As head coach Jamie Boreham puts it, the Okanagan Sun’s win last weekend wasn’t their best performance but it sure was entertaining.
The Sun came back from a 14-3 first-half deficit against the Vancouver Island Raiders last Sunday at the Apple Bowl to grab a 19-14 win and move into third place in the league.
In what could be their final home game of the year, the Sun came into the second half with a new attitude and scored 16 unanswered points.
Boreham said there was a message was sent at the game’s break.
“I give all the credit to the guys,” he said.
“To come out and respond after being challenged at the half-time was great to see. Both coaches and players sent a message and we got the team to buy-in, believe and execute.”
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Boreham said the final 30 minutes of Sunday’s game could have been the Sun’s best half of football all season.
The comeback started with the offence going off to start the third quarter with an 80-year touchdown reception.
Then, it was all defence and special teams, making stops and forcing turnovers to keep the Raiders off the scoresheet in the second half.
Big plays and capitalization of opportunities on all sides of the ball will be critical as the Sun’s season winds down.
“Everything came together in the second half. It makes things easier when you put it all together on (defence, offence and special teams),” said Boreham.
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The four teams that are playoff bound this season have been booked and the Sun currently sit third in the rankings.
Okanagan will play their final game of the regular season against the Westshore Rebels on Oct. 20 after the Thanksgiving break.
A win will cement third place for the Sun and will set up a re-match against the Rebels in the first round of the playoffs the following week.
A loss against the Rebels on Oct. 20 will bump the Sun back down to fourth spot which would lead to a first-round matchup against the league leading Langley Rams.
Boreham said the Sun will make the most of the Thanksgiving break.
“It’ll be a good break and we’re resting over the weekend,” Boreham said.
“Our destiny is in our hands and we’ll pick it up next week and put it all together for a run.”
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