The Westshore Rebels and Vancouver Islander Raiders both open their 2019 sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Football Conference seasons on the road Aug. 3 — Westshore in Chilliwack against the Valley Huskers and Raiders in Langley against the Rams — but the Island rivals will certainly have the following week circled on their calendars.
The first of two derbies will be Aug. 10 at Westhills Stadium with the Raiders visiting the Rebels. The second of what are always emotive matchups will be Sept. 28 when the Rebels visit Caledonia Park in Nanaimo.
The BCFC unveiled its schedule this week.
It offers up four notable games to start for Westshore, who should know their season trajectory following that early stretch. The season opener against the Huskers, who made the playoffs last season in a dramatic turnabout after going winless in 30 games the previous three seasons, will be followed by the Island derby to be followed by a trip to the Apple Bowl in Kelowna on Aug. 17 to play the traditional power Okanagan Sun.
Westshore travels to Langley in Week 4 on Aug. 24 to meet the defending BCFC-champion Rams followed by what will surely be a well-appreciated bye week.
The Rebels will be at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops to play the Broncos on Sept. 7, hosting the Valley Huskers and Langley at Westhills on Sept. 15 and Sept. 21, respectively, before the Island derby against the Raiders on Sept. 28.
The season concludes with home dates at Westhills Oct. 5 against Kamloops and Oct. 20 against the Sun.
The playoffs open Oct. 26-27 with the semifinal round in which the fourth-place team will visit the regular-season champion and the third seed will visit the second seed.
The BCFC Cullen Cup championship game will take place Nov. 2 or Nov. 3 at the home of the highest remaining seed.
The BCFC champion hosts the Canadian Bowl this year and will meet the winner of the national semifinal between the Prairie Football Conference and Ontario Football Conference on Nov. 16.