BCFC Monday Musings

 

By: Blake Roberts, BCFC

This column is for opinion purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the British Columbia Football Conference or its teams.

A pair of Saturday blowouts before the weekend was saved by as entertaining a junior football game as you will see Sunday, thanks largely to a stellar road performance from the VI Raiders. Let’s get right to Monday BCFC musings…

If the effort put forth by the VI Raiders in yesterday’s 31-31 tie on the road against the Sun wasn’t as gutsy as any team has managed this season, I’d like to know which one was better. After being blown out by the Sun at home before the Labour Day break, outsiders like myself were thinking the Raiders might be lucky to keep the rematch at the Apple Bowl close. Not only did the Raiders swing punch for punch with the Sun, the touchdown in the last minute (along with 2-point convert) showed that team has a load of heart. It would have been easy for them to have a letdown after the Sun took a 31-23 lead late in the game and head home thinking they gave it a good effort. I don’t know if the Raiders got on the ferry happy with the tie or thinking they left a point on the table, maybe it was a bit of both. Regardless, it was a game that will instill confidence, and give them an outside shot to host a semi-final game. Who would have thought that was a possibility a week ago? Perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised the game was as close as it was. In the 12 previous match-ups at the Apple Bowl, these clubs were even at 6 wins apiece, with the Raiders outscoring the Sun by an average 23-22 margin.

Last week in my predictions of what would take place the rest of the season, I suggested Raiders kicker James Parker would fall behind his 90% FG clip that he is currently at. A member of the Raiders executive took some issue with that yesterday, and I explained my reasoning was that Parker would be called on to make some longer kicks the last 5 games that would hurt his average. Time will tell if I’m correct, but yesterday he was a perfect 3-3, with two being of the shorter variety, and one clutch 39 yarder in the 3rd quarter. He has my vote for special team player of the week already.

More on predictions last week and how the games would go this weekend…I specifically mentioned Quinton Bowles needing to make things happen from the defensive line position for the Raiders. Let’s look at Bowles stat line on the day, 4 tackles an assist and 2 sacks. Anyone you want me to address this week coach Hocking?

Speaking of player of the week, Sun receiver Shamar Donelson, in his first full game back this season after an injury, had 5 receptions for 178 yards and all 4 of the Sun touchdowns yesterday. Hand the offensive POW to him now, and save the email asking the voters who they select this week.

Where would the Valley Huskers be if they could muster any sort of offensive threat this year? They put up another pretty solid defensive effort against the Langley Rams, despite the 45-3 score in the Rams favor. Offensively, the 63 yards of net offence on the day, meant their defense was defending a short field most of the way, and did well to keep the game from being even more lopsided.

A bit of an arms race took place during the bye week as both the Rebels and Sun added what would appear to be significant pieces to their respective play-off rosters, bolstering their respective postseason chances. The Rebels added safety Robbie Lowes, who was formerly property of the Regina Thunder and a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders practice roster. Surprising the Thunder would let this talent walk away but it will be a boon to the Rebels defense.

The Sun, meanwhile signed Rashaun Simonise, who joined the club late last season, although he didn’t dress in the Cullen Cup last year or yesterday against the Raiders. The club is taking some heat from other clubs in the conference as while Simonize was in the states with the Cincinnati Bengals, he apparently had some issues regarding the dreaded PED’s. The supplement that he was taking is banned in the USA, but is legal here in Canada. This brings to mind the whole issue of where this world has gone with PED testing, but that’s another story. The sports world should be testing for (and eliminating) steroids of course, but the list of substances banned is so far reaching and so confusing, that athletes every day are being hung for questionable reasons IMO.

I think Simonise should be given a pass on the PED issue, but I might second guess the Sun on the signing for other reasons. The club already has a pretty talented receiving core, and the addition of a 22 year old Simonize, means a younger player who can help the club beyond this year will be sitting. Now, don’t get me wrong, this is junior football, and the clubs should be working to improve their player personnel before the October 1st roster freeze deadline. I’m just not convinced that Simonize will be all that much help to the Sun offense as it currently sits, although his punt returning abilities might have paid dividends yesterday. The fact that he sat out the first 5 games of the season has me wondering how much he wants to play junior? Is this just getting some football in ahead of the CFL draft next spring? Will he be a distraction or a key addition? By all accounts he was a popular teammate last year, so we will see if he puts the Sun over the top.

I’m going to question the Westshore Rebels chances of a long playoff run, and in one area I’m guessing Rebels head coach Charly Cardilicchia will likely agree with me, while the other not as much. The first is penalties, and how much a club’s penchant for taking them hurts in the second season. Westshore took another 24 for 224 yards on the weekend against Kamloops. Westshore is now at 120 penalties for 1055 yards on the season, the next closest club is the Sun at 73 penalties and 667 yards. The Rebels are pretty much double the BCFC’s least penalized team, the Langley Rams (who the Rebels may see in the first round of the playoffs), who have been tagged just 62 times for 530 yards. It’s a typical statement to say a team needs to play disciplined football come the play-offs, but it is very true, and if the Rebels don’t fix this broken cog, their 2017 season might be over sooner than they think (or hope).

Now where coach Cardilicchia will disagree with me…As I’ve said before, I love this guy’s confidence and bravado, and the concept of teams being afraid to provide bulletin board material pains me. I just don’t buy that something said in a newspaper can swing a game. Having said that, last week when the Rebels signed Robbie Lowes out of Regina, Cardilicchia did say something that had me scratching my head a bit, when he referred to Lowes dislike for the Saskatoon Hilltops. That little slip of the tongue would indicate to me coach Cardilicchia is looking way beyond the BCFC play-offs way too soon. The last time I checked the Rebels are in second place with 3 of their last 4 games against play-off bound clubs, so Mr. Lowes would be better served to build a dislike for the Rams, Raiders and Sun and forget all about the team in ‘Toon town.

Have the Langley Rams finally settled on which quarterback will lead them the rest of the season after platooning Colby Peters and Rylan Matters through the first 5 games? This past weekend might indicate they have, as Matters pretty much went the distance in the blowout victory over the Huskers, with Peters just throwing two passes.

The BCFC gives out awards for top offensive and top defensive players, there is no MVP in terms of which player is most valuable to his club. Hard not to argue if there was an MVP it shouldn’t go to Broncos QB Colby Henkel. I’m guessing he’s a bit disappointed this year, as are of course the Broncos, as everyone in Kamloops expected to be better than 1-5 at this point. Henkel’s numbers I’m sure aren’t what he would like them to be either, but this kid has been hit so many times this year it’s amazing he’s still standing, as the Broncos have given up 30 sacks on the season. I know the Broncos are really counting on Colby sticking with the club long term, and I’m not sure what his plans are regarding university but I for one am hoping to see him in Kamloops again next year.

Road bet of the week Do the Broncos salvage their season in Langley against the Rams? Will the Raiders in Westshore to battle the Rebels be another classic? Those are both questions, but with the Sun in Chilliwack, I think we all know what road team is most likely to come away with the W.

 

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