Photo courtesy of Greystoke Photography

For the fourth time this season the Sun will face the Vancouver Island Raiders on Sunday in the BCFC Semi-Final, but this time there is no tomorrow with the winner moving on and the loser goes home.

In the first three meetings of the season the Sun have outscored the Raiders 121-27 and shut them out 38-0 in their lone appearance at the Apple Bowl.  However in the playoffs the Sun are winless in six meetings since 2006.   The last time the Sun hosted the Raiders in the post season was the 2010 Cullen Cup, falling 16-14.  This was also the last time the Raiders played on the road in the BCFC playoffs.

The game on Sunday will feature two different looking offenses. The Sun will pound the ball on the ground with BCFC rushing champ and All-Star Alex Bradley, while the Raiders will air it out with All-Star quarterback Liam O’Brien.

Bradley carried 77 times for 672 yards and scored five touchdowns in just seven games. Dillon Fortune was third in the Conference rushing 73 times for 597 yards and six majors.  In all the Sun tallied 1,986 yards on the ground behind a very talented offensive line which includes two BCFC All-Stars Cliff Crews and Michele Vecchio.

In the three meetings the Sun have gained an average of 262 yards on the ground and 500 yards on total offense.

The Sun defense, particularly the secondary will be tested on Sunday afternoon with O’Brien being named the BCFC All-Star quarterback this week.  On the season he has completed 171 of 265 attempts for a Conference high 2,842 yards and 20 TD passes compared to eight interceptions.   Against the top ranked defense of the Sun during the regular season he was 61 of 86 for 831 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

O’Brien likes to stay in the pocket but can use his feet to allude danger and has been fortune to be able to connect with the Conference’s best receiver in Marshall Cook.  During the regular season Cook caught 64 balls and for 1,084 yards and nine touchdowns.  Against the Sun he hauled in 21 passes for 335 yards and a score.

When Cook lines up at the line of scrimmage, he’ll no doubt see Robbie Yochim across from him.  The Sun MVP has been matched up with the best receivers this season and has played very well.  Yochim leads the club with 34 tackles and four interceptions.  He was named a BCFC All-Star for the third consecutive year.  Backing Yochim up will be another Conference All-Star in the hard hitting Dexter Janke who had three interceptions during the regular campaign. 

The Sun defensive line will also make things uncomfortable for O’Brien.  Zac Ironstand was named a Conference All-Star with six sacks and has been an anchor on the line all season along with Lucas Machado and his 6.5 sacks.  Jonas Gering will return to the line-up for the first time since September 6 and has been hungry to return.

Both the Sun offense and defense have benefitted from the outstanding play of the special teams.  Yochim has put the offense into great field position and has returned six kicks for touchdowns. 

On the hand, Brennan Van Nistelrooy has done a great job of punting and keeping the opposing offense starting deep in their own end.

One of the untold stories this season has been the Sun coverage team.  They have held some of the top returners this season to minimal yards led by Wes Geisler, Jamie Turek, Layne Hull and Kasey Russell.   On Sunday they will need to be solid again with the combination of Michael Ritchott and Dustin Rodriguez who have four kick returns for touchdowns.

Sunday afternoon will be a physical affair with emotions running high.  As the old saying goes, to be the best, you have to beat the best.  Regardless of what happened in the regular season, the Raiders are still the defending champs until someone knocks them off.

For the Sun, they are trying to get back to the Cullen Cup game for the first time since 2010 and will have to beat their arch rival to get there this season.

Kick-off is set for 1:00pm on Sunday.  Catch the live play by play with Ryan Watters (@ryan2tswatters) beginning with the Kick Off Show at 12:30pm.