A strong start to the second half of the season has reinvigorated the V.I. Raiders.
Nanaimo’s B.C. Football Conference team, coming off a 31-31 tie with the league’s undefeated, first-place Okanagan Sun, goes into its next game feeling good, but hungry.
“I think we’ve always been a confident group, but we should definitely take some more confidence out of that game and know that we can play through any type of adversity that any game hands us…” said Doug Hocking, Raiders coach. “It’s how we deal with those situations that defines us as a football team.”
It’s the right time for the Raiders to raise their game. Hocking said every week gets tougher from Labour Day on as teams look more closely at playoff positioning. That said, the Raiders had known from schedule a long time ago that they would be coming out of the bye week and facing challenging road games against the Sun and Westshore Rebels.
“We fully intend on having a great week, going into Westshore, playing to our potential, executing at a high level and seeing where we come out,” the coach said.
James Parker, Raiders kicker and BCFC Special Teams Player of the Week, said V.I. has been practising hard.
“I think if we just keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll be successful,” he said.
North Rainey, Raiders receiver, said it’s straightforward what his team needs to do to have success.
“We’re going to have to execute our plays, we’re going to have to take away the mental lapses of the game and we’re going to have to play four quarters of football,” Rainey said.
The Rebels eliminated the Raiders from the playoffs last fall and then spoiled Nanaimo’s home opener this summer, but V.I. has all the motivation it needs.
“They’re another good football team that we have to get through to get to our goal at the end of the year,” said Rainey.
GAME ON … The Raiders and Rebels play Saturday (Sept. 16) at 7 p.m. at Westhills Stadium in Langford.