To a man the Westshore Rebels will tell you they let one slip away last week in Kelowna in a four-point loss to the Okanagan Sun in their 2017 B.C. Football Conference season-openers.
The defending Cullen Cup champion Rebels (0-1) do not want to experience that feeling again this afternoon (2 p.m.) as they pay their biggest rival, the Vancouver Island Raiders (1-0), a visit at Caledonia Park in Nanaimo.
“We definitely let one get away. We had them right where we wanted them. I tell you what, I’ve never heard the Apple Bowl that quiet,” said Rebels head coach Charly Cardilicchia, who experienced many battles on that field.
“They actually set off the cannon for a blocked kick, which is a touchdown cannon, so they were reaching and grasping for something to cheer about. We gave them something to cheer about late in the second half through turnovers that cost us dearly down the stretch.”
There were also three Westshore trips into the red zone that resulted without points.
“I think we had what we needed to achieve a victory there. I think they knew that we beat ourselves. Moving forward we just have to clean things up and we will be just fine,” Cardilicchia said of today’s matchup.
The first-year head man stressed red zone offence, turnovers and discipline all need improvement against the Raiders. Special teams also have to be better.
An injury to Trey Campbell in the third quarter in Kelowna hurt the Rebels’ running game, which was virtually non-existent with just 67 yards, 23 of which came from quarterback Scott Borden Jr.
Cardilicchia liked Borden’s game, but he knows his quarterback is capable of better. The pivot completed 21 of 41 passes for 281 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
“We left about 100 or even 200 yards of offence on the field,” said Cardilicchia. “We should’ve thrown for 400 and could’ve thrown for 500. If we clean that up we will throw for some big yards.”
Campbell will sit out as a precaution so that means the Rebels will rely on running backs Anthony Bodger, Aden Enns-Horvath, Josh Bromfeld and Morgan D’Ganigian, who will have to chip in by committee.
Six-foot-five newcomer D’Saun Greenaway stood tall in more ways than one with seven catches for 114 yards, including a TD, in his debut, while Campbell and Birhanu Yitna added four catches apiece.
Greenaway, who was named BCFC offensive player of the week, joined the Rebels from York University of U Sports.
“He’s a big-body type receiver and a great finisher on the ball when it’s in the air,” said Cardilicchia.
“I’m not really happy because we didn’t come out with the win,” Greenaway said of last week’s performance. “There are more things I could’ve done. When you don’t win, you think about all the routes or all the catches you could’ve had, or some of the blocks that you might’ve missed.
“The attitude from the whole team was not one of being down though, it was more like it was on us. We let things slip on special teams and allowed them to gain momentum at home. It was more mental mistakes than being outplayed.
“We just have to fulfill our duties a little bit better this week.”
They will have to pay particular attention to the Raiders’ Bryce Mayoh who was the special teams player of the week with two kickoff returns for 146 yards in a 20-13 win over the Langley Rams.
“It’s always tough to play the Raiders, but to tell you the truth, I’m excited about this one,” said Cardilicchia. “It’s the dawn of a new era and I definitely intend to go up there and get a W. For years as a youth football coach and as a football player, I’ve lost very little games in Nanaimo.
“As a [assistant] coach with the Rebels, I obviously was not successful over the last few years, but this is definitely a new day. We’re going to go up there and collect the W because we’re bigger, faster and stronger than they are.”
