By Dominic Abassi

Record-breaking performances highlight dominant Raiders win

Aug 20, 2017 | 6:33 PM

NANAIMO — The Vancouver Island Raiders got all-time performances from a pair of players on the way to a dominant win over Kamloops.

Nanaimo’s Canadian Junior Football League club downed the visiting Broncos 51-10 on Saturday at Caledonia Park to improve their record to 3-1 on the season.

Defensive end Quinton Bowles tied a CJFL single-game record with five sacks. That accounted for half of the Raiders 10 team sacks, the fourth most by a team in one game in CJFL history. John Barsby product Brody Taylor recorded three.

Meanwhile, receiver Brycen Mayoh set a new BC Football Conference record with a 128-yard missed field goal return, the second longest play in CJFL history. The epic return, which ended with Mayoh basically collapsing into the endzone, was one of three touchdowns on the day for the second-year Raider.

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Despite the gaudy performances and lopsided final score, the game was very much in question after 30-minutes.

The Broncos opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game, as reigning special teams player of the week Max Joseph returned a punt 74-yards for a major.

Not to be outdone, Mayoh tied the game shortly after with a 68-yard punt return touchdown.

After the teams traded field goals, it was a missed attempt in the second quarter that led to Mayoh’s highlight reel return. That gave the Raiders a 17-10 lead at the half.

It’s unclear at this point if the Broncos are aware the second half even began.

The Raiders scored on five consecutive drives in the third quarter and Kamloops never crossed midfield. The 24-point quarter was aided by Broncos’ miscues, including two botched punts, a lost onside kick and a fumbled kick-off return. Kamloops was held to 30 yards of net offense in the final 30 minutes.

Raiders Quarterback Jake Laberge finished 9/18 for 171 yards and two touchdowns. His favourite target was Mayoh, who added a receiving major among his four catches for 110 yards. Laberge leads the league with nine touchdown passes.

Mayoh also leads the league in total touchdowns with seven, five of them through the air. The Coquitlam native racked up an eye-popping 402-yards between offense and special teams in Saturday’s game, the fifth most all-purpose yards in a single game in CJFL history. He also had a 100-plus yard missed field goal return called back due to a penalty.

With the game well in hand, the Raiders also celebrated another huge moment. Weeks after learning of a potentially career-ending blood clot, fifth year quarterback Jamie Ybarra entered the game. The Winnipeg native had received medical clearance to return to game action earlier in the week. Ybarra finished 3/11 with one touchdown pass.

Zander Bailey led the Raiders ground game with 71 yards on 13 carries. James Parker was 3/3 on his field goal attempts.

The Raiders face a stiff test ahead, as they host the undefeated Okanagan Sun (4-0) on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. at Caledonia Park.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi