic has affected many people and teams in different ways,” says Munoz. “University football is a whole lot different than high school football. It’s a faster pace and I want to be able to compete with the best next year. I’m training at home to the best of my ability and school can be hard with virtual classes. But I have stayed motivated thinking about my future and how I want to be successful.”
“We were given a daily run/lift program, which really helped me focus on the little things about my body,” adds Ogilvie. “We were able to get together and practice. Being a first-year student, I was excited to get together as a team in whatever capacity we could to meet and get to know my teammates. It has really been a great semester through this experience and finally get my football fix.”
Hocevar admits football is not the main priority at the moment, despite doing his best to stay ready. He credits the coaches for being understanding of the unique situation all young students face.
“It’s been hard, I guess, but I really don’t know what the norms because for me, this is my normal,” Hocevar says. “I wake up, go to Zoom classes, do homework, work out, repeat. I’ve stayed hungry by playing my game-day music when I work out. I attack them like game days now, I plan them out and get hyped up mentally for them throughout the day.”
Though they can’t play competitive games this year, many of the rookies have stayed engaged through following their NFL teams, participating in hard-core fantasy leagues, listening to podcasts, watching television, and any other way they can to get a dose of the game they love. Each of them looks forward to playing their first game as Gryphons. It will be that much more special when these players, who have been teammates and opponents back in Hamilton, take the field together after sharing so many different experiences over their high school careers.
“It is actually pretty cool,” says Ofuokwu. “Every Friday, when it was More versus Newman, it was always the game to be at. You knew it was the two best teams going at it and although the rivalry was fierce and competitive, I always had the utmost respect for guys like Moretuzzo and Ogilvie, who I now get to work towards winning a championship with. It feels like the Guelph link up was meant to be.”
“It’s a great feeling playing with each other again, especially the guys I went against in high school and rep football,” adds Munoz, a member of More’s national championship-winning squad in 2018. “It will allow me to create closer bonds knowing they will be my brothers for the next four or five years.”
Hocevar initially thought it was a “little weird” knowing he would be playing with old opponents.
“After a while, that went away,” he says. “You start to realize that you all have the same goal. And that’s when old high-school feuds and rivalries get set aside.”
Moretuzzo remembers getting asked ‘what are you looking for in a program?’ He always answered, ‘the people,’ noting that he wanted to go to a university where everyone cared for each other. That feeling already exists at Guelph but the injection of Hamilton players who were raised in a football town and are so familiar with each other can only add to that chemistry.
“All of us have played each other throughout high school,” Moretuzzo says. “Newman, Cathedral, Bishop Ryan, and St. Thomas More all have intense all have intense rivalries and we have grown to respect each other over the years. Even some of the guys on the active roster like Spencer Kennedy, Kristian Stewart, and Yusuf Alkhaldi, I have known and played against in Newman-More battles. Zach and I played basketball against each other and Kristian and I played hockey against each other.”
These ties played a role in getting some of the rookies to Guelph. Ogilvie says it was a huge plus knowing friends from his hometown were going to be Gryphons. It made the future that much more attractive.
“Coming together with my Hamilton brothers has been awesome,” he says. “Knowing that you already have a bond and what everyone is capable of has allowed us to push each other to be the best players we can be.
“I believe we’re just getting started. We will hold each other accountable for the next few years of our lives until we get that trophy. Nothing less.”
Written By: David DiCenzo