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Raiders eliminated by Sun

The V.I. Raiders lost 47-16 to the Okanagan Sun on Sunday in Kelowna's Apple Bowl stadium.
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V.I. Raiders quarterback Liam O'Brien tries to break the tackle of Okanagan Sun opponent Cord Delinte during Sunday's B.C. Football Conference semifinal game in Kelowna. The Sun won 47-16.

The V.I. Raiders weren't able to extend their 10th anniversary season any further.

Nanaimo's B.C. Football Conference team lost 47-16 to the Okanagan Sun on Sunday in Kelowna's Apple Bowl stadium.

"We had good fight all the way through," said Brian Ridgeway, Raiders coach. "Even though they had some really big plays on us, guys battled through that."

Okie started fast, building a 30-1 lead on two passing touchdowns of 51 and 74 yards and a 69-yard rushing TD.

"We had a few busts…" Ridgeway said. "A team like the Okanagan Sun, they're going to make those into massive plays."

V.I. scored its first major just before halftime, a short run TD from Nate Berg.

"That was a really good drive," Ridgeway said. "We systematically worked it all the way down the field and we should have had more of that."

Raiders QB Liam O'Brien connected with receiver Marshall Cook for a late passing TD to round out the scoring.

Ridgeway said his team was generally prepared for the opposition's game plan, though the Sun showed some new looks.

"I think we can compete and win any game. Our game plans are solid," the coach said. "We just needed to have a couple plays go our way and it would have been a different outcome."

Ridgeway said he's not happy anytime his team loses, but with the season now over, he was thinking positively.

"I'm really, really proud of how these boys responded," he said. "This was a very adverse year, lots of things that were barriers and could have caused guys to pack up and go home, but they didn't. They stuck with it and got better as a team."

GRID BITS … The Langley Rams edged the Kamloops Broncos 48-46 in the other semifinal game and so the Rams will visit the Sun on Oct. 26 in the BCFC final.

sports@nanaimobulletin.com