The Vernon Blue Bombers shut down the Prince George Green Machine 48-0 Saturday in the B.C. Community Football Atom Division championship in Kamloops.
Zach Smith ran for three touchdowns to earn game MVP. Smith opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 40-yard romp, recorded a 17-yard TD in the second and finished with a 50-yard scamper for the Bombers’ final score.
Devin Hofsink, who registered a team-high seven tackles, was named the Most Sportsmanlike Player.
“These boys worked hard all season and were deserving of being provincial champions,” said Bombers’ head coach Chris Sochan. “It was a great team victory with everyone contributing on Saturday.
“The interior of our d-line dominated play throughout the game. In particular, Devin Hofsink and Matthew Reich were around the ball all game disrupting their offence and making tackles.”
The Bombers, who led 32-0 at the half, got second-quarter TDs from Ethan Anderson, on a 28-yard run, and Isaiah Ondrik, on a nine-yard ramble.
Ethan Mitchell supplied a 17-yard rushing TD in the fourth quarter. Liam Glennon booted four converts.
Smith racked up 149 yards on five touches, while Anderson carried seven times for 37 yards, Daniel Lesik had three runs for 28 yards and Reich earned 22 yards on four rushes.
Smith passed just once, completing a six-yarder to Brady Szeman.
Reich chipped in on defence with six tackles and one fumble recovery, while Ondrik provided five tackles and one fumble recovery. Glennon counted three tackles and one forced fumble, while Anderson tallied three tackles and one fumble pick-up. Smith had three tackles and Levi Lee two.
Meanwhile, the Vernon Marauders secured a spot in the Southern Interior Junior Bantam Football League championship game with a 50-27 victory over second-place West Kelowna Sun Devils Sunday at the Capital News Centre Field.
Quarterback Trey Issac showed excellent generalship in the planning and executing of his offence, scoring two TDs and kicking 4-of-7 convert attempts.
Levi Nicholas was the game MVP, racking up 160 yards on 11 carries, scoring two TDs on offence, making 11 tackles on defence and running back an interception for 20 yards.
Carson Labrecque was also a two-way threat, rushing for 75 yards, scoring a TD on offence and contributing 10 tackles for the defence. Tyler (Ducky) Sova and Jonah Waterstreet both averaged nine yards per carry and also scored a TD each for the Marauders.
A major factor in the Marauder success was the blocking of Josh Hyer, Mike Tesarski, Daniel Henrie, Hayden McLean, and Jett Carey. Wide receivers Keegan Vicklund, Keith Jones, Connor Manahan, Kenzel Arts-Roman, James Bertram and Jayden Koscienly also made significant contribution.
Defensive end Bryce Sorensen was the defensive standout with 14 tackles, five of which resulted in lost yards, and a sack. Linebacker Jakob Laflame-Yonkman recorded nine tackles and played a key role in several plays by taking out the lead blocker so his teammates could make the tackle on the ball carrier.
“All of the boys played a great game,” said a beaming defensive coach Andy Stefansson.
He noted that Bryce Goodrich, Weston Vanderveen and Mack Henry recorded six tackles each and Reid Mackenzie, Connor Forest, Josiah Gaskel and Mitchell Johnson were instrumental in taking out the lead blockers for their teammates. Tyler Braun, Hunter Koopmans and Connor Kamann also got props for very solid showings on the corners, while Kolton Neal, Rod Boring and Jackson Ponipal kept constant pressure on the Sun Devil QB.
“The boys have come along way this season,” said Vernon head coach Ron Kirschner. “It’s hard to believe that one-third of our team had never played football before the start of this season; they should be very proud of what they have accomplished.”
The Marauders will meet the Kelowna Lions Sunday for the SIFC title (time and venue TBA).
The Vernon Pee Wee Yellow Jackets qualified for the SIFC finals by stuffing the West Kelowna Sun Devils 43-0 Sunday.
The Jackets had lost to the Devils 12-6 earlier in the year and were prepared to avenge that loss.
The offence did not score until their third drive of the game, but then scored on their next six possessions.
Riley MacGillvray ran the ball 14 times for 225 yards and two touchdowns.
“The real difference in the offence was the offensive linemen who created huge holes for Vernon’s runningbacks,” said Jackets’ head coach Ed Huber. “Big credit goes to Stephane Foster, Joe Bateman, Carson and Clayton Hamming, Nez Ford, Liam Alder, Taylor Pelletier and blocking back Jordan Scherck.”
Also scoring for Vernon were Issac Olsen and Zach Benn, with two TDs apiece, and Dylan Huber, with one TD and one convert.
The Jackets’ ‘Big Mac’ defence only allowed three first downs while doing battle with a very tough Sun Devils’ O-line. Kaden Doughty recorded six tackles, while Thomas Satterthwaite and Garret Black-Thomas each had three. Bryce Tkachuk recorded a fumble recovery, while Tristen Baker and Thomas Mackewich also had forced fumbles on the day.
The Jackets tangle with the Kelowna Mission Lions in Sunday’s final in Kelowna.
The Vernon Magnums were shocked 13-7 by the Columbia Valley Bighorns in the provincial nine-man Midget final in Kamloops.
The Magnums, who were coming off two weeks of playoff byes due to team forfeitures by the Rocky Mountain Rams and Penticton Cougars, had earlier this season rocked the Bighorns 33-0 and 54-7.
“We were just off that day,” said Vernon head coach Bill Tarr. “It was freezing cold and the difference was they put in four rouges; they kicked punts through the end zone for four points.”
Magnum quarterback Chad Woodhead was named game MVP, with runningback Dustyn Schubert getting an honourable mention.
Kyle Olsen-Brown scored the Magnum touchdown on a one-yard plunge in the second quarter.
