For the Okanagan Sun, playing football in Regina, SK in the fall has been very rewarding!
Sun move on to play for Canadian Bowl
Two years ago, the Sun went into the Queen City and defeated the Regina Thunder to capture their third Canadian Bowl.
Yesterday afternoon it was again the Sun defeating the Prairie football machine on their home turf, 28-14, in the CJFL National Semi-final.
With the victory, the Sun punched their ticket to the Canadian Bowl, Nov. 9th in Windsor, ON., and a date with Ontario Football Conference Champion St. Clair College Saints.
This will be the second trip in three years for Head Coach Travis Miller and the Okanagan Sun football club to the CJFL National Final.
On a gusty Sunday afternoon at Leibel Field in Regina, the Sun relied on a solid defensive performance to shut down the Thunder’s dangerous running duo in the second half. P Grady Hay, whose ability to kick with the wind and into the prairie gusts, gave the Sun the edge in field position throughout the game.
The Sun hit the scoreboard early in the opening quarter when multi-positional player, LB Jacob Bond took a hand off from RB Elelyon Noa, and found the end-zone for six, Sun up 7-0.
The Thunder answered back in the second quarter, with their powerful backfield duo of RB Sadik Sadik and RB Ryland Leichert, driving 90 yards on 10 plays, 72 along the ground, with Sadik scoring from three yards out, game tied at 7.
All season and into the playoffs, the Sun’s secondary stepped up with big plays and this game was no different. With the Thunder on the move, mid second quarter, DB David Lewis, who had 3 INT’s in the Cullen Cup, went 74 yards pick-six to give the Sun a 14-8 lead.
The game was truly a tale of two different halves of football. The Sun could only manage 86 yards of net offense in the first half to Regina’s 163 yds., while in the second half it was the Sun putting up 192 yards to 128 yds. for the Thunder.
The Sun defence shone brightly in the second half, shutting the door on the Thunder ground attack allowing just 63 yards and picking up a fumble and a late INT from DB Vicente Ferreira.
Sun QB Liam Kroeger went 12 of 21 for 152 yards on the day, with his favorite target being WR Sam Melanson who had 64 yards on 4 catches.
A pair of K Liam Attwood field goals in the third quarter, and a late fourth quarter 17-yard touchdown run from Noa, was all the Sun offence needed to put the wraps on the semi-final victory. Noa finished the afternoon with 83 yards on 18 carries.
The Sun have two weeks to prepare for the St. Clair Saints who advanced to the National Championship with a decisive 75-39 victory over the London Beefeaters in the OFC final.
A few tid-bits from the CJFL Statistician;
Sun LB Jacob Bond recorded 31 defensive points, which is tied for 7th most defensive points in a CJFL playoff game, and 2nd most by a BCFC player.
Sun DB David Lewis returned an interception for a touchdown, tying with several players for second most interception return TDs in a CJFL playoff game.
The Sun combined for 10 special teams solo tackles, which is tied for 6th most in a CJFL playoff game, and 6 assisted special teams tackles, tied for 9th most.
The Sun also combined for 42 assisted defensive tackles, which is tied for the 2nd most in a CJFL playoff game and is the most by a BCFC team.
Okanagan Sun RB Elelyon Noa was named Offensive Player of the Game and LB Jacob Bond, Defensive Player of the Game.
