BURNABY, B.C. – Shrum Bowl XXXIV came down to the final minute in what's been a tightly fought battle over the decades, and this time it was the UBC Thunderbirds who came out on top, 18-17, with
Derek Engel scoring the game winning touchdown with just 25 seconds on the clock on a quarterback sneak.
With the Simon Fraser Red Leafs leading a defensive battle 3-0 at the half, the lead changed five different times in the final 30 minutes. The T-Birds took a 12-10 lead four minutes into the final quarter when
Dane Kapler scampered 17 yards to the end zone.
The host Red Leafs went back ahead with just 96 seconds remaining on a two-yard Mason Glover run, putting the T-Birds behind the eight-ball in their bid to end SFU's three-game Shrum Bowl win streak.
And when the chips were down as they were, UBC's offence came up in the clutch, getting the ball down to the Simon Fraser one-yard line on a fourth and long Engel pass to fifth-year receiver
Lliam Wishart. Engel punched the ball in on the next play for what turned out to be the final points of the game after UBC's two-point convert was unsuccessful.
The Red Leafs did still have a few plays left to try to get in field goal range, but
Ryan Baker's third sack of the night brought down Justin Seiber as the clock hit zero, sealing UBC's first Shrum Bowl victory since 2007.
"I believe both sides had difficulties practicing this week with the weather and the snow. At half time I told my guys let's just go out, shake the rust off and just execute," said UBC head coach
Blake Nill as the 'Birds improve to 16-17-1 all-time in Shrum Bowl competition. "I was confident in our physical skill, I was confident that we were ready to go, we just had to make some plays and in the second half we made one play more, that's it."
UBC got themselves on the board six minutes into the second half when
Edgerrin Williams finished off an eight play drive with an 18-yard catch and run that saw the third-year receiver fake out multiple Red Leaf defenders on his way to the end zone. Williams finished the game with 76 total yards, leading all T-Bird receivers.
Up 6-3 after a failed convert, the 'Birds held the lead until the early moments of the final quarter when Seiber connected with Ethan Beselt for a 55-yard score to put the hosts back in front.
Less than three mintues later, Kapler's rushing score restored the UBC lead at 12-10 after another failed convert attempt.
Glover's two-yard rushing score capped off a 91 yard Simon Fraser drive as the capacity home crowd was on their feet, anticipating a fourth straight Shrum Bowl Victory. But Engel and the T-Birds had other plans.
"That's probably the best part of this game from an offensive point of view," added Nill of the gutsy finish his team put together. "We were able to drive the ball with a young quarterback and make the play when we needed to."
Baker's game ending sack was a fitting way to cap the night off with UBC's defence coming up huge, amassing 11 total sacks and holding SFU to just 249 total yards of offence.
Engel finished his first Shrum Bowl with 211 yards on 20-of-36 passing, one touchdown and one interception. Seiber went 18-of-25 for 261 yards and a touchdown.
The first Shrum Bowl in 12 years may not have started with fireworks but it sure ended with them, and by the final whistle there was no doubt the cross-town rivalry is alive and well.
"It was an outstanding game, I can't say enough about the whole event," added Nill. "(SFU Athletic Director) Theresa Hanson's whole committee, (SFU Head Coach) Mike Rigell's team played with so much heart and inspiration, I'm so impressed with the game they came out and played. It was a pleasure to be part of it and I'm looking forward to building this to the kind of potential it has."
