By Dan Marshall

Raiders rolling as they prepare to host the Okanagan Sun

Aug 23, 2017 | 11:52 AM

NANAIMO — The VI Raiders are heading into their matchup with the Okanagan Sun on a high note.
 
Last Saturday the Raiders dismantled the Kamloops Broncos 51-10.
 
The victory was the second in a row for VI and garnered Player of the Week Awards for lineman Quinton Bowles and returner/receiver Brycen Mayoh. 
 
Bowles five sacks against the Broncos tied a CJFL record for the most in a single game.
 
Head Coach Doug Hocking called it a dominating performance.
 
Mayoh finished with 402 all-purpose yards including a 128-yard missed field goal return touchdown, and a punt return touchdown.
 
Hocking says Mayoh has been getting better every week, crediting his work ethic.
 
“You can see the desire and the passion in him every day in practice to get better,” said Hocking.
 
The Raiders coach believes Mayoh has an opportunity to be an All-Canadian as a receiver and as a returner.
 
You couldn’t ask for a better matchup on paper than the one fans will see at Caledonia Park on Saturday.
 
Okanagan is 4-0 and the Raiders are 3-1.
 
The Sun is the highest scoring team in the BCFC and have allowed the fewest points, while VI is second in both of those categories.
 
Since the Raiders franchise started up in Nanaimo in 2005 one of those two franchises has been in every Cullen Cup Championship game.
 
VI has won seven titles in that span while the Sun captured one BC Championship in 2015 – at the expense of the Raiders.
 
Despite all that Doug Hocking isn’t treating this week differently than any other this season.
 
“It’s a Week 5 game for us and it just happens to be the Okanagan Sun coming to town,” said Hocking. “There’s some history there, I think this is one of the best matchups if you go back since I came to Nanaimo. This has always been traditionally a great football game between these two teams and I expect nothing less on Saturday.”   
 
This weekend will conclude the first half of the season with the entire league having a bye week surrounding Labour Day.
 
When the schedule resumes VI will play Okanagan again on September 10 – this time at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna.
 
Kickoff for this weekend’s game is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Caledonia Park.
 
 
dan@nanaimonewsnow.com
 
On twitter: @danmarshall77