Every week reporters from BCFC cities give their two cents on how the teams are going to fair this week. Thanks to Marty Hastings (Kamloops this Week), Warren Henderson (Kelowna Capital News), Eric Welsh (Chilliwack Progress), Gary Ahuja (Langley Times) and Don Descoteau (Goldstream Gazette)
The interlocking schedule means a little extra work for our reporters this week with an extra game thrown in. Thanks again for your contributions guys, fans love the column you provide.
Now that we have stroked their egos to be sure they are back on board next season, let’s see what they think about this week’s action!
Winnipeg Rifles @ Valley Huskers
Marty; The Rifles aren’t near the top of the Prairie League, but the Huskers still haven’t proven they can win.
Winnipeg 23 Valley 17
Warren; It's a long trip from Manitoba, but the Rifles should still have enough left in the tank against the winless Huskers.
Winnipeg 30 Valley 14
Eric; The best passing attack in the Prairie Football Conference meets Chilliwack's porous pass defence. Expect Winnipeg quarterback Tyler Vieira and the Rifles air attack to pick 'em apart in a one-sided win.
Winnipeg 56 Valley 20
Gary; The Huskers are still in search of their first victory after failing to hold a half-time lead against the Broncos.
They face a Winnipeg Rifles squad which has a 1-3 record in the Prairie Football Conference.
Winnipeg 21 Valley 18
Don; Similarly, the Rifles are a mid-pack team in the PFC that may have a surprise or two in them. Again, however, this game is being played in Chilliwack, so the Huskers will have the benefit of being rested and could well give the Rifles a good game. It’ll be close, but the Rifles will prevail.
Winnipeg 28 Valley 16
Westshore Rebels @ VI Raiders
Marty; The Rebels will be looking to keep pace with the Sun and should sneak past the Raiders
Westshore 28 Vancouver Island 26
Warren; An emotional letdown could accompany the Rebels after last week's huge win over the Sun, but not enough to halt their winning streak. Westshore makes it five straight wins
Westshore 31 Vancouver Island 18
Eric; The Rebels beat the Raiders in the first Battle of the Island earlier this year and will complete the season sweep. With tons of momentum after knocking off the previously unbeaten Sun, the Rebels will cruise in this one.
Westshore 38 Vancouver Island 15
Gary; Week one saw the Rebels beat the Raiders for the first time in franchise history and they should be able to make it two in a row.
Westshore is coming off a huge victory over the Sun in week seven while the Raiders dug themselves a 25-point hole that they could not dig out of against the Rams.
Westshore 35 Vancouver Island 18
Don; While the Rebels have climbed into the top echelon in the BCFC, punctuated with a huge 29-23 win over Okanagan last weekend, the raiders are slipping backward into middle-of-pack land, having almost assured themselves a playoff game against the top team with a 32-17 loss to the Langley Rams.
While the Raiders have tended to be tough to beat at home in the past, they aren’t the same powerhouse they were in years gone by, and the Rebels are a team on a definite upswing, having beaten both the Sun and Rams so far this year. But the Raiders are a proud group and franchise and will give the Westshore visitors all they can handle. Expect a closer game than you might expect, but the Rebels will still win this one by a couple scores
Westshore 27 Vancouver Island 16
Langley Rams @ Kamloops Broncos
Marty; Kamloops has to win to stay alive, but likely won’t be able to get it done.
Langley 35 Kamloops 23
Warren; After winning their first of the season last week, look for the Broncos' elation to be short-lived.
Langley 29 Kamloops 20
Eric; The Broncos will be flying high after earning their first victory last weekend, but the Rams should knock them back to Earth. Kamloops will have no answers for Langley's high-octane offence.
Langley 45 Kamloops 16
Gary; The Broncos are coming off their first victory of the season, erasing a 10-point halftime deficit against the Huskers in a battle of the league’s two winless teams while the Rams defence continued their stellar play with nine quarterback sacks in a win over the Raiders.
The Rams have used three quarterbacks this season as they continue to tweak their offensive attack. But the defence continues to be the league’s best unit — they are allowing a league-low 15.9 points per game — and that will be more than enough for Langley to prevail.
Langley 34 Kamloops 13
Don; The Rams are building for the playoffs and head into Kamloops as the team with the stingiest defence in the BCFC, having given up only 111 points (16 points per game). The Broncos, who posted an inspirational 30-23 win over the hapless Valley Huskers last weekend, will have a tough time keeping up, as the Rams have scored nearly as many points per game as the Sun (almost 34).
This one won’t be close, I see the Rams winning going away
Langley 42 Kamloops 17
Saskatoon Hilltops @ Okanagan Sun
Marty; Should be a close one between teams near the top their respective conferences.
Saskatoon 27 Okanagan 21
Warren; With a loss last week and a chance for redemption against the Hilltops, the Sun will be amply motivated on Saturday night.
Factor in the addition of big-time receiver Rashaun Simonise and the hometown crowd, and the defending BCFC champs will have all the ammo they need.
Okanagan 33 Saskatoon 20
Eric; A battle of titans sees the mighty Hilltops visit the powerhouse Sun. THe Sun will be grumpy after losing for the first time last weekend, and they hold home-field advantage. With little to pick between these two, that could be the difference.
Okanagan 23 Saskatoon 21
Gary; The Sun draw perennial powerhouse Saskatoon Hilltops (4-1) in the other crossover game, which is a rematch of the 2015 Canadian Bowl.
The Hilltops won their fifth national title in the past six years with a 38-24 victory.
Okanagan should be stinging after their first BCFC loss in 24 games and the addition of recent NFL cut Rashaun Simonise adds another dynamic to their offence.
Okanagan 20 Saskatoon 18
Don; Okanagan Sun (6-1) vs. Saskatoon Hilltops (4-1)
Having not seen the defending national champion Hilltops play, it’s a little tough to pick this game. My sense is that they are in a similar boat to the Sun, having been knocked off by a challenger to their title – the Calgary Colts – earlier this season. But this game is in Kelowna, where the Sun have not lost a game in anyone’s recent memory. Give this one to Okanagan
Okanagan 24 Saskatoon 17
