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Banff Bears hunting down inaugural cup after tough victory

"It was tight, but we definitely played hard and played a way better game and I don’t think they were ready for it.”

BANFF – As blood poured down from Frank Dwyer’s face onto his yellow jersey, the captain of Banff men’s rugby shouted instructions to his team to hold off the Bow Valley Grizzlies' final late-game charge.

In an extremely tight match, with the inaugural Bow Valley Bears Cup hanging in the balance, the losing Grizzlies were desperately trying to bully their way to one more try. And if successful, it would set them up to steal a victory – and the inaugural trophy – away from Banff Bears in the dying seconds.

The Cochrane-based team was inching forward to the 30-yard line, then to the 25, and then to the 20. However, the Bears weren’t making anything easy on Saturday (June 25) at Banff rec grounds.

Intensity, one of Banff’s best traits all season, was on full display as the gritty Bears fiercely protected their 24-19 lead right down to the final whistle.

“It’s absolutely the biggest win of the season,” said Dwyer.

“It’s a fantastic feeling knowing in our first game [against the Grizzlies], we were all over the place, chickens with their heads cut off. Coming out here now … it was tight, but we definitely played hard and played a way better game and I don’t think they were ready for it.”

Dwyer, whose nose was busted open in the second half by an illegal elbow, said there was a fiery will to win from both sides. And it was the type of big game atmosphere that Bears veteran, Jeremy Woodcock – sidelined with a nagging injury – wished he could be playing in.

The victory for Banff (3-1-1) gives them a three-game win streak and pushes a third and deciding game for the Cup later in the season.

Banff’s Carter White scored two tries and kicked two conversions, and Tristan Palmer and Michael Crabtree each had one try.

White, a rookie to the team this season, said teamwork came up huge.

“We just kept it on them the whole game,” said the rookie winger. “The ref was on us the whole time, but we just kept our heads up and it just felt like a good win, like, we earned it. It’s going to be an exciting third game.”

The Bears pounced on the Grizzlies early after Palmer intercepted a pass and trotted in 25 yards for the try. The lead was short-lived though, and the Grizzlies broke past Banff’s defence following a scrum five yards out.

Now on the offensive, the Grizzlies tried to bully in for second try, but their effort came up empty. In only a few seconds, the Bears went from fighting off a score to booting the ball and dribbling it all the way down the pitch before White touched it down for a try.

Before the end of the first half, Banff’s Crabtree kicked the ball upfield after a scrum and jumped on the ball to make it 17-5.

The angry Grizzlies answered out of halftime and cut the lead to five. The Bears doubled the lead to 24-12 after a ruck, where the ball was passed to the speedy White and he turned on the jets and stretched his legs to get past diving Grizzlies and in for his second try of the match.

But the annoyed Grizzlies didn’t go away quietly. The Cochrane-based squad pressured and grinded out its hardest fought try of the day. Although, that’s as close as the Grizzlies came.

The Bears and Grizzlies each have won once in Calgary Rugby Union (CRU) action, and will play in a friendly third match to determine the winner of the Bow Valley Bears Cup – a new trophy between the two teams – later this season.

“These guys are going to want to beat us and we’re going to want to beat them,” said White. “The boys are ready to go. I’m excited. It’s going to be a cracking game.”

Saturday’s effort was much different than the Bears' first match and loss of the season. The team has been quickly adjusting after two seasons away from the pitch with a new crop of faces.

Head coach Lee Garrett said not only was Saturday’s win good for what to expect out of teams moving forward, but it showcased the development of homegrown talent.

“This is the first time we’re actually not hindered by the international rule,” said Garrett. “We have a few internationals, but not many. We have a Canadian squad.”

CRU rules have worked against Banff in the past, which states teams must field a majority of Canadians. In the tourism town with many workers from out of country, the rugby club draws interest from international players wanting to play for the team.

“Looking around, 70 per cent of these guys went to the high school,” said Garrett. “It’s fantastic. [The development is] starting to pay off.”

The Bears have two weeks off until their next game against the Calgary Rams on Saturday (July 16) at Banff rec grounds. Kick-off is 2 p.m.


Jordan Small

About the Author: Jordan Small

An award-winning reporter, Jordan Small has covered sports, the arts, and news in the Bow Valley since 2014. Originally from Barrie, Ont., Jordan has lived in Alberta since 2013.
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