The Port Alberni Black Sheep rugby club’s season has come to an end with a championship loss against the UBC Old Boys Ravens.
The Ravens lifted the championship trophy for the second year in a row on Saturday, April 29 after a 55-29 win against the Black Sheep in Surrey.
Black Sheep head coach Jas Purewal says the Port Alberni team applied pressure for the first half, but the Ravens were able to capitalize on some turnovers to take a 22-10 halftime lead. Kicker Todd Daradics picked up a penalty goal for the Sheep, while Ty Shannon scored a converted try.
“We had the majority of the possession,” said Purewal. “All their tries were long tries. They turned us over, and off they went the other way.”
In the second half, the Black Sheep had three tries from Anthony Selva, Maxx Bodaly and Asaeli Rokotuiwakaya, but a further five tries from the Ravens ultimately gave them the 55-29 win.
“Our guys played brilliantly,” said Purewal. “But UBC did a good job of absorbing all our pressure. We couldn’t match their speed. Every time we made a mistake, they capitalized on it.”
It’s the end of a strong season for the Black Sheep, who finished second in the Men’s Division 1 league behind Abbotsford RFC and captured the Times Colonist Cup as Vancouver Island champions. Purewal says the team has played “outstanding” all season.
“It’s always tough when you lose, but this year’s been a brilliant year for the guys,” he said. “Hopefully we can come back next year and keep building on it.”
Purewal was also happy to see plenty of support from Port Alberni at the championship game on Saturday. The team managed to fill a fan bus with more than 50 supporters on the trip down to South Surrey Athletic Park.
“There were lots of guys wearing Black Sheep stuff in Vancouver,” Purewal laughed.
elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com
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