The V.I. Raiders were able to put a blemish on the record of the league’s first-place team.
Nanaimo’s B.C. Football Conference team was able to earn a 31-31 tie against the Okanagan Sun on Sunday in Kelowna.
Raiders running back Rhett Williams scored on a one-yard touchdown reception from Jake Laberge on third-and-goal to make the score 31-29. North Rainey then caught a two-point conversion to lift the Raiders into a tie.
Williams had scored a 12-yard rushing touchdown earlier in the game, and Rainey had a 10-yard TD catch. James Parker kicked three field goals including one from 39 yards out.
The Sun got four receiving touchdowns from Shamar Donelson.
The Sun had gone into the game with a perfect 5-0 record and had scored a blowout win over the Raiders just two weeks earlier.
Ben Macauley, Sun coach, said the game was a “reality check” for his team.
“We unfortunately handed them that last drive and allowed them back into the game,” he said. “We gave it to them as much as they earned it. Full credit to them, they pushed hard and gave us all we could handle. They played their best game of the year and we played one of our worst.”
Laberge finished the game 18-for-29 passing for 217 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Williams finished with 17 carries for 137 yards. Trevor Pelland had two catches for 55 yards and Rainey had eight catches for 49 yards.
Quinton Bowles led V.I.’s defence with four solo tackles and two sacks. Mason Kelley had five tackles, Nathan Mayers had an interception, Dexter Shea and Todd Campbell had fumble recoveries and Tyler Hill and Travis Novak had sacks.
-files from Warren Henderson, Kelowna Capital News