The Nanaimo Redmen knew that if they made the playoffs, they’d face a tough first-round opponent, and that is indeed the case.
The Redmen (2-8) will visit the Coquitlam Falcons (7-3) on Sunday (Nov. 11) in the first round of the Vancouver Mainland Football League playoffs.
The Falcons actually didn’t lose a game on the football field – they were stripped of three wins for using ineligible players. Redmen coach Sean Roden said those were due to clerical errors and said the Falcons are a sportsmanlike team.
“We enjoy playing them, it’s always a good, competitive game,” he said.
Nanaimo lost by just five points to Coquitlam in the regular season, and Roden said reviewing the film, his team wasn't very good that day. The Redmen have improved since then, but Roden cautioned that the Falcons are a well-coached team.
"Game planning's difficult because no matter the adjustments you make, they can adjust to your adjustments," he said. "So basically when you go into a game against a team like them you have to just rely on what you do best and think about your own execution."
The Redmen might have a little bit more size than the Falcons, so the red team will try to use that to its advantage and pound the ball up the middle of the field.
Nanaimo had to come up big late in the season just to make the playoffs, and now that the Redmen have made it this far, the players may as well try to take advantage.
"They're keeping a really positive frame of mind in spite of all the adversity that we've had," Roden said.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com