In only its second season of existence, the Bow Valley Grizzlies men’s rugby club has marked its turf on the Calgary Rugby Union (CRU) Division 3 landscape.
The Grizzlies made it to the CRU Division 3 city final Sept. 28, only to drop a 25-9 decision to the undefeated Calgary Canucks.
But, make no mistake. This is a team to be reckoned with.
“For only it’s second year running, to make it to the city finals is awesome,” said young Grizzlies wing James Patterson. “It really affects the awareness for the program.”
The Grizzlies kept it close through the first half, down just 13-9, with Dave Evans kicking the points for Bow Valley. But a vicious head wind and a determined, and undefeated, Canucks side were too much to overcome in the final 40 minutes.
“Definitely. The wind was a factor in the second half,” said Grizzlies head coach Tyler Hawes. “We couldn’t really kick for points outside the 22. Whereas, Davey Boy (Dave Evans) was slotting those kicks in the first half.”
But a city-final appearance in just their second season sets the Grizzlies up well for future campaigns.
“Its a very young side. If we can keep them together, the sky’s the limit,” Hawes enthused. “The skill level is just getting better and better. We’re going to be a team to be reckoned with for a long time to come.”
