The Vernon Marauders slammed the Kelowna Dragons 54-6 in Interior Junior Bantam Football Conference action Sunday at Grahame Park.
The Marauder defence limited the Dragons to minus 58 yards of total offence. The right side of the line was controlled by defensive end Miles Forest, with three tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery, and linebacker Sebastian Sanchez, who recorded two tackles and three sacks.
Josh Hyer sealed the outside, earning four tackles and three sacks, one for a safety.
Also scoring for the Marauder defence was Koalden Oakden with a boot-top interception and a 43-yard return for a TD.
Tackle Sam Knox made a touchdown-saving tackle and was instrumental in controlling the middle.
“The boys played an outstanding game,” said defensive coach Andy Stefansson. “We were successful not just because of the guys making the tackles, but because everyone did their job to the best of their ability.”
For the offence, Keaton Vernon scored the first TD early in the first quarter with a 48-yard rush down the sideline. He rushed for 102 yards on six carries.
Tailback Connor Manahan and Morgan Nichols each added two more TDs.
The game was capped by a 41-yard TD run by Tyler (Ducky) Sova. Long snapper Isaac Olsen and placekicker Sebastian Sanchez were on 5-for-7 on converts.
“The defence gave us good field position and our wideouts Teylor Munger, Dylan Huber and Keiran Webster made several crucial blocks for us today,” said QB coach Ed Huber.
The Marauders host the Kamloops Broncos Sunday (11 a.m.) at Grahame Park.
In Bantam play Sunday, the Vernon Wolverines scored on their first two touches before falling 27-14 to the visiting Abbotsford Falcons.
Levi Nicholas and Zac Kronbauer produced the touchdowns on passes from Ty Kitzman, with Trey Isaac converting both.
The Wolverines took a huge hit when Kitzman later left the game due to injury.
Offensive standouts were Kronbauer and Kitzman, while Max Chapman, Jakob Laflamme and Davron Polok played hard-nosed Mad Dawg defensive football.
Player of the game was Nicholas, who never left the field.
Said coach Doug Cook: “We we came out hard, but halfway through the second quarter, you could see the momentum swing in the Falcons’ favour.
The Wolverines host Langley Sunday (1 p.m.) at Grahame.
The Vernon Yellow Jackets grounded the visiting Kelowna Lions 52-0 in Pee Wee football action Sunday.
Following a perfectly placed onside opening kick by Liam Glennon, quarterback Zack Smith scampered in from 32 yards.
Glennon followed that with another onside kick, and tailback Bryce Tkachuk took the ensuing handoff 52 yards to the end zone.
To end the quarter, Smith ran a QB keep around the outside for a seven-yard TD, giving Vernon a 22-0 lead.
“Our special teams were very good today and helped give us great field position all day,” said head coach Bryan Cragg. “If we didn’t recover an onside kick, we pinned them deep with long kickoffs.”
The second quarter saw the Jackets open up the playbook and move the ball through the air. Matthew Reich scored on a 37-yard touchdown run, and Smith hit Thomas Satterthwaites for an 18-yard TD pass to make it 36-0 at the half.
Cragg credited the Yellow Jacket O-line (Liam Alder, Connor Dewhurst, Logan Quibell, Carson Hamming and Devin Hofsink) for giving Smith time to throw.
In the second half, Isaiah Ondrik scooped up a Kelowna fumble and rambled in for a touchdown and Riley MacGillivray added a 25-yard TD run.
Liam Alder (5 tackles) and Izaac Lowe (3 tackles) led the defence. The Yellow Jackets (5-0) entertain the Kamloops Broncos (2-2) Sunday at 9 a.m.
