THE CULLEN CUP IS UP FOR GRABS ON SATURDAY AS THE SUN ARE SET TO HOST THE BCFC CHAMPIONSHIP

Story Courtesy Eric Stansfield

If you’re promoting a league championship in any sport, the dream matchup is a showdown between the two best teams — long-time archrivals who share mutual respect, but little love lost. It’s the ultimate battle for league supremacy.

That’s exactly what fans will get this Saturday, October 18th, at the Apple Bowl, when the number one ranked, undefeated Okanagan Sun (10–0) host the number two ranked Westshore Rebels (7–3) in the BCFC Cullen Cup Championship.

This will mark the ninth meeting between these two rivals, with the Sun holding a 6–2 edge in previous contests. It’s also the fourth straight Cullen Cup clash between the Sun and Rebels, and for Okanagan, their ninth league championship appearance in the past eleven years.

The Sun have a 2–1 record against the Rebels in their last three championship meetings.

Saturday’s final will be the third meeting of the season between the clubs. The first, on August 9th in Langford, was a dramatic, come-from-behind victory for the Sun. Trailing by 13 points with just 11 minutes to play, quarterback Liam Kroeger engineered a heart-stopping rally to secure a 43–39 win.

In that game, the Sun leaned on the power of running back Gerren Hardisty and the precision of Kroeger’s right arm. Hardisty carried 26 times for 149 yards, while Kroeger completed 20 passes to seven different receivers for 309 yards.

The second meeting was at the Apple Bowl September 13^th, when the Sun locked down their third BCFC regular season title in four years.

Once again, the 37-24 win was due to the play of Kroeger and Hardisty.  Kroeger went 15 of 26 for 238 yards, 1 touchdown, while Hardisty carried the ball 20 times for 109 yards and 1 TD.

The Sun defence played a key role in that victory with defensive back Tariq Brown taking a 98-yard pick to the house for six, one of three INT’s, and defensive lineman JaQuintis Summers, and Jarveon Williams had two quarterback sacks and Mitchell Hickingbottom with one.

The Cullen Cup match-up is clearly the battle of the best!  Of the 13 categories of statistics for League Leaders the Sun are ranked first in seven, while the Rebels hold down 5 top spots.

Without a doubt the BCFC’s top two quarterbacks will be on the field Saturday.  Kroeger finished the season ranked first in Total Passed Yards with 2,860 to Rebels Gavin Session at 2,806 yards. Kroeger was first in Offensive Yards with 3,026 yards to Session with 3,003.  The only category that Session tops Kroeger in is Touchdown Passes, 28 to 26.

Kroeger also sports the top Efficiency Rating of 127.0% over Session at 119.5%.

Besides the number one and two ranked QB’s, the game will also feature the league’s top receiver in the Rebels Zion Brown, who was ranked first in Receiving Yards (1,039), Touchdown Receptions (18), Points Scored (108), and Touchdowns Scored (18).

While the play of Brown is impressive, the Sun have four receivers in the league’s top ten.  Led by Seth Famakinde (590 yds, 7 TD’s), Vincent Chuoi (557 yds, 6 TD’s), Jordayne Falconer (489 yds, 2 TD’s), and Jasiah Haliburton (471 yds, 6 TD’s)

Another game-breaker in the Sun arsenal is receiver and return specialist Falconer who has a total of 629 punt and kick-off return yards, with 3 punts returned for touchdowns.

The Rebels O-line will have to be in top form to keep Session safe.  Defensive lineman Summers and Williams have combined for 24 quarterback sacks and 31 tackles over the season.

Whether it’s offense, defense, or special teams, the Sun and Rebels are evenly matched. On paper this game has all the makings of a barnburner.

The winner of the Cullen Cup will host the CJFL National Semi-Final Saturday October 25^th, 2025.

Tickets are available at www.okanagansun.ca