This time, there were no winners and losers in the battle of the rock.
The V.I. Raiders and the Westshore Rebels played to a 25-25 tie on Saturday in B.C. Football Conference action at Caledonia Park.
B次元官网网址淭here was a lot of positives,B次元官网网址� said J茅r茅mie Cheng, Raiders defensive back, who twice intercepted passes in the endzone. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 the second-best team in the country and everyone didnB次元官网网址檛 think this was going to happen, but we showed them where we play, level-wise B次元官网网址� WeB次元官网网址檙e not happy with not getting the win, but weB次元官网网址檙e definitely taking steps forward which is really good.B次元官网网址�
The Raiders had a chance at a better result, as they had the final possession to try to put together a last-minute drive. They were able to get close enough for a 45-yard field goal attempt with six seconds left, but the kick didnB次元官网网址檛 have enough to get through the endzone.
B次元官网网址淗aving the ball in our hands with 40 seconds is like a quarterbackB次元官网网址檚 dream, I guess,B次元官网网址� said Jake Laberge, Raiders QB. B次元官网网址淲e went down there and we did our best and got in position and we didnB次元官网网址檛 get the points, but it was fun.B次元官网网址�
The game had a low-scoring start before the Rebels receiver Nathaniel Pinto caught two touchdown passes in the last eight minutes before halftime to open up a 17-5 Rebels lead. The Raiders closed the gap to 17-12 on a one-yard Laberge TD run just before halftime.
A one-yard TD run by Nathan Berg and James ParkerB次元官网网址檚 second and third field goals of the game put the Raiders up 25-17.
Rebels quarterback Ashton MacKinnon scored on a one-yard TD with three minutes left in the game and Westshore made the two-point convert to tie the score.
Jerome Erdman, Raiders coach, said his team played a much more complete game than it did last week.
B次元官网网址淲e got better. Still not good enoughB次元官网网址次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t was a hard-fought game. TheyB次元官网网址檙e a very good football team, but we know in our hearts we should have won.B次元官网网址�
He thought his teamB次元官网网址檚 offence did a good job of completing short passes to game-plan against WestshoreB次元官网网址檚 pass rush, and he said his teamB次元官网网址檚 defence threw in a couple of wrinkles that worked.
B次元官网网址淥ur defence has done a pretty good job all year and I think it was important for our offence to be able to move the ball consistently and put some points up against a very good defensive team,B次元官网网址� Erdman said.
Laberge said his team had a game plan in mind all week and executed it well.
B次元官网网址淥bviously we didnB次元官网网址檛 get the result we wanted, but everyone was expecting them to come in and run us over and blow us out and they definitely didnB次元官网网址檛 do thatB次元官网网址次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淓veryone in our locker room knew we could play with them and now it just shows the whole entire league that we can play with them, too, and weB次元官网网址檙e just as good as any other team.B次元官网网址�
Laberge finished 27-for-45 passing for 328 yards and was V.I.'s top rusher with 44 yards. Brycen Mayoh had eight catches for 117 yards and Dustin Rodriguez made seven catches for 91 yards.
Defensively, Mason Kelley had seven tackles and two sacks and Kaelan Botel also had a sack. Cole Virtanen had five solo tackles and five assists and Dexter Shea had five solo tackles and four assists. Scott Messier and Doyle Sosnowski recovered fumbles.
For the Rebels, MacKinnon was 8-for-17 passing for 178 yards. Pinto had five catches for 161 yards. Jamel Lyles rushed 17 times for 118 yards.
Defensively for Vic, Kent Hicks had two sacks, Byron McKinnon had one, Nate Skeete recovered a fumble and Brody Uddenberg had five tackles and three assists.
GAME ON B次元官网网址� The Raiders host the Okanagan Sun on Saturday (Sept. 24) at 2 p.m. at Caledonia Park.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
