September 13, 2014

McMaster prevails over Carleton 37-17

The No. 4 McMaster Marauders scored 14 points in the final three minutes to thwart a late fourth quarter comeback by the Carleton Ravens finishing with a score of 37-17.

Carleton 1-1

McMaster 3-0

Final

Carleton (1-1)

McMaster (3-0)

The No. 4 McMaster Marauders scored 14 points in the final three minutes to thwart a late fourth quarter comeback by the Carleton Ravens, finishing with a score of 37-17

Carleton posted two quick touchdowns to set the score at 23-17 before Marauders Steven Ventresca of Hamilton picked off Nick Gorgichuk of Ottawa in the end zone to stop the Raven threat.

From there Marauders running back Wayne Moore of Etobicoke, Ont. went to work pounding in two of his three touchdowns in the final minutes while Nick Shortill of Nobleton, Ont., iced the game with an interception in the final two minutes.

Moore finished with 167 yards running with three touchdowns. McMaster quarterback Marshall Ferguson of Kingston, Ont. tossed 284 yards on 23 completions.

Raven's quarterback Gorgichuk tallied 188 yards, two touchdowns and threw two critical interceptions in the fourth quarter.

McMaster's Tyler Crapigna of Nepean, Ont. kicked four field goals for most of the Marauders points prior to their fourth quarter surge. He hit field goals from 44, 17, 31, and 24 yards to go along with two McMaster safeties.

"Their quarterback got hot and did a fantastic job. Offensively we were stagnant and lost our rhythm," said McMaster head coach Stefan Ptaszek about the Raven's fourth quarter comeback.

"But then our playmakers and fifth year kids - guys like Shortill, Ventresca, Moore and [Declan] Cross got us a win. I tip my hat to our seniors today."

The two teams managed just 26 points combined in the first three quarters with a Moore one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter being the only major before the teams exploded for 28 points in the fourth.

Carleton would be the first team to strike in the final frame, scoring on back-to-back drives to pull within six points of the Marauders with just under 10 minutes to play. Carleton's Nathaniel Walker-Behar of London, Ont., would score first on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Gorgichuk followed by a big 65-yard touchdown reception by Dexter Brown of Sherwood Park, Alta.

With Carleton on the doorsteps for a third consecutive touchdown, Ventresca picked off Gorgichuk in the end zone and returned the ball for 34 yard with just five minutes to play. Ferguson marched his team down the field with Moore capping an eight play, 81-yard drive with a 7 yard touchdown run.

On the Raven's ensuing drive, the Marauders iced the game when the Marauders' Nick Shortill of Nobleton, Ont. picked off Gogichuk with just 2:14 remaining in the game.

NOTES: This was Carleton's first visit to Ron Joyce Stadium which opened in 2008… McMaster's record against Carleton improves to 4-0 having won all four meetings since 1971… Carleton revived its football program last season after discontinuing play at the completion of the 1998 season.