The men’s rugby team ended their season on a disappointing note last Saturday at Fletcher’s Field in Markham, falling to the Brock Badgers by a score of 23-13 in the OUA bronze medal game. It was a frustrating day for the Gaels, who had ample possession but struggled to string together multiple phases of offence in the open field. “We had a lot of blown opportunities,” said Queen’s lock Spencer Cameron. “Brock came out with a lot of intensity, and we did our best to match it. We earned plenty of scoring chances, but we couldn’t capitalize on them.”
Queen’s trailed at halftime by a score of 10-3, with the Gaels’ points coming from a penalty kick by scrum half Bryn Davies. The rest of the Gaels’ scoring came in the second half, when Davies scored another penalty kick and centre Justin Chang tallied a try that was converted by winger Nick Hodgson.
Meanwhile, the fired-up Badgers squad was led by veterans Jared Selby and Mark Shisler. Selby missed the regular season meeting between the two sides, when Brock lost to Queen’s 21-6, but made his presence felt on Saturday by scoring 13 points off three penalties and two conversions. Shisler scored both of Brock’s tries.
Despite the Gaels’ fourth-place finish in the OUA, a few Queen’s players took home some of the league’s top individual honours. Most notably, prop Ramsey Ida was recognized as OUA East Player of the Year. The award marks the conclusion to the three years of physical and spirited play that the former Golden Gaels football player provided to the Queen’s front row. Also taking OUA East all-star honours for the Gaels were Cameron, Chang, prop Niall Kirby, fullback James Potter, and scrum half Kai Sorensen.
The Gaels will look forward to making another run at the OUA title next season. Every one of the OUA all-star performers, with the exception of Ida, will be returning to the Gaels next season for another attempt at the OUA title.
However, the team will face a tough task in the off-season when it tries to replace a talented cast of graduating players, including captain Kiel Perchinig, wingers Hodgson and Rob Leslie, centre Jordan Foley, fullback Chris Sager and hooker Neil Lacroix. Before graduation, however, these players will have the opportunity to represent Queen’s one more time when the team travels to South Africa for a few friendly matches in February.
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