OTTAWA (Sept. 21, 2024) - The Carleton Ravens suffered a heartbreaking 36-34 defeat against the McMaster Marauders Saturday evening. The game was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams trading leads. Despite a valiant effort, the Ravens fell just short in the final moments of the game when Elijah Barnes was picked off in the end zone.
The Ravens came out strong, seizing momentum early in the first quarter. Carleton capitalized on an 86-yard punt return by Tristan Ready, which swung the momentum in their favour after McMaster opened the scoring with a 1-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Keagan Hall. Ready's electrifying return put Carleton ahead 14-6 by the end of the first quarter. Ethan Rocha also found success on the ground, scoring on a 4-yard run to keep the Ravens ahead.
However, McMaster proved resilient, clawing their way back in the second quarter. The Marauders added a field goal and a safety, cutting into the Ravens’ lead and making it 17-12 at halftime. McMaster’s defence stiffened, making life difficult for Carleton quarterback Elijah Barnes, who otherwise had a solid game, completing crucial passes to keep the offence moving.
The third quarter saw McMaster take control of the game as Hall led a string of impressive drives. A 22-yard touchdown pass to Jackson Cooling and a subsequent field goal extended McMaster’s lead to 26-17, putting the Ravens in a difficult position. Carleton managed to respond with a field goal of their own, narrowing the deficit to 26-20, but McMaster’s offence continued to roll. Hall connected with Everett Reid and Jackson Taylor for big gains, and another touchdown pass pushed the score to 33-20 in favour of the Marauders.
Carleton showed their fighting spirit in the fourth quarter with the game slipping away. Rocha continued to pound the ball on the ground, leading the Ravens downfield. Barnes connected with Kaseem Ferdinand for a 10-yard touchdown, trimming the lead to 36-30 with just over two minutes remaining. The Ravens defence stepped up on the ensuing McMaster possession, forcing a critical safety to bring the score to 36-32.
Carleton received the ball back with under two minutes to play, and Barnes wasted no time pushing the offence into McMaster territory. Rocha broke off several key runs, and the Ravens marched inside the 20-yard line with less than a minute on the clock. However, a potential game-winning drive came to a sudden halt when Barnes’ pass was intercepted by McMaster’s Ethan Stuart at the 1-yard line, effectively ending the Ravens’ hopes of a comeback.
Despite the loss, Carleton’s performance was marked by several standout moments. Rocha was a force on the ground, consistently gaining yards and setting up the offence with scoring opportunities. Special teams also shone, with Reid’s electrifying returns keeping the Marauders on their heels.
