The hour was late and the Nicholson Crusader defence had remained a tough nut to crack well into the second half of the 2023 Bay of Quinte Senior Boys Rugby final.

The PECI Panthers, school history riding on every line out and scrum, trailed their opponents 3-0 thanks to a Crusaders field goal midway through the opening half.

Jacob Shepard tries to escape the clutches of a Nicholson defender. (Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)

Sensing their window to snatch a first ever senior boys title was closing, the Panthers started to show methodical determination in their approach as time became an ever increasing commodity.

Finally, a break in the game- a misplayed Nicholson line out- eventually led to flanker Riley Grimmon taking a pass out of a scrum near the far sideline. 

A few dippy doodles allowed the Panther to gain precious yardage within the shadow of the Nicholson goal line.

A tackle felled Grimmon but wing Liam Philip was there to pick up the ball and maintain the drive to the line.

With Crusaders all around trying to deny the rookie rugger, a big right arm pushed the ball across the Nicholson line by a few blades of grass and down on the turf to secure what was surely the school’s most important try and was going to be the winning margin for PECI on this day.

Ahead 5-3, the Panthers, who saw a  steady head wind relent just enough at the same time Nicholson’s field goal was airborne and allowed the ball to ease over the cross bar, got a gift gust from the Gods on the ensuing Nicholson kick off and an untimely boot out of bounds all but sealed the win for the Panthers.

With a PECI-held scrum at mid field as the penalty for the Nicholson faux pas, the club maintained possession for nearly all of the remaining three minutes before the Panthers were able to force a line out with just a few seconds left.

With all eyes on the official, his deep breath and the first of three whistle blasts indicating full time set off a celebration decades in the making. For the first time in school history, the championship trophy emblematic of Senior Boys Rugby in this corner of the province will reside at PECI.

Liam Philip scored the biggest try in the history of the PECI Senior Boys Rugby program on Wednesday, clinching the school’s first boys championship in the sport. (Jason Parks/GazetteStaff)

“What a great day for this program and school,” Coach Doug Holt remarked. “It’s the first time ever in school history that we’ve won Bay of Quinte SR Boys Rugby. Everyone worked hard, we had brand new starters at several positions today and they proved they belonged there, it was a true team victory today.”

Holt pointed across the pitch to the effort by the Crusaders. PECI had ball possession for the majority of the game but couldn’t gain traction until the late stages.

“Their defense was excellent all day. They tackled well,  applied pressure and their counter-rucking was very impressive,” the coach noted.

Grimmon was the Belleville Bulldogs Player of the Match and his elusiveness with the ball and healthy boot was a key ingredient in PECI’s historic win.

It should be noted that under Holt, this Panthers entry as well as the others were the most organized and well crafted teams in school history and that a rugby culture has clearly taken hold at PECI. 

In the semi final earlier in the day, the Panthers got past host Centennial 22-12. Philip, Gerrit Kemper’s, Mack Moyer and Reese Kleinsteuber all scored tries while Grimmon was able to boot home a convert.

“It was hard fought game and it was great to see four different scorers against the OFSAA AA host team,” Holt said. “The Chargers were able to capitalized on a turnover and some penalties to keep the game close but we battled hard and picked up our second win of the season against a really great program in Centennial.”

PECI will be back at Mary Anne Sills Park on Wednesday to take on the second seeded team from the Kawartha region. This story will be updated when the schedule is posted.

The 2023 Bay of Quinte Senior Boys Rugby champions from PECI. (Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)