November 2, 2019 Victoria, BC (ISN) – For the Westshore Rebels, it was thirty-eight minutes of the best defensive effort of the season, however it wouldn’t be enough to keep the undefeated Langley Rams from claiming the BCFC Cullen Cup Saturday afternoon at McLeod Stadium, defeating the Rebels 35-12.
If anyone following the BCFC season read the Rebels game plan in advance, to hold a team that averaged 35 points against each of their opponents in the first three quarters of play to a mere 15 points in that same time frame, may have had a chuckle at the expense of the Westshore Rebels, but however much the underdog to odds makers, the Rebels came ready to challenge those odds.
The Rams, despite moving the ball freely in their own end under starting QB Colby Peters in the pivot position, would battle an aggressive, attacking Rebels defense for any yardage that would be considered a scoring threat. A testament to the Rebels defensive prowess, they would outtackle the Rams 34-18 in the game. Despite the Rebel’s efforts, the Rams would find a way to score first as Peters would call his own number to carry the ball into the end zone to put his team up 7-0 with five minutes remaining in the opening quarter of play.
The Rams would continue the pressure in the second quarter, hemming the Rebels in deep in their own zone. Forced to concede the safety, the Rams would take a 9-0 lead with eight minutes remaining in the half.
Starting Rebels QB Shawn Lal would start to heat up, backing up the Rams into their own end. An undisciplined Rams penalty to put the Rebels on the two-yard line would result in Lal throwing the ball on a rope to a diving Will Hughes stretched out in the end zone to give the Rebels some life, trailing 9-7 going in to halftime.
The Rebels would take the lead five minutes into the third quarter, after backing up the Rams defense with some strong running from RB Zachary Lubin, and an interception by Ronan Silver and the defensive end Hughes, nominated Special Teams Player of the Game, would once again figure in the scoreboard, this time kicking a twenty-eight-yard field goal to put his team ahead 10-9.
Limiting the offense, and much in part BCFC Offensive MVP Andrew Pocrnic, the Rams offense threat would seem to stall. Unable to put together any sustained scoring drive, the Rebels defensive core would usher out Rams starting QB Peters in lieu of veteran backup Tristan Secord-Yanciw to command his Rams team from under centre in the third period.
As fickle as small events in a game can affect outcomes, a Rebel’s punt return fumble would seem to mark a turning point in the Rebel’s game fortune, or misfortunes.
Under Secord-Yanciw, the Rams would use Pocrnic and their receiving core effectively to turn the tide back in the home team’s favour. The Rams would regain the lead 15-10 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
With the fourth quarter underway, and in what would have turned the tide back in the Rebels favour, Shawn Lal would strike deep to Brycen Mayoh with what looked to be a sure, go ahead TD for the Rebels. With Mayoh nearing the goal line with the ball under arm, would have it knocked out by a blind side Rams defender in a great defensive play to negate the Rebels score.
The Rams, energized by the play on the ball, would command the last nine minutes of the game, scoring three touchdowns to solidify their victory and hoist the 2019 BCFC Cullen Cup and a berth in the CJFL National Championships held in Langley November 16th, 2019.
