Dalhousie University’s homecoming took place on Thanksgiving weekend, bringing with it a day of football and festivities for Dal students and Tigers fans.
Even with the approach of Tropical Storm Philippe, Dal’s stands were overflowing with excited students in their university merchandise.
The Dal Tigers football team was up against the Holland College Hurricanes at Wickwire Field, going into the game with a record of one win and one loss (1-1).
The game started out slow, with both teams having a hard time figuring out each other’s defence. Holland College struck first with a field goal and a safety.
Shortly after, Noah Glover, the Tigers’ quarterback, had to leave the game with an apparent elbow injury. Dante Gabrielli, the team’s backup quarterback and a rookie on the team, was called up to fill Glover’s spot.
Against all odds, this turned out to be the spark the team needed and the Tigers offence came to life. After a short pass, the Tigers ran down the field and secured their first points of the game, courtesy of a successful quarterback sneak by Gabrielli.
“I was very prepared,” said Gabrielli about going into the game. “When I got the opportunity to go in and rep it with the boys, it felt awesome.”
However, before the first half could end, the Hurricanes managed to catch up with a field goal, leaving the score 7-7 at halftime.
Fans were entertained with several halftime show activities, such as the ‘kick for tuition,’ a student relay race and an enthusiastic routine from the Dal Black and Gold Dance Team.
A beer garden and a series of food trucks were also set up just outside Wickwire Field at halftime, making the event feel even more festive.
In the second half, the Tigers came alive, led by Caden Quong, a rookie running back who had a dominant performance and torched the Hurricanes defence.
Quong and Gabrielli made for a deadly duo, both making big plays in their respective positions. The Tigers defence also turned up the intensity, led by Luke Smith, a third-year defensive end, who made a number of big plays in the quarter.
“I don’t know much, but I know one thing and that one thing is work,” said Smith about his team’s defensive performance. “We had a job to get done and we came back and made a statement.”
The score was 21-7 for the Tigers at the end of the third quarter but Holland College didn’t go down without a fight. The Hurricanes began finding holes in the Tigers defence and quickly scored another 10 points.
Fortunately for the Tigers, their offence still had some gas in the tank, scoring another touchdown in the final quarter thanks to Quong and Gabrielli. A successful two-point conversion would bring the score to 29-17 with 4:16 left.
There were a few more big plays to come and Holland College would go on to score another touchdown, but it was too little too late. The Tigers won the game 32-23, securing their homecoming victory.
Gabrielli finished the game with impressive statistics, including two passing assists and two rushing touchdowns.
“I was so excited to get to this game,” said Gabrielli. “I was so nervous, but I came in and just did what I did.”
When speaking of his success, Quong made sure to give credit to his teammates.
“It really comes down to the O-line and our blocking,” said Quong. “We would not have a game if it wasn’t for them, [we] really appreciate their hard work.”
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