It’s that time of year, when the leaves begin to fall and the sun starts to set on the junior football season.
And while the Okanagan Sun remain in the game, capturing first place in B.C. Football Conference standings following a 25-9 win over the Westshore Rebels last Saturday, 10 players will not see them into the playoffs.
“With the cutdown roster size, we go from 55 to 45 this week,” said Sun head coach Ben Macauley. “That will mean some personnel changes probably on special teams.”
The Sun finished the regular season with a 7-2-1 record.
Heading into one of two Cullen Cup semifinals this Sunday against the Valley Huskers of Chilliwack (6-4-0), Macauley is preparing his team for a fight against an equally good team.
The Sun led the league in offence with 299 total points (29.9 points per game average), but the Huskers weren’t far behind at 272 (27.2 points per game average).
“They’ve got a great quarterback. They make good decisions, they’re well coached,” said Macauley.
Defensively, though, the Sun were second in preventing points, allowing just 164 (16.4 points against per game). The Huskers were last in the seven-team loop at 290 (29.0 points against per game). The Langley Rams allowed the fewest points this season at 159.
The Sun will have one more advantage: They won’t be travel weary. Game time is 1 p.m., October 21st at the Apple Bowl.