The Langley Rams football team won the 2018 Cullen Cup in Kelowna on Sunday (Oct. 28), defeating the Okanagan Sun 39 – 7 at the Apple Bowl.
The Rams dominated the game from start to finish, building what was an insurmountable 26-0 lead at the half, then adding another 13 points in the fourth quarter.
Stats told the story: running back Joseph Carter carried the ball 23 times for 70 yards, quarterback Duncan Little threw the ball 19 times, completing 13 for 238 yards and Jaden Sheilan booted six field goals.
With the Rams up 26-0 at halftime, head coach Howie Zaron said the hardest thing was keeping his team composed.
“You know, you have a lead like the way we did, (you have to) just control the clock, control the ball, don’t turn it over, play solid special teams,” he said.
“Even me as a coach, you’re thinking O.K. we’ve got this. How do we smile, how do you feel good about yourself? You can’t. That’s the challenge, staying composed.”
Zaron was proud of the way Rams quarterback Little played.
“When you don’t turn the ball over against the Okanagan Sun, your chances of winning the football go up huge, huge,” he said.
The Sun were held off the scoreboard until late in the fourth quarter, when running back Kouri sparked the offensive line, leading to the home team’s sole points of the game, a 26-yard touchdown from Peyton Price and a convert from kicker Isaac Wegner.
Little was named Offensive Player of the Game, Anthony Blackwell Defensive Player of the Game and Sheilan earned Special Teams Player of the Game honours.
READ MORE: New-look Langley Rams set for season
The Rams, 9-3 overall, now prepare to host the Ontario Football Conference Champion Hamilton Hurricanes in next Saturday’s Canadian Junior Football League Semi-Final.
Kickoff is 4 p.m. at McLeod Athletic Park Stadium in Langley.
The BC Lions Players of the Week for the BCFC championship game:
OFFENCE
Duncan Little / QB / Langley Rams
13 of 19 / 238 yards / 0 TDS / 0 interceptions
BC Lions comment: Duncan Little put in a workmanlike performance for the Rams Sunday in the Cullen Cup. While his performance may not turn heads on a typical day, it was solid and virtually error free. Smart football equals championship football on this day
DEFENSE
AJ Blackwell / LB / Langley Rams
8 tackles / 1 forced fumble / 1 fumble recovery
BC Lions comment: Who is AJ Blackwell? Going into the play-offs Rams head coach Howie Zaron said he is the best defensive player in the BCFC and for the second straight week he is the BCFC defensive player of the week.
Blackwell led a smothering Rams defence that limited the Okanagan Sun to just 73 yards of net offence. Defence wins championships.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Jayden Sheilan / Kicker / Langley Rams
Six of six field goals
Two of two converts
- with files from Black Press
