In a battle of the top offence versus the top defence, it was the latter which prevailed.
The 91原创 Rams defence forced seven V.I. (Vancouver Island) Raiders turnovers 鈥� four interceptions and three fumbles 鈥� in handing the Raiders a 20-13 loss in the Cullen Cup on Saturday afternoon at Nanaimo鈥檚 Caledonia Park.
The victory ended the Raiders鈥� six-year reign as the B.C. Football Conference champions.
It was also the Raiders first loss this season after a 9-0-1 regular season. That included two victories and a tie against second-place 91原创 (7-2-1).
鈥淚 believed 100 per cent,鈥� said Evan Foster, who was chosen defensive player of the game.
鈥淲e had a good week of practice, a good plan. We went out there and executed 鈥� it just feels unreal.鈥�
Foster finished with four tackles and two sacks.
The game, which was played in rainy and muddy conditions, got off to a fast start.
The Raiders scored on their opening drive, a one-yard TD run from Ashton Galloway, but the Rams answered two minutes later as Malcolm Williams caught a five-yard TD pass from Greg Bowcott.
Mark Mueller put the home side ahead 10-7 but 91原创 answered back with a 13-yard score on a pass from Bowcott to Nick Downey.
Nick Naylor added field goals of 19 and 24 yards, respectively, in the second and third quarters, while Mueller answered back with a 16-yarder in the fourth.
鈥淲e studied a lot of film,鈥� said Carlo Graziano, who had two fumble recoveries and an interception.
鈥淓ach time we played them, we learned more and more about them.鈥�
The film study, as well as some new defensive wrinkles, did the trick.
鈥淲e made plays when we needed to,鈥� Graziano said, adding the Rams entered the game fully confident in their abilities.
鈥淲e knew that we could go in there and take this game if we played our game.鈥�
Tanner Hamade, who picked off two passes, including on the Raiders鈥� final drive, said the Rams鈥� defensive scheme did the trick.
The Raiders entered the game averaging a league-best 45 points per game, largely behind the arm of quarterback Jordan Yantz. The three-time league鈥檚 most outstanding offensive player led the league with 3,243 passing yards and 33 touchdowns in 10 games.
But Yantz was limited to 213 yards passing and no touchdowns. Two of the interceptions bounced off his receivers鈥� hands and another pass in the end zone hit the upright.
鈥淲e got pressure, made him force a couple of balls he didn鈥檛 want to throw,鈥� Hamade said about the team鈥檚 scheme.
鈥淥ur d-line played awesome.鈥�
鈥淚 think we had him guessing; he didn鈥檛 really know what (defence) we were in and it turned out to work pretty well.鈥�
Jordan Linnen, who also tipped Yantz鈥� final pass which Hamade picked off, had the other interception while Arie Nakagawa had a fumble recovery.
Bowcott, who threw for 247 yards, was named offensive player of the game, while Naylor was the special teams player of the game.
Kyle Albertini led the ground attack with 59 yards on 17 carries.
Downey was the leading receiver with five catches for 85 yards.
鈥淲e gave them a couple of different cover schemes, a couple of different blitzes but kudos to our players, they made plays when we needed them to make plays,鈥� said Rams coach Jeff Alamolhoda.
鈥淭hey were in the spots where they needed to be, but they made the plays and that鈥檚 outstanding.鈥�
Twice in the first half, the Raiders fumbled in the red zone, including once at the 91原创 one-yard line.
Those miscues were magnified when the rains came in the second half and scoring chances were harder to come by for both teams.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to capitalize when you have those opportunities and unfortunately, we didn鈥檛,鈥� said Matthew (Snoop) Blokker, the VI coach.
鈥淲e believed in each other 100 per cent; that鈥檚 one thing that this team has done,鈥� Alamolhoda said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e come together as a family. We fight for each other. We picked each other up when things went down.
鈥淭his is everything that we worked for this year so far, but we鈥檙e not done yet.鈥�
鈥⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌⑩赌�
The Rams will host the Saskatoon Hilltops in the Canadian Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 10. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. at McLeod Park.
The Rams, who moved to 91原创 two seasons ago from Surrey, are searching for their first-ever Canadian Bowl championship.
The Hilltops, who play in the Prairie Football Conference, have won the Canadian Bowl 15 times and are going for the three-peat.
鈥� with files from Greg Sakaki/Black Press
