LANGLEY — From a busier-than-usual Saturday, we’ve got six new game reports, including contests involving Terry Fox, Vancouver College and Notre Dame.
As well, technical glitches prevented us from giving you the details from Friday games involving the likes of St. Thomas More and Kelowna, so they are also included. We’ve also corrected our statistical package as it pertains to South Delta’s victory on Friday.
SATURDAY
TRIPLE A
WESTERN CONFERENCE
BELMONT 0 at VANCOUVER COLLEGE 41
VANCOUVER — Three weeks into their season, the Vancouver College Fighting Irish were finally able to charge out onto their home O’Hagan Field turf on Saturday.
Quarterback Eric Zychlinski was on point throughout, throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for another as part of a 10-for-11, 107-yard afternoon through the air.
Zychlinski’s 32-yard TD strike to Connor Louis got the party started, and before halftime he hit Bruce Spathis with a six-yard scoring toss.
Zychlinki also rushed 37 yards for a score. Other Irish majors came on a 14-yard run by Basil Schincariol, a 13-yard run by Aiden Perry and a 73-yard run by Daesaun Johnson, the latter’s touchdown capping the game’s scoring in the third quarter.
Johnson rushed six times for 118 yards, while Raf Schincariol had two carries for 58 yards.
Matt Hoag led the winners with 14 tackles while Chris Kongbo added seven.
NOTRE DAME 26 at SEAQUAM 21
NORTH DELTA — Will Clarke, Giancarlo Napoletano and Teon Alexander-Amour are the Notre Dame Jugglers’ fearsome threesome.
A furious second-half rally by the host Seaquam Seahawks (0-2) not withstanding, the East Van trio put on just enough of an offensive show to carry the Jugglers (1-0) to a 26-21 win in their conference opener.
Clarke threw touchdown passes to Alexander-Amour and Napoletano, and both Alexander-Amour and Clarke rushed for scores as Notre Dame built a 26-6 lead.
“We played a great first half of football and then had to hang on for the win,” said Notre Dame head coach Denis Kelly, whose team was blanked the week previous by rival St. Thomas More.
“The boys definitely showed heart and never gave up,” said Seaquam head coach Navin Chand, who got touchdowns from running back Antonio Pamintuan, quarterback Jay Mather and running back Christan Carlon-Diaz, the latter’s delivered via a 61-yard run. “This loss will make our team stronger for the rest of the season. The players know that we are capable to compete with the best Triple A programs in the province.”
Alexander-Amour scored the first touchdown on the Jugglers second possession of the game, a 25-yard run off right tackle.
Napoletano followed with a six-yard TD catch from Clarke, before Alexander-Amour turned a screen pass into a 50-yard, tackle-breaking touchdown run.
On the Jugglers’ next possession, Clarke dropped back to pass, failed to find an open receiver and scrambled down the right sideline for a 70-yard touchdown run.
With a 26-6 lead in the third quarter, Clarke had the Jugglers deep in Seaquam terrotry when the ‘Hawks Rohin Sahota picked off his pass and returned it 47 yards.
That signaled the start of the Seahawks’ comeback, as they scored, then added a third major off a recovered onside kick.
Notre Dame’s defence was led by linebackers Cameron Mah (11 tackles, one sack), Ian Marin (10 tackles) and Vinny Nardulli ( eight tackles).
Seaquam quarterback Mather was 9-of-16 for 141 yards through the air. Brody Clark caught three passes for 75 yards and Brandon Johnson another three for 59 yards.
Justin Eng’s seven tackles led the Seahawks’ defence.
“We face an extremely talented Mt. Douglas team next Friday at Burnaby Lake and so we can’t dwell on today’s win too long,” said Notre Dame’s Kelly. “We showed some signs of explosiveness, however, and that should give the team confidence.”
Added Seaquam’s Chand: “Looking forward to practice next week and preparing for Belmont (Saturday at Seaquam).”
CROSS TIER
AA No. 1 VERNON 7 at AAA No. 2 TERRY FOX 50
PORT COQUITLAM — Jaden Severy reminded everyone Saturday that although his team’s off-season headlines were dominated by player defections, the Terry Fox Ravens are still one heck of a football team.
As part of a day in which he totalled 213 all-purpose yards, Severy did his best impression of The Flash, scoring two touchdowns on offence, and another two on special teams, including one off a third-quarter punt return which looked more like the provincial 200-metre championship final.
“It was a great game for Jaden today, and our O-Line,” said Ravens’ head coach Martin McDonnell of a game played under extremely wet conditions. “We really bounced back with a better effort this week, even in the conditions.”
Terry Fox was playing a rare game on its own school field, away from its normally comfy climes at Percy Perry Stadium in Coquitlam.’
“This was not a good showing for us in any phase of the game,” said Vernon head coach Sean Smith. “We didn’t compete as I had hoped and had a number of miscues throughout the game that made it hard to get any flow. We were not prepared to play in the driving rain and struggled to snap, throw and tackle in poor conditions. That’s on me as head coach and we won’t allow that to affect us again. Fox is a great team and on the nicest of days, executing at our best, they are going to be a really tough match up for us. They pushed us around all game on both sides of the ball and won the battle in the trenches which is what you have to do in those conditions.”
Ravens’ quarterback Matt Lew-Henrickson rushed for 65 yards and passed for 175 and a touchdown to Cade Cote.
Like Severy, Cote had an ultra-productive day, carrying 12 times for 136 yards, while making eight tackles to help lead the defence. Teammate Liam Cumarasamy had 12 tackles.
“We know it’s a long season,” continued McDonnell, “and we just keep trying to get better every week and peak when the time is right. We play in a tough division and we know the road is going to be tough and we want to be prepared for the adversity of our season.”
The Ravens begin conference play Friday in the Apple Bowl as they visit the Kelowna Owls.
Meanwhile, the Panthers play host to Salmon Arm in another exhibition game, set for a Friday kick-off.
“When you lose a game like this, all we can do is watch film, correct our mistakes and work hard to get better prepared for our next opponent,” said Smith,
Vernon’s lone touchdown came in the first half, an eight-yard strike from quarterback Thomas Hyett to Zack Smith.
Charles Lemay gained 79 yards on 16 hard carries, and also led the defence with six tackles. Liam Alder and A.J. Maher each had four tackles.
DOUBLE A
NON-CONFERENCE
SOUTH KAMLOOPS 28 at NECHAKO VALLEY 0
PRINCE GEORGE — Titans quarterback Eric Crawford threw a touchdown pass and ran for another, while strong safety Per Annman took an interception back for a score as South Kamloops topped its Northern Conference hosts as Masich Place Stadium.
South Kam returns home to face Prince George’s Kelly Road Roadrunners this Saturday in non-conference action while Nechako Valley opens conference play Thursday against the crosstown DP Todd Trojans.
WESTSYDE 42 at FRANK HURT 0
SURREY — Darlington Murasiranwa was simply unstoppable Saturday.
The Westsyde running back obviously didn’t lose the spring in his legs on the long bus ride down from Kamooops, rushing for five touchdowns in a shutout win over the host Hornets.
Westsyde head coach Cory Bymoen thought that Murasiranwa rushed for over 300 yards on the day.
Quarterback Derek Wrabel threw a TD pass to A.J. McInniss and free safety Cameron Treadwell helped preserve the shutout with an interception.
“It was a good start to the season and everyone came away healthy,” said Bymoen, who in advance of its Okanagan conference opener Oct. 5 against Valleyview, have more long travel weekends ahead with games against both Robert Bateman this coming weekend, and G.W. Graham the weekend after. “All our players got some quality playing time.”
PRINCE GEORGE 12 at G.W. GRAHAM 42
CHILLIWACK — One week after a second-half lapse cost them dearly in a one-sided loss at Holy Cross, the Grizzlies found themselves trailing by two touchdowns to the visiting Polars o Saturday.
Scoring all of your points in unanswered fashion, however, can do a lot to get your mojo back.
“The boys got behind 12-0 in the first quarter but bounced back and started really rolling by halftime,” said G.W, Graham head coach Laurie Smith. “Prince George is a big, tough physical running team and it literally took two quarters to find a way to respond.”
Dual threat quarterback Colby Bessette passed for 91 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 85 yards and a score.
Liam Dallas, Ashton Young, Logan Buchwitz and Caleb Spanner also scored in the win.
On defense, the Grizzlies were led by Andrew Locke and Claassen with nine and eight tackles respectively. Meanwhile, defensive linemen Dhillon Myers and Cooper Middleton each added one sack.
The Grizzlies play at No. 2 Ballenas next Saturday.
ARGYLE 28 at VALLEYVIEW 6
KAMLOOPS — Western Conference league play begins this coming week, and North Vancouver’s Argyle Pipers built up a nice head of steam ahead of a crosstown clash Friday against the defending Subway Bowl champion Windsor Dukes.
The Pipers, behind an effective committee of rushers, totaled 220 yards on the ground in a convincing win over the host Vikes.
A six-man rushing contingent was led by Kurt Strothers, who carried for a pair of scores. Reese Hubber and Jack Ferguson also rushed for touchdowns, and pivot Julian Hartley set the table by calling his own number for 85 yards along the ground.
“Today was a positive start for us,” said Argyle head coach Bill Stanger. “Valleyview showed us that we have a lot of work to do, but it was great for our players to get some real-game experience.”
Ferguson, Strothers, Hubber, Declan Moffatt and Jack Bougie each finished with five tackles for the winners.
FRIDAY
TRIPLE A
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(corrects game details, with apologies)
SOUTH DELTA 34 at CARSON GRAHAM 18
NORTH VANCOUVER — Ben McDonald threw for 364 yards and three touchdowns, and rumbling Andrew Kraft added three of hos own as the South Delta Sun Devils (2-0) built a 26-0 lead en route to a comfortable win over North Vancouver’s Carson Graham Eagles (0-2).
McDonald went 32-of-52 on the game for 364 yards, throwing scoring strikes of 17 yards to Jackson Bailie, eight yards to Ethan Troniak and five yards to Kraft, the latter putting the Sun Devils on top 34-6 in the fourth quarter.
Evan Paterson had eight catches for 152 yards while Troniak had 11 for 128 yards.
“Disappointing result but I really like the way we finished it off in the end,” said Carson Graham head coach Brian Brady. “We need to get the ground game going and we’re taking steps to a more well rounded performance each week.”
The Eagles were down to their third-string pivot, but Grade 10 Lucas Granger shook the early jitters and showed some moxy.
“Once he got going Lucas got in a good rhythm,” said Brady of Granger who threw went 19-of-34 for 226 yards and two touchdowns. “He’s going to be a good one.”
Kevean Pashandi had four catches for 104 yards and a score, while Liam Scott had four catches for 75 yards.
Ethan Smith forced a fumble and scored off a pick-six play while Mahyar Hosseini had nine tackles.
EXHIBITION
KELOWNA 40 at SALMON ARM 13
SALMON ARM — Isaac Athans threw for 251 yards and two scores and called his own number on two other rushing majors, helping the visiting Owls past the host Golds who are playing an exhibition schedule this season.
Kelowna’s Elijas Fedorick rushed for 54 yards and a score, while Tyler Klotzbach helped lead the defence with nine tackles.
“We did not come out in the first half the way we should have,” said Kelowna head coach Chris Cartwright, whose charges open AAA Eastern Conference play at home this Friday against No. 2 Terry Fox of PoCo.
“It was very sloppy on our part and mental errors killed us,” added Cartwright, who got a more realistic view of his team over the second half. “I’m very happy how we finished the game, but we need to be better next week against Fox. We cannot start that game like we did today. I’m putting pressure on our leaders to set the tone for practice next week.”
Cartwright also applauded the Golds’ efforts to recapture a dynamic past tradition.
“Hats off to the Salmon Arm coaching staff and their program,” he said “I hope they continue to build and create the culture they are wanting.”
No. 5 SAMUEL ROBERTSON 6 at No. 5 ST. THOMAS MORE 30
BURNABY — The St. Thomas More Knights are showing their form as they prepare to open conference play Friday at home to Mt. Boucherie.
The run-hungry Knights gobbled up the turf Friday, as a cache of running backs combined to rush for about 300 total yards in a convincing win over Samuel Robertson of Maple Ridge as B.C.’s AA No. 5 met its AAA No. 5 counterparts.
Julian Valerio led the way, his nine carries going for 130 yards, including a second-quarter major from 40 yards out.
Marc Abboud had four carries for 80 yards, while Jack Wagner had four carries for 45 yards and opened the scoring in the first quarter with a four-yard run.
The Knights, who led 28-0 at intermission, got a pair of TDs from Ricky Parsons, one on a three-yard rush and the other on a 33-yard strike from Dario Ciccone.
That score was set up by a Vic Domingo interception, and teammate Aidan Rivers also came up with a pick in the fourth quarter. Daniel Auld, Jack Wagner, Alex Cordeiro and Sam Steele combined for 13 tackles.
The Titans’ lone points came off a pick-six of Knights’ Grade 10 pivot Anthony De Lazzari in the final minutes of the contest.
“We were able to get a lot of players into the game tonight for some valuable experience,” said STM head coach Steve De Lazzari. “Full credit goes to SRT. They played hard-hitting football from the start of the game right through to the end of the fourth quarter, and they had some really good athletes. They’re a well-coached football team and their defence played especially well tonight.”
SRT continues its non-conference schedule Friday, hosting Surrey’s Frank Hurt Hornets.
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