Okanagan Sun face Prairie champion Regina Thunder in national semi-final Sunday

Photo: Contributed

Ground and pound.

Run the football, run the football and for good measure run the football again.

That will likely be the mantra Sunday when the Okanagan Sun face the Regina Thunder for the right to go to the Canadian Bowl.

It’s the identity of both teams as they head into the national semi-final in Regina.

“I think right now we are both looking at each other thinking we have to stop the run and we have to focus on establishing our run. That will be the key to success of who does it better,” said Sun head coach Travis Miller.

Defensively, the Sun have done a good job all season long stopping the run but they have not yet faced a team as committed to the run as the Thunder.

“I don’t think we've seen a running back tandem the way Ryland Leichert and Sadik Sadik present,” said Miller.

“From our standpoint we are focusing to make sure we are gap sound, we’re taking away all the run opportunities and forcing them to break tackles and make plays.

“At that point it’s not really the X’s and O’s it’s the Joe’s and who you have in place.”

The duo of Sadik and Leichert combined for nearly 550 yards on the ground in playoff wins over the Calgary Colts and Saskatoon Hilltops. They ran for more than 300 yards against the Hilltops alone.

“I think Scott MacAuley the head coach of the Thunder said a few weeks ago that he and his coaches reinvented their team and focused on what they were trying to do, whether it was run or on defence.

“From where we are sitting at this point, we realize their identity and their DNA is running the ball. I don’t think they are going to change too much after two successful games in winning the Prairie Conference.”

Don’t expect the Sun to change much either.

While Liam Kroeger will again get the start due to his ability to stretch the field with the vertical passing game, the Sun will try to ride their running duo of Elelyon Noa, the CJFL rushing champion, and Tristan Peddle.
The Sun and Thunder are facing each other for the second time in three years. The Sun beat the Thunder 21-19 in the 2022 Canadian Bowl championship game.

“I'm honestly really excited to go back and play in Regina,” said offensive lineman Kaiden Kerntopf, one of three players remaining from that championship team.

“There are so many memories, excitement, emotional, grit. A lot of things went into that game and that team. To get back a second time is a blessing.”

Kerntopf only regret, not playing at Mosaic Stadium, the site of the 2022 championship win.

The challenge for Kerntopf and the guys up front, dealing with a larger defensive front.

“It’s definitely something we’ve talked about a lot,” he said.

“Securing our double teams and being able to move those big boys around. But, I’m confident in our O-Line and I’m confident in Noa to make a guy or two miss like he’s done all year.”

Weather shouldn’t be much of a factor. The forecast is for overcast skies with temperatures hovering around 11C at kickoff. Winds are also expected to be light.

Kickoff is noon Pacific time Sunday.