MOUNT DOUG QUASHES BALLENAS’ PLAY-OFF HOPES

By Kevin Neary

Victoria’s mighty Mount Doug Rams steamrolled over the Ballenas Secondary School Whalers 35-8 Saturday, ending the Parksville football team’s playoff aspirations.

“They’re big, they’re talented, and they have an answer for everything,” Whaler co-head coach Jeremy Conn told the Parksville Qualicum News on Sunday, pointing out the Rams came into the game as the top seeded AA team in the province and the odds-on-favorite to win the championship.

Despite difficult conditions on a soggy, muddy field, the Varsity Rams victory was not easy.

The first quarter started slowly, with both teams moving the ball, put unable to rack up any points.

A key interception return by Luc Ottosen helped the Rams establish some field position. Following a lane created by stellar blocking by the O line and fullback, Terrell David found his way off tackle and to the end zone for the Rams’ first score.

During the second quarter, the Rams started to turn up the heat.

A long drive down the field was capped by a field goal by Jacob Roke.

Other notable plays in the first half came from a forced fumble turnover by Rams defender Dylan Iverson, a spectacular catch and run on a tipped long ball pass from Tyler Fong to Terrell Davis, a pair of Whalers’ safeties forced by an aggressive Rams defence, a nifty run to the end zone for a TD by Luc Ottosen and another long pass and run play to Luc.

During the second half, the Rams continued to dominate, with their defense again playing stingy and also backing the Whalers up and forcing their third safety of the game.

The Rams O added another running TD from from Luc Ottosen.

The Rams Player of the Game, for some great runs and catches, scoring 2 TDs, playing strong D with a key interception, was Luc Ottosen.

The O Player of the Game, for stepping up and filling some big shoes on the offensive line, was Lawrence Li.

The Special Teams Player of the Game was awarded to Byron Sharrat for his dominating physical presence.

The Defensive Player of the Game was awarded to Garrett Milliken for his determined performance, and for his amazing interception and run towards the end zone!  Too bad the muddy field caused him to slip….

The Wahlers’ Cayce Pummell had his best game ever as a Whaler, pulling in five catches for a season-high 65 yards and the Whalers lone TD (a 30-yard strike from BJ Bouchard in the third) on offense, and leading the D with six tackles, five assists and a knockdown.

“Cayce’s a kid that does whatever you ask him to do,” Conn said of the 5’6”, 160 pound senior, pointing out, “he’s a small kid with a huge heart  … he’s played like eight different positions for us this year.”

The loss drops the Whalers to 2-4 for sixth in the eight-team Coastal Conference and officially out of the playoff picture.