GAME DAY:
WESTSHORE REBELS VS. KAMLOOPS BRONCOS, 4 P.M.
The Westshore Rebels will attempt to do today what the organization has not been able to achieve in eight years: win its fifth straight football game in the same season.
Not since the 2004 B.C. Football Conference campaign has the Victoria team managed to string together such a fine run.
The 4-1 Rebels, who lost their first outing this season, look to extend the streak against the visiting 1-4 Kamloops Broncos at Bear Mountain Stadium at 4 p.m., and they do so with increasing confidence, especially following last weekend's 2724 win in Kelowna.
"This is the run we needed to get on," said Rebels' head coach John Cardilicchia, whose team has obviously benefited from the league's unbalanced schedule.
But the bottom line is you still have to win your football games, and that's what the Rebels continue to do.
"We talked about it in Week 2 when Langley and Nanaimo tied," Cardilicchia said. "We knew that they did us a favour, and if we continue to win every week, we have an opportunity to finish 9-1 and finish in first place.
We're just worried about taking care of business every week and let the rest take care of itself."
Gradually, this team has improved in all three phases of the game - offence, defence and special teams.
"Football is a progression sport; the more you practice, the better you get, and we're getting sharper every week," Cardilicchia said.
A win today would make it five straight. In 2004, the then Victoria Rebels started 6-0 before losing to the Okanagan Sun. The Rebs finished that year 8-2.
Westshore, which defeated the Broncos 34-21 back in Week 3, faces Chilliwack next weekend and could potentially be 6-1.
"If we take care of business here, then beat Chilliwack, then we can maybe earn the right to be in a firstplace game against Langley," Cardilicchia said.
Against the Okanagan Sun last week, the Rebels turned in a gutsy performance in a tough environment, especially after the bus broke down en route to Kelowna, starting the game 90 minutes late.
"We pulled one out on the road that we needed to have and to boost our confidence," said slotback Cat Todorovich, who had a nice performance in the win, catching a Mark Black pass and rambling 76 yards for a touchdown and also throwing for a major score off a trick play. "It also shows the other teams that we have a team to contend with this year."
Todorovich finished with four catches for 116 yards in the team's fourth consecutive triumph.
"This run is nice to see. With our schedule, we have to take advantage of the games we have, keep winning and leave destiny in our hands," Todorovich said. "Winning feels good.
No one likes losing, and being here on this run is a treat.
"Everybody feels good about what's happening, especially after the Kelowna win, because we hadn't beat them in a while. It's good to see we have the talent and pieces in hand to make it all work."
POINTS AFTER: According to BCFC historian Paul Shortt, a former league president, the Rebels also managed five straight wins in 2000.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com Twitter/tc_vicsports
