The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees are looking to defend Pedro against city rivals the Carleton University Ravens for the second year in a row and add to their win column as they push to make their fourth-straight Yates Cup playoffs.
The Gee-Gees, who hold a 3-2 regular-season record, sit one win ahead of the Ravens and had their three-game winning streak broken by the hands of the Guelph Gryphons in a 33-6 blowout on Sept. 28.
The Garnett and Grey are currently in position to qualify for the Yates Cup quarterfinals, sitting two points ahead of both the University of Toronto and Carleton in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) standings. Yet, the Gee-Gees also possess a defense that has 16 sacks and five interceptions on the season.
Here are some Gee-Gees players to look out for heading into this year’s Panda Game…
Ben Maracle – Quarterback – First-Year
Sophomore Sawyer Buettner opened the season as the Gee-Gees starting quarterback but has since been sidelined after sustaining an injury against the McMaster Marauders in the team’s home opener on Sept. 1. Red-shirt freshman Ben Maracle came in to relieve Buettner and has been the team’s starter ever since.
Maracle–who is projected to make his first career start against the Ravens–has 824 passing yards, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions through five games.
The first-year pivot has shown he can get it done on the ground as well with 92 rushing yards and one touchdown despite also having three fumbles. Consistency and accuracy, however, has been a problem for Maracle in the first half as he has completed only 67 of his 137 passing attempts.
The Tyendinaga, Ont., native is coming off a 233 yard, two-touchdown performance against the York Lions, and will be tasked with keeping turnovers to a minimum against a Ravens defense who only have two interceptions on defense through the season so far.
While this year could be Maracle’s Panda Game debut, the first-year starter also has the benefit of throwing to a reliable receiving corps led by Carter Matheson, Dylan St. Pierre, and Kalem Beaver who combined for all five of the Gee-Gees touchdowns against the Ravens in last year’s bout.
Reshaan Davis – Defensive End – Fourth-Year
Reshaan Davis, who is entering his fourth season as a Gee-Gee, has looked impressive throughout the season and is one of the conference’s premier defensive ends.
Through five games, Davis has recorded 19 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss (TFL), and is tied for seventh in the OUA with four sacks. With three games still left to play, Davis has already matched his previous career-best sack total which he set last season.
At six-foot-four and 243 lbs, he possesses a unique combination of speed and power moves which makes it difficult for offensive tackles to predict if he will rush from the inside or outside. And he will keep the Ravens offensive tackles on their heels throughout the game. The Oshawa, Ont., native had his best performance this season against the Laurier Golden Hawks on Sept. 14 when he earned five tackles, two TFL, and two sacks.
Partnered alongside fellow defensive linemen Tramayne Stephen–who has 17 tackles, sevenTFL, three sacks, and two forced fumbles respectively–the two will look to take control early against a Ravens offensive line which has given up an average of 3.8 sacks per game this season.
Carter Matheson – Wide Receiver – Fifth-Year
The ever-threatening Kalem Beaver will be a priority for the Ravens to contain due to his game-breaking speed and 128 receiving yard performance in last year’s matchup. However, fifth-year veteran and 2018 OUA first-team all-star Carter Matheson, is not one to be underestimated either.
The Kingston, Ont., native has been the Gee-Gees go-to receiver this season with a team-leading 24 receptions, 407 receiving yards, and is tied with Beaver for most receiving touchdowns at two each. Matheson is also eighth in the conference in average receiving yards per game with 81.4 yards and is sure to see a fair number of targets from Maracle.
The wide receiver opened up the season on fire by earning back-to-back 100+ receiving yards against Queen’s and the conference’s second-best passing defense against McMaster.
Much like last year’s game, Matheson’s six-foot-three and 210 lbs frame, strong hands, and ability to make tough catches in coverage will be a coveted asset in keeping the Gee-Gees offense on the field
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