Sun fail to add to 5 wins but hang on to 1st place in B.C. Football Conference

The Okanagan Sun no longer have a perfect record. However, they still have yet to lose this season.

The Sun surrendered a last-minute touchdown and a two-point convert to the Vancouver Island Raiders on Sunday afternoon, resulting in a rare tie, 31-31, at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna.

Okanagan got off to a good start, when Nick Wenman — starting his fifth straight game at quarterback, in place of Keith Zyla — connected with Shamar Donelson for a 22-yard touchdown pass on the second drive of the game.

But the lead was short-lived, as the Raiders marched back down the field to even the score 7-7. Running back Rhett Williams burned the Sun for a 38-yard run, before taking it into the end zone from 12 yards out.

Just before the end of the first quarter, Raiders quarterback Jake Laberge hooked up with Hugh Rainey in the back of the end zone to give the visitors a 14-7 advantage.

Vancouver Island extended its lead in the second quarter, when James Parker kicked an 18-yard field goal to make it 17-7.

Okanagan’s offence managed to score another touchdown before halftime. Wenman went back to Donelson — this time for a 71-yard score — to cut the deficit to 17-14 at the break.

The Sun picked up where they left off in the third quarter, with Donelson grabbing his third TD pass of the game from 42 yards out to give Okanagan a 21-17 lead.

Vancouver Island responded with a pair of field goals from Parker — from 39 and 19 yards, respectively — to put the Raiders ahead again, 23-21, at the end of the third frame.

With 6:33 remaining, Donelson’s heroics continued with his fourth TD catch of the contest — a 34-yard pass from Wenman, putting the Sun up 28-23.

That lead was increased to eight when Isaac Wegner kicked his only field goal of the game — a 22-yarder — with less than three minutes left.

But on the Raiders’ final drive, the Sun were penalized for roughing the passer deep in their own territory, which set up a first-and-goal from Okanagan’s one-yard line.

The Sun defence stuffed Laberge twice — on first and second down — but the QB made good on a thirddown pass to Williams, then elected to pass again on a two-point convert, which was caught by Rainey for the dramatic tie.

Okanagan’s record now sits at 5-0-1, still good for first place in the B.C. Football Conference.

Vancouver Island improved to 3-2-1, alone in third place.

Elsewhere on the weekend, the second-place Westshore Rebels (5-1) won at home, 37-14 over the Kamloops Broncos (1-5) in Victoria on Saturday. The Langley Rams (3-3) got back to .500 with a convincing home victory, 45-3 over the winless Valley Huskers from Chilliwack (0-6).

With four weeks left in the regular season, it appears the BCFC playoffs will feature the same four teams as last year — Okanagan, Westshore, Vancouver Island and Langley — though that order could still change.

This Saturday, the Sun are in Chilliwack for what should be another cakewalk against the Huskers — Okanagan won their first meeting 71-7 at the Apple Bowl on Aug. 19. That rematch kicks off at 1 p.m.

The Sun then travel to Kamloops on Sept. 23 before closing out the campaign with a couple tougher tests — at home to Langley on Sunday, Oct. 1, followed by a potential first-place showdown in Victoria against the defending BCFC champion Rebels on Saturday, Oct. 7.

If Okanagan is successful in defeating Chilliwack and Kamloops — as expected — the Sun will clinch home-field advantage in the semifinal round of the playoffs with two games to go.

Last year, the Sun finished second in the regular season at 7-3 and lost to Westshore 32-21 in the title game.