Okanagan Sun will host the BCFC final after a 50-19 thumping of Valley Huskers Saturday

Photo: in_motion_sports_photography

Easton Fenske has three interceptions in the Okanagan Sun 50-19 BCFC semi-final win.

If the Okanagan Sun needed to be reminded to take every opponent seriously from the opening whistle to the final gun, Saturday’s BC Football Conference semi-final should serve as that reminder.

The Sun were sluggish for much of the first half of their BCFC semi-final with the Valley Huskers before literally slamming the door shut in the second half of their 50-19 victory - a game that was a lot closer than the 31 point spread would indicate.

Twenty-eight unanswered points in the final quarter, including a pair of pick-sixes by Vincente Ferreira and Easton Fenske late in the fourth quarter off backup quarterback Noah Mackreel broke open what had been a tight three point game through three quarters.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game. Chilliwack is a phenomenal team, they are well coached and they did it to us last year too,” said head coach Travis Miller.

“We didn’t execute. It was a trap game for us and we didn’t execute until the end of that game.”

The Sun tried some different things early in the game, throwing a deep ball on the first play of the game, a 38 yard completion to Jordayne Falconer but, two plays later on second and one, tried a swing pass that went nowhere.

After intercepting Tyran Duval’s second pass of the game deep in Chilliwack territory, Elelyon Noa took a screen pass from Marek Filipek 23 yards for the first score of the game.

But, Duval came back on the next series and dissected the Sun secondary through the air, moving the team 76 yards in just six plays, capped off by a 29-yard strike to Steve Koniuck to tie the game at 7-7.

Duval threw his second touchdown pass of the half two plays into the second quarter and, a field goal following an interception two minutes later put the visitors up 17-7.

A second interception of Duval gave the offence great field position again at the Huskers 22 yard line. Three Noa runs later and the Sun trailed by just two.

After conceding a safety and forcing a punt, the Sun took the ball at midfield with just over a minute to go in the half.

Filipek hit Ben Chomolok for a nine yard gain then found a streaking Marcus Burden for 46 yards and a 22-19 lead heading into the locker room.

The Huskers, who at times moved the ball at will in the opening half, were unable to mount any offence after the break.

The secondary, which gave up several big plays in the opening 30 minutes, picked off seven passes on the night, three from Easton Fenske and two each from Ahmed Borhot and Vincente Ferreira. Borhot had a third interception called back by penalty.

The game remained tight through three quarters but Liam Kroeger, who replaced Filipek after his second pick of the night early in the third, took advantage of good field position to lead the team to a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns to widen the gap.

Following Fenske’s second interception, Noa went in from one yard out, capping a six play, 18-year drive.

It was his third touchdown of the game.

On the next drive, Kroeger marched the team 50 yards in four plays, finishing it himself from three yards out.

Ferreira then returned an interception 62 yards and Fenske 45 yards to close out the scoring.

Despite the two interceptions, Filipek finished the day 10 of 13 for 145 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Noa, who set a league rushing record during the regular season, was held to a pedestrian 55 yards on just 11 carries as the Huskers defence stuffed the run at every opportunity.

The Huskers finished the night with 355 yards of total offence, most of that in the first half.

The Sun will now host the reigning BCFC champion Westshore Rebels in next weekend’s Culler Cup championship game.

The Rebels upset the Langley Rams 25-21 in Langley Saturday in the other semi-final.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Miller of facing the reigning champions in the league championship game.