We are officially at the mid-point of the BCFC season and barring collapses of epic proportions the Okanagan Sun, Westshore Rebels and Langley Rams have lockdowns on three of the four playoffs spots. The only questions for those clubs is what order they finish and there is way too much football still to be played to begin that discussion. Although the meeting this weekend between the Rams and Sun will go a long way to either muddying that picture or making it a whole lot more clear. 

Let’s look at the winners and losers beyond the scoreboard from the weekend;

Winner-Westshore running back Trey Campbell 

The term “two headed monster” will be heard often this season in reference to the Rebels backfield duo of Jamel Lyles and Trey Campbell as the pair sits #1 and #3 in the BCFC rushing derby heading into last weekend. Still, based on number of carries and being the media darling there is little doubt Lyles is the man when it comes to the Rebels rushing plans with 87 carries compared to the 24 of Campbell. In fact, he didn’t see the ball at all in his team’s only loss this season, three weeks ago in Kelowna to the first place Sun.

Saturday afternoon in Chilliwack the Huskers were no doubt determined to limit Lyles with the concept being stop him and they might have a chance for a major upset. The Huskers played that chess match perfectly holding him to 97 yards on 16 carries. While those numbers are nothing to sneeze at for a running back, the fact the Huskers held the conference’s leading rusher to a 6-yard average was a major win.

Rebels rookie Trey Campbell was the benefactor of the Huskers strategy and showed he is just as dangerous as his teammate in piling up 173 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 8 carries for a mind blowing 22-yard average.

The Rebels monster might indeed be 1A and 1B.

Loser-VI Raiders play-off aspirations

With a record of 2-3 the Raiders are still in the driver’s seat for a play-off spot as the two teams chasing them are both 0-5 and the Raiders have also beaten them both.

At issue is where the Raiders are likely to finish come play-off time, and odds are that is in 4th spot after falling at home on the weekend to the Langley Rams. The Raiders are now 0-3 against play-off bound teams which makes their prospects of hosting a conference play-off game bleak.

The good news is of their 3 remaining games against the Sun, Rebels and Rams two are at Caledonia. Still they are going to have to go on a real run if they want to give Caledonia faithful something to cheer about come fall.

Winner-Huskers QB Noah Falconer rookie of the year chances

It’s not too early to start talking about rookie of the year candidates and the Huskers passer is sure to be in the mix when the voting starts at season’s end.

He had another strong outing on the weekend in the Huskers loss to the Rebels connecting on 22 of 43 passes for 309 yards and 3 TDS against 1 interception. If the Huskers could mount any sort of run game (Just 10 yards on Saturday for a grand total of 112 for the season…yes you read that right, 112) who knows where this club might be.

Huskers coach Jason Quinter is high on his club’s rookies. He might have the best of the conference in this rookie out of WJ Mouat.

Loser-Huskers momentum killing 2nd quarter defensive collapses 

The Huskers are an 0-5 football team, that is hard to sugar coat. But in many statistical categories and if you look at the way the team seems to battle every game, this team seems miles ahead of the team that went winless in 2015.

For the most part the Huskers have started strong defensively, the only exception being the second game of the season when they were down 22-0 to the Rams after the 1st quarter and 36-0 at the half on the way to a 39-0 shut-out loss.

In the other 4 losses they have given up just a single touchdown, that in the opening game of the season to the Sun. In fact, in the past three games the Huskers have not been scored against in the opening stanza. Rams game aside that’s grand total of 7 points against in the 1st quarter through 4 games. That is not a stat of a last place team.

The issue for the Fraser Valley squad is the meltdown before the half that would seem to jar their confidence. In those 4 games that saw them ahead or in a tight battle after the opening frame they have given up 83 points in the 2nd quarter…and average of 21.

That will kill a young team’s mojo everytime.