BCFC SEMI-FINAL PREVIEW Sun Vs Vancouver Island Raiders

Story Courtesy Eric Stansfiekd

Saturday October 11^th, 2025

Kick-Off – 1:00 PM

Radio Broadcast – AM1150

Fall football means playoff time in the BCFC, and it all begins this Saturday at the Apple Bowl, where the undefeated Okanagan Sun (10–0) host the Vancouver Island Raiders (5–4–1).

In both life and sport, success starts with setting goals. At the beginning of the regular season, Head Coach Travis Miller and his staff outlined two clear objectives:

Goal #1: Secure the top seed in the BC Football Conference and ensure the road to the championship runs through the Apple Bowl. Mission accomplished.

Goal #2: Go 1–0 each week through the postseason, ultimately leading to a berth in the CJFL National Championship this November.

That journey begins Saturday at 1:00 PM, when the Sun kick off against the Raiders. The two teams met only once during the regular season—back on July 26 in the home opener—when the Sun defense dominated in a 42–0 shutout victory.

In that game the Sun defense was led by linebacker Phil Palmarin and defensive back Tariq Brown who each had two interceptions and held the Raider offense to negative yards rushing in the first half, and only 15 yards in the second, for a net offensive total of 126 yards.

With the Sun “D” doing their part, quarterback Liam Kroeger went to work directing the offense to a net total of 420 yards.

Running back Gerren Hardisty, in only his second game with the Sun, carried the ball 18 times for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Kroeger was equally successful thru the air with Jasiah Haliburton hauling in 3 passes for 78 yards and 1 touchdown, and Vincent Chuoi who caught two balls for 23 yds and a TD.

After opening the season at 1 and 1, the Raiders closed out the campaign on a three-game win streak, including a 10 – 8 upset of Westshore, to secure the fourth and final playoff spot.

The Sun come into Saturday’s semi-final with the league’s number one ranked quarterback in Kroeger with 2,860 passing yards and 3026 in offensive yards.

Look for the quartet of receivers, Chuoi, Haliburton, Jordayne Falconer, and Seth Famakinde to be busy as the four combined on over 2,100 receiving yards during the season.

Hardisty finished the regular season as the league’s leading rusher with 1,025 yards, tops in rushing yards per game at 113.9 yds, and number one in rushing touchdowns with 9.

If the old saying “defense wins championships” rings true, then Saturday’s game will be the time for the Sun “D” to shine.

The dominate duo of D-line ends, JaQuintis Summers and Jarveon Williams, terrorized quarterbacks all season.  Summers, finished as the BCFC sack leader with 13 and his teammate Williams, second with 11. They combined for 32 tackles and 12 assisted tackles.

Not to be outshone, the defensive backfield hawked 18 opposition passes this season, Tariq Brown leading the way with 7 interceptions, number one in the league.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.okanagansun.ca or at the Apple Bowl entry gates on game day.  Playoff ticket pricing is General Admission $25, Seniors & Students $20, Children 12 and under are free.