It’s a two-fer. Or is it a four-fer?
It’s both.
It’s two games in one, with four points hanging in the balance.
The Westshore Rebels and Kamloops Broncos meet in the rare four-point B.C. Football Conference game today at 4 p.m. at Westhills Stadium in Langford.
The situation was necessitated when the Rebels’ scheduled game last month in Kamloops was cancelled due to poor air conditions in the Interior because of the wildfires.
That led to a cascading series of events, culminating in the resignation of Rebels head coach Charly Cardilicchia, who was originally suspended for three games because of his pointed remarks in the media regarding the league’s handling of the cancelled game.
Westshore defensive co-ordinator Shane Beatty, twice BCFC coach of the year with the Okanagan Sun, took over the Rebels head coaching position for the rest of the season. The tenure began with home-and-away 33-7 and 32-17 losses to the rival Vancouver Island Raiders, who are surging with the play of veteran quarterback Jake Laberge under centre and his league co-leading 12 touchdown passes.
The Broncos (outscored 185-48 in starting 0-4), however, may be just the salve the Rebels need at just the right time. After all, how many times does a 1-2-1 team have a chance to jump to 3-2-1 after just one game?
Rebels rookie QB Mason Brown has been forced to use his feet and is fifth in league rushing with 211 yards. Wideout Kaine Stevenson leads Westshore in receiving with 14 receptions for 230 yards. Rai Provo paces the Rebels defence with 15 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Laberge, meanwhile, leads the Raiders (4-1) into Kelowna to play the Okanagan Sun (2-2-1) tonight at the Apple Bowl. The Valley Huskers, the surprise of the season at 4-1 after going winless at 0-30 the past three seasons, meet the Langley Rams (2-3) today.
