In one of the most stunning upsets of the 2017 OUA football season, the upstart Waterloo Warriors marched into Ottawa and claimed a heart-stopping victory over the Carleton Ravens. One year later, the Ravens returned the favour in equally dramatic fashion.
Mike Domagala's 22-yard field goal with 8 seconds left on the clock was the difference, as the seventh-ranked Ravens squeaked out a 21-18 victory over the Warriors at the annual Black and Gold day game on Saturday afternoon at Warrior Field.
The Carleton victory overshadowed a furious fourth-quarter comeback from Waterloo, who scored 15 straight points in the final stanza to knot the game at 18-18. The Warriors were once again led by the outstanding play of quarterback Tre Ford (Niagara Falls/), who completed 29 of 39 passes for 321 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while adding 104 yards rushing. Gordon Lam (Kitchener/) also had a big day for Waterloo, making 8 catches for 122 yards, while Mitch Kernick (Elmira/) added 9 receptions for 98 yards.
Mike Arruda was not quite as efficient, but just as effective for the Ravens – the second-year pivot completed 16 of 28 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns of his own. His most dangerous target on the day was Dominic Walker, who hauled in 5 passes for 130 yards and a pair of scores, including a 95-yard pass-and-catch in the third quarter.
The Arruda-Walker combination was dangerous right out of the gate, as the two hooked up for an 11-yard touchdown just over two minutes into the first quarter. But both defenses dug in after that, and Carleton carried an 8-0 lead through 15 minutes of play.
The Warriors were able to move the ball as the first half wore on, but they weren't able to turn their drives into touchdowns – young kicker Mike Bushell (London/) missed field goals of 26 and 28 yards, instead settling for singles both times. After another single point on an onside punt attempt from Ford, the Warriors trailed 8-3 at halftime.
When play resumed, the Ravens took advantage of some Waterloo turnovers in the third quarter to widen their lead. After Ford's electric scramble on a third down play ended with a lost fumble, Arruda hooked up with walker on a 95-yard bomb down the right sideline to make the score 15-3. Then, on the ensuing kickoff return, Tyler Ternowski (Hamilton/) was stripped of the ball, leading to a 21-yard field goal from Domagala.
But the Warriors offense, which outgained Carleton 490 yards to 346 yards on the day, finally converted ball movement and time of possession into points early in the fourth quarter. Brandon Metz (Cambridge/) earned the hosts their first touchdown on the day, as his 1-yard catch capped off a 10-play, 101-yard drive that made the score 18-10 for the Ravens. Then, with under 7 minutes to play, Ternowski hauled in a 5-yard screen from Ford for his nation-leading seventh touchdown catch of the year. The Warriors went for two and the tie, and Ford's scrambling ability enabled Kernick to get open in the back of the endzone, knotting the score at 18-18.
Each defense made big stops in the following possessions, but the Ravens were able to get the ball back and methodically work their way into field goal range as the clock ticked down. Domagala made no mistake from 22 yards, and the Warriors were unable to complete a miracle lateral series on the game's final play.
The loss drops Waterloo to 2-1, while the victory improves Carleton's record to that same 2-1 mark. The Warriors will now turn their attention to another of Canada's top teams, as they'll travel down University Avenue to face the Laurier Golden Hawks in the Battle of Waterloo. Kickoff at University Stadium is slated for 1pm on Saturday, September 15.
