REDS Run Past Tigers
(FREDERICTON, NB) On a rainy Saturday night at the BMO Centre, the UNB REDS used a heavy run attack to help them come away with a 28-5 victory over the Dalhousie Tigers.
“I’m really pleased with the way we played today, particularly in the second half,” said REDS head coach Vince Sturgeon. “It was a very close game, and the weather was making it difficult to get going on offense. But once we were able to establish the run game, I thought we really took over that side of the ball and I thought our defense played tremendous the entire game.”
It was an ugly game to start for both sides, with the teams struggling to hold onto the ball in the downpour. Backed up in his endzone, REDS punter Ryan Lee dropped the snap forcing him to take a safety and put the Tigers up 2-0 early.
The REDS would get on the board in the 2nd quarter after quarterback Hunter Sturgeon found the endzone on a long run. Lee would miss the extra point, but the REDS would take the 6-2 lead to the half.
Coming out of the half, the Tigers would find the first score kicking a field goal to close the gap to 6-5.
That’s when the REDS defense would come alive. On the next Dal possession, UNB defensive lineman Cam Hayward would secure a sack backing the Tigers up in their own endzone before the REDS would force them to take a safety to up the UNB lead to 8-5.
At the end of the 3rd quarter, REDS wide receiver Sebastian Brown would make the play of the day, corralling a 40-yard catch to set up a Ryan Lee field goal to push the UNB lead to six.
In the 4th quarter, the UNB run-heavy game plan would finally pay dividends as Sturgeon rushed for another two touchdowns to increase the REDS margin to 25-8.
“We thought this team can’t stop our run and we ended up being right,” said Sturgeon. “Credit to our offensive line and our half-back, Brady Manderville, for clearing the way for John Freeze, and Ryan Lee all day”
Lee would add another field goal for good measure late in the game.
With the win, UNB captured the 2022 Alumni Cup, given to the winner Dalhousie & UNB season series.
The REDS now sit one win away from clinching home-field advantage heading into the playoffs. They’ll look to do so next weekend when they travel to Charlottetown to face the Holland College Hurricanes on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 6 PM.
“We have to recognize what’s in front of us, you can’t look too far ahead,” said Coach Sturgeon. “We want to make sure we take care of business next week. Holland is a very tough team and playing over on the Island is always a challenge, they’re going to be physical and we’re going to have to be able to adapt to whatever it is they’re doing, and continue to play well on our side of the ball.”
RECAP AND PHOTOS BY: Evan Richtsfeld/UNB Athletics