The Vernon Secondary School (VSS) Panthers showcased why they are still a force to be reckoned with, by defeating the 10th ranked Westsyde Blue Wave out of Kamloops, 28-12 in high school football action.
The Panthers, ranked provincially number one, wasted no time establishing their dominance by scoring on their very first drive.
Running back Jonah Lee capped off the quick three-play opening series with a four yard touchdown run.
Next offensive possession, Lee found the back of the end zone once more, this time from five yards out to put VSS up 12-0.
With strong winds, both teams struggled to connect through the air. The Blue Wave finally got their offence going in the second quarter as tight end Logan Rubel bounced off multiple defenders to score on a 35 yard catch from QB Kooper Groenveld.
With the halftime score at 12-6 for VSS, head coach Sean Smith commented on the challenges presented by Westsyde.
"Logan and Kooper are great athletes and threats in both the run and pass game," he said. "We focused on containing them, but they eventually made some big plays."
In the second half, the Panthers seized momentum, with a one-yard plunge from Ayden McDonald to extend the lead to 20-6.
The Blue Wave promptly responded with Rubel once again receiving a Groenveld pass for a touchdown. However, the Panthers padded their lead, with a third touchdown from Lee, this time from two yards out, as the Panthers won, 28-12.
"Lee had a great game, especially considering the conditions," Coach Smith said, as Lee finished with 19 carries for 172 yards and three touchdowns. "Our offensive line, led by Tyler Swanson returning from injury, did a fantastic job paving the way for his success."
Panthers QB Cole Budgen finished with 164 passing yards, but threw a costly interception in Blue Wave territory. Jeff Curtis was the leading receiver, finishing with 102 total yards on five catches, and massive plays on both ends of the field.
"We took a step back this week in execution and discipline," Smith noted. "Too many penalties and dropped passes could hurt us in the playoffs."
The win now sets up a battle with another undefeated team, the Okanagan Mission Huskies (2-0) from Kelowna. The Huskies will head to the Greater Vernon Athletic Park field on Friday, Oct 11. Both teams are tops of the B.C. AA Interior Conference, with the Huskies defeating South Kam, 27-16 in their most recent game.
Also in action on Friday was the Pleasant Valley Hawks out of Armstrong, who lost, 47-6 to Salmon Arm. In an exhibition matchup, Vernon's Fulton Maroons won, beating the Mission Roadrunners in a barn-burner, 16-14.
In junior varsity action, the Panthers clobbered the Valleyview Vikings out of Kamloops, 50-0, while the Seaton/Kalamalka Sonics avenged an earlier 8-7 pre-season loss to the Blue Wave to stun them, 21-18. It was the Blue Waves first loss of 2024, after four straight pre-season wins.
