The Carleton Ravens football team beat the McMaster University Marauders 24-18 in their opening game of the fall 2022 season. The Ravens strong defensive display, alongside a thriving second-half offence, made for a game of record-breaking moments at TAAG Park on Aug. 27.
Both teams struggled to get on the scoresheet early on. Defensive lineman Shaiheem Charles-Brown pulled off a solid sack on McMaster quarterback Andreas Dueck, pushing the Marauders back several yards. Charles-Brown got four sacks on the day, breaking the record for most single-game sacks in Carleton history and earning him the OUA Defensive Player of the Week.
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Head coach Corey Grant praised his defence but said everyone played their part.
“I thought they did a great job,” Grant said. “Alex [Lothian], the defensive co-ordinator, put them in good situations to be successful.”
The Ravens then aimed to use their defence as offence when they sacked Dueck in the Marauders’ endzone for a safety, giving the Ravens an early two-point lead.
McMaster’s special teams would find a way to get the Marauders offence going and get points on the board. A poorly-kicked punt from Carleton was received by McMaster’s Jacob Patten, who flew past the Ravens, for a 53-yard punt return.
The Ravens’ offence picked up momentum before the half closed out.
A long throw from Ravens quarterback Tanner DeJong was received by Kaseem Ferdinand near the stands. The catch energized the crowd and seemed to spark more life into the Ravens’ offence. Moments later, running back Joshua Ferguson skipped past the Marauders’ defence on a well-executed Ravens drive.
Ferdinand and DeJong continued to work their magic by getting the Ravens within five yards of scoring range. The duo sealed off their hard work with a DeJong throw to a Ferdinand catch in the end zone, making the Ravens’ first touchdown of the season.
“He’s incredibly special—there’s something different about the way he moves when he has the ball and when he’s in space,” DeJong said about Ferdinand. “He’s fantastic and he’s only going to get so, so much better.”
At halftime, Carleton was down 13-8 despite their solid defence and the offence’s momentum. Nonetheless, the Ravens’ offence was in full force after the break.
Ferguson, who completed a pass from DeJong, went on a crucial run that gained the Ravens 32 yards and got them to the Marauders’ one-yard line. Carleton’s second quarterback Tristan Rinaldis would score a one-yard touchdown, followed by a Brandon Forcier field goal kick that gave Carleton a 15-13 lead.
The Ravens’ offence wasn’t finished yet. Ferguson went on a series of runs, the longest being an 18-yard rush that got the Ravens to the seven-yard line, followed by a seven-yard rush to score a touchdown, giving the Ravens a 24-18 lead.
De Jong gave Ferguson a lot of praise for his work ethic.
“He’s just a hard worker—every time he’s on the field, he earns his yards,” De Jong said. “They’re not easy and he gets hit hard a lot, but he’s a big body and he gives those hits out too.”
McMaster pushed hard to try and level the scoring but Carleton’s defence only pushed back harder. The Ravens made an error by leaving McMaster wide receiver unmarked, but Denny Ferdinand hunted back and poked the ball loose for a McMaster turnover that was recovered by fifth-year Ravens defensive back Danny McWhirter.
McMaster went on to add two more points in the fourth quarter but eventually fell 24-18 to Carleton.
“It was a big win,” Grant said. “Anytime you can play a team that is as well prepared as McMaster is, it’s good for us, for our program and our guys.”
Featured image by Marc Lafleur
