This was a tough game for even tougher men.
The Canadian Direct Insurance B.C. Premier Rugby League semifinal yesterday at Velox Field in Gordon Head had it all -- from bone-rattling tackles that left injured bodies strewn on the field to breathless runs that led to tries.
The riveting all-Island fixture also had tension so thick you could cut it with shears.
After the dust had settled, literally from a turf that was down to sand, the third-seed James Bay Athletic Association emerged victorious 29-17 in overtime over the second-seed Velox Valhallians. The score was tied 17-17 at the end of regulation time before more nearly 1,000 fans.
JBAA, gunning for a fourth-consecutive B.C. title, advanced to meet the Meralomas in the 2009 Rounsefell Cup provincial championship game next Saturday at UBC Thunderbird Stadium. The Valhallians, looking for their first B.C. crown, will have to wait at least another year.
"They had as many Canadian internationals on their roster as we did and they came after us hard," said JBAA stalwart Morgan Williams, who captained Team Canada in the 2007 World Cup at France.
For the second straight week, following up last weekend's overtime victory over sixth-seed Bayside of Surrey, James Bay scored two tries in extra time to win a playoff game.
"It was a huge struggle and unfortunately there can be only one winner out there today. We had the experience of being there before and we knew we were going to win -- we could just feel it," said JBAA's Jeff Williams.
JBAA next week will be after its 22nd B.C. title.
"It was an intense, hard-hitting match but they had experience over our guys. They have been in this situation before, and in the end, the result reflected that," said Velox head coach Craig Stewart. Overtime tries by Hugo Belanger and standout Thyssen de Goede sealed the deal for the Bays.
"Velox gave us a run," said the younger de Goede, who played for Team Canada in the Under-20 World Cup last year in Wales. Both sides featured notable current and former Team Canada internationals. Among them were Mike Pletch, Dean van Camp, Bryn Keys and Travis Robertson of Velox and DTH van der Merwe, Morgan and Jeff Williams, Phil Mack, Pat Dunkley, Sean White and David Moonlight of James Bay.
The fourth-seed Meralomas, who dispatched fifth-seed Castaway Wanderers of Oak Bay in the quarter-finals last week, upset top-seed Capilanos 24-13 in the other semifinal yesterday.
