The T-Birds, whose 28-27 win over Alberta on Saturday was buoyed by the last-second TD reception by Sam Davenport, host St. Francis Xavier this weekend with a spot within the Vanier Cup on the road
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The UBC Thunderbirds are one in every of 4 collegiate soccer groups on this nation nonetheless standing, thanks partly to a quarterback from Texas connecting on a last-second landing Saturday with a receiver who transferred in when the SFU Purple Leafs abruptly shut down their season.
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Garrett Rooker’s 13-yard strike to Sam Davenport between a gaggle of defenders simply contained in the Alberta Golden Bears finish zone with no time displaying on the clock within the fourth quarter accomplished an unbelievable six-play, 95-yard drive within the recreation’s ultimate 52 seconds. Coupled with a convert from kicker Kieran Flannery-Fleck, it secured UBC a 28-27 win within the Canada West Hardy Cup finale at Thunderbird Stadium.
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UBC now hosts the St. Francis Xavier X-Males this Saturday at Thunderbird Stadium within the Mitchell Bowl, and the winner of that match-up advances to the Vanier Cup nationwide championship Nov. 25 in Kingston, Ont.
That is the deepest UBC has superior since profitable the Vanier Cup in 2015.
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Rooker, who’s a third-year pivot from League Metropolis, Texas, completed Saturday 27-of-35 for 378 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. His preliminary connection to UBC was by means of teachers — he’s the son of Dr. Jay R. Rooker, a marine biology professor at Texas A&M-Galveston who has had a number of of his college students proceed their research at UBC.
Davenport’s game-winning catch, which got here on a Third-and-2 from the 13-yard line, was his third reception on that drive. He completed Saturday with 10 receptions for 137 yards, together with that one main.
The third-year receiver from Abbotsford, together with fourth-year defensive again Jerrell Cummings of Vancouver, transferred to UBC from SFU simply forward of the season.
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SFU introduced in April that it was disbanding its soccer group efficient instantly, even supposing it had a schedule for this season, which included a Dec. 1 Shrum Bowl recreation in opposition to UBC. Cummings had an interception and Davenport recorded three catches for 62 yards for SFU in UBC’s 18-17 win in final 12 months’s Shrum Bowl.
SFU cited a dwindling variety of NCAA Div. II packages on the West Coast for his or her transfer, and that they didn’t wish to delay what they felt was inevitable.
The gamers and alumni protested, complaining that they weren’t given superior warning and choices like transferring the group to Canada West weren’t totally explored. There was even a court docket case. The college agreed just a few weeks later to rent a particular adviser to analysis choices, however the group was placed on hiatus in the interim.
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The particular adviser’s report, which was essential of the athletic division, was made public in September. The college has but to announce whether or not the soccer program, which dates again to 1965, can be reinstated.
Within the meantime, a lot of these SFU gamers have taken to rooting for Davenport and Cummings with UBC.
Gideone Kremler, who was set to be a junior quarterback/defensive again with SFU this season, says some 30 Purple Leafs merchandise have been at Thunderbird Stadium to help the pair the previous two video games.
“SFU soccer has lived vicariously by means of any of us former members lucky sufficient to proceed taking part in,” mentioned Kremler. “As a household of younger males, watching their successes is every thing to us. It’s a testomony to the 4 years that members from our class had put in at SFU, and likewise a benchmark for among the youthful guys on what correct improvement and devoted effort can obtain.
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“We’re extremely pleased with our guys, however don’t assume for a minute that we didn’t anticipate them to have the impression they’ve each had. Anybody from SFU might’ve informed you ways proficient each these guys are.”
Davenport missed three video games with an undisclosed harm this season for UBC (8-2), however he leads the group in reception yards (720) and landing catches (5), whereas sitting second in receptions (35).
Davenport and Cummings, who has 22 tackles in 9 video games this season, each have been named to the Canada West all-star group. UBC had 14 gamers honoured.
Alberta (7-3) misplaced all three of its match-ups with UBC this season. They have been up 27-21 on Saturday and urgent so as to add to their margin when UBC defensive lineman Taaj Jahooty recovered a fumble by Alberta quarterback Eli Hetlinger on the UBC 15-yard line, establishing the last-minute comeback.
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STFX (10-0) received the Loney Bowl Atlantic College Sport title Saturday on their Antigonish, N.S., residence turf with a 34-23 conquer the Bishop’s Gaiters.
The Uteck Bowl, which options the Western Mustangs (10-0) visiting the Montreal Carabins (9-1) Saturday, is the opposite Vanier Cup semifinal.
Western was ranked No. 1 and Montreal was No. 2 within the ultimate U Sports activities nationwide ballot that got here out Oct. 31, whereas STFX was tied for No. 4 and UBC was No. 7.
That is the primary assembly between UBC and STFX because the T-Birds’ 2015 nationwide championship season, after they beat the X-Males 36-9 in Antigonish within the Uteck Bowl. UBC downed Montreal 26-23 within the Vanier Cup in Quebec Metropolis the next week.
NEXT GAME
St. Francis Xavier X-Males vs. UBC Thunderbirds
Mitchell Bowl soccer
Thunderbird Stadium, UBC
12 p.m. (Canada West TV)
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