PHOTOS: Seventh heaven for Vernon Jackals over Salmon Arm

The Vernon Jackals celebrate their latest Okanagan Rugby Union championships, a 44-5 romp over the Salmon Arm Yeti in the playoff championship Saturday, July 9, at Grahame Park in Vernon. (Roger Knox - Black Press)

Richard Rankin (with ball) and the Vernon Jackals were hard to stop in the Okanagan Rugby Union championship Saturday, July 9, at Grahame Park in Vernon, dumping the visiting Salmon Arm Yeti 44-5. (Roger Knox - Black Press)

Vernon Jackals defenders Bryan Cragg (from left) and Trevor (Lamp) Feeney team up to slow down Alex Muir (with ball) of the Salmon Arm Yeti in Saturday’s Okanagan Rugby Union championship in Vernon. The Jackals spotted the visitors an early try before scoring 44 unanswered points for a 44-5 decision. (Roger Knox - Black Press)

Salmon Arm Yeti forward Nicolas Willey (with ball) dishes off to teammate Jacob Mullen before being brought down by Matt Insull of the Vernon Jackals during the Okanagan Rugby Union championship game Saturday, July 9, at Vernon’s Grahame Park. The Yeti scored first then didn’t score again, falling to the reigning champion Jackals 44-5. (Roger Knox - Black Press)

Vernon Jackals player Rob Gajda (right) showers his teammates with champagne to celebrate the club’s latest Okanagan Rugby Union championship following a 44-5 victory over the Salmon Arm Yeti Saturday, July 9, at Vernon’s Grahame Park. (Roger Knox - Black Press)

Officially, the Vernon Jackals have won the Okanagan Rugby Union’s playoff trophy six consecutive years.

Throw in an off-pitch competition involving cold beverages one season and the Jackals’ players will tell you it’s actually seven consecutive titles.

On the Grahame Park pitch at Vernon’s Fulton Secondary School Saturday afternoon, July 9, the Jackals collected the trophy for the sixth straight time, downing the Salmon Arm Yeti 44-5 in the championship.

The victory again qualifies the Jackals to be the Okanagan repesentative at the Saratoga Cup C Division finals Sept. 10/11, location yet to be determined.

Jackals’ standoff Lewis McKnight led Vernon by scoring more than half of his team’s points. He collected five points by scoring one of his team’s tries, used his right leg to convert all five Jackals majors and booted three penalty kicks for 24 points on the day.

Salmon Arm opened the scoring early in the first half, taking advantage of Vernon penalties and a botched Jackals’ lineout for a 5-0 lead.

Vernon led 14-5 at the intermission.

The Jackals cleaned up their penalty problems and dominated the second half, holding Salmon Arm out of their end of the field on all but three occasions.

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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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