BATTLE FOR FIRST PLACE – REBELS vs SUN

If the first clash of the BCFC season between the Sun and Rebels is any indication of what’s in store this Saturday night at the Apple Bowl, football fans could be in for an absolute barnburner.

Let’s go back to August 9 to Starlight Stadium in Langford, BC.  At halftime the Sun trailed the Rebels by 12 points, they closed the gap to 6 pts. by the end of three quarters, and with 11 minutes left to play found themselves down by 13.

That’s when everything changed. Led by quarterback Liam Kroeger, backed by timely defensive stands, and helped by a little bit of lady luck, the Sun mounted a comeback for the ages — storming back to claim a thrilling 43–39 victory and remain undefeated.

The Sun and Rebels have had a healthy rivalry for several years now, one that has been built out of mutual respect.  These two teams are the best in the BCFC and have been for quite a while.

All you need to do is look at the weekly conference stats leaders and you’ll find that it’s either team leading the stat race with the other in second.

To use an often-over-used cliché, this is the biggest game of the year for both clubs.  A Sun victory would all but lock up first place and the all-important home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.  A Rebel win, by more than 4 points, vaults them into first place.

This is a game where you’ll see plenty of offense with two of the top gun slingers in the BCFC.  Westshore quarterback Gavin Session is leading the league in Total Passed Yards with 1,855 and Offensive Yards with 2,001.  Kroeger is right on his heels in second with 1,827 and 1,897.  Session has thrown 20 touchdown passes to Kroeger’s 13.

Both Kroeger and Session are co-winners for this weeks Offensive Player of the Week in the BCFC.

Rebel wide receiver Zion Brown has caught 12 of those 20 TD passes for a league leading total of 657 receiving yards, while his teammate Tyrell Hofland has 413 yds and 5 TD’s.  Okanagan’s top two receivers are Jordayne Falconer with 378 yds, 1 TD and Vincent Chuoi with 329, 3 TD’s.

The running game could be the difference maker.  Sun running back Gerren Hardisty leads the league in Rushing Yards at 834, Rushing Yards per Game at 119.1, and tied with teammate Marcus Christos for Rushing Touchdowns with 7.  The Rebels top four ball carriers, including quarterback Session, total out at 615 yards.

In the previous meeting in early August, the Sun rushed for 174 yards to the Rebels 70 yds.  Hardisty had 26 carries for 149 yds.

Defensively the Sun will once again be looking to their D-line bookends of JaQuintis Summers and Jarveon Williams to contain the very mobile Session.  Summers leads the league in Sacks with 10, while his teammate Williams has 8.

Congratulations go out to Sun kicker Liam Attwood, who last week, with his 51-yard career long field goal, became the new record holder for BCFC Career Field Goals Made with 71.  Attwood was also named BCFC Special Teams Player of the Week.