Grizzlies and Condors Battle to a Tie with Playoff Implications On The Line

Kitchener, ON -- In a nail-biting clash with significant playoff implications, the Georgian Grizzlies and Conestoga Condors battled to a thrilling 17-17 draw. The result leaves the Grizzlies one spot behind the Condors in the East Division standings, setting up a crucial playoff matchup against Durham next Saturday.

With less than two minutes played, the Grizzlies scored a crucial try setting the tone early taking a 5-0 lead. For the next 30 minutes, the Grizzlies' defense was relentless, thwarting multiple goal-line attempts from Conestoga, showcasing their tenacity and commitment to keeping the Condors off the scoreboard.

Just five minutes into the second half, the Grizzlies regained the lead when Rielly Kirk (Wasaga Beach, ON) struck, notching his eighth try of the season, and a successful conversion from Ethan Phillips (Minesing, ON) pushed the score to 12-7 in favor of Georgian. The Grizzlies extended their advantage ten minutes later, as Parker England (Barrie, ON) broke through for a try of his own, increasing the lead to 17-10.

However, Conestoga wasn’t finished. In a tense final stretch, the Condors managed to score a try late in the game, leveling the score at 17-17 and sealing the draw.

The tie means the Grizzlies will finish the regular season in third place in the East Division and will head to Durham for a quarterfinal OCAA Men’s Rugby playoff match on Saturday, October 26, at 1 PM. As the Grizzlies prepare for the playoffs, they will look to harness the lessons learned from this hard-fought battle against the Condors and carry that momentum into their postseason campaign.