CJFL: Suns, Raiders & Broncos claim BCFC Week 1 victories

Photo courtesy of Greg Sakaki – Nanaimo Daily News

The 2015 season is underway after two blowouts and a tight, hard hitting affair on the Island.  The Okanagan Sun, Vancouver Island Raiders and Kamloops Broncos each recorded a victory.

RAIDERS 22 – RAMS 14

The season officially kicked off in Nanaimo as the defending BCFC champion Langley Rams paid a visit to the home of the Vancouver Island Raiders.  It would be the home side scoring 10 points in the final quarter to claim a 22-14 win over the champs.

All-Canadian Raiders quarterback Liam O’Brien led the attack finishing 18 of 32 for 208 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Dustin Rodriguez.  The second year pivot also rushed nine times for 36 yards and a major.

Rodriguez finished with a game high six receptions and 89 yards, while Nathan Berg led the Raiders on the ground with 11 carries and 90 yards.
Defensively the Raiders forced four turnovers; a pair of interception, a fumble and a turnover on downs.  Josh Paisley led the “D” with six tackles and two assists.  Bryce Wallace and Dexter Shea intercepted passes while Tyler Harvey recovered a fumble.

The Raiders (1-0) will travel south to Victoria on Saturday night to face the Westshore Rebels (0-1) at 7:00pm.

The Rams didn’t get much run support on Saturday night, gaining just 72 total yards.  Quarterback Devoun Hallums was the top rusher collecting 33 yards on just two carries.  Through the air Hallums finished 19 of 36 for 284 yards and threw two touchdowns.   Nathan Lund and Jordon Traversy each hauled in majors.

Lund was the top Rams receiver catching four passes for 82 yards while Bobby Pospischil also caught four balls for 72 yards.

The Rams “D” was able to the Raiders quarterback, sacking him six times.  Brock Gowanlock was simply outstanding getting to O’Brien four times.  Adam Marchetti and Shaheem Charles-Brown each had a solo sack.  Darrien Matassa-Fung led the Rams with five tackles.

The Rams (0-1) will stay on the road and play in Kamloops on Sunday night against the Broncos (1-0) at 7:00pm.

SUN 78 – REBELS 7

The Okanagan Sun opened the season with a statement on Saturday night blasting the Westshore Rebels 78-7 with 573 yards of total offence.

Three quarterbacks, Cam Bedore, Josiah Joseph and Keith Zyla combined for 315 yards on 13 completions and threw three touchdown passes.

Bedore threw a pair of touchdowns and Joseph was a perfect 7 of 7 with a major.  In two career games against the Rebels Joseph is 14 of 14 for 296 yards and four touchdowns.

Kyle Kawamoto, Shai Ross and Dillon Fortune each caught touchdown passes, was Pierre-Luc Lord hauled in a team high three passes for 60 yards.

The ground game featured nine ball carriers compiling 260 yards.  Kory Nagata rushed three times for 89 yards, including a highlight reel 54 yarder for one of his two touchdown runs.  Abdi Nasir-Abdi, Kasey Russell and Marcus Cooper each had touchdown runs.

The Sun also scored on the special teams as Brennan Van Nistelrooy blocked a punt, deflecting it back into the end zone where rookie Raquille Cespedes jumped on it for a touchdown.

Defensively Jonas Gering recorded a pair of sacks and Wes Geisler had a five yard pick six which opened the Sun scoring, Van Nistelrooy also had an interception and Beck Fullerton recovered a fumble.  Isiah Stewart led the club with four solo tackles.

The Sun (1-0) will hit the road for the first time and face the Valley Huskers (0-1) on Saturday night in Chilliwack at 7:00pm.

The Westshore Rebels recorded just 125 yards of net offence on Saturday night.

Like the Sun the Rebels also used three quarterbacks, platooning them after each offensive series in the first quarterback.  After the opening quarter Ashton MacKinnon took the majority of the snaps and finished seven of 19 for 92 yards.  Hunter Lake was six of nine for 44 yards and threw the lone touchdown pass to Alex Wright of 16 yards.

Nate Taylor caught four passes for 46 yards to lead the Rebels.

Defensively the Rebels had to deal with a short field most of the night.  Jordan Goertzen had a game high six tackles, while Cody Wist picked off two passes.  Cohan Sassaman recorded the lone sack.

The Rebels (0-1) will host their home opener on Saturday night when they welcome in the Vancouver Island Raiders (1-0) at 7:00pm.

BRONCOS 72 – HUSKERS 17

It was a record setting night for the Kamloops Broncos as they smashed the Valley Huskers 72-17 on Saturday night.

Their 72 points was a franchise record as was their 623 yards of total offence.

The Broncos put the rest of the BCFC on notice that they will throw the ball in 2015.  Quarterback Schuweiler was 13 of 19 for a team record 467 yards and seven touchdown passes.  Back-up pivot Connor Whitelaw also threw a pair of TDs, tying a BFC record for nine touchdown passes.

Receiver Derek Yachison set a new team record with 191 yards and four touchdown catches.  Devin Csincsa caught four balls for 160 yards and a pair of majors.  Brody Bernier, Jordan Angrove and Sam Haeni also caught touchdown passes.

On the ground Jacob Palmarin rushed five times for 66 yards and a score.
The Broncos defence was led by Michael Ochoa who collected five tackles.  Nolan Ott recovered a fumble and Tyler Zabotel had the lone sack.

Sunday night the Broncos (1-0) will host the Langley Rams (0-1) at Hillside Stadium in their home opener at 7:00pm.

The Valley Huskers did have success throwing the ball against the Broncos.   QB Noah Falconer was 13 of 28 for 127 yards and threw a pair of touchdown passes, finding Kellen Pooles and Cody Vinish for majors.

Blake Draper and Jesse Deering each caught four passes.

Defensively the Huskers were led by Ryan Beaubien who made four tackles.  Jason Ghag picked off a pass while Kam Taylor recovered a fumble.   Kyle Cummings recorded their lone sack.

The Huskers (0-1) will host the Okanagan Sun (1-0) on Saturday night at 7:00pm in their second consecutive home game.

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