Skip to content

Terry Fox Ravens down Jugglers in OT to win provincial football championship

Port Coquitlam school defeats Vancouver's Notre Dame secondary 17-14

 

It has been 22 years since a Passaglia has kicked a game-winning field goal in a championship at BC Place Stadium.

Last Saturday night it was Devin Passaglia’s turn.

The 16-year-old’s 29-yard field goal in overtime broke a 14-14 tie to push the Terry Fox Ravens past Vancouver’s No. 2-ranked Notre Dame Jugglers and win the AAA high school provincial championship banner.

“It is really a kicker’s fantasy,” said after the game. “It is something that you dream about.”

Devin Passaglia was not alive when the B.C. Lions’ Lui Passaglia, Devin’s father’s cousin who is also a Notre Dame secondary alum, kicked the game winner to down Baltimore in the 82nd Grey Cup in 1994. 

However, the younger Passaglia said he is familiar with his Canadian Football Hall of Fame family member’s exploits on the field. 

“I have seen the videos on YouTube,” he said. “It definitely played in my mind. Will this even happen in the final game? And it came true.”

While the game ended well for the Ravens, it did not get off to a smooth start. 

The team was struggling to gain yards early in the first quarter before the Jugglers picked up the ball and scored a touchdown on their first possession.

But it didn’t take long for the Ravens to find their footing.

When tailback Jeremie Kankolongo picked off Notre Dame’s quarterback and ran the ball 70 yards down the field to tie things up, the momentum quickly shifted in favour of Terry Fox. 

The Ravens briefly held the lead when they followed up with a second touchdown, but the Jugglers quickly tied things up before the first intermission. 

Neither team was able to put any points on the board in the third and fourth quarter and the game remained knotted at 14-14 until overtime. Then, with the Jugglers on their own 10-yard line, Notre Dame running back Steven Moretto fumbled the ball, which was picked up by Terry Fox defensive lineman Adam Tennent. 

With the ball back in the Ravens’ possession, Passaglia was able to make his kick.  

“It feels great,” said Kankolongo, who was named MVP. “It feels amazing.”

Fox head coach Martin McDonnell told The Tri-City News that he was impressed with the way his team was able to come up with the win in the championship game. 

Earlier in the season, McDonnell said he wanted to create some adversity for his team by going up against some tough American clubs down in Washington. That proved pay off in the finals, he said, noting that many on the team struggled with bouts of the flu as the prepared for Saturday’s finals. 

“I just couldn’t be happier to do it with such a good group of guys,” McDonnell said.

sports@tricitynews.com

@TriCityNews