The Carleton Ravens football team dominated the University of Toronto (U of T) Varsity Blues 43-0 at MNP Park on Oct. 14.
The game was a must win for the Ravens who currently sit in seventh place in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) with a record of 3-4 and are in a battle for one of the final two playoff spots.
The Ravens started off strong as running back Nathan Carter put the team on the board four minutes into the first quarter when he scored a touchdown on a 14-yard dash to the end zone. Ravens kicker Michael Domagala followed that up with a successful kick which sent the ball flying through the uprights to give Carleton a 7-0 lead.
Five minutes before the end of the first quarter, Domagala attempted a 21-yard field goal and was successful in getting the Ravens another three points.
Before the Varsity Blues could escape the first quarter, Ravens defensive end Kene Onyeka sacked Varsity Blues quarterback Clay Sequeira in the end zone which led to a Toronto safety, giving the Ravens a 12-0 lead going into the second quarter.
Five minutes into the second quarter, Carter made a long 81-yard rush resulting in his second touchdown of the game, which was followed by Domagala’s successful kick, putting the Ravens up 19-0.
Only two minutes later the Ravens continued their offensive domination as quarterback Michael Arruda made a 10-yard touchdown pass to receiver Phil Iloki who was in the end zone. Domagala then followed that up with his kick sailing through the uprights to give Carleton a 26-0 lead.
Carter’s third touchdown of the game came 13 minutes into the second quarter when Ravens safety Jay Dearborn intercepted Sequeira’s pass and allowed Carleton to take possession of the ball. Carter then made a three-yard run into the end zone and with another successful Domagala kick, the Ravens were up 33-0.
With less than a minute to play in the first half, Arruda made a 36-yard touchdown pass to Ravens wide receiver Kyle Van Wynsberghe who scored a touchdown, with another successful kick putting the Ravens up 40-0 before the end of the first half.
The Ravens came out in the second half and locked down defensively, not allowing for the Varsity Blue’s to gain any points. Domagala was able to continue his kicking dominance as he made a field goal from 46-yards out.
Late in the third, the Ravens forced U of T to concede another safety to bring their lead to 43-0, which would be the final score of the game.
“I feel good. We needed the win and the guys came through and played really well and I’m proud of them,” head coach Steve Sumarah said.
Carter was able to run for a total of 183 yards, putting his season total at 1,028, making him the fourth Raven in history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.
Carter joins Jayde Rowe (2016), Jahvari Bennett (2015), and Mark Brown (1985) as the only Ravens players to break the 1,000-yard barrier.
Carter also leads the OUA in rushing yards per game with 146.9.
“Well I think the big thing is we needed this game, we got it, and I thought we did some good things on offence and defence and just keeping our guys focused and playing hard,” Sumarah said about heading into the next game.
The Ravens next game will be against the Guelph Gryphons who along with the Ravens are locked in a heated battle for fifth and sixth place in the OUA. The Ravens will need to come out with a win against the Gryphons to finish the season with a record of 4-4, which will put them into a tie with the Gryphons, the Waterloo Warriors and potentially the Queen’s Gaels for the last two playoff spots. The tie would be favourable for the Ravens who would then have beat the Gryphons and Gaels in regular season.
The Ravens kick-off against Guelph on Oct. 21 at MNP Park to determine their playoff fate.
