The Carleton Ravens football team represents
Carleton University, which is based in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
,
Ontario, Canada. The
Ravens play
U Sports football in the
Ontario University Athletics conference. The Ravens
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
program started in 1945 and was continuously in operation until 1998 when the program was disbanded. The football program was brought back to the university in 2011 and began play in
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
.
[https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/Carleton+football+veteran+celebrates+team+revival/5060825/story.html Carleton football veteran celebrates team's revival] The football team has won one conference championship, winning the
Dunsmore Cup in 1985 while playing in the
Ontario-Quebec Intercollegiate Football Conference The Quebec University Football League was the Canadian football conference for Quebec universities who participate in CIS football until the completion of the 2010 football season. It has since been renamed Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec foo ...
.
History
Historically, the Ravens football team first began play just after the
Second World War in 1945 and was in continuous operation until the program was dropped in 1998. While the team had some success in the mid-1980s, poor performances and a plan by the Carleton Athletic department to invest more funds in other sports led to the sport being cut after the 1998 season. In their history, the Ravens won one
Dunsmore Cup conference championship in 1985, but lost in the following
Western Bowl to the
Calgary Dinos 56 to 14.
Beginnings (1945-1949)
The Originals, the first Carleton College football team, played its first organized game on a rainy October day in 1945. The Second World War had just ended and 36 war veterans, turned students, lined up to face their opponents
Macdonald College in
Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Que. Though the Carleton College team was bigger and more experienced, Macdonald took home the win (15-0). Carleton College, established in 1942, did not have the facilities or finances for academics, let alone a football team. Citizens of Ottawa rallied to help out the newborn squad. W.D.T. Atkinson allowed the team to practice at
Glebe Collegiate
Glebe Collegiate Institute (GCI) is a high school in the Glebe neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Administered by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), Glebe Collegiate Institute has approximately 1,700 students and is the dis ...
, the school where he was principal. Charlie Kerr, one of the players, found the team matching brown and orange hockey jerseys to wear and the Strathcona junior team donated equipment. Tiny Hermann, a former
Rough Rider
The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one to see combat. The United States Army was small, understaffed, and diso ...
star, agreed to volunteer his time as head coach. Joe Scanlon, author of History of Football at Carleton, lists these fine gentlemen as the members of the Originals:
Bob Forbes, Frank MacIntyre, Mel Carson, Bill O'Neill, Johnny Urquhart, Bill Rankin, Charlie Kerr, Don Sim, Johnny Moore, Charlie Charlebois, Donald McGregor, Merton Keith Salisbury, Wayne Dunphy, Ross Cavey, Al Holtby, Johnny Chown, Jim McNee, Lyall Graham, Bernard Garand, Harold Barnhart, Jim McKnight, Chuck Winters, Peter Ayearst, Russ Brown, Rock Robillard, Ted Graves, Robert Forbes, John Bell, Bill Morgan, Doug Good, Dave Morgan, Al Holley, J W York, Ted Ricker, Peter McDougal and Johnny Shore. The two managers were Jim Hanna and Don Anderson.
The Originals ended their first season with one win, two losses and a tie. The "Ravens" name came from the Carleton College student newspaper staff in 1948, when they started using that moniker with no explanation. It may have had something to do with the team's raven-like black uniform. By 1946, Carleton College was located on First Avenue, with the Ravens occupying a 12'x15' locker room in the basement. The dressing room was in the attic and practices were held in a small, poorly-lit yard behind the school. In 1947, the team entered the intermediate league with St. Patrick's College, the
University of Ottawa and
Queen's University Queen's or Queens University may refer to:
*Queen's University at Kingston, Ontario, Canada
*Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
**Queen's University of Belfast (UK Parliament constituency) (1918–1950)
**Queen's University of Belfast ...
. It was in this newly-formed league that the long rivalry between the University of Ottawa and Carleton College began, and the Ravens became an integral part of college life. Fans would rally and march from First Avenue to
Lansdowne Park for home games and pile onto buses for the away games. The first decade of Ravens football history endured hardships such as under-funding, changes in leadership and, as veterans graduated, depleting numbers. Despite these odds, a foundation was laid and a tradition had begun!
Trying times and turnaround (1950-1959*)
The early 1950s were trying years for the Ravens. The low enrolment and roster numbers left Coach McWatters with a "patchwork" team. High scoring losses against teams in the newly formed Ottawa-St. Lawrence Conference left the Ravens low on morale. Ravens football came to a grinding halt, with no inter-varsity team in the 1951 season after the loss of college grant money. The seemingly bleak future of the Ravens was brightened when the college revived the program in 1952. Norm Fenn, assistant coach and full-time director of Athletics, provided the first link between the college administration and the football team, and would prove vital in the years to come. The new team entered a league with Macdonald College,
Bishop's University and St. Patrick's College. There was little carryover of players from the previous decade, but the new players were ready and willing pupils.
The Ravens were on their way to a significant turnaround in 1953, with their first winning season. The new head coach, Bill Stanton, led the team to winning games against Loyola (now
Concordia University
Concordia University ( French: ''Université Concordia'') is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the t ...
) and McGill. For the first time, in 1954, Carleton was in the running for a league title. They ended the season in a tie for second place with the
Royal Military College Royal Military College may refer to:
;Australia
* Royal Military College, Duntroon, Campbell, Australian Capital Territory
;Canada
* Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario
* Royal Military College Saint-Jean, Saint-Jean, Quebec
;Mala ...
(RMC), and won the first
Panda game
The Panda Game is a Canadian rivalry football game between the two OUA football teams in Ottawa, Ontario, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carleton University Ravens. It is one of the oldest and richest rivalries in Canadian university foot ...
in 1955. This season was one of the best in Ravens' history, with Carleton holding first in the league until a final game with the University of Ottawa (U of 0). However, the success would be shortlived1955 to 1959 were not to be as successful as the years before. The competition grew with the establishment of the Ontario Intercollegiate Football League, with the inclusion of the University of Ottawa, RMC,
McMaster University,
University of Waterloo and the Ontario Agricultural and Veterinary College at Guelph (now
University of Guelph).
(*)Carleton football suspended operations for one year in 1951 due to financial constraints and began play again in 1952.
Keith Harris era begins (1960-1969)
Coach Keith Harris arrived for the start of the 1959 season, bringing needed leadership and routine to the Ravens squad. He began the Monday night "horror movie" tradition where films of previous games were picked apart and analyzed. Primitive but effective recruitment strategies picked young men from the registration lines in September. The 1960s also saw the first football training camps, where tactical knowledge and skills, along with kinship, were developed. The players did odd jobs on campus to earn room and board in the new campus fieldhouse at the newly opened Rideau Campus. Harris was also the assistant director of Athletics while Norm Fenn, assistant coach, filled the position of director.
The results of these changes began to surface as early as the 1960 season, when the Ravens beat RMC twice in a row and non-winning games had small point spreads. For the first time in five years, no team shut the Ravens out, and player retention from year-to-year was on the rise. In 1962, Carleton fought its way to the top of the Ottawa-St. Lawrence conference, ready to take the conference title. Carleton challenged the first-place team in the conference: the McMaster Marauders. Although both morale and skill were at an all-time high, the McMaster team won, putting Carleton in second place. The 1963 season was also very successful, and 1964 brought Pedro the Panda back to Carleton after an eight-year stay with the Gee-Gees. Players like Bob Amer, Dave Dalton and Gord Pranschke set league records. These three players, along with Murray Thrift, Larry Matheson and Earl Hammond, made the 1965 league all-star game. A unique challenge was presented to Carleton's football Ravens in 1967, when St. Patrick's College, one of Carleton's frequent opponents, was incorporated into Carleton University. The two very separate football teams were to become one squad. By 1968, the integrated Ravens team earned a second-place finish and sixth-place nationally. The 1960s were truly the Ravens' first Golden Age.
Tougher competition (1970-1979)
The Ravens football club moved from the mediocre Central Canada Intercollegiate Conference (CCIC) into the highly-competitive Ontario University Athletic Association (OUAA) in 1971. This league contained the nationally ranked University of
Toronto Varsity Blues and the Queen's University Golden Gaels. Carleton's first game in the OUAA was against the Varsity Blues. Though they were the underdogs, the Ravens upset the Blues with an impressive 12-3 win. One of the highlights of the 1971 season was the Panda Game, when the number one team in the nation, the Gee-Gees, was upset by the Ravens 28-14. All in all, the 1971 season was an impressive debut in the OUAA.
The 1972 highlights included a phenomenal game against Waterloo, where the offence finally proved themselves with a 35-6 score. The Ravens seemed to score every time they touched the ball. After shattering 21 team records, the Ravens were proud going into the 1974 season. The Ravens struggled, but secured a 10th-place national ranking, obtaining a playoff spot in the OUAA eastern division. Though the Ravens didn't take the Panda game or the playoff semi-final with Toronto, 1974 was a season where the Ravens commanded the respect of the OUAA.
1975 and 1976 were rough years for the team. Coach McCuaig left to work full time with the Athletics Department and was replaced by Brian Kealey. These two seasons were, in fact, winless, but the 1977, 1978 and 1979 seasons got the attention of the league and eventually the entire nation! Pat Stoqua, a Ravens basketball star, joined the team in 1977 and was a key contributor to the defence strategy. A whopping 61-0 exhibition win against Royal Military College gave the Ravens the spirit and confidence needed to win against the Gee-Gees, in a tremendous show of defensive skills. This was the first time in six years that the Ravens had won against their eternal foe. The Ravens were legitimate contenders in the league and the 1977 Panda game was won 36-16 by Carleton.
The 1978 team won a title at the Ontario-Quebec pre-season jamboree, and was ready for anything. When Coach Kealey joined the team in 1975, he vowed that the team would reach the College Bowl by 1980, and this dream was finally looking attainable. The Panda Game was, yet again, the deciding game for a playoff spot. The Ravens repeated their stellar performance from the previous year and won 24-13.
1979 was being called the Year of the Ravens. College football forecasters predicted that the team would finish first or second in the eastern division. The dream team went on to win three consecutive games, making them the only undefeated team in the conference and third in the country, the highest ranking ever obtained by a Ravens football team. The club began to receive media attention as the newest legitimate national contender on the block. Queen's Golden Gaels became the team to beat to solidify the conference title. The Ravens lost the semifinal against the Gaels. The last season of the decade was like a roller-coaster that ended in disappointment, yet the Ravens had much to be happy about. The club went from division doormat to well-respected national contenders and a team to be reckoned with.
Successful years (1980-1989)
The Ravens entered 1980 with a positive outlook and the determination to take it one game at a time, with Coach Kealey being backed by a completely new team of assistant coaches. Though the Birds lost the first three games of the year, the season was redeemed when the Ravens brought "Pedro the Panda" home with a 30-21 win over the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.
1982 brought a new head coach, Wayne (Ace) Powell Jr., as well as some reforms. Training camp had the Ravens practicing two or three times a day, with a largely veteran team that was hungry for a taste of success. Highlights of the season included the first win against Queen's Golden Gaels since 1974. Things were definitely starting to look up for the team, with a 28-17 win over Bishop's that placed the Ravens in second place in the Ontario-Quebec Intercollegiate Football Conference (O-QIFC). However, the next loss (19-7) against the Gee-Gees, ended the season.
Cam Collins, Clark Oliver, Dan Petschenig, Steve Hamlin and Tom Timlin formed the nucleus of the 1983 team. An exciting see-saw battle between the Ravens and fIfth-ranked Bishop's team gave the Ravens their first win of the season. A three-game winning streak followed and wide receiver John Dawley helped to turn around the Panda Game, which the Ravens snagged 33-28. After just one season of heading up the coaching staff, Ace Powell managed to bring the Ravens to the O-QIFC playoffs.
The 1984 team was stacked with many potential CFL drafts. A 10-9 win over Queen's, which was in the midst of negotiating the establishment of an elite league with Western, Toronto and McGill, was the highlight of the season. The Ravens bulldozed over Bishop's, the third-ranked team in Canada at the time. After this game, the Bishop's coach stated, "I said at the season's start that I felt Carleton had the best team in the conference and today they went out and proved it." The Ravens were ninth in the country going into the 1984 Panda game. Predictions from NFL executives to local radio personalities pointed to a Ravens'victory. As expected, Pedro went to the Ravens. The 1984 season was the best year the Ravens had had for years. Yet no one was prepared for 1985 and 1986, the two most successful seasons in Ravens history.
The 1985 team began the season with a very balanced attack against its opponents, using the new Cam Collins-Mark Brown quarterback-wide receiver combination to fuel the offence. Fan support was at an all-time high and the Ravens took home their third Panda game in a row, a first in Ravens' history. After a 40-20 win over Bishop's in play-offs, the Birds found themselves heading to the Ontario-Quebec-conference final to meet the Concordia Stingers for the first time since the days of Coach Harris (1962). Fullback, Mark Skidmore, in his first start for Ravens scored 4 touchdowns (tied record CIS most touchdowns in a playoff game) to lead to Carleton to victory 46-21.
Everyone in Ottawa and the surrounding areas had Ravens fever as the Carleton team headed to Calgary to face the Dinosaurs in the Western Bowl (
Vanier Cup semi-final). In -32C weather, the Ravens season came to an end with a 56-14 win for the Calgary Dinosaurs. However, all was not lost - the Ravens enjoyed the best season in the history of the club. They were the first to win a playoff game as well as a league championship, and the first to enter the Final Four.
The 1986 team fed off the fire of the 1985 squad. Many chose the Ravens to repeat their O-QIFC title. Mark Brown and Mark Skidmore in the backfield on fire for Five consecutive wins over Bishop's, Ottawa U., Queen's and McGill made it seem as if the Ravens were surely on their way to the Western Bowl once again. The 30-29 Panda game loss that followed was felt to be perhaps the biggest upset of the year. But the Ravens didn't let it stop them. Their 6- 1-0 record sent them to the conference semi-finals, where sweet revenge for the Panda game loss was obtained with a win over the Gee-Gees. The Ravens, the defending championship team, lost in a heartbreaking game against the Bishop's Gaiters. In 1987, the Panda came back to Carleton, but 1988 and 1989 proved to be years of famine in the land of the Ravens. Would the 1990s bring years of plenty?
End of an era (1990-1998)
1990 marked the 45th year of football at Carleton University. Gary Shaver, a former Raven and assistant coach to Ace Powell, took over leadership in the 1989 season. Shaver began his second season with a very young and inexperienced team, as only two players were in their fourth year with the squad. The team experienced difficulties establishing an effective offence, a problem that would continue throughout the decade. However, two Ravens players, Phil Schnepf and Mark Whitton, were named to the 1990 O-QIFC all-star team.
1991 brought another win against the Ravens' cross-town rivals, and 1992 brought four new assistant coaches. Gary Shaver decided to step down as head coach in 1993. Over his four-year tenure, Shaver encouraged both the academic standards and performance of the players through individual counselling and assistance.
New coach Donn Smith had experience with championship teams and brought an air of success to the demoralized Ravens. A group of 11
Ottawa Sooners
The Ottawa Sooners are a Canadian football team based in Ottawa. The team plays in the Ontario Football Conference of the Canadian Junior Football League. The team has achieved success during its play in the CJFL, winning a total of four Nation ...
followed their former coach to Carleton, adding a new energy to the squad. These members knew what it was like to play for a winning team and their enthusiasm was contagious. Spirits began to rise after a respectable loss to McGill and a close 19-18 win over Ottawa University. During Smith's first season with the team, they beat the defending Vanier Cup champions the Queen's Golden Gaels. This win, after a 12-game losing streak, put the Ravens in a three-way tie for second place in the O-QIFC. Although the Ravens missed the playoffs that year, they were the most improved team in the conference. They doubled their offensive output from the previous season and trimmed points allowed by 71.
Expectations were high for the team going into the 1994 season. Veteran starting quarterback Sean O'Neil and Harry Van Hofwegan on defence were expected to help bring the team new success. After a longawaited Panda game win, the Ravens went on to win a match against the Gaels, however, they continued to struggle throughout 1995. Dave Bosveld, Harry Van Hofwegan (the O-QIFC outstanding lineman of the year) and Sean O'Neil (the
TSN
TSN may refer to:
Science and technology
* Translin, DNA binding protein involved in microRNA function
* Taxonomic serial number, a stable and unique taxonomic serial number issued by the Integrated Taxonomic Information System
* The Science Netwo ...
Russ Jackson Award The Russ Jackson Award is presented to the U Sports Football player best exemplifying the attributes of academic achievement, football skill, and citizenship and is named in honour of Canadian Football League Hall of Famer and former Ottawa Rough ...
winner) had individual successes that shed a positive light on the team.
The 1996 season was truly the high point of the decade as the Ravens started out well with wins against Laval, Ottawa, and Bishop's. This gave them the best start to a season since 1986. While sitting in first place in the conference and eighth nationally, a rainy day in Kingston brought a bitter loss against Queen's. A playoff spot was secured after winning against Laval, McGill and Concordia. For the third time that year, the Ravens would meet the Gee-Gees; this time in the O-QIFC semi-final. For the first time in almost a decade, the Ravens entered the realm of post-season play. Losing this playoff game was painful, but the Ravens could bask in the success of their first winning season in years. As a part of the restructuring of the Carleton University Department of Physical Recreation and Athletics, and the University Administration, the Ravens football team played its final game on October 31, 1998. From the small group of war veterans in 1945 to its 78-member squad in 1998, Ravens football made a memorable contribution to the rich heritage of Carleton University and to sports in the Ottawa area.
The Old Crow Society
The Old Crow Society, established in 1963, is a group of Carleton University football alumni. With the encouragement of coach Keith Harris, Ravens veterans Jim Sevigny, Norm Jamison, Jeff White and Kim McCuaig established this group to further football at Carleton and nurture lasting team kinship. Over the years, the Old Crows have provided support through fundraising, contests and selling concessions at the home games, like Crow Burgers. The Old Crow Society held an annual dinner to honour Ravens, young and old, and to present the O-QIFC Frank Tindall Trophy for Coach of the Year, an award the Crows inaugurated in 1969. The Old Crow Society serves as the living testimony of Carleton's football legacy.
Historical regular season results
Revival
For a number of years, there had been movements to revive the team, but there was no real interest from the university. However, on June 25, 2009, an announcement was made that the Lansdowne Live group, which owns the
Ottawa Redblacks, the new
Canadian Football League team, was in negotiations with the university to bring back the football program and play at a rebuilt
Frank Clair Stadium to be shared with the CFL team and the
Ottawa Gee-Gees. Lansdowne Live partner and Ravens alumnus John Ruddy has pledged $2.5 million to provide funding for the program and it would follow the private partnership model that has proved successful both financially and on the field with the
Regina Rams
The Regina Rams represent the University of Regina, located in Regina, Saskatchewan in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. The Rams joined U Sports in 1999 and have competed in the Canada West Conference since then. The program has won ...
and
Laval Rouge et Or teams. The program needed to raise a minimum of $5 million in pledge commitments in order to secure final approvals, and establish Old Crows Football Inc. by May 2011 for the team to start play in time for the 2012 season.
While the group closely missed the May deadline, Old Crows Football Inc. and Carleton University announced on July 6, 2011 that the program would return in 2013. The $5 million was raised and the team operates independently by Old Crows Football Inc. as a non-profit corporate entity that will fund and market the program. Renovations to the locker rooms, coaches' offices and
Keith Harris Stadium
TAAG Park is a FieldTurf stadium located at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on the north-eastern edge of the university campus, where Bronson Avenue meets University Road. The stadium was renamed TAAG Park in August 2022.
Known as ...
will be paid for by the Old Crows.
On January 16, 2012,
Steve Sumarah was named the team's head coach.
Sumarah named new Ravens football head coach
The
2013 Carleton Ravens football team, 2013 team began the new era of Ravens football on September 2 against the
Western Mustangs in
London, Ontario with a 71-4 loss. They would finish the season with eight losses in eight games as was expected for a program in its first year. In
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, the Ravens earned the revived program's first win with an away victory against the
Waterloo Warriors. Overall, the team finished with a 4-4 record that year, including a memorable
Hail Mary Panda Game
The Panda Game is a Canadian rivalry football game between the two OUA football teams in Ottawa, Ontario, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carleton University Ravens. It is one of the oldest and richest rivalries in Canadian university foot ...
victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees. In 2015, the Ravens qualified for the playoffs for the first time since the 1996 season with a 5-3 record. They defeated the
Queen's Golden Gaels
The Queen's Gaels (also known as the Queen's Golden Gaels) is the Athletics program representing Queen's University at Kingston in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Team colours are blue, red, and gold. The main athletics facilities include Richardson Me ...
in the first round, but lost to the
Guelph Gryphons in the semi-finals. In 2016, the team hosted their first playoff game since 1986, with both games featuring wins over the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The team suffered a setback in 2017 as they finished with a 3-5 record and out of the playoffs. Three of their five losses were by five points or less. In 2018, the team went on to finish the regular season with a 5-3 record. This was enough to put them into the playoffs, where they lost in the semi-finals to the Western Mustangs. The 2019 season saw the Ravens go 2-4 through six games, making the last two regular season games must wins to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Ravens went on to upset the second place McMaster Marauders, and beat the
Laurier Golden Hawks in the final two games of the season to secure a playoff spot at a 4-4 record on the season. In the quarter-final game, the Ravens lead the Guelph Gryphons 17-16 with under two minutes to play. A blocked punt by the Gryphons lead to a touchdown and a last-minute heartbreaker to end Carleton’s season.
Traditions and rivalries
Panda Game
In 1955, Bryan McNulty, a University of Ottawa student and associate editor for
the ''Fulcrum'', decided to promote the rivalry between his school and Carleton University. He asked a local jeweller, Jack Snow, to donate a stuffed panda that would be named "Pedro" to be used as a Gee-Gee mascot (as they had not adopted the Gee-Gee horse mascot yet).
McNulty later convinced Snow to display the panda in his front window and then organized the first "Pandanapping", a ritual in which Pedro would be stolen from each campus in various ways. "Pandanapping" would progress over the years to the point where major vandalism was involved and almost jeopardized the game's future.
In a short matter of time, both Pedro and the Panda Game itself became national icons. In 1958, after a 25-0 Gee-Gee victory, Pedro went on a world tour. He made visits to
McGill University in
Montréal,
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the fou ...
in
Halifax, the
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thames Ri ...
in
London, Ontario, the
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...
in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. Th ...
,
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a Normal school, teachers colle ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...
, and
Alabama State University
Alabama State University (ASU) is a public historically black university in Montgomery, Alabama. Founded in 1867, ASU is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
History
Alabama State University was founded in 1867 as the ...
in
Montgomery. It is said that Pedro was even sent to
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
,
Mexico
Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
and
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...
.
The game quickly became the most well-known football game in Canada behind the
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...
and the
Vanier Cup. The attendance at the Panda Game often was higher than that of the Vanier Cup that same season.
In 1998, it was decided that Carleton University would be cancelling their football program at the end of the season after numerous years of sustained losses. This decision rendered the Panda Game tradition dead and left the Gee-Gees as the lone collegiate football team in the city for the first time in 53 years.
In 2013, the Panda Game returned to a great success. Approximately 4,000 fans packed into the brand-new Gee-Gees Field, the game resulted in the Gee-Gees getting their hands on a Pedro trophy after a dominant 35-10 win.
In 2014 the game moved back to Lansdowne, being played for the first time at
TD Place.
In 2016, the Panda Game was nationally televised and had a game day attendance of 23,329 fans at the sold out TD Place, which is the highest attendance total in modern history to watch a regular season U Sports football game.
Ravens season-by-season record
Team records since the program was revived in 2013:
CIS Football Standings
/ref>
Ravens in the CFL
As of the end of the 2022 CFL season, forty-three former Ravens players have played in the CFL, eight of whom are currently on CFL teams' rosters:
*Cedrick Lavigne, Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...
(2022)
*Keaton Bruggeling, Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
(2022)
* Jack Cassar, Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...
(2021–22)
*Trevor Hoyte
Trevor ( Trefor in the Welsh language) is a common given name or surname of Welsh origin. It is an habitational name, deriving from the Welsh ''tre(f)'', meaning "homestead", or "settlement" and ''fawr'', meaning "large, big". The Cornish lan ...
, Toronto (2021–22)
* Kwabena Asare, Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anc ...
, Calgary
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, maki ...
, Montréal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
(2019–21)
*Kene Onyeka
Kene Onyeka (born November 18, 1996) is a Nigerian-Canadian professional professional defensive lineman for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
University career
Onyeka played U Sports football for the Carleton Ravens ...
, Ottawa (2019–22)
* Michael Domagala, Hamilton (2019–22)
*Jay Dearborn
Jacob Dearborn (born June 15, 1994) is a professional Canadian football defensive back who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is also an Olympic bobsle ...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North ...
(2019–21)
*Zack Annen, Montréal (2018)
*Malcolm Carter, Montréal (2018–19)
*Justin Howell
Justin Howell (born December 4, 1993) is a professional Canadian football defensive back for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played U Sports football for the Carleton Ravens.
Early career
Howell first began his ...
, Ottawa (2018–22)
*Tunde Adeleke
Tunde Adeleke (born July 12, 1995) is a professional Canadian football defensive back for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
University career
Adeleke played U Sports football for the Carleton Ravens from 2013 to 201 ...
, Calgary, Hamilton (2017–22)
*Emmanuel Adusei, Saskatchewan (2017–18)
* Nate Behar, Edmonton, Ottawa (2017–21)
*Nate Hamlin, BC (2017–18)
*Mike Homewood, Saskatchewan, Calgary (2002–04)
*Jason Kralt
Jason Kralt (born February 8, 1974) is a former Canadian football linebacker who played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League with the BC Lions and Ottawa Renegades. He was drafted by the BC Lions in the third round of the 1999 CFL D ...
, BC Lions, Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
(1999-2005)
*Cameron Legault
Cameron Legault (born September 25, 1974) is a former Canadian Football League defensive tackle who played for eight seasons for the Calgary Stampeders, BC Lions, Ottawa Renegades, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He won the 88th Grey Cup in 2000 as ...
, Winnipeg, Calgary, BC Lions, Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
(1998-2006)
*Harry Van Hofwegen, Winnipeg, BC Lions, Edmonton (1996–98)
*Jason Mallett, Saskatchewan, Hamilton (1995-2003)
*Carl Coulter
Carl Coulter (born November 14, 1966) is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman. He played 15 seasons in the Canadian Football League for six different teams. He was named CFL All-Star in 1998 and was a part of one Grey Cup cha ...
, BC Lions, Ottawa, Toronto, Saskatchewan, Hamilton (1990-2004)
*Mike Philbrick, Ottawa, Hamilton (1990, 1994-2001)
*Moustafa Ali, Winnipeg, Calgary (1989–90)
*Bob Forest, Ottawa (1989)
* Michael Allen, Winnipeg, Ottawa, BC Lions (1988–94)
*Andrew Murray, BC Lions, Toronto, Ottawa (1988–94)
*Dan Petschenig, Toronto (1985–88)
*Lance Thompson, Hamilton (1985)
*Jim DeSilva, Ottawa (1984–85)
*Kevin Dalliday, Ottawa (1983–84)
*Gary Cook, Ottawa (1980–82)
*David Green, Toronto (1979)
*Malcolm Inglis, Ottawa (1979–81)
*Pat Stoqua, Ottawa (1979–84)
*Joe Colvey
Joe Colvey (born January 19, 1948) is a retired Canadian football player who played for the Ottawa Rough Riders, Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Carleton University
...
, Ottawa, Montréal, Calgary (1975–77)
*Brian Hedges, Ottawa (1976–79)
*Peter Stenerson, Ottawa (1975–82)
*Dave Montagano, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan, Hamilton, Edmonton (1974–78)
*John Kennedy, Montréal, Ottawa, BC Lions, Toronto (1971–76)
*Stu Kennedy, Ottawa (1952–53)
*Johnny Shore, Toronto (1949–54)
*Matt Robillard, Montréal, Ottawa (1952–54)*
*Benny MacDonnell, Ottawa (1949–54)*
*Frank Dunlap, Ottawa, Toronto (1945–51)*
*Jake Dunlap, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton (1945–54)*
*Don Grimes, Ottawa (1945–47)*
*Orville Burke, Ottawa, (1936–46)*
*Tony McCarthy, Ottawa (1934–47)*
(*)denotes played college football at St. Patrick’s College pre-merger with Carleton.
National award winners
* J. P. Metras Trophy: Jim DeSilva (1983), Harry Van Hofwegen (1995)
*Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
: Tom Timlin (1983)
* Peter Gorman Trophy: Mark Brown (1985)
*Russ Jackson Award The Russ Jackson Award is presented to the U Sports Football player best exemplifying the attributes of academic achievement, football skill, and citizenship and is named in honour of Canadian Football League Hall of Famer and former Ottawa Rough ...
: Sean O'Neill (1996)
Carleton Ravens football records
All records are as of the conclusion of the 2019 season.
Scoring records
Most points, game
*24 – Ross Reid, Carleton vs. York, October 27, 1969; Joe Barnabe, Carleton vs. Bishop’s, November 9, 1985; Mark Skidmore, November 16, 1985.
*18 – Clem Chappell, Carleton vs. Laurentian, October 1, 1966; Scott Alexander, Carleton vs. Waterloo, October 13, 1973; John Dawley, Carleton vs. Ottawa, October 22, 1983; Jeff Morris, Carleton vs. Bishop’s, September 28, 1985; Leo Benvenuti, Carleton vs. Bishop’s, October 11, 1986, Ed Joseph, Carleton vs. Laval, October 5, 1996, Nate Behar, Carleton vs. Ottawa, September 20, 2014, Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Toronto, September 22, 2018.
Most points, season
(Note, up until 1994, the Ravens played a 7-game schedule. From 1995 to present, they play an 8-game schedule.)
*82 – Michael Domagala, 2015; Michael Domagala, 2016
*76 – Michael Domagala, 2018
*68 – Jeff Morris, 1985
*63 – Michael Domagala, 2017
*62 – Scott Alexander, 1973
*61 – Michael Domagala 2014
*57 – Jeff Morris, 1986
*54 – Nathaniel Behar, 2016; Jayde Rowe, 2016
Most points, career
*367 – Michael Domagala
*228 – Jeff Morris
*165 – Mario Arnone
*134 – Scott Alexander
*132 – Nathaniel Behar, Joe Barnabe
*114 – Nathan Carter
*96 – Gary Cook, Kyle Van Wynsberghe
*90 – Mark Brown
Most touchdowns, game
*4 - Ross Reid, Carleton vs. York, October 27, 1969; Joe Barnabe, Carleton vs. Bishop’s, November 9, 1985; Mark Skidmore, November 16, 1985.
*3 – Clem Chappell, Carleton vs. Laurentian, October 1, 1966; Scott Alexander, Carleton vs. Waterloo, October 13, 1973; John Dawley, Carleton vs. Ottawa, October 22, 1983; Leo Benvenuti, Carleton vs. Bishop’s, October 11, 1986, Nate Behar, Carleton vs. Ottawa, September 20, 2014.
Most touchdowns, season
*10 – Scott Alexander, 1973
*9 – Nathaniel Behar, 2016; Jayde Rowe, 2016
*8 – Bruno Dinardo, 1982; Nathaniel Behar, 2014
*7 – Con Poulin, 1956; Tommy Mann, 1957; John Dever, 1962; Ross Reid, 1969; Gary Cook, 1977; Mark Brown, 1986; Nathaniel Behar, 2015; Nathan Carter, 2018
*6 –Jim Sevigny, 1963; Gord Pranschke, 1965; Don Gormley, 1971; Joe Barnabe, 1983; Nathan Carter, 2017
Most touchdowns, career
*22 – Scott Alexander; Nathaniel Behar, Joe Barnabe
*19 – Nathan Carter
*16 – Gary Cook; Kyle Van Wynsberghe
*15 – Mark Brown
*14 – Bruno Dinardo; Ross Reid, Phil Iloki
Most field goals, game
*5 – Jeff Morris, Carleton vs. Bishop’s, September 28, 1985; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Toronto, September 22, 2018
*4 – Mario Arnone, Carleton vs. McGill, 1976, Jim McMillan, Carleton vs. Concordia, September 7, 1997, Jim McMillan, Carleton vs. Laval, September 27, 1998; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Toronto, September 19, 2015; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Ottawa, October 3, 2015; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Ottawa, October 1, 2017
*3 – Don “Duke” Hayes, Carleton vs. McGill, October 23, 1954; Mario Arnone, Carleton vs. Concordia, September 10, 1977; Jeff Morris, Carleton vs. Bishop’s, 1986; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Toronto, October 4, 2014; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Waterloo, September 16, 2017; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Western, August 26, 2018.
Most field goals, season
*16 – Michael Domagala, 2015; Michael Domagala, 2018
*14 – Michael Domagala, 2016; Michael Domagala, 2017;
*13 – Jeff Morris, 1985; Michael Domagala, 2014
*10 – Roy Gallo, 1979
Most field goals, career
*70 – Michael Domagala
*38 – Jeff Morris
*26 – Mario Arnone
Longest field goal
*50 – Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Western, August 26, 2018
*48 – Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Toronto, September 10, 2016; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. York, October 12, 2018.
*47 – Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Guelph, October 21, 2017
*45 – Jim McMillan, Carleton vs. Concordia, September 12, 1998
*44 – Jeff Morris, Carleton vs. Waterloo, September 8, 1984; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Toronto, September 22, 2018.
*43 – Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Ottawa, September 20, 2014; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Ottawa, October 3, 2015; Michael Domagala, October 7, 2016
Most points after touchdown, game
*8 – Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Windsor, September 12, 2015; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Toronto, September 10, 2014; Michael Domagala, Carleton vs. Toronto, 2016
*7 – Don McGregor, Carleton vs. Ontario Agricultural College (Guelph), October 27, 1962; Mario Arnone, Carleton vs. RMC, 1977; Jeff Morris, Carleton vs. Bishop’s, October 11, 1986.
Most points after touchdown, season
*35 – Michael Domagala, 2016
*30 – Michael Domagala, 2015
*26 – Don McGregor, 1961; Michael Domagala, 2018
*25 – Jeff Morris, 1985; Jeff Morris, 1986
*24 – Mario Arnone – 1974
*22 – Michael Domagala, 2018
Most points after touchdown, career
*132 – Michael Domagala
*78 – Jeff Morris
*66 – Mario Arnone
*41 – Mike Sharp
*26 – Don McGregor
Notable alumni
* Carl Coulter
Carl Coulter (born November 14, 1966) is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman. He played 15 seasons in the Canadian Football League for six different teams. He was named CFL All-Star in 1998 and was a part of one Grey Cup cha ...
: Played in the Canadian Football League for 15 seasons as a centre
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricit ...
, including one-year stints with the Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. Formerly one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine ...
and Ottawa Renegades
The Ottawa Renegades were a Canadian Football League franchise based in Ottawa, Ontario founded in 2002, six years after the storied Ottawa Rough Riders folded. After four seasons, the Renegades franchise was suspended indefinitely by the league ...
. He was a CFL Eastern All-star twice and a CFL All-star once. He was a member of the 87th Grey Cup champion Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Tim Hortons Fiel ...
.
* Michael Allen: Played in the CFL for seven seasons as a defensive back
In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
and played with the Ottawa Rough Riders for two seasons. He was a three-time Grey Cup
The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...
champion.
* Joe Colvey
Joe Colvey (born January 19, 1948) is a retired Canadian football player who played for the Ottawa Rough Riders, Montreal Alouettes and Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Carleton University
...
: Played in the CFL for three seasons as a defensive back and was a member of the 64th Grey Cup
The 64th Grey Cup was played on November 28, 1976, at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 23–20 in what is considered one of the most thrilling Grey Cup games, featuring some of the most ...
champion Ottawa Rough Riders.
* Jason Kralt
Jason Kralt (born February 8, 1974) is a former Canadian football linebacker who played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League with the BC Lions and Ottawa Renegades. He was drafted by the BC Lions in the third round of the 1999 CFL D ...
: Played in the CFL for seven seasons as a linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, pl ...
including four spent with the Ottawa Renegades
The Ottawa Renegades were a Canadian Football League franchise based in Ottawa, Ontario founded in 2002, six years after the storied Ottawa Rough Riders folded. After four seasons, the Renegades franchise was suspended indefinitely by the league ...
. He was a member of the 88th Grey Cup champion BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place.
The Lions played their first season ...
, but did not play in the championship game due to injury.
* Cameron Legault
Cameron Legault (born September 25, 1974) is a former Canadian Football League defensive tackle who played for eight seasons for the Calgary Stampeders, BC Lions, Ottawa Renegades, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He won the 88th Grey Cup in 2000 as ...
: Played in the CFL for eight seasons as a defensive tackle, including one year with the Ottawa Renegades. He won the 88th Grey Cup championship as a member of the BC Lions. He also won the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy The Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy is a Canadian Football League award, given to the most outstanding Canadian player in the West Division. Each team nominates a player for this award, from which the winner is chosen. Either the winner of this trophy ...
as the most outstanding Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
player in the West Division.
* Michael Philbrick: Played in the CFL for nine seasons as a defensive lineman
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
and played one game for the Ottawa Rough Riders after being drafted by the team in 1990. He was named an East Division All-star three times and was a member of the 87th Grey Cup championship team with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
* Frank McGee: Played for Carleton in the late 1940s. He went on to become a Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house ...
and a Cabinet Minister, then a nationally-known journalist and host of a CBC News, CBC news show.
* Mark Lee (sportscaster), Mark Lee: Quarterback of the Ravens in the mid-to-late 1970s. Became one of Canada’s prominent sports broadcasters with Sportsnet, Rogers Sportsnet and formerly with CBC Sports.
* Hugh Fraser (athlete), Hugh Fraser: Olympic Games, Olympic Sprint (running), sprinter who skipped the 1978 Commonwealth Games in order to play for Carleton. He would serve on the Ontario Court of Justice and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.
References
External links
Carleton University athletics
{{CIS football
Carleton Ravens football,
U Sports football teams
Canadian football teams in Ottawa
Sports clubs established in 1945
1945 establishments in Ontario
1998 disestablishments in Ontario
2011 establishments in Ontario