Rebels quarterback Ashton Mackinnon took the offensive player of the week nod, completing nine of 18 passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns, along with 12 rushes for 82 yards.
Taking advantage of the Sun鈥檚 inability to spy the quarterback, Mackinnon used his legs for most of the first half, then took to the air in the second half. Two of his three TD passes came in the first half, in which he completed three of six attempts as the Rebels mostly went to the run.
In the second half, the six-foot-seven, 240-pound quarterback completed six of 12 passes for 97 yards and the other major.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty nice. That鈥檚 all I got,鈥� Mackinnon said of helping take his team from last year鈥檚 2-8 season to 8-1-1 and a league championship in 2016. 鈥淚 think [Canadian rapper] Drake said it best: We started from the bottom and now we鈥檙e here.鈥�
Teammate Juslain Makambo earned the defensive player honours with four solo tackles, one assisted tackle, one pass knockdown and an interception. The Rebels created eight turnovers on the day.
The defence shut out the defending champion Sun for two-and-a-half quarters as Westshore built a 32-0 lead.
Okanagan鈥檚 Pierre Luc-Lord was special teams player of the week with four kickoff returns for 90 yards.
The Rebels are preparing to face the defending national champion Saskatoon Hilltops in the Canadian Bowl on Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. at Westhills Stadium. Tickets can be purchased on the Rebels website.
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