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Vernon Panthers stop Ballenas Whalers

Football: Top-ranked B.C. AA team moves onto semifinals to face Richmond school next weekend
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Ben Hladik of the VSS Panther receives the ball for a touchdown against Liam Robinson of the Parksville Whalers in the senior boys football quarterfinals Saturday at the Greater Vernon Athletics Park.

The top-ranked Vernon Panthers are moving on to the Subway B.C. AA High School Senior Boys varsity football semifinals.

The Panthers dispatched Parksville’s Ballenas Whalers 28-6 in quarterfinal action Saturday afternoon at Greater Vernon Athletic Park.

VSS scored on two of its first three possessions, building up a 14-0 lead after one quarter.

Ballenas cut the lead to 14-6 (convert failed) after quarterback Ben Robinson hit receiver Callum Jasinski with a 63-yard pass and run play early in the second quarter.

Panthers quarterback Thomas Hyett hit receiver Ben Hladik with a touchdown pass before the end of the half, giving Vernon a 21-6 lead at the break.

Hladik, who has signed on with the UBC Thunderbirds for next year, scored his second touchdown on another pass from Hyett early in the fourth quarter to round out the scoring.

Hladik’s younger brother Bradley picked off a Robinson pass and returned it all the way for a Vernon major while kicker Perez Vermeulen booted four converts and missed his only field goal attempt.

The Panthers will now play Richmond’s Hugh Boyd Trojans in a semifinal next weekend.

The Trojans knocked off North Vancouver’s Argyle Pipers 26-20 Saturday.