The Okanagan Sun and Westshore Rebels meet again in BCFC title game

Photo: in_motion_sports_photography

One of three interceptions by Easton Fenske in the semi-final win over Chilliwack

If familiarity does indeed breed contempt as the old saying goes, then it would stand to reason there’s no love lost when it comes to the Okanagan Sun and Westshore Rebels.

The perennial BC Football Conference powers will clash for a third straight year Saturday in the Cullen Cup championship game.

The Sun wiped out the Rebels 38-0 on their way to the Canadian Bowl title in the 2022 championship game adt the Apple Bowl.

The Rebels turned the tables at home last year, scoring 29 unanswered points in the third quarter in a 33-19 win.

They went on to lose the Canadian Bowl 17-10 to the Saskatoon Hilltops.

“From our standpoint, this is the matchup we wanted,” said head coach Travis Miller.

“I think in order to be the champions you have to beat them and this is our opportunity to do it in our home park and in the best situation possible when they are as healthy as they can be and so are we.”

For Miller and the Sun, they hope home field advantage continues to hold this year.

The Sun beat the Rebels both times they played during the regular season, including a come-from-behind win on the island earlier this year in a game they trailed by 14 late in the third quarter.

It was one of several games where the Sun had to come back from double-digit deficits.

“We were down 14 points and came back to win that game in Victoria. Our guys are well aware of that. We were down 10 points last weekend to Chilliwack.

“Having the opportunity to face that adversity during the season I think makes our guys more agile in these situations.”

Of course, the pressure in those situations is different when you are talking about the playoffs where one loss means you’re going home.

“From our standpoint I think our players have handled it pretty well this year,” added Miller.

“We’ve been down in quite a few games and have come back. We’ve faced adversity throughout the year.”

It certainly helps when the defence, which has been guilty of giving up some big plays, is also capable of making big plays in bunches.

Case-in-point, seven interceptions in last week’s semi-final including three from the team’s defensive rookie of the year Easton Fenske.

“It goes to the preparation,” Fenske said of his three interceptions, one which he returned for a touchdown.

“The film work throughout the week, studying what is going to happen.

“I was in the right place at the right time. Good calls by the coach and just made a play on the ball when the quarterback threw it.”

As the Sun get ready for their most important game of the season and the biggest game of his football career to date, Fenske says preparation is really no different than for a regular season game…except for the temperature.

“I kind of treat every game the same. Going into this game we are doing all the same stuff we have been doing.

“Just ramping up everything we are doing throughout the week, recovery, sleep, hydration, eating. Doing everything we can to get our bodies right as normal. For me nothing is really changing.”

The Sun and Rebels kickoff at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Apple Bowl.

The winner will travel to Saskatchewan next weekend to face either the Saskatoon Hilltops or Regina Thunder in the national semi-final.

The Ontario Football Conference will host this year’s Canadian Bowl Saturday, Nov. 9.