The Sports Corner

BC High School Football Power Rankings

BC High School Football Power Rankings – Nov. 13

Unofficial (not Howard Tsumura) and live from Langley’s McLeod Stadium.

1. Centennial Centaurs – Lemar Durant may be the most explosive player in B.C. He’s Michael Vick-esque (pre-dog fighting) at quarterback. Teams have been able to keep the power running game under wraps but when Lemar gets the edge it’s pretty much over. Terry Fox players felt like they got beat by a one-man team on Friday night, maybe so, but they still got beat, and Centennial gets a first-round bye.

2. Vancouver College Fighting Irish – Good teams find ways to win and that’s exactly what the Irish did against Notre Dame. No team plays VC tougher than the Jugglers, it’s always a battle. VC went into the fourth quarter down 12-0 but the offence made plays when it had to and got one particularly momentum-changing play from wide receiver Reiner Theil.

3. New Westminster Hyacks – The debacle that was the VC game on Halloween night, when the Hyacks turned the ball over eight times, makes this team an unknown. They didn’t play up to their ability in that game, a game in which they could have locked up the conference championship. They Hyacks still have a first-round bye but can they gear up for the playoffs?

4. W.J. Mouat Hawks – The Hawks have a real chance to make some noise in the playoffs but they will have to shut down the province’s leading rusher, Stephen Spagnuolo, in round one. If they can get past the Jugglers they will face Kelowna in the quarter-finals. They have enough talent to win the championship as long as they stay healthy.

5. Terry Fox Ravens – The Ravens shouldn’t have much trouble with their first round opponent, Carson Graham. But in the quarter-finals, they might run into a buzz saw in New Westminster. New West beat both Centennial and W.J. Mouat in September, two teams that beat Terry Fox in conference play.

Honourable Mention:

Notre Dame – They’ve proven to be more than a one-man team. Defensive lineman Michael Herdman led the Western Conference in sacks this season, defensive back Lorenzo Achacoso had three interceptions and linebacker Jackson Des Roches made the conference all-star team along with Herdman and Achacoso. But really it all boils down to how far Spagnuolo can take them. Defensively, W.J. Mouat will be one of their toughest tests yet.

Kelowna – Dethroning the South Kamloops Titans as conference champions in the Okanagan wasn’t easy. After all, South Kam had won the conference title in every year of the conference’s existence. They faced stiff competition from not just South Kam, but Mt. Boucherie as well. They will get a first-round bye.