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Photo: Wayne Moore
The Okanagan Sun capped off a perfect BC Football Conference season in dominating style on Saturday – beating the Westshore Rebels 38-0 in the league championship game.
The Sun hoisted the Cullen Cup, emblematic of BCFC supremacy, for the first time since 2015 and only the second time in 18 years.
The win was something of a redemption after last year’s 7-4 loss to eventual Canadian champion Langley in the title game, and also put an exclamation mark on a perfect season.
Anything less on Saturday would have been disappointing to say the least.
“I don’t even know where to start,” said cold, wet head coach Travis Miller after being doused in water as the final seconds ticked away.
“Our defense kept us in the game and the offense came out and executed in the second quarter and third. It was great to see everyone coming together.”
In typical Sun fashion, it took some time for the offense to find its rhythm … a credit to the Rebels defense that kept the Sun just 54 yards on offense in an opening quarter at the during which they only managed a single point on an attempted goal from a wide pitch despite starting two drives well inside the Westshore end of the pitch.
Penalties and poor execution prevented the Sun from taking an early lead. Mike O’Shea had a punt return touchdown nullified by a holding penalty late in the first quarter and a 63-yard return to the Rebels 10 in the second quarter wiped out by another penalty.
“It’s been a season of penalties for us. Some that we have to work on.
“We are better than we were, but not where we need to be.”
Liam Attwood scored a 20-yard field goal with three minutes left in halftime, then with time out Dominic Britton led the Sun to 85 yards on five plays in less than a minute, capped off with a strike from 20 yard touchdown. to Jevan Garwood just 11 seconds from the break.
The Sun took the opening kickoff in the second half and, two plays to Britton, joined O’Shea for a 56-yard strike.
Britton narrowly missed contact with O’Shea on a few long passes in the first half, but with O’Shea well behind the defender, fired a perfect strike for an 18-0 lead.
The Rebels fumbled the ensuing kickoff and, with excellent field position at Westshore 13, Britton needed just two plays before calling his own number from a yard.
The veteran QB joined Colby Milleto at 17 yards on their next possession for a 32-0 lead.
It was Milleto’s fifth touchdown in two playoff games.
Tristen Peddle sprinted eight yards in the final minute of the match to set the stage for the match.
The Sun ran for over 400 yards on total offense with a balanced offense that unofficially included 170 yards rushing and 236 through the air.
The first four gave Britton plenty of time to choose his receivers.
The defence, as they have done all season, were beasts and held off the Rebels long enough to give the offense a chance not to be followed.
The defense forced two fumbles, an interception and made life miserable for the league’s best offensive player, quarterback Tim Jessie.
The first four came to Jessie for five sacks and allowed just 108 total rushing yards in the game. The Rebels’ running offense wasn’t a factor, racking up just 32 yards on the night.
For O’Shea, Saturday’s victory was the last time he will have the chance to perform in front of home fans, but not the last time he will don a Sun shirt.
“It’s special,” O’Shea said of ending his home career in style.
“But there are two more left. That’s what we’re looking at. We’ll celebrate tonight and then focus on the next game.”
This next match will be a national semi-final date next Saturday in Windsor, Ontario.
The Sun will face the St. Claire Saints for the Intergold Cup, a trophy the Sun have won four times, including in 1998 when they beat the same Saints and then Windsor AKO Fratmen 27-10.
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