TSN host James Duthie provided the coin toss, the 3,000 fans in attendance provided the noise, and the Carleton Ravens football team provided the live fireworks for their homecoming game Oct. 18 against the University of Windsor Lancers.
Coming off a 44-24 loss to the University of Guelph Gryphons, the Ravens defense showed signs of strength early on against the 5-1 Lancers.
Ravens head coach Steve Sumarah said his team responded well to the Lancers’ attacks, even though their offence struggled early in the game.
“We tried to replicate what they did all week, so when we went into the game we weren’t surprised,” he said.
After a series of penalties the Lancers found success, with quarterback Austin Kennedy finding Beau Lumley for a 43-yard touchdown pass to make it 9-3 in the first quarter, but that would be Kennedy’s only touchdown pass of the game.
“Austin Kennedy is a one-of-a kind but our defense kept him in check,” Ravens quarterback Nick Gorgichuk said.
After a defensive battle for much of the second quarter, the Ravens responded by blocking a Lancers punt, which was picked up by Ravens receiver Nate Behar at the one-yard line and walked in for a touchdown, tying the score at 12. The Ravens would add another safety and went up by two points going into the half against the powerhouse Lancers.
In the second half Jesse Mills entered the game in replacement of Gorgichuk, who threw for just 45 yards and no touchdowns, but ultimately it was the ground game that broke it wide open when running back Jahvari Bennett scampered for 75 yards to make it 21-16 for the Ravens.
Sumarah said the third quarter push back was what his team needed.
“We talk about this being the quarter that we needed to come out in, and we knew we needed to maintain the ball as best we could,” said Sumarah.
Following the big play, the Ravens suffered some unpopular penalty calls through the final two quarters that led to angry fans at Keith Harris Stadium, and gave Kennedy and the Lancers a late chance to come back.
After an unsuccessful drive with under a minute to go in the fourth quarter, the Ravens took a safety bringing the game within three points at 21-18. On the subsequent drive, the Lancers marched 50 yards down the field within field goal range.
Lancers kicker Anthony Malandruccolo, who had already missed a field goal earlier in the game, missed on the 44-yard field goal attempt with no time on the clock, giving the Ravens the victory.
Sumarah said while their offence wasn’t clicking the whole game, they found a way to stop the Lancers’ forward momentum.
“We had to find a few holes in there, and we got a couple big plays. Sometimes that’s what it takes, they shut down our consistent offence but we found a way,” he said.
Behar said the homecoming atmosphere, especially at the end, was electric.
“These are the best fans in the entire country. They were screaming for an entire three minutes for us just trying to stop that team,” he said.
Not only did the Ravens put on a show for the Carleton faithful, they also kept their playoff hopes alive, now with a record of 4-3.
Should the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees fall Oct. 25 to the 7-0 McMaster University Marauders, the Ravens will have the tiebreaker over them and make the OUA playoffs.
The Ravens host their final game of the season Oct. 25 against the Queen’s Golden Gaels.
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