The Carleton Ravens football team made a big off-season splash by adding 30 new players to its roster.
“This was the turnaround from our first year, so adding this many players is a little more than usual,” Steve Sumarah, the head coach of the Ravens men’s football team, said.
Recently, veteran Ravens Justin Howell, KC Baker, and Kene Onyeka were drafted to the Canadian Football League.
“A lot of the reason why the guys come is because they saw the opportunity that those guys (Onyeka, Baker, Howell) had, and they see themselves four years down the road doing the same,” Sumarah said.
When the Ravens football team was revived in 2013, the team was not close to being a contender to make the playoffs. Two years ago, they made the playoffs, and beat the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the first round, before losing to the Western Mustangs.
This was not the case last year, as the Ravens had a rough start to the season, losing their first two games by less than three points. Last year, the Ravens did not make it to the playoffs again.
“There is usually five or six plays in a football game that determine the outcome of the game. For us, last year in most of the games, those five or six plays did not go our way,” Sumarah said.
The Ravens look to bounce back this year, and are looking to have a strong season like they did two years ago.
Top new recruits for the team include linebacker Louis Cavanagh, offensive lineman Mathew Goodall, and running back and receiver Jalen Jana.
“Our expectations are definitely to make the playoffs. Last year was one of those frustrating years where a lot of things could have gone well, and didn’t,” Sumarah said.
The Ravens are working to get back into playoff contention as they begin their pre-season on Aug. 18 against the Montreal Carabins.
Photo by Aaron Hemens
