If any loss can be considered good, then the Westshore Rebels had a good one on Saturday at Westhills Stadium.
The Rebels lost 37-26 to the Okanagan Sun, but proved they have the makings of a good football team. Led by back-up quarterback Hunter Lake, who hasn鈥檛 played the position since midget, the Rebels came within a few plays of their first 2013 sa国际传媒 Football Conference victory.
鈥淚 think Victoria came out to play 鈥� they were physical, they were fast, they executed, they did exactly what I told our team they could do,鈥� Sun coach Shane Beatty said. 鈥淚f I was that [coaching] staff, I鈥檇 be really proud right now.鈥�
The Sun moved to 3-0 on the season, while the Rebels dropped to 0-3, but Saturday鈥檚 game was a huge improvement from the 69-10 drubbing they took in Langley last week. Westshore has a rematch with the Rams next Saturday, in a 2 p.m. kickoff at Westhills Stadium.
鈥淓veryone tried so much harder,鈥� Lake said. 鈥淥nce we saw everyone was willing to just give it for their teammates, we just came together.鈥�
鈥淧laying 60 minutes of football is a lot better than five last week.鈥�
Lake, normally a receiver, had half a practice at quarterback on Friday night, and was told that鈥檚 where he鈥檇 be playing on Saturday, as both of the Rebels regular QBs, Mark Black and Mike Dumesnil, were nursing injuries. He said it was a bit worrisome at first.
鈥淚 tried not to think. The less I think the better it goes.鈥�
Lake wound up with 200 yards passing, completing 19 for 31 attempts, and rushed for 127聽yards. He made few poor decisions, and scrambled out of trouble. On one touchdown drive, Lake eluded half a dozen tackles, before passing to Eric Eggleston for a first down. Running back Emmanuel Juma picked up Westshore鈥檚 second major minutes later.
鈥淗e had half a practice, and he played like he鈥檇 been at the position all his life,鈥� Rebels coach Tim Kearse said. 鈥淗e just stepped forward, and said he wants to be our guy.
鈥淎nd he will be our guy.鈥�
After the first quarter, the Sun led 7-0, on a 62-yard pass and run play from quarterback Theo Deezar to Tommy Howes.
In the second quarter, the Rebels went on the move. Despite being setback by penalties a few times, they kept at it, with Sean Shepherd scoring on an end run from the 12-yard line.
On the Sun鈥檚 next possession, a fake punt by Zach Regert kept a drive alive. It led to a touchdown scamper by running back Dillon Fortune, who finished with 18 carries for 124 yards. Just before halftime, quarterback Cam Bedore, who shared the pivot duties with Deezar, pushed over the line for a 21-14 lead.
The Rebels got bogged down in the third quarter, giving up a safety.
Meanwhile, Bedore hit Jesse Kendall for a touchdown, and the Rebels were down 30-14.
In the fourth quarter, however, Lake hit a wide open Jordan Rodinsky for 50 yards. Then, in a third down gamble at the Okanagan 10-yard line, Lake calmly stepped back and tossed a touchdown pass to Eggleston.
A Bedore to Howes pass put the final points on the board for the Sun, and the Rebels finished with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Lake to Eggleston.
In all, the Rebels had 373聽yards in total offence while the Sun had 391.
Post-game, Kearse looked back to two dropped touchdown passes and a dropped ball on a two-point convert attempt.
鈥淭here鈥檚 plays there, we鈥檝e just got to execute to make them,鈥� Kearse said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one we should have come away with.鈥�
