Six-foot-seven, 305-pound Dontae Bull was happy to lead and five-foot-eight, 180-pound Trey Campbell was more than happy to follow at Westhills Stadium on Saturday.
Belmont Secondary Bulldogs graduate Bull, committed to NCAA Division 1 next season with the Fresno State Bulldogs, ripped gaping holes and Campbell ran through them with glee for his second consecutive 100-yards-plus rushing game and a touchdown in a 51-13 B.C. Football Conference victory by the Westshore Rebels (4-1) over the Fraser Valley Huskers (0-5).
“We have so much potential. We are a team that can make nationals,” said Bull, who made his second appearance and first start of the season, after getting some paperwork straightened out.
“It’s just neat to be out there playing football again with some of the guys I played with in high school,” said Bull, who kept in shape by running and playing pick-up basketball (he played hoops at Belmont).
With the talk starting about Bull being a potential NFL or CFL pro prospect down the road, he just keeps it cool and out of mind.
“I’m just playing football and want to get an education out of it. After that, I’ll go to wherever it ends up taking me.”
That Rebels offensive line gave quarterback Scott Borden the time to hit for four touchdown passes Saturday, three of them darts to receiver Yitna Birhanu, and also allowed blue-chip slotback Kaine Stevenson from Windsor, Ont., to ramble for more than 150 all-purpose yards.
Running-back Campbell is pleased to have guys like Bull on the offensive line.
“I have to give that line a lot of credit,” said Campbell, from Toronto. “We haven’t scratched the surface yet of what we are capable of as a team, on both sides of the ball. When we get there, it will be a scary sight.”
The Rebels came close last year, winning the B.C. championship, before losing to the Saskatoon Hilltops in the Canadian Junior Football championship game. Campbell was the secondary running back last year behind the featured back and BCFC MVP Jamel Lyles, now in U Sports with the University of Manitoba Bisons.
“I learned so much playing with Jamel last season, especially seeing his passion for the game and how he played it with such emotion,” Campbell said.
Also on Saturday, the league-leading Okanagan Sun (5-0) remained undefeated with a 45-11 victory over the Vancouver Island Raiders (3-2) at Caledonia Park in Nanaimo.
All teams have a bye over the Labour Day weekend, with the Rebels returning to host the Kamloops Broncos on Sept. 9 at Westhills.
