For the last 10 weeks, Westshore Rebels head coach Charly Cardilicchia has focused on one game at a time during the regular season of the Canadian Junior Football League.
Now, heading into the playoffs, the Rebels’ matchup against the fourth seeded Langley Rams this weekend is no different.
“At the end of the day for me, it’s just about us taking care of business week-in and week-out. It’s a weekly formula [to win],” Cardilicchia said.
The Rebels are coming off a successful season that saw them move to 9-1, their first in franchise history, with their most recent 30-19 victory over the Okanagan Sun last weekend at Westhills Stadium. With the win, the team finished in first place in the British Columbia Football Conference (BCFC).
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Saturday’s game was a shot at redemption for the team that lost their only game to the Sun in their season opener on July 29. The Sun were first out of the gate with a field goal, but the Rebels answered right back with a field goal by Kyle Clarke. Running back Trey Campbell had two touchdowns on the evening, touching the ball 23 times for 145 rushing yards. Receiver Austin Lindo-Brow also had a touchdown.
| The Westshore Rebels defeated the Okanagan Sun 30-19 at Westhills Stadium on Saturday. (Spencer Pickles/Black Press) |
Cardilicchia said the team has done a lot of growing up this season.
Quarterback Scott Borden had a great season passing for 2,055 yards, completing 126 passes out of 293 and averaging 7.8 yards per attempt. He threw for 16 touchdowns and had four interceptions.
Campbell has also been an offensive force with a conference-leading 814 rushing yards this season and was recently named to the BCFC’s all-stars offensive team, along with Borden and Christian Krause. Wide receiver D’Saun Greenway caught six touchdowns and averaged 62 yards per game, and had 41 receptions in 10 games for 620 yards with an average of 15.1 yards per reception.
Kent Hicks and Jeremie Drouin were also named to the BCFC’s 2017 all-star defensive team.
The win over the Sun gives the Rebels home field advantage for the playoffs, including hosting the Cullen Cup if they win Saturday’s playoff game. Now, the team is turning to its next opponent: the Langley Rams, a team the Rebels defeated twice this season.
Cardilicchia said it’s all about sticking to the team’s formula: time of possession and the turnover battle.
“We’re excited about it. Obviously hosting a playoff game is big for us,” Cardilicchia said. “We’re going to make sure we win this game against Langley and we’re going to be very ready for the Cullen Cup championship when we get there.”
The Rebels take on the Langley Rams on Saturday, Oct. 14 at Westhills Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. The team will also be hosting a food drive to collect non-perishable food items for the Mustard Seed.
