Sun ready for real battle

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo

The Okanagan Sun open defence of their BCFC championship tonight.

The Okanagan Sun will get a chance to hit for real when they start to defend their BC Football Conference championship Saturday night in Chilliwack.

The season marks the first time in 11 years the Sun will enter a season as defending champions.

It also marks the debut of head coach Ben Macauley, who took over the job when Shane Beatty and the club parted ways. Beatty has landed in Victoria as an assistant coach with the Westshore Rebels.

Is the new coach feeling any butterflies heading into his first test at the junior level?

"I've got too much stuff to do to really sit and think about it," said Macauley when asked the question of nerves.

"I'm pretty much booked right up until we get in the car. Maybe at that point it might start hitting me, but I'm going to be driving, so that should keep me pre-occupied. I typically stay pretty level-headed, but I'll tell you how I feel after not sleeping tonight (Friday)."

While the coach may be level-headed, his players are probably feeling different emotions ... the desire to hit someone in a different coloured uniform.

"That's pretty much bang on. I think there's some anxiety about what to expect.

"We have a lot of new faces, and I think guys are a little bit nervous about how we are all going to work together and how that will go – but that's pretty normal."

The Sun kick off with an opponent they have traditionally never had much of a problem with. Over the years, the Sun have never lost to the Valley Huskers on the field, amassing a perfect 30-0 record.

The Huskers were handed one victory when a season-opening win three years ago was taken away when the Sun were found to have used an ineligible player.

Last season, the Sun beat the Huskers twice, by a combined 130-3.

"The difference between the clubs is they have nothing to lose and we have everything to lose. We have the target on our back," said Macauley.

"Whether we are a different team or not, there are certain expectations here to perform at a certain level."

You can expect most, if not all, of the 50-man travel roster to see action Saturday, including all three quarterbacks.

Macauley said his top two pivots, second-year Sun Keith Zyla, and first-year Foster Martens, will see action.

He hopes to name a starter before game two next weekend in Kamloops.

As for the opener, Macauley said Martens, who played at the University of Manitoba last season, will likely get the start, but said by no means does that mean he has the inside track on the starter's job.

He hopes to allow each quarterback to play a full quarter before giving way to let them get in a rhythm.

Macauley said there will be a rotation at every position as well.

"The rest of the groups are looking at some sort of a rotation as well. I wouldn't expect to see anyone stay in there for a period of time.

"Guys still aren't quite in game shape yet. The rigors of the game, depending on the weather and temperature, we want to keep guys fresh."

Defensive end Jonas Gering, who returned to the club this week, may miss Saturday's opener after tweaking his knee.

The Sun play in Kamloops next Saturday before their home opener Aug. 6 against Beatty and the Westshore Rebels.