It’s turned out that there’s plenty to play for in the last regular-season game of the fall.
The John Barsby Bulldogs and the Nanaimo District Islanders AA varsity football teams close out their schedules by playing each other in the annual Kocher Classic game this Friday (Nov. 1).
Barsby (5-0) finished first in B.C. High School Football’s AA Western Conference, while NDSS (2-3) will miss the post-season.
So the Kocher Classic is a playoff warmup for the Bulldogs and one last chance to take to the turf for the Isles.
“Physically this game is going to be as tough or tougher than any we’ve played this year,” said Rob Stevenson, Barsby coach. “They’re going to try to beat us.”
The Bulldogs don’t want that to happen – they want to keep playing the type of football that’s gotten them this far. That means setting goals, like limiting yardage and points against.
“We hang our hat on our defence and it’s going to be ready to go,” said Stevenson. “Fangs will be bared.”
If his team lets up against NDSS, he said, then it’s doing a poor job of playoff preparation.
“We’re going to play our guys just like we always do and try to get as close as we can to the perfect Barsby game.”
GAME ON … The Kocher Classic kicks off Friday (Nov. 1) at 1:45 p.m. at Merle Logan Field.