An inability to move the ball in the second half — coupled with three turnovers — resulted in a 41-27 loss for the Langley Rams.
“It wasn’t the game I thought it was going to be,” admitted Rams coach Ted Kirby.
“Credit to V.I. (Vancouver Island), they were the better team on the day.”
The game was played on Saturday afternoon at Nanaimo’s Caledonia Park and the victory leaves the VI Raiders, Rams and Okanagan Sun all tied at 5-2 atop the B.C. Football Conference.
The teams were tied at seven after one quarter and the Raiders pulled ahead for good in the second quarter, leading 27-18.
It was 41-27 after three quarters and neither team could score in the fourth.
In the first half, the Rams racked up 301 yards of offence, but in the second, it was a different story with just 62 yards passing and 18 yards rushing. Langley also fumbled the ball twice and threw an interception.
“We didn’t play our best football and if you don’t put everything you have into every single play, every single snap, then you are not going to win,” Kirby said.
The coach added that all three facets of the game — offence, defence and special teams — need to be better.
The defence did come up with four interceptions of quarterback Jamie Ybarra, but he still managed to throw for 375 yards and two scores.
By comparison, Rams quarterback Jahlani Giblert-Knorren — the league leader in yardage and touchdown passes — was held to 192 yards and one touchdown, which was caught by Jacob Carvery.
Dan English led the Langley receivers with three catches for 95 yards
The ground game — which out-gained the Raiders 199 to 99 — was led by Nathan Lund’s 100 yards with one score on 16 carries and Gilbert-Knorren’s 91 yards on 11 carries.
Lund also added an 80-yard kick return touchdown and was named special teams player of the week.
Joe Patko had two of the Langley interceptions and Tanner Hamade and Ben Sharpe had the others. The defence did have problems getting to the quarterback with Evan Foster registering the team’s only sack.
“It stings, but you put it behind us,” Kirby said.
“We just need to get back to what we do.”
Langley entered the game scoring 48.5 points per game while surrendering just 17 points a game. Both numbers led the league, but the defence is now ranked third in points per game. The offence remains number one.
The Rams host the Valley Huskers (2-4-1) this Saturday at McLeod Athletic Park with a 7 p.m. kick-off.
That is followed by a rematch against the Raiders — this time at home — before Langley closes the regular season schedule in Chilliwack against the Huskers.
The Rams and Raiders have split their two games this season, both of which were played in Nanaimo.
