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Okanagan Sun advanced to the BCFC final with a convincing 33-0 win over the VI Raiders

Sun off to BCFC final

The Okanagan Sun will play for the Cullen Cup in the BC Football Conference championship game - but at what cost?

The Sun throttled the visiting VI Raiders 33-0 Saturday afternoon at the Apple Bowl, but did it without the league's leading rusher, Malcolm Miller.

Miller left the game in the first quarter with an apparent hand injury.

He left the bench in the second quarter, but returned in the second half with his hand wrapped, a precaution according to head coach Jamie Boreham.

"Malcom's done a good job for us. He's a little sore so we decided to take him out in the first quarter," said Boreham.

"It's end of the season. We have so many bumps and bruises and we got to the point where we said we're going to be fine. Our young back's good too. It took a little longer than we hoped for, but they finished the fourth quarter real well."

Miller carried the ball just twice for six yards, both carries coming on their third possession of the game.

Kaiden Banfield carried the load for much of the rest of the game, gaining 51 yards on eight carries.

The Sun set the tone right out of the gate when Matthew Sibley took the opening kickoff 88 yards to paydirt.

Sibley fielded the ball on the right hashmark, found his blockers, sprinted to the left and scampered down the left sideline to the end zone.

It was the second time Sibley has returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown.

Early in the second quarter with good field position at the Raiders 37 following a poor punt, Dominic Britton needed just three plays to hook up with Mike O'Shea for a 24 yard touchdown.

The offense sputtered through much of the second and third quarters, managing just a pair of singles and a conceded safety.

But, leading 18-0 in the fourth, the offence came alive..

Britton capped off a four play, 60 yard drive with a one-yard plunge.

He closed the scoring with a 37 yard strike to Sibley.

With Miller on the sidelines, Britton carried most of the load on his shoulders, completing 16 of 20 passes for 317 yards and two touchdowns.

He also tossed a pair of first half interceptions, one on an ill-advised pass into the end zone, the other on a catchable ball deflected into the waiting arms of a Raider defensive back.

Aside from those, Britton was nearly perfect on the day.

"We liked some matchups, so we played some matchups and some systems on systems.

"I think Dom had a good week of preparation with the receivers as well. The O-Line kept him up and gave him some time. We just have to get in the end zone a little earlier. "

The defence held the Raiders in check much of the afternoon, giving up a little more than 200 yards in total offence.

Quarterback Jake Laberge found himself running for his life much of the afternoon. When he wasn't knocked to the ground or forced to scramble himself, Laberge managed to complete on nine of 28 passes for 79 yards.

The Raiders also lost a pair of fumbles and turned the ball over on downs four times.

The Sun will face the Langley Rams for the Cullen Cup in Langley next Saturday.

The Rams won the right to host the final, beating the Valley Huskers 39-8 in the other semi-final.



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