LANGLEY — Trailing by 13 points with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Okanagan Sun pulled off another gritty comeback, defeating the Westshore Rebels 43–39 in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Football Conference action on Saturday.
The Sun improve to 4–0 in the BCFC and will enjoy a bye week before returning to the gridiron on Aug. 23 in Chilliwack.
It was just after Rebels QB Gavin Session connected with his favourite target, WR Zion Brown, for his fourth touchdown of the game that Sun QB Liam Kroeger went to work.
First, Kroeger hit RB Gerren Hardisty on a 55-yard catch and run down to the Rebels’ 15-yard line. On the next play, he found WR Jasiah Haliburton in the end zone to cut the deficit — 39–33 Rebels, with just under 10 minutes to play.
The turning point of the game came on a Rebels third-and-one at their own 29-yard line. Lined up as if to punt, they direct-snapped the ball to a running back, who bobbled it and was buried for a loss — a turnover on downs. The Sun took over at the Westshore 27.
Kroeger once again methodically moved the ball toward the end zone — aided by some Rebel penalties — and, with the ball at the 2-yard line, called his own number for the touchdown. Sun ahead 40–39 with 6:24 remaining.
The Sun defense stood tall in the closing minutes, chasing Rebels quarterback Gavin Session from the pocket for three straight sacks.
K Liam Attwood added a 29-yard field goal with 2:14 remaining to seal the win — 43–39, Sun.
As in games against the VI Raiders and PG Kodiaks, the Sun dug themselves into a hole early with undisciplined penalties, allowing the Rebels to post 10 points in the first quarter. The Sun finished the game with 17 penalties for 194 yards.
Backup QB Marcus Christos added two more rushing touchdowns, giving him a league-leading five on the season. Kroeger, with his best performance of the young season, went 20-for-29 for 309 yards and two touchdowns. He leads the league in passing yards with 901.
Speaking of league leaders, RB Gerren Hardisty continues to dominate. With 149 yards on 26 carries, he now has a league-best 549 rushing yards, averaging 137.3 per game. Hardisty also added 64 receiving yards on two catches, for a game-high offensive total of 213 yards. The Sun outgained the Rebels offensively, 478 yards to 303.
On defence, D-linemen JaQuintis Summers and Jarveon Williams were forces once again. Summers finished with two sacks, bringing his league-leading total to eight. Williams contributed two pass knockdowns and one sack. DB Tariq Brown added two interceptions, giving him a league-leading four on the season.