In an impressive showing on all sides of the ball, the Carleton Ravens football team dominated the visiting Windsor Lancers 24-7 on Sept. 24.
It was a turnaround from their previous game. Carleton corrected its mistakes, made adjustments and the players’ attitudes were positively different.
The Lancers came into the game with two big wins against Guelph and Toronto. But a strong start from the Ravens meant they were able to find the endzone on their first drive of the game.
A face-mask penalty and a reception greater than 25-yards from Kaseem Ferdinand would see the Ravens past the half-way line. The drive was eventually finished by running back Joshua Ferguson who drove the ball into the endzone to give Carleton the lead less than five minutes into the game.
Later in the first quarter, the Ravens extended their lead with critical pick-six by starting defensive back Othman Brahm, who shifted the momentum in their favour. The pick-six, coupled with a single and a safety for the Ravens, closed out the first quarter 17-0.
Neither team saw the endzone again until the third quarter when the Lancers tried to mount a late comeback. Windsor started running back Joey Zorn who rushed in for the team’s lone touchdown.
However, Carleton stretched their lead to 17 again when quarterback Tanner DeJong found wide-receiver Harvey Mafuta for what seemed to be a short gain of yards. After breaking the first tackle, Mafuta took the ball 47 yards to score.
While the scoring halted for the rest of the game, it was a defensive masterclass for the Ravens who forced opposition fumbles, made blocked passes, two interceptions and blocked a punt.
According to Brahm, the Raven’s defence came into the game with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove.
“I think [the pick-six] was important for us [on defence] and knowing what we had to prove this week, big plays like that really help bring the morale up,” Brahm said.
Brahm went on to explain communication between the players is key to remaining focused.
“At the end of the day, we’re all human,” Brahm said. “We need to have conversations when we’re in the locker room to make sure we get better when we are on the field and make sure we are all comfortable with each other.”
Ravens head coach Corey Grant emphasized a constant theme from week to week: no matter the result, everything is a part of the journey. It’s about leaving the past in the past and focusing on the next game as the Ravens continue to improve.
The Ravens will take on the University of Waterloo Warriors on Oct. 15, looking to bounce back from a devastating Panda Game lost last week.
Featured image by L. Manuel Baechlin.
