Despite a valiant effort, the Carleton Ravens football team had no answer to the Queen’s Gaels offence firing on all cylinders at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ont., on Sept. 17.
With a lopsided final score of 49-17, the game was all offence for both teams as they combined for a whopping 1,078 total yards, with only 165 yards forfeited on penalties between the two.
Even with a one-sided finale, the game felt much closer than the scoreboard indicated.
The game began with back-and-forth action, with the Ravens scoring a single on the opening kickoff and the Gaels scoring a touchdown on their opening drive that required only two plays.
Gaels quarterback James Keenan found wide-receiver Richard Burton for a near 20-yard reception that pushed them past the halfway line. This momentum was capped off when Keenan connected with Nicodeme Kwemo for 42 yards, resulting in a touchdown.
“[The Gaels] won the line of scrimmage with the run, and we’ve got to be more disciplined with taking that away from teams, making teams more one-dimensional,” said Ravens head coach Corey Grant.
In retaliation on Carleton’s second possession, Ravens quarterback Tanner DeJong connected with wide-receiver Kerwin Guiste for a reception that was more than 50 yards, putting them in close proximity with the Gaels’ redzone.
However, the Ravens could not finish the drive with a touchdown, resulting in a field goal making the score 7-4 within the first five minutes.
The Ravens wouldn’t be able to find the scoreboard again for the rest of the first quarter, despite their strong start.
In the second quarter, the Ravens once again found the end zone when DeJong connected with wide-receiver Nicolas Cerquozzi for a 40-yard touchdown, ending the half with a score of 35-11.
The second half saw less action. The Ravens would only score six more points from a rushing touchdown by running back Joshua Ferguson. Carleton would attempt a two-point conversion that was overruled the first time due to a penalty and the Ravens failed on their second try.
DeJong ended the game with one touchdown, two interceptions and 375 yards. Grant said he believes the team’s loss is all part of the team’s journey as they evaluate themselves and continue to improve.
“We’re going to go look at ourselves, it’s about us and our journey,” Grant said. “We’ll watch the film and we’ll be critical about it … Are we putting the players in a position to be successful? And if we’re not, then why and what can we do to make sure that they are being successful.”
The Ravens will play the University of Waterloo Warriors on Oct. 15.
Featured image by Spencer Colby.
