Posted: Oct 14, 2023

Rugby falls to Georgian with last second try

By: William Shoukri
Humber Athletics Communications

ETOBICOKE - It was a cloudy fall afternoon at Humber Valley Field on Saturday as the Hawks (2-2, 2nd West) fell to the Grizzlies (3-1, 1st West) 26-22. Daniel Budic took charge for the Hawks, scoring a try and scoring Humbers' only conversion in the match.

Match Recap

In a game in which the winner would clinch a spot in the 2023 OCAA playoffs, Humber lost 26-22 against the Georgian Grizzlies Humber was in the driver's seat for most of the first half, scoring their first try and converting the score to go up 7-0. Georgian would respond but would fail to convert on try, leaving Humber with a two-point lead. With help from some strong defence, Humber would score again. They would fail to convert the kick but would go up 12-5. Late in the half, Georgian would find a huge hole in the Humber defence, the Grizzlies would run in a try to cut Humbers' lead to two. With a tight angle for the conversion, Georgian would convert the kick successfully, tying the game with less than 10 seconds left in the half. With Georgian holding the momentum in the dying seconds of the half, Humber would put together an impressive last-minute run and would score with no time left on the clock to go up 17-12.

Georgian took charge in the second half, putting pressure in the offensive zone and converting on a try to go up 19-17. With Humber still stifled in their defensive zone, they would finally break free offensively. The Hawks would put together a successful run, scoring another try but failing to convert the two-point kick. With Humber up 22-19, an injury to a Humber player would delay the game temporarily.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, Georgian would start right where they left off before the break, commanding possession in the Hawks' zone. Humber would get a chance to take it the other way but a turnover would stop the rush. In extra time, Georgian would finally break through Humber's defence to score the winning try. Georgian would convert the try and win the game 26-22, securing their place in the 2023 OCAA playoffs.

Humber Highlights

Georgians 26 points are the most a team has scored against Humber this season.
Daniel Budic scores his first conversion and second try of his OCAA career.
Humbers' 54 points against is third in the OCAA, behind only Durham and St. Lawrence.