Champions again: 5 in a row for the V.I. Raiders

Make it FIVE in a row. The Vancouver Island Raiders captured their fifth straight BCFC Cullen Cup on Sunday afternoon. It was the first time the Raiders won the championship on the road after a 16-14 victory over the Okanagan Sun at the Apple Bowl.

This championship game lived up to all expectations and then some as the #1 offense of the Raiders, battled the #1 defence of the Sun. Both teams would score just one touchdown each as the game was decided by the Special Teams.

Raiders kicker Mark Mueller was named the Special Teams Player of the Game for good reason hitting all three field goal attempts, including a 28 yarder with under a minute to play. Mueller was also instrumental keep the Raiders final drive alive. As the defending champs trailed by a single point with under two minutes to play, Mueller came onto punt and was run into by Tyler Plock of the Sun, for a roughing the kicker call. Three plays later Mueller would hit the game winner. He would account for 10 of the Raiders 16 points.

BCFC Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Jordan Yantz finished 16 of 33 for 207 yards and had a 10 yard touchdown strike to Andrew Smith for the Raiders only major of the afternoon. Smith caught four balls for 66 yards, while the BCFC leading receiver Michael Schaper hauled in five passes for 71 yards. He was also named the Offensive Player of the Game.

The Raiders ground game was held in check as the BCFC’s leading rusher Jordan Botel carried 15 times for 61 yards. Nick Lauder had two carries for 29 yards.

Defensively the Raiders came up big when they needed to. They would record four sacks, pick off two passes and had a blocked field goal. Teddy Ash, Ryan Wellman, Nick Woznesenski each had a sack, while Andrew Oake and Ranji Atwall shared one. Aaron Davies had a tough day covering the Sun receivers, but had five solo tackles and one assist. Ryan Benjamin and Atwall each had an interception. Atwall finished with four solo tackles and a special teams tackle. Graham Norrish had one of the biggest plays of the game, as he blocked a field goal attempt, before leaving with a lower body injury.

For the Okanagan Sun the game ended in heart break. The Sun Special Teams also factored in on the game as kicker Steven Shott missed five field goals, including a 48 yarder at the final buzzer that traveled just wide left. He would finished 2-7, hitting from 50 and 30 yards out. The penalty against Plock on the roughing the kicker led to the Raiders game winning field goal.

The Sun offense outplayed the #1 offense in the country, outgaining them 415-261 in net offensive yards.

Quarterback Bobby Davis completed 14 of 33 for 355 yards and found Mark Hester, in his final junior football game, for a 49 yard touchdown reception, the only one of the afternoon. Dan Turek had five catches for 116 yards; Ben White made four catches for 94 yards and in his final junior football game, Matt Scheurwater caught two balls for 50 yards.

The Sun run game was ineffective as Davis carried six times for 44 yards and Arman Bokitch had five carries for 30 yards.

The #1 defence in the country dealt with poor field position for the majority of the afternoon. Lineman Derek Hurlock was named the Defensive Player of the Game tallying five solo tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and had an assist. In his final junior football game Jesse Warawa had four solo tackles, one assist and three knock downs. BCFC Defensive Player of the Year Steven Doege was double teamed for the majority of the afternoon and finished with a sack and one tackle.

With the victory the Raiders will now host the national semi-final-Intergold Game at Caledonia Park in Nanaimo on Saturday October 30th at 1:00pm. Their opposition will be the winner of the Ontario Football Conference championship, as the Hamilton Hurricanes host the Ottawa Sooners this weekend. The Sooners lost in the Intergold game last season. For ticket information, visit the Vancouver Island Raiders website.

Cullen Cup Review
Ryan Watters – 10/18/2010