A late hit late in the first half of last Saturday鈥檚 game against the Westshore Rebels sent pivot Jakob Loucks to the sidelines for the duration of the night at Westhills Stadium.
If all goes as planned this week, the hope to see its No. 1 quarterback back on the field Saturday at Exhibition Stadium when the B.C. Football Conference Club takes on the Valley Huskers.
鈥淜eeping him out in the second half (against the Rebels) was precautionary, we felt there was nothing to gain by forcing him back in and risking further injury,鈥� head coach Ben Macauley said of Loucks, who played last season with the Mount Allison University Mounties. 鈥淗e was having trouble with mobility and we wanted to be careful with any symptoms he might be having.
鈥淲e think he鈥檒l be OK, we鈥檒l watch him closely this week,鈥� added Macauley, 鈥渂ut with seven games still to go in the season we didn鈥檛 want to take any unnecessary chances if we don鈥檛 have to.鈥�
Whether Loucks starts or rests in favour of backup Matthew Mahler, the Sun isn鈥檛 certain which version of the Valley Huskers they will encounter Saturday鈥攖he one that upset the Vancouver Island Raiders 33-31 on opening night; or the one that was soundly drubbed last week (42-9) at home to the Langley Rams.
Regardless, Ben Macauley said his club will be taking nothing for granted.
鈥淭he (Huskers) are potentially a physical team, they definitely have some playmakers, and (coach) Bob Reist has done an excellent job with their program. They probably aren鈥檛 where they鈥檇 like to be but we can鈥檛 take anyone lightly. We have to give them the full package and play them like we鈥檇 play any team. We expect a hard fought game.鈥�
Last Saturday night in Victoria, with Loucks sidelined and Mahler at the controls in the second half, the Sun (1-0-1) went on to settle for an 18-18 draw with the hometown Rebels (1-0-1).
Down by one point with just six seconds to play, Okanagan could have just as easily departed the island with a victory, but Isaac Wegner鈥檚 field goal attempt from 21 yards away sailed wide.
A win on the road against one of the BCFC鈥檚 top clubs would have been preferable, but Macauley said the Sun can use the missed opportunity as motivation going forward.
鈥淲e try to see it as a positive, but it did feel more like a loss for us than anything, so we can use this to keep us hungry,鈥� said Macauley. 鈥淚 think what it reinforced was that we鈥檙e an even-keeled team. We got down in the last part of the game and Tye Kitzman made a great play to get the block and get the ball for us.
鈥淎t no point did we feel like hanging our heads. It says a lot about our team鈥檚 resolve鈥t was good to be challenged early in the season.鈥�
鈥� Okanagan Sun (@okanagan_sun)
Macauley said the Sun still has 鈥渁 lot of work to do offensively鈥� but on the upside, the club鈥檚 defense continues to live up to all expectations.
The Sun has yielded just 24 points in two games this season, with half of those points coming on turnovers by the offense.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e an impressive group,鈥� Macauley said of the Sun defense. 鈥淲e have playmakers and all-stars at every position group. They put a lot of pressure on quarterbacks and they can be very opportunistic.鈥�
Kick off Saturday at Exhibition Stadium between the Sun and Huskers is 7 p.m.
Okanagan鈥檚 home opener is Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Apple Bowl against the Langley Rams.
Dheilly player of week鈥�
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鈥� CJFL News (@CJFLnews)
Sun defensive lineman Nick Dheilly is the BCFC鈥檚 special teams player of the week.
The former University of Regina Rams star had four sacks, two tackles and one assisted tackle in Saturday鈥檚 18-18 tie with the hometown Westshore Rebels.
鈥淗e has incredible speed and awareness,鈥� Ben Macauley said of Dheilly. 鈥淓verybody鈥檚 when he gets on the field, to see what鈥檚 going to happen.鈥�
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