The VI Raiders season opener is on Saturday, July 23 versus the visiting Okanagan Sun (VI Raiders)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

back in action

‘We’re going to be fast and physical’ VI Raiders open junior football season at home against Okanagan

Jul 23, 2022 | 8:58 AM

NANAIMO — While the roster is vastly different and younger, the head coach of the VI Raiders is confident they’ll be a force to be reckoned with this season.

The Raiders open their BC Football Conference season against the visiting Okanagan Sun on Saturday, July 23 at 5:30 p.m. at Q’unq’inuqwstuxw Field, formally known as NDSS Community Field.

Raiders head coach Curtis Vizza told NanaimoNewsNOW with multiple key players aging out of their program they’ve revamped with a younger, physically punishing team.

“We have more bigger bodies, we’ve got less drop-off in the skills from first-string to second-string to third-string — to me that puts in a very great place to a be a dangerous team to play.”

Vizza said their identity this year is based on speed and physicality.

Throwing Strikes

Nanaimo five pin bowlers from Brechin Lanes post strong results

16h ago

spring cleaning

Yard waste fundraiser benefits invaluable Nanaimo non-profit

20h ago

bright night sky

High likelihood of Aurora Borealis sightings across Nanaimo & Oceanside

May 10, 2024

While there are unknowns with how the new-look team will perform this year, Vizza said he sees the Raiders being one of the league’s top teams.

“I see us competing as a top kind of team and as the season progresses we’re just going to get better and better, so hopefully that changes to number one team.”

Substantial turnover on and off the field were constant themes throughout most of the the league, Vizza noted.

He said they tapped into a plentiful talent pool of younger players in various high school and community football programs in the Nanaimo, Oceanside, Cowichan Valley and Courtenay areas to re-stock their team.

“We’re thankful that we’ve got a lot of support from those organizations and we wouldn’t be where we are now without them.”

A key local player is quarterback Ben Chomolok.

The 20-year-old Parksville product has the starting job heading the offence after serving as a backup to the graduated Jack LaBerge.

Vizza said Chomolok trained hard physically and intellectually in the off-season as he got a handle on a new offensive system.

The Raiders are coming off a sub-par 8-8 regular season and semi-final loss to Okanagan in last year’s playoffs.

VI Raiders’ home game tickets can be bought here.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @nanaimonewsnow