BC Premier Semi-Final Results: UBC Dominate Caps; CW Upset Ravens
UBCOB Ravens 24 v Castaway Wanderers 26 @ 14:30
Referee: David Smortchevsky Assessor: Brett Hay
Venue: Jericho Beach Park
An upset from the Oak Bay based team as they apparently won it on the last play of the game. It sounds like a thriller and we look forward to reading Peter MacDonald’s match report. They’ll face UBC in the final.
PREGAME
These teams met in the final week of the regular season and it was a close match, CW started fast but the Ravens overtook them at the end. The Ravens were down by 17 points at one point but went on to win by +7. This time the Ravens have home field advantaqe.
CW are coming off a comprehensive quarter-final win over UVic. The team roster has been stable, there are no changes to the starting XV from last week. There are a couple of new names on the bench. Nick Shubert comes in as reserve prop and Gareth Sandner as reserve back.
The Ravens struggled last week against the 7th place Rowers coming away with a close +9 win. They were missing a few key players who are back this week. They’ve completely reshuffled their forwards from last week, Returning to action is David O’Donoghue at #8, he’s the younger brother of Munster #8 Jack O’Donoghue. Jack O’Donoghue has the distiction of being the youngest Munster player to reach 150 caps at age 27. Tom Kaijaks is the only front row player from last week to stay in the starting XV but moves to tighthead prop, Joe Dawson starts at loosehead and Scott Cunningham starts at hooker. Grant Crowell comes off the bench to start in the second row alongside the returning Trevor Helgason. With O’Donoghue returning to #8 the other loosies switch positions with Etheve at openside and Ikeda at blindside. The halfback pairing is the one constant from last week, along with Colby Mason in the centres. The return of Aaron McLelland to fullback strengthens the squad.
It should be an epic match and as close as last time. CW have some game breakers with Gradyn Bowd at #10 and Mike Fuailefau off the bench. The Ravens Aaron McLelland is in a class of his own when he’s on form. It was Ravens +7 a few weeks ago when they were on the road at CW, at home they should be able to maintain that advantage. Prediction: Ravens by 7.
Ravens
1 Joe Dawson
2 Scott Cunningham
3 Tom Kaijaks
4 Grant Crowell
5 Trevor Helgason
6 Jacob Ikeda
7 Simon Etheve
8 David O’Donoghue
9 Alex Ball (c)
10 Jasper Mellish
11 Tyler Hume
12 Jake Gibson
13 Colby Mason
14 Sean Hase
15 Aaron McLelland
16 Antonio Corbin
17 James Carson
18 Guido Suez
19 Kiernan Collie
20 Matt Chan
21 Kol Henrikson
22 Robert Jones
23 Nolan McAllister
CW
1. Gavin Kratz
2. John Braddock
3. Jack Sponarski
4. Liam Chisolm (c)
5. John Humphries
6. Mike Finnemore
7. Sawyer Herron
8. Cam Sandison
9. Zech Pilgrim
10. Gradyn Bowd
11. Angus Boyd-Porter
12. Brandon Schellenberger
13. Daniel James
14. Mike Adibe
15. Jordan Tait
16. Alex Clark
17. Nick Shubert
18. Jack Warren
19. Steve Pyke
20. Matt Sutherland
21. Gareth Sandner
22. Mike Fuailefau
23. Liam Poulton
UBC 48 v Capilano 13 @ 14:30
Referee: Christopher Assmus Assessor: JT ZHANG
Venue: UBC- Gerald McGavin Centre
A couple of quick tries took the wind out of the Capilano sails and UBC’s expansive game paid dividends in the scoreline. They remain undefeated this season and take on CW in the final next weekend. The final matches will be held at the Bayside facility in South Surrey.
PREGAME
UBC are undefeated this season, they won a feisty contest against the Capilanos in the regular season but it was close, a +9 result. Caps have only lost two games this season, the one to UBC and one to Burnaby, they were able to reverse the Burnaby result in the quarter-finals.
The UBC lineup sees few changes from last week. Cali Martinez gets the start at loosehead prop, that’s the only change in the forwards. In the centres Landon Clironomos comes in at inside centre and Connor Byron comes off the bench for the start at outside centre, moving Takoda McMullin to fullback.
The Caps are still missing their outstanding #10, Jeremy Iron, however that didn’t affect them last week when they defeated Burnaby. Their forward roster remains unchanged as does the halfback pairing from last week. Ben Cameron comes off the bench to start at inside centre, and Cam Waddell moves to the wing.
It’s going to be another physical battle and a treat for the fans that make their way to UBC. We’re going with the same logic as the other semi-final, we don’t see a reason the result should be much different from the regular season match up. Prediction: UBC by 9.
UBC
1 Calixto Martinez – Earl Marriott Secondary School
2 Jacob Bossi – Brentwood College School
3 Conor O’Flaherty – International School of Brussels
4 Frank Carson – Southpointe Academy
5 David Carson – Oak Bay High School
6 Donald Carson – Southpointe Academy
7 Owain Ruttan – St. Marys Catholic Secondary
8 Alfie Scopes – The Judd School
9 Jack Carson – Oak Bay High School
10 Max Abercrombie – Oak Bay High School
11 Jake Lan – Rockridge Secondary School
12 Landon Clironomos – Lord Byng Secondary School
13 Connor Byron – Yale Secondary School
14 Jared Andrews-Almack – Sutherland Secondary School
15 Takoda McMullin – Earl Marriott Secondary School
16 Josh Tweed – Semiahmoo Secondary School
17 Payton Teneycke – Vincent Massey Secondary School
18 Josh Downes – Colchester Royal Grammar School
19 Sol Jacques – Penticton Secondary School
20 Izzak Kelly – Earl Marriot Secondary School
21 Ethan Berry – Kitsilano Secondary School
22 Killick Saxer – Carson Graham Secondary School
23 Jacob Bourne – St. George’s School
Capilano
1 – Neil Courtney
2 – James Ritzema
3 – Jesse Ryan
4 – Reid Tucker
5 – Nick Pearce
6 – Cori Hamill
7 – Jordan Harvey (C)
8 – Glen McKinnon
9 – Chris Robinson
10 – Mike Moloney
11 – Cam Waddell
12 – Ben Cameron
13 – Johnny Franklin (C)
14 – Eligh Papin
15 – Phil LeLievre
16 – Rich Merinsky
17 – Mackenzie Mills
18 – Liam Doll
19 – Ryan Scott
20 – Haward Mulundi
21 – Johnny Adams
22 – Sam Franklin
23 – TBA
Mens Division 1
UBCOB Ravens 45 v Abbotsford 31 @ 12:45
Bayside 19 v UBC 17 @ 14:45
Mens Division 2
Axemen Rugby Club 53 v United 10 @ 12:45
Surrey Beavers v Scribes @ 12:45
Mens Division 3
Kats 24 v Burnaby Lake 21 @ 11:00
Bayside 21 v Meraloma 18 @ 12:45
Womens Division 1
Burnaby Lake 24 v Bayside 12 @ 11:00
Cowichan 41 v Meraloma 5 @ 11:00
Womens Division 2
Langley 20 v James Bay 0 (JBAA Forfeit)
Vancouver Rowing Club 55 v Nanaimo Hornets 12 @ 12:00