The Nanaimo Redmen have momentum on their side as they step onto the playoff gridiron.
The city’s Vancouver Mainland Football League midget team won its last regular-season game 26-17 on Sunday against the first-placed Langley Stampeders.
“The game meant a lot to us,” said Sean Roden, the team’s coach. “Securing home field, getting third place instead of fifth was enormous for us, and the boys played like it.”
Third place means the Redmen (7-2-1) get to host a playoff game this Sunday (Nov. 17) against the Chilliwack Giants (5-5).
“They’re bigger than us, but we think that we’re faster,” Roden said. “They have some very good players but they don’t have a game-breaking player.”
The Redmen are ready for playoffs, as they seem to be rounding out their game with a more consistent offence to go with their bend-but-don’t-break defence, the coach said.
“If we can stay healthy and eliminate our own mistakes, we will be competitive with any team in the league,” he said.
GAME ON … The Redmen and Giants kick off at 1 p.m. Sunday at Pioneer Park. Admission is free … In the win against the Stampeders, Tyler Gavin scored an interception return touchdown and Austin Lyle threw two touchdown passes, one to Marcus Severe and one to Jacob Odynsky.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com