Comets fall to Harry Ainlay Titans in 5A provincial  championship game

Posted on November 28, 2024 by admin

By Garrett Simmons
Westwind Weekly News

Saturday in Grande Prairie, the dream season for the Raymond Comets ended one game short.

In the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association 5A Alberta Bowl championship, the Harry Ainlay Titans emerged with a 37-14 win on a cold and snowy day up north.

Raymond could not contain Ainlay quarterback George Arbez, who picked up three rushing touchdowns and connected with Liam Piccinin for a major through the air. Rahael Kouadio added another TD for the Titans on a 56 yard run.

The Comets lost starting QB Talan Ralph early in the contest, which did not help matters for the Raymond offence. Without the team’s dynamic leader, Raymond kept it close with touchdown passes to Gunner Nelson from both James Baldry and Walker Gibb who filled in for the injured Ralph.

It was a two-score game late into the fourth quarter before Arbez’s third rushing TD of the day put things on ice for the Titans, as the teams battled in conditions that nearly approached minus-20 on the thermometer.

The loss in the final marked a conclusion to a remarkable season for the Comets, as the team rebounded from a season-opening loss to the same Titans team, and rattled off nine straight wins against Canadian competition.

It all started with a five-game winning streak at home, as Raymond rattled off dominating wins against the Nelson Lords, Notre Dame, Henry Wisewood, George McDougall and St. Joseph’s.

The Comets then went on the road and defeated Medicine Hat High School and the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute Rams.

In the 5A playoffs, Raymond kicked things off with a massive 52-14 win in the quarterfinals over Notre Dame, which set up a semifinal date with LCI. Once again, the Comets took care of business, this time in the form of a 37-14 victory.

But in the end, Ainlay was simply too much for the Comets, as the Edmonton powerhouse steamrolled through its competition in 2024, which included a 63-0 win in the quarters and a massive 63-8 demolition of Ernest Manning, the No. 4 team in Alberta, in the semifinals.

This marks the second year in a row Raymond has tasted disappointment in the Alberta Bowl. Back in 2023, the Comets entered the Tier 1 final in the Brian Fryer Division as the No. 1-ranked team and fell 28-24 to No. 3-ranked Ernest Manning.

Raymond did win the Brian Fryer Division in 2022, as the Comets dispatched Harry Ainlay by a score of 34-15. 

The Comets also won a Tier 1 title in 2021, when Raymond crushed Ross Sheppard 45-17. Ainlay won the Fryer that season with a win over St. Francis.