The visiting Vancouver Island Raiders and defending-champion Westshore Rebels will, for the first time ever, battle for that coveted title at 7 p.m. at Westhills Stadium. This inaugural championship clash between the two Island teams 鈥� who carry plenty of dislike for each other 鈥� should be a physical affair, played in front of a large, boisterous crowd.
This particular matchup has always produced high levels of emotion and animosity, not just between the teams, but fans.
Will this one be different?
鈥淐omposure is a big thing in the championship game,鈥� said Rebels head man Charly Cardilicchia, who was named BCFC coach of the year this week. 鈥淭here are a lot of nerves with the extra added pressure of the Cullen Cup.
鈥淐omposure does go a long way in a big game like this so putting the bad blood aside and looking at the bigger picture of where we want to go next week is much bigger than the hatred. I honestly think you鈥檒l see more respect this week and a high level of football. I think we all want the championship more than we want a fight.鈥�
But make no mistake, it will still be a tug of war on the field, with trash-talking between the lines of scrimmage. There always is when the Raiders and Rebels meet head on. Composure and discipline will, however, go a long way to determining a winner.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely going to come down to the want to win more than putting on a show,鈥� added talented Rebels defensive lineman Kent Hicks. 鈥淚t鈥檚 come down to this 鈥� it鈥檚 now win or go home.
鈥淲e have to clean up everything 鈥� no penalties and help a man up when he鈥檚 down. Let them know what鈥檚 good and beat them by play,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a battle. Two teams don鈥檛 make it this far by luck and it鈥檚 going to be a good one.鈥�
The Rebels have struggled with penalties this season, but it鈥檚 no different from last year when they defeated the Raiders 34-29 in the semifinal before downing the Okanagan Sun 32-21 in the championship game, both at Westhills Stadium.
Both teams are on rolls 鈥� the Rebels have won 10 straight games since losing the opener in Kelowna. The Raiders have now tallied four straight victories, including an upset of the Okanagan Sun in last week鈥檚 semifinal, also in Kelowna.
Both have talent on both sides of the ball 鈥� the Raiders with Brycen Mayoh, who collected four year-end awards this week on offence and special teams, and Quinton Bowles, who claimed two on defence.
Rebels running back Trey Campbell 鈥� who missed the first meeting of the year between these two teams 鈥� was also honoured for his work, along with Cardilicchia, but Westshore will be without the league鈥檚 top offensive lineman, Christian Krause, out with injury.
The Rebels have more weapons on offence and their depth on defence was overlooked by those who chose the award winners. The award snubs have left a bitter taste in their mouths, but the unit and entire team remains a confident bunch.
鈥淲e have to be,鈥� said Hicks. 鈥淐onfidence is not cockiness. We鈥檙e here, we鈥檙e confident in our skill and we feel that we have every piece in place to win it all. We do. If you鈥檙e not that type a team that鈥檚 going to come in with that type of mentality, then don鈥檛 bother. For real 鈥� don鈥檛 bother.鈥�
Cardilicchia has, for weeks, been telling everyone that his team will be the last one standing at year鈥檚 end and his message isn鈥檛 changing now.
鈥淚 was telling the boys and letting them know that this is our goal,鈥� he said. 鈥淭o set goals and achievements in life is a pretty cool thing and when you start to achieve them it鈥檚 a pretty powerful thing.鈥�
Now they have the chance to repeat as champions and at home, where they have lost just once the last two years and that was in the Canadian Bowl to the Saskatoon Hilltops late last year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great place to play football and it鈥檚 a great place to watch it. This is it. This is a great place where we can go back to back,鈥� added Cardilicchia.
But Raiders coach Doug Hocking 鈥� who spent one season as Rebels defensive co-ordinator before returning to the Raiders organization 鈥� has a team on its own roll.
鈥淥ur preparation is more about what we want to do,鈥� Hocking told Dom Abassi on the weekly BCFC Coaches Show. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to game plan to take advantage of some of the things they do on both sides of the ball.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 make this about anybody but ourselves. It鈥檚 about the Raiders and how we prepare and how we adjust at halftimes in games like this.鈥�
