WESTSHORE 38 - VALLEY 17
With a quarterback who has university experience and a veteran star running back, the Westshore Rebels have an offence to be reckoned with this sa国际传媒 Football Conference season. But their defence ain’t too shabby, too.
And Saturday afternoon in the scorching 30 C heat at Starlight Stadium in Langford, the visiting Valley Huskers found that out first hand. The Rebels’ defence forced two fumbles, racked up two sacks and added two interceptions to help the Rebels roll over the Huskers 38-17 and move to 2-0 on the season.
With their offence slow out of the gate, the Rebels’ special teams and defence went to work early to set the tone in what was Westshore’s home opener. Running back Gerren Hardisty took the opening kickoff near his five-yard line and promptly returned it untouched to the opposite end zone, giving the Rebels an early 7-0 lead. And on the next Huskers possessions, the Rebels’ defence got things started with a fumble recovery that led to a field goal
About the only blip on the defensive side of the ball all game for the Rebels was a third-quarter 69-yard punt return for a touchdown by Huskers returner Christopher Rolack that cut the Westshore lead to 20-17.
“We try to focus on all three phases of the game — defence, special teams and offence — and even though the defence was put in some tough spots with field position today, they held strong and that’s what helped get us a victory,” said special teams and defensive secondary coach Dexter Janke. “And the punt team, even though we did give up that one, also did a very good job of stopping things today.”
The Huskers’ defence, which held the Prince George Kodiaks to just five points the weekend before, kept the Rebels frustrated until the fourth quarter when Rebels quarterback Tim Jessie started to go to the air more. The former U Sports QB with the Carleton Ravens threw both his TD passes on the night in the final quarter to help put the game away, including a spectacular 25-yard grab by Eli Helms-Norton in the corner of the endzone. Jessie finished 18 of 30 for 270 yards and the pair of TDs, while Hardisty had 13 carriers for 65 yards to go with the kickoff return TD.
But this one belonged to the Rebels on the opposite side of the ball like big guys up front in Tarick Poluis and Praise Odogun and defensive backs Doloni Robinson and Michael Guirestante who caused trouble all game for Huskers QB Josh Janssen.
“We took some bad penalties that let them back in the game and you can’t do that against good football teams too often, but we stuck with it and kept to our game plan and that allowed us to come away the victory,” Janke said.
The Rebels now sit tied atop the BCFC standings with the Okanagan Sun.
“I feel good for the guys because they’ve been putting the work in, in the weight room and on the field, so to start 2-0 is something they can be proud of,” said Janke.
Next up for the Rebels is Round 1 of the Island Derby when they host the Vancouver Island Raiders on Saturday night at Starlight Stadium.
