The College Heights Cougars don’t care that they’re huge underdogs.
They’re one win away from playing for the BC High School Football Association double-A varsity championship. They just have to find a way to beat the Vernon Panthers.
Easier said than done.
The Panthers, ranked No. 1 in the province, destroyed the South Kamloops Titans 56-0 in last week’s quarterfinal and they’ll be bringing it again Saturday (1:30 p.m.) when they line up against College Heights in a semifinal playoff on the indoor turf at BC Place Stadium.
“We are so pumped about making it back to the Dome for semi's,” said Cougars head coach Grant Erickson, on www.bchighschoolfotball.com
“Super proud of our team and coaches and the victory we pulled out against Holy Cross last Friday. We know we will be in tough against a strong Vernon team this week. We have huge respect for Coach (Sean) Smith and his staff for the program they have built.
“They have set the bar about as high as it can go for a double A team over the last bunch of years. They roll it over year after year. Just like last week we will be huge underdogs and we're OK with that. It's a big opportunity not only for us but also to show that the North is not to be taken lightly.”
Saturday’s game will be webcast on YouTube.
The Cougars’ defence won it for them last week - a 22-15 triumph over the Holy Cross Crusaders.
Quarterback/defensive back Dillon Piddocke was named a BCHSFA all-star this week, singled out for his ability to toss the ball and find his targets. He’ll have Aiden Smith leading the ground game. Smith, a running back, also made the all-star team for his performance of defence at linebacker.
College Heights comes into this semi-final match riding the momentum of a hard-fought road win in the quarterfinals, and they’ll be looking to pull off an upset against us,” said Smith.
“Two years ago, they were the underdogs in the semis and nearly took down the eventual champions (Robert Bateman) in a gritty performance at the Dome, so we know they'll be well coached and ready to go on Saturday.
“From what we've seen on film, they’re a well- rounded team—balanced on offense and disciplined on defense. To get past them, we’ll need to bring our "A" game. For us, it's about sticking to the fundamentals that have made us successful all season long; win the turnover battle, limit the big plays on defense and execute at a high level on offense. If we do those three things, we’ve got a shot at securing a spot in the finals.”
Five Panthers made the all-star team, including quarterback Cole Budgen, picked as double-A varsity MVP, running back Jonah Lee, offensive lineman Owen Carpenter, receiver Anderson Bicknell and linebacker Jeff Curtis.
Budgen went 13-for-15 and threw for 257 yards in the lopsided win over South Kamloops.
Dexter Malo of Vanderhoof, who played for the Nechako Valley Vikings, also made the all-star team as defensive lineman.
The College Heights-Vernon winner will advance to the provincial final against either the Windsor Wolves (No 2-ranked) or Robert Bateman Timberwolves (No 3). Those two teams meet in the other semifinal Saturday at 11 a.m.
