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Raiders resume practice after bye, get ready for road trip

V.I. Raiders play the Okanagan Sun on Sunday (Sept. 10) at Kelowna’s Apple Bowl stadium
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V.I. Raiders receiver Trevor Pelland is tackled by Okanagan Sun opponents including Tyler Going during a BCFC game last month at Caledonia Park. NEWS BULLETIN file

The Raiders will come back refreshed and ready to try to be a better team in the second half of the season.

Following a bye week, Nanaimo’s V.I. Raiders (3-2) get back to B.C. Football Conference action this Sunday (Sept. 10) with a game against the Okanagan Sun at Kelowna’s Apple Bowl stadium.

Players had a week off to rest, reconnect with family, and keep hitting the gym.

“We’re going to come back with a mental edge and a physical edge,” said Doug Hocking, Raiders coach.

He recognizes that the schedule sets up tough for V.I. with back-to-back road games coming up against the Sun and Westshore Rebels – the league’s first- and second-place teams.

“It doesn’t get any easier for us, but there’s no other way that we would want it. We want every week to be a challenge,” Hocking said.

He thinks the Raiders are going to get healthier and start to get some starters back in the lineup and suggested that will make a noticeable difference.

The bye week provides a reset in some ways – the Raiders have faced every opponent now and have a better idea of where they are and where they want to be.

“We’ve seen every team and taken every team’s best shot, so we feel we’re sitting in a good place right now,” the coach said. “We still are only getting better every week and that’s the goal is to get better every week.”

GAME ON … The Raiders and Sun play at 1 p.m. Sunday and there will be a $10 webcast at www.bcfootballconference.com.

sports@nanaimobulletin.com