jamie barresi

Although York did trouble the Gee-Gees early, it proved to be a big win for the Garnet and Grey, who eventually came together to defeat the smaller Toronto squad 42-16.

The game was a back-and-forth defensive battle throughout, with a mere safety being the difference for the Gee-Gees in what turned out to be a nail-biting finish.

As thousands of fans packed into Gee-Gees Field, the team prepared to live up to the hype after an entire offseason of work. The tunnel inflated and smoke machines billowed as Jay Z & Kanye West’s ominous “No Church in the Wild” blared, leading the Gees onto the field. It was only a matter of minutes until the team would impose their will on the Gaels.

The Panda Bowl’s return was nothing short of exciting. The stands were filled, since the event sold out the 4,000-seat capacity by Friday at noon, with more than 800 standing tickets sold in surplus. The game was preceded by a reunion of alumni players from both Carleton University and the University of Ottawa’s football teams, who led the game with an honorary kick-off. The air was full of cheers from both Gee-Gees and Ravens fans.

“This is where I went to school, I understand what winning means here —for the kids, for the players, for the community, and for the alumni.”