The pre-season loss to the New Westminster Hyacks will be on the minds of the Centennial Centaurs as they open the playoffs at Mercer Stadium tonight.
"We are excited to get an opportunity to play NWSS again after they handed us our first [pre-season] loss this year," said Centaurs head coach Simon Quinto, who plans to have the 44-22 result from the Sept. 13 matchup on the whiteboard in the locker room.
"Coach [Farhan] Lalji had done a great job with his program and their offence is a very physical running team. We also feel that we made a lot of mistakes and were quite undisciplined. These are two areas that have been improving each week and we hope to be free of both come Friday."
The Centaurs fell 37-6 to the No. 3-ranked Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers in their final regular season game last Friday.
Quarterback Nick Okamoto hit Matt Danieli for a 60-yard touchdown strike on the opening drive but that was all the offence Centennial could muster. The Centaurs were able to keep it close until the final seconds of the first half when Jamel Lyles broke off a 56-yard run to send the Panthers to the locker room up 14-6.
"That momentum carried them into the second half and our offence was kept off the field," said Quinto. "They have a great defence and Nick was having a tough time connecting with his receivers."
Centennial offensive lineman Saeed Hosain-Ali was named an Eastern Conference all-star along with receiver Jordan Kennedy and defensive back Isaiah Stewart.
The Terry Fox Ravens will enjoy a well-deserved rest this weekend as their 6-1 record gives them first place in the Eastern Conference and a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The No. 2-ranked Ravens wrapped up the regular season with a 41-6 win over Kelowna.
A suffocating Ravens defence held the Owls to just 114 yards of total offence. On the other side of the ball the Ravens racked up 286 yards on the ground, with Kyle Deugau pounding in a pair of touchdowns, Mike West scoring once and Kyle Sagmoen also finding the end zone. Connor McKee went 9-for16 for 147 yards in the air including a 62-yard touchdown strike to Brad Peters. McKee also called his own number for an eight-yard score.
Baltej Dhanoya with 69 yards and West with 66 were the Terry Fox rushing leaders. Brycen Mayoh reeled in a pair of interceptions while Jordan Seney and Deugau each compiled eight tackles and a sack.
McKee, receiver Jason Shamatutu and lineman Mike Beck got Eastern Conference all-star nods on the offensive side of the ball while defensive lineman Sagmoen, linebacker Isaiah Stevens and defensive back Kyle Miller will represent the Ravens on defence.
The Junior Ravens rode a monster effort from Jan Cabrera on Halloween night to hand the St. Thomas More Junior Knights their first loss.
Cabrera rushed for 191 yards and a touchdown to pace the Ravens to a 14-6 win. Taylor Poitras picked up the other touchdown on a 10-yard run.
Maleek Womack and Sean Stewart each snagged interceptions while Keith Lewars racked up six tackles and Poitras and Jeremie Kankolongo had five each.
The win improves the juniors' record to 5-0 in league play, securing a first-round bye in the playoffs.
