In a thrilling finish to a back-and-forth battle, the Carleton Ravens football team defeated the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 27-24 after a last-second game-winning field goal from Brandon Forcier.
Forcier said his mentality is the same for every kick and he gave credit to his teammates for calming him down.
“Just do the same thing as every other kick. Every [point after touchdown], every single field goal, I’ve done this year is the same thing,” Forcier said.
After a tough 19-17 loss against the uOttawa Gee-Gees in last week’s Panda Game, the Ravens needed to rebound with a win in their final home game to keep their playoff hopes alive. They delivered, evening their season record at 2-2.
Head coach Steve Sumarah said last week’s loss was difficult, especially after losing a one-point lead with one minute left on a field goal from Gee-Gees kicker Campbell Fair.
“We learned last week that it’s sometimes a hard lesson to learn how to close out a game,” Sumarah said. “This week, we grew from that moment and we were able to do it. It’s exciting for these guys. They’ve worked hard and they earned it.”
The Ravens played an excellent game on both sides of the ball. On defense, they were physical, put pressure on the Varsity Blues quarterback and played great coverage, taking away the deep ball.
On offense, the run game thrived behind a 109-yard and one touchdown performance by fifth-year running back Nathan Carter. Carter, who broke the all-time Carleton record for rushing yards at Panda, is one touchdown away from tying the all-time Carleton rushing touchdown record.
The Ravens’ run game opened up the passing game for rookie quarterback Reid Vankoughnett, who threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns. He looked strong after starting his university career at the Panda Game, when he was inserted in the lineup due to starting quarterback Tanner DeJong’s season-ending ankle injury.
Some parts of the offense have changed with a new quarterback at the helm, but Sumarah said he believes the core principles are still intact and commended Vankoughnett for his performance.
“This is [Vankoughnett’s] second start. I thought he showed a lot of poise and a lot of composure and I was very proud of him,” Sumarah said.
Wide receiver Keaton Bruggeling, who was another key factor in the Carleton win, echoed Sumarah’s praise.
“Reid’s the man. Reid came in and he was slinging it,” Bruggeling said.
After a perfect opening drive touchdown run by Carter to put the Ravens up 7-0, the Varsity Blues responded with a meticulous drive of their own to tie the game up 7-7.
In the second quarter, both offenses sputtered and two-and-outs were common. Both defenses stepped up and limited big plays downfield.
After both teams exchanged field goals and a missed field goal single from Toronto, the Varsity Blues took an 11-10 halftime lead.
The Varsity Blues started the second half strong. What looked to be another two-and-out for the Ravens’ defense turned into a 31-yard runoff of a fake punt by Christopher MacLean. The drive ended in a rushing touchdown from Toronto quarterback Clay Sequeira to extend their lead to 18-10.
Sumarah said dealing with adversity is nothing new to his team—especially with all their injuries as of late—and their second half deficit was no different.
“These kids are resilient. They battled and when it didn’t look good, they still found another gear,” Sumarah said. “This is a group of kids who believe in themselves, believe in each other. We knew as the season went on that we would face challenges and they just seemed to continue to fight through them.”
The Ravens responded with their own touchdown drive, capped off by a 23-yard catch by receiver Bruggeling to cut the Varsity Blues’ lead to one point.
After Bruggeling’s catch, the Ravens took hold of the momentum and never looked back. Bruggeling said it meant everything to make a play like that in a big moment.
“In a game like this, everyone needs to contribute,” Bruggeling said. “Anytime we can do anything to flip that energy, keep that energy in our favour, it’s essential for us.”
With less than two minutes left and the game tied at 24, the Ravens offense calmly drove down the field to set up a 21-yard field goal from Forcier, which was the game-winner.
With two games left in the season, the Ravens now sit second in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East division behind the Queen’s University Gaels, who sport a perfect 4-0 record. The top four teams in each division make the playoffs. If the Ravens hope to win the East, they will need to beat a talented Gaels team on the road next weekend.
“Queen’s has been exceptional. They’ve played mistake-free football,” Sumarah said.
But the bottom line for the Ravens is to make the playoffs. Bruggeling said the team’s mentality on making it there is simple.
“Win out, it doesn’t matter. Win out, simple. The job is not finished,” Bruggeling said.
Featured image by Spencer Colby.
