The Prince George Gnats opened their season with a thrilling comeback victory against the Terrace Northmen on Saturday afternoon at Kelly Road secondary school.
In the B.C. Rugby Union contest, the Gnats got a late try from Justin Girard and a conversion off the foot of Matthew Van Horn and defeated the visitors 19-17.
The Gnats, who were trailing 17-12, set up the winning points with some strong defensive play. The key moment was provided by Jarryd Kurisu, whose big tackle on a Northmen player resulted in a loose ball that was scooped up by Girard. As soon as Girard gained possession, he kicked the ball deep downfield, recovered it, and charged across the try line for the major score. That play was followed by Van Horn's successful conversion.
The teams compete in the BCRU's Central Interior Division. In their previous game, the Northmen beat the Williams Lake Rustlers, the defending division champion, so the Gnats' Saturday decision was a positive sign.
The Gnats, under the guidance of new coach Derek Pue, opened the scoring with a try by Jacob Perez in the first quarter but the Northmen quickly responded with their own major.
With the game tied 5-5, the Gnats pressed the Northmen deep in their zone and that led to a try by Elijah Francis and a conversion by Troy McKenzie. At half-time, the Gnats had themselves a 12-5 lead.
Early in the second half, the Northmen hit the Gnats with some relentless pressure and were rewarded with a try and a conversion. Now in a 12-12 tie, Terrace ran an attack on the Gnats' left flank and once again pushed across the try line for the 17-12 advantage. As time ticked down, Girard scored the equalizer and Van Horn kicked the winning points.
The Gnats will try to push their record to 2-0 when they host the Rustlers on Saturday at 2 p.m. The game will be played at Kelly Road.
