It鈥檚 come down to this, a one-game take-all situation between what were the two best regular-season teams in the sa国际传媒 Football Conference battling it out for the right to hoist the Cullen Cup which, for the first time ever, will be held in Victoria.
The Westshore Rebels (8-1-1) play host to the defending-champion Okanagan Sun (7-3) today at 4 p.m. at Westhills Stadium. The teams not only split their two regular-season matchups, but held identical point-differential totals in the two clashes.
These teams have met four previous times in the championship final with the Sun winning three. The only Rebels鈥� title came in 2003 under then head coach Matt Blokker.
The Rebels, now under the guidance of head coach J.C. Boice and associate Shane Beatty (who led the Sun to their last two championships), are coming off three-straight 2-8 campaigns. To be within one win of not only advancing to the Canadian Bowl, but hosting it as well, is an accomplishment in itself.
鈥淚t鈥檚 super exciting, especially for the guys who have been here for a while and experienced those 2-8 seasons,鈥� said Rebels offensive lineman Connor Bryan, who suffered through two of those years. 鈥淭his year鈥檚 been a huge turnaround and we couldn鈥檛 be more excited or honoured than to be in the Cullen Cup this week, not to mention host it.鈥�
It鈥檚 billed as a classic matchup of Westshore鈥檚 bruising offensive line and two of the best runningbacks in the league, in Jamel Lyles and Trey Campbell, against the league鈥檚 stingiest defence. The battle of the line of scrimmage will likely dictate the winner.
But discipline and turnovers will be an area to watch today as the Rebels have struggled with both this season, amassing numerous penalty yardage and turning over the ball at critical stages of games.
The Rebels have, however, displayed an incredible resiliency in second halves of football games all year, including a final two-minute drill two weeks ago in the 34-29 semi-final win over the Vancouver Island Raiders.
Ashton Mackinnon, recently named the league鈥檚 top quarterback, pulled it together to charge his team downfield in that win. It came after a dismal first half in which he completed just one of eight passes with two interceptions and a fumble.
The Sun experienced its own excitement in a 26-23 overtime win over the Langley Rams in the other semifinal.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity for both programs, but especially for us because of where we鈥檝e come from,鈥� said Beatty. 鈥淥bviously, for me playing against the Sun, there鈥檚 an added carrot there and I鈥檓 excited.
鈥淭he Sun is a great organization, it鈥檚 a great program and with guys like Jonas Gering, Lucas Machado and Layne Hull, who is a special player, not to mention the offensive line with guys like Michele Vecchio and those cats ... . We鈥檙e going to have to stop the running game and we鈥檒l get after Shamar Donelson a little bit and just execute our game plan,鈥� added Beatty, who co-ordinates the Rebels鈥� defence.
The highest respect will have to be paid to Rashaun Simonise, who was in the Cincinnati Bengals NFL camp earlier this season.
鈥淭hey added Simonise near the end of the season, but we鈥檙e prepared and we鈥檒l double [coverage] him all game long,鈥� insisted Beatty. 鈥淥ffensively, we need to run the ball well, control the clock, win the turnover game.鈥�
It鈥檚 everything Okanagan is saying as well, so it will come down to who executes in front of what will be a pro Rebels鈥� crowd.
鈥淲hen we beat Langley I knew how significant that would be in having home-field advantage,鈥� said Boice. 鈥淲e know that we play very good football at home. We love playing in front of a crowd and this crowd is going to see a great football game.
鈥淭hese games come down to who doesn鈥檛 turn the ball over, who tackles well and who executes and plays with the attitude. It鈥檚 going to be a tough game, but I love the kids that I鈥檓 going to war with and the coaches that I鈥檓 going to war with, and I think we have good odds here,鈥� stressed Boice.
It all comes down to one game.
鈥淣othing would be better, especially in my last season, than to come in here and win a Cullen Cup. That would be amazing and to be able to host a national championship would be an honour,鈥� said Bryan, 22.
Should they win, the Rebels will host either the Saskatoon Hilltops or Calgary Colts in the Canadian Bowl on Nov. 12, at 1 p.m.
