Hawks punch their ticket to championship game
The WJ Mouat Hawks punched their ticket to the AAA finals using a drastically different formula from their 76-53 barn burner from last week. The Hawks leaned on their defence until the second half, when their offence started playing to its standard in a 24-17 win that came down to the wire.
The Hawks’ defensive unit did everything within their power to limit Sun Devils star Damian Dumas. They held the starting pivot to a lone touchdown pass to Quinn Sjoberg on a perfect pass that split two defenders. Sjoberg did the rest, breaking multiple tackles on his way to the endzone on a remarkable effort late in the fourth quarter.
Other than that major, the Sun Devils’ offence struggled to find its footing the rest of the evening. A big part of keeping South Delta out of the endzone was Elijah Black.
The Hawks’ star quarterback also played some sam linebacker and made his presence felt from the opening drive. Black made multiple emphatic tackles in the open field, which had the potential to be chunk plays.
Luckily for the Sun Devils, their defence played remarkably as well and kept them in the game until the final whistle. South Delta made a Mouat offence that looked invincible just a week prior, come back down to earth in the first half, holding them to just 10 points.
The Sun Devils rushed just 3 and played max coverage while taking away deep shots to Max Pratt for the most part. Black was forced to be patient and take his checkdowns and underneath routes. South Delta defensive end Kyler Purbs had an outstanding game, creating pressure on Black by splitting double teams with inside moves and getting into the backfield.
Trailing 10-3 to start the third quarter, Sun Devils guard/linebacker/kick returner Luke Dunn caught the opening kickoff of half number two at his 11-yard line. For the third time this season, Dunn broke into the open field and outran everyone to the endzone. Just like that, the game was tied at 10.
Black and the Hawks were unfazed. Offensively, they adjusted their plan and started working the intermediate parts of the field for chunk plays. Santiago Llarena on a crosser, Pratt on a deep out, Black using his legs to extend plays, before the Sun Devils knew it, the Hawks had scored 14 unanswered points.
Dumas answered with the dime to Sjoberg previously mentioned to cut the lead to one score with 5:25 to go in regulation, but couldn’t get the ball back after as Mouat chewed the clock on a long drive to ice the game.
The Hawks avoided the first true scare of their postseason and are now one game away from winning it all. They’ll take on a talented Lord Tweedsmuir team for the AAA Championship game in what is bound to be a classic.
A new champion to be crowned: Panthers dethrone Irish
For the first time since 2021, a team that does not wear purple and gold will be named AAA Provincial Champions. The Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers have ended the Vancouver College Fighting Irish’s reign over football within the province of BC with a 28-23 victory in the AAA semi-finals.
The Panthers had already beaten the Irish 23-10 in September. This go around, the Irish had a different plan of attack and had their star running back Tristan Perdido back in action leading to a tighter game.
“We’re extremely happy to walk out of BC Place with a win. All Credit to VC, who had a great game plan and executed all night,” said Panthers’ head coach Michael Carter.
Both teams’ defences were stingy early. Neither team was able to get anything going consistently until Reye Quintana got lost on a rail route out of the backfield and sprinted down the sideline for a 70-yard score late in the first quarter.
After being shut down for the first 22 minutes of play, the Panthers’ dormant offence had its fire lit and was finally ignited. The player who sparked the flame was Chase Thurston. The starting pivot dropped back to pass on a fourth and long and had nowhere to throw the ball.
He escaped the pocket to the right and exploded into the open field, making Irish defenders miss left and right on his way to a 30-yard major.
VC would answer with a Jerome Angelopoulos touchdown reception from Benen Curran to take a 14-7 lead into the break.
In the second half, both offences run games that were almost non-existent in half number one took center stage. Perdido and Panthers’ star tailback Jerin Harinen went back and forth until the final whistle.
Harinen utilized his superb vision and agility on his way to 37 rushes for 219 yards and 2 scores. When VC loaded the box to stop Harinen, Logan Wager got his touches, finishing with 5 catches for 53 yds and one major.
Perdido’s hard running led to an A VC field goal and another touchdown reception by Angelopoulos.
After Wager had tied the game at 14, the Panthers’ defence made the biggest play of the game. As Curran took off to his right on a speed option play, Tyler Jones shot through a narrow gap and forced a bad pitch. Panthers’ defensive back Tristan Ford jumped on the loose ball and the Panthers had possession once again.
The play would end up resulting in a 14-point swing that the Irish were unable to overcome. As Thurston knelt down to seal the Panthers’ victory, LT’s sideline erupted; they had just dethroned the reigning champs.
Carter was ecstatic with his team postgame, but knows his team faces their biggest challenge thus far in the AAA finals next week.
“Our players are jumping at the opportunity to play at BC Place for a Provincial Championship next Sunday. WJ Mouat presents some major challenges and we’ll have to be at our absolute best.”
The Hawks and Panthers played back in September, which resulted in a 41-33 Hawks win. These teams have both vastly improved since that time and will have the opportunity to show how far they’ve come since that September matchup with a AAA Provincial Title on the line.
Pipers get their revenge; Punch ticket to AA finals
Revenge is a dish best served cold. Last season, the Argyle pipers found themselves walking off the field after a devastating playoff loss to the South Kamloops Titans in triple overtime. This Sunday at BC Place, the Pipers got another crack at the Titans and made the most of it with a 29-22 win, punching their ticket to the AA finals.
Well into the third quarter, it looked like the Titans still had the Pipers’ number. Quarterback Cole Rigler and running back Lloyd Heggen were phenomenal for the Titans and had their team up 14-7 with all the momentum in the game, after Heggen caught a screen pass and went yard from 50 yards out on an electric run and catch.
The Pipers desperately needed their offence to get going. With their season on the line, they turned to quarterback Conor Thompson and wideout Moses Milley. Thompson made ridiculous plays out of structure, spinning away from defenders and extending passing plays that had broken down.
He found Isaac Friesen in the endzone to get the game nodded up at 14. From that point on, it was Milley’s time to shine. First, Milley would go up and over a Titans’ defender to grab a post route. That 35-yard reception would put the Pipers inside the Titans’ five-yard line. Thompson would then finish the drive, punching the ball in from two yards out.
Milley would then put the game away for good in the fourth quarter. The receiver ran a crisp 10-yard out route, caught the ball out of his break and then slipped away from a Titans defender and scampered 40+ yards down the sideline to extend the Pipers’ lead to 29-14.
Fans at BC Place had blinked and just like that, Argyle had put up 22 unanswered points. The Pipers’ defence led by pass rushers Justin Beezer and Fraser Lemanski, helped contain the South Kamloops vaunted passing attack until the final drive of the game to hold on to their newfound lead.
When the game clock struck zero, the Pipers and Titans found themselves in opposite places from the season before. The Pipers celebrated their come-from-behind win and berth in the AA finals.
Argyle will enjoy their vengeance but will soon be right back to work as they prepare to face the powerhouse Vernon Panthers in next weekend’s AA provincial final.