The Terry Fox Ravens kicked off the high school rugby Tier 1 campaign with a win over Coquitlam’s Gleneagle Talons.
The Tri-City Rivalry game saw the Coquitlam club jump out to an early 5-0 lead with a try, but intense defensive pressure by the Ravens caused some turnovers that Terry Fox was able to capitalize on.
Two tries by fullback Cooper Courvoisier, with a convert from standoff Harrison Pride put Terry Fox ahead 12-5 going into the first intermission.
Gleneagle struck early in the second half and cut the Ravens’ lead to 12-10, however two penalty goals from Pride put some distance between Terry Fox and the Talons, with the Port Coquitlam club winning the game 18-10.
While the season is still young, the battle decides who wins the Tony Whitham Shield, which goes to the top Coquitlam senior boys team.
Team captain Devin Passaglia had a strong game along with Matt Shuen and Michael Vandervelden.
However, the man of the match honours went to Gleneagles’ scrum half Martin Norman. The Ravens will suit up this Friday for their second game of the year against the Argyle Pipers as part of the BC High School Rugby Stadium Series. The match takes place at Swangard Stadium at 7 p.m.
LEAGUE CHAMPS
The Coqutilam Metro Ford SC Schalke are under-13 Metro Select League soccer champions.
The team finished up the season with six consecutive wins — five of which were shutouts — to take the top spot in the Coastal Mainland division. Keepers Roko Bozic and Jesse Webb held the opposition to a single goal in six games, resulting in a 15-goal differential for Coquitlam, while defenders Luca Di Francesco, Nico Porretti and Ash Mackinley kept the ball out of their own end. Jakub Skrzeta, Tait Ross, Chase Doucette and Ryan Head were able to control the midfield while Max Velthuijzen, Elliott Hunt, Noah Marusenko and Leon De Greiff Meraz shut down the opposition on the outside and contributed to the goal scoring.
