Even at 5-0 halfway through the BCFC season, Shane Beatty says his team needs to be better.
Despite a 66-3 dismantling of the Valley Huskers Saturday night at the Apple Bowl, the Okanagan Sun head coach would have preferred a smarter, crisper and more disciplined effort from his team.
Particularly disappointing for the third year field boss was both the number and nature of penalties the Sun took—11 for 95 yards—plus a number of others which were declined.
“We just took too many penalties,” Beatty said. “We didn’t play smart football.”
Even with more than 600 yards in offence against the Huskers, Beatty said the Sun wasn’t overly sharp, throwing an interception and losing a pair of fumbles.
“We just didn’t execute the way we need to,” he said. “We have to clean that up.”
Still, there were plenty of positives from Beatty’s perspective, including the play of quarterback Josiah Joseph, veteran defensive back Brennan Van Nistelrooy and linebacker Layne Hull, to name three.
Kyle Patchell caught two of the team’s three touchdown passes, Terrance Williams scored his first major and caught 113 yards in passes, while Kyle Kawamoto hauled 111 yards of receptions. While Joseph passed for 238 yards, Dillon Fortune led the ground game with 89 yards.
On defense, Raquille Cespedes returned a pick 48 yards for a score.
The Sun has already shifted gears for what will be a much tougher test on Saturday when they visit the Langley Rams for the second meeting of the season between the teams.
Okanagan won the previous meeting earlier this month at the Apple Bowl 32-13.
“It’ll be another brawl between two good teams,” Beatty said. “If we play good, sound football, play like we can, we’ll be fine.”
The Sun’s next home action is Sunday, Sept. 13 against the Vancouver Island Raiders.
