Photo by Valerie Wutti
The 2021 Panda Game was a heartbreaking thriller that saw the Ravens fall to the Ottawa Gee-Gees on a last minute, 45-yard field goal in the rain.
But on the game’s first drive, one of Carleton’s most revered records was broken by running back Nathan Carter.
The fifth-year running back passed 1980s Ravens legend Mark Brown to become the all-time Carleton Ravens rushing leader.
“It is definitely something, it’s an achievement for me that I didn’t think I’d ever get,” Carter said after the game.
Before the Ravens’ next game against the University of Toronto Blues, Carleton’s graduating players, including Carter, were recognized on the field with their families. Carter was also joined on the field by Mark Brown, who presented Carter with a Ravens retro jersey that Brown had signed for him.
With one game left in the regular season, Carter still has 60 minutes of football to put his stamp on the Ravens record book again. He has 21 career touchdowns, one short of the all-time Carleton record of 22. That record is shared by 1970s receiver Scott Alexander, 1980s receiver Joe Barnabe, and 2010s receiver Nate Behar.
Carter already holds the Carleton records for most yards rushing in a game (274) and in a season (1,110). He also holds the Ravens records for most carries in a game (34), most career carries (526), and he has the fourth (87) and seventh (81) longest runs in Ravens history. With 41 yards rushing against Queen’s next week, Carter would become the first player in Carleton history to amass 3,000 career rushing yards.
“Nathan is the consummate Raven,” coach Steve Sumarah said of his fifth year running back. “He symbolizes all that we preach as a Raven.”
While Carter joined the Ravens in 2016, he was known to the program and coaches long before that. He was a youth player who was part of the Junior Ravens football camp before he graduated to become a Raven. Since then, several players have followed in his footsteps, learning in the Junior Ravens program and eventually becoming Carleton Ravens.
Setting a new career rushing record was not just a big accomplishment for Carter, but it was something special for the entire team, staff and program.
“For him to get those accolades and to be with Mark before the game, I thought that was a really special moment,” Sumarah said.
