A strong defence helped the Carleton Ravens football team end their three-game losing streak, as they defeated the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 29-19.
After a disappointing homecoming loss the previous weekend, the Ravens returned to MNP Park on Sept. 28, where they fought through wet and rainy conditions, to come out on top.
Head coach Steve Sumarah said despite the Ravens’ successful performance, the team has a lot of work to do as they head into the next game.
“I thought we showed flashes of doing some really good things, but the reality is that we need to keep getting better and better every week.”
– Head coach Steve Sumarah
“If we want to go to where we hope to get to, every week is going to take a next step.”
The Ravens started strong in the first quarter with two touchdowns.
Tanner DeJong scored on the first drive of the game and just over four minutes later, Nathan Carter got the second. The team finished the first quarter with a 14-0 lead.
But the opponents weren’t going to give up easily, and their offence came on the counter-attack in the second.
Nolan Lovegrove scored U of T’s first touchdown of the game half-way through the quarter, but Carleton proved tough to get past after that point.
Carleton ended the half with a U of T safety, making the score 16-7 for the Ravens.
The only points in the third quarter came from a successful 23-yard field goal attempt from Carleton’s Kieran Flannery-Fleck, extending the Ravens’ lead to 19-7.
The scoring drought continued for both teams until late in the fourth.
Carter scored his second touchdown of the game, giving the Ravens a dominant 26-7 lead, but Toronto stuck back less than a minute later, as Will Corby ran to the end zone from 54 yards out. The Varsity Blues failed to convert and had to settle for six points.
The Ravens replied with a drive that started on the Varsity Blues’ 41-yard line, and ended up extending their lead to 29-13.
Toronto crossed the line for a consolation touchdown with 30-seconds left, making the final score 29-19.
Following the victory, Sumarah had a big smile on his face as he celebrated with his players in the post-game huddle.
He said that the defence was effective in stopping U of T’s offence.
“We did a really good job of limiting their pass attack,” he said. “Those guys throw the ball well, and I think we did a really good job of containing that.”
The Ravens defence managed to sack Varsity Blues quarterback Clay Sequeira five times during the game, two of which came from linebacker Jack Cassar.
“We showed a different scheme this week, so I think they were a little startled on offence,” Cassar said. “We came firing while we were blitzing and paid off with some of those sacks.”
Carleton’s next game is a sold-out Panda Game against the University of Ottawa at TD Place on Oct. 5.
Cassar said he’s looking forward to playing in front of a sold-out crowd, but that the team needs to be focused on winning.
“Panda is one of the biggest games in U Sports, so we’re looking forward to that and the high attendance, but at the same time, we gotta treat it like any other game,” he said.
Feature image by Tim Austen.
