The Westshore Rebels will open and close the 2017 sa国际传媒 Football Conference season in Cullen Cup rematches against the Okanagan Sun.
The defending BCFC-champion Rebels will kick off the new campaign July 29 at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna against the Sun, the first of three straight away games. Westshore closes the regular season at home Oct. 7 against the same Sun at Westhills Stadium.
Westshore also travels to Nanaimo in Week 2, facing the Vancouver Island Raiders on Aug. 5 at 2 p.m. before venturing to Chilliwack to face the Valley Huskers on Aug. 12 at 2 p.m.
It鈥檚 then four straight home games for the Rebels in a quirky bit of scheduling due to turf replacement slated for Westhills Stadium. Westshore will entertain Langley, the Valley Huskers, Kamloops Broncos and the Raiders from Aug. 19 to Sept. 16 with a bye during the Labour Day weekend.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a doozy, but it鈥檚 awesome,鈥� Rebels assistant coach Shane Beatty, who will look after the defence while Charly Cardillichia takes over as head coach, said of the schedule. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e re-doing our field starting in June, but if we can go 3-0 to start on the road, then we鈥檙e at home for four straight and that can be huge.鈥�
It鈥檚 then a trip to Langley and Chilliwack in late September before wrapping it up at home against the Sun.
League semifinals will take place Oct. 14-15, with the Cullen Cup final slated for the third week of October.
The national Canadian Junior Football League semifinal will be held either Oct. 28 or 29 at the home of the Prairie Football Conference champion, before the national championship game 鈥� which the Rebels lost to Saskatoon to in 2016 鈥� on Nov. 11 in Ontario, which returns to CJFL competition after a lengthy hiatus.
The same six teams remain in the BCFC which once again features a 10-game schedule. The top four teams advance to the semifinals. The league features three new head coaches in Cardillichia, Bob Reist with the Valley Huskers and Doug Hocking with the Raiders.
Cardillichia took over when J.C. Boice stepped down after the Cullen Cup win and subsequent loss to Saskatoon at the Canadian Bowl, held at Westhills Stadium.
The Rebels have lost some key players for 2017 including BCFC offensive MVP Jamel Lyles, who鈥檚 returning to the University of Manitoba Bisons, and offensive lineman Aarmin Purewal who is headed to York University. Trey Campbell is also said to be heading to U Sports football and Lorenzo Ihanza is joining St. Mary鈥檚 University.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be a good football team,鈥� promised Beatty as Cardillichia was on recruiting trips.
Rebels spring camp is slated for May 5-7.
