Ravens Sports Info (Photo: Brandon VandeCaveye/ Western Mustangs)
London, Ont. (Sept. 7, 2024) - The Carleton Ravens were on the receiving end of a difficult loss Saturday evening losing 52-21 to the Western Mustangs.
The powerhouse Mustangs were at full gallop early in the contest returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown before forcing a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and taking over in prime field position. Western then took advantage of an unnecessary roughness penalty to take a two-score lead in the opening minute.
Carleton found themselves behind 21-0 before they got their feet on the ground. Down three scores, the Ravens started to see some consistency build between Elijah Barnes (Ancaster, Ont.) and Tristan Ready (Arnprior, Ont.). Barnes and his top target would combine for eight receptions and 121 yards in a game that was otherwise mired by dropped passes and fumbles.
Tristan Rinaldis (Montreal, Que.) capped off a 79-yard drive to put the Ravens on the board. His one-yard plunge marked his first touchdown of the season.
The Ravens would cut the lead to seven early in the second quarter when Barnes found Ben Huckabone (Pembroke, Ont.) for a 4-yard touchdown. Unfortunately for the Ravens, the half wouldn't end that close. The Mustangs would punish the Ravens for a short out-of-bounds punt late in the quarter before good field positioning in the final seconds of the half into a short field goal to lead 31-14.
The Ravens got off on the wrong foot again in the second half. After a short Carleton possession, the Mustangs would drive 56 yards in 7 players over just under three-and-a-half minutes for a Keon Edwards major. Edwards would plow through on a 2-yard run to finish off the quarter putting the Ravens in a major hole.
With the fourth quarter mostly handed over to second and third-team players, both teams traded touchdowns with Matthew Morin (Lloydminster, SK) plunging in for a 1-yard touchdown to final record his first of the season. The Ravens' lead runner has now amassed 219 yards and was the last back in the OUA over 180 yards without a touchdown.
