UBCOB Ravens – April 2025

Ravens Advance to Final Ravens 48 – Westshore 17: Report by Peter MacDonald

After a four-week layoff the Ravens stepped back onto the pitch on a sunny day at Jericho to contest the BC semi-final game against its most recent opponent, Westshore. And as the vendors selling trinkets to the cruise ship passengers say it was “same, same, but different”. The Ravens won comfortably but Westshore played at a high pace and consistently challenged the Ravens defence as they did at Cowichan in March.

The sets were more even with the Ravens scoring one pushover try as compared to three in the previous game but in open play the Ravens had their way early unlike in March. Centre Logan Henry collected his own chip kick two minutes in and scored sending a message that things might be different this time. Four more Raven first half tries were followed by three in the second with only four of eight converted to Nick Blain’s dismay. The try scorers were Henry (2), Blain, Wolmarans, O’Donoghue, McLelland and Crowell and whoever touched down the pushover.
Westshore try scorers were #8, Alvin Otieno, hooker Zepher Melnyk and the left winger. The visitors could have cashed in more but a knock-on at the touch down foiled one and Cole Keffer’s saving tackle on big Taylor McGuire in full stride saved another.

Referee Nathaniel Hight did an excellent job. His movement and signalling were first class and as a young referee he shows real promise.

For the Raven club supporters on the sidelines this game had a pall cast over it by their Premier reserve team, the Rippers, unfortunate loss to Burnaby that preceded the Premier game. Leading 28-7 with the game apparently in hand they let Burnaby back into it and saw the visitors raise their game and score three late converted tries to tie the game. Burnaby claimed the win in overtime with a penalty goal ending the Rippers’ season and leaving them to wonder what might have been. Full credit to Burnaby for upping their game and especially to their #9 who was an impeccable kicker on the day most notably nailing a conversion from the left sideline in windy conditions to take the game to overtime. Good luck in the final.

Now it is off to Abbotsford for the Premier final against UBC, a rematch of the 2018 final. A check of the records shows that UBC has won five of the last eight finals and the Old Boys the other three. Should be a great game with two evenly matched teams. UBC is undefeated since Christmas including a tie with the Ravens and the Ravens undefeated all season. May the best team win.