OTTAWA — The Carleton Ravens didn’t have much business being in the Panda Game, but they were.
A record-tying 129-yard touchdown by Tunde Adeleke on the return of a missed field goal attempt got the Ravens within four points of the Ottawa Gee-Gees, at 14-10, midway through the second quarter.
That was all the Gee-Gees were willing to grant the Ravens, though. A drive capped by a seven-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Colbon to Andrew Mullings extended that lead just before halftime, and Ottawa’s defence did the rest, shutting down Carleton’s offence in what turned out to be a 35-10 victory in the Ontario University Athletics game at U of O’s Lees Avenue stadium on Saturday.
“It’s awesome having this rivalry in the city back,” said Colbon, a quarterback in his fifth and final university football season, but, just like every other player on the field, a Panda Game novice because it was the first such contest since 1998. That was when Carleton dropped football for financial reasons, and it was only this year, following a $5-million fundraising effort, that the Ravens were back on the football field.
“It’s great for the city, it’s great for the fans, it’s great for the two teams, Ottawa and Carleton, to have this healthy rivalry back,” Colbon added. “There’s just so much tradition behind this game. I feel honoured to have a chance to play in it.”
Tradition was fine, but there was a touch of revenge in the voice of receiver Simon Le Marquand, too.
“There that was a lot of emotion in that game. It’s personal,” Le Marquand, another fifth-year player, said in reference to the Ravens’ hiring away former Gee-Gees head coach J.P. Asselin (as offensive co-ordinator), offensive co-ordinator Chris Coulson (offensive line coach), defensive co-ordinator Sean Hall (defensive backs), video and quality control coach Chris Brzozowski (running backs) and even a former Ottawa quarterback Josh Sacobie (receivers).
“They took our coaching staff, and we remember when they left and we were left behind by ourselves. That was our motivation (Saturday).”
Le Marquand used his motivation to turn his two catches into touchdowns of 18 and six yards on throws from Colbon, who also made the short, but key scoring toss to Mullings and also ran eight yards on a quarterback draw for a touchdown in the third quarter.
Ottawa’s other score came early on a one-yard plunge by Brendan Gillanders, whose biggest contribution on the drive was to pick up a fumble by Colbon, who had been sacked on the second play from scrimmage, and to rumble for 30 yards.
The Ravens got on the scoreboard following an interception by Nathaniel Hamlin. Their offence stalled at the 10-yard line, but Andrew Banerjee made a 17-yard field goal to make the score 14-3.
Then came the stunning touchdown by Adeleke, whose return on a miss by Lewis Ward tied the Canadian Interuniversity Sport record and was only the third such feat.
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Adeleke’s interception came on what could only be described as a gadget play by the Gee-Gees. On second-and-goal from the one-yard line, Colbon took the snap, turned away from the line of scrimmage as if to hand the ball to a running back, but then flipped the ball back over his head and into the end-zone. It was easily caught by Adeleke.
Gee-Gees head coach Jamie Barresi said it had been his call.
“I’ve seen it work,” he said, “and it was something I promised our players we would do.”
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Ottawa racked up 356 yards rushing, including 164 by Gillanders on 17 carries, and another 316 yards passing. Colbon, playing with a bandaged right thumb that had been dislocated two weeks earlier, was 21-for-29 for 295 yards and those three touchdowns, but he was also sacked four times.
Carleton had just 91 yards net rushing, which was actually two yards less than the total produced by Kwasi Gyamfi-Adusei. Quarterback Jesse Mills passed 13-for-23 for 154 yards, and he was sacked twice.
The capacity crowd of approximately 4,200 included more than 20 former Gee-Gees and Ravens who played in the first Panda Game in 1955 — Carleton won that one 14-6 — and one streaker, who jumped over a barrier near the U of O student section and ran the length of the field before being caught by security personnel.
This was a great event. It was my first time at the new field and thought the facility was great and easy to find.The Citizen had another article, by Don Campbell, which made the point that the Panda Game was about football and not the frenzy. I couldn't agree more. The crowd at my end (about the 25 yard line on the Gee-Gees side) was crazy loud but they weren't more preoccupied with displaying how wasted they were than with the game.
A year or two ago, I had a guy fall on me from a couple of rows up during the Gee-Gees home opener. Police presence increased throughout the day because of fighting, etc. There was none of that this time around. This Panda crowd could have given lessons on how to have fun at a game without ruining it for anyone else. A streaker? Big damn deal.
On the field, Adeleke's field goal return alone was worth the price of admission. Aside from how spectacular the play was in terms of effort, it kept the game close until the Gee-Gees score at the end of the first half made it seem like Carleton might struggle to get back into it.
As far as the blind backwards pass goes...wow. Gee-Gees Head Coach Jamie Barresi says that it was not done for the sake of gamesmanship but it's difficult to imagine the Gee-Gees pulling a stunt like that against Western. But then I read Le Marquand's comments about the players feeling left behind by departing coaches and I find it hard to not sympathise with their possible urge to raise a middle finger. Ultimately, I'm a little torn.
What I do know is that this is the kind of thing that makes rivalries great.
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