The Vernon Secondary School (VSS) Panthers football team is off to the finals.
Playing at B.C. Place in Vancouver, the Panthers showcased their dominant play with a comfortable 37-8 victory over the Nachako Valley Vikings in the AA football semifinal.
In the first half, the the Panthers built an impressive 37-0 lead, scoring on all but one of their possessions. Quarterback Cole Budgen scored three touchdowns on the ground and also hit on a 74-yard touchdown pass to Anderson Bicknell. The balanced offense featured 196 passing yards and 135 rushing yards, with multiple players contributing to both aspects.
Budgen’s passing performance was particularly notable, completing 11 of 15 attempts for 196 yards and one touchdown. Receiver Jeff Curtis was his favorite target, hauling in five catches for 47 yards. On the ground, four different players carried the ball, with Jonah Lee, a provincial all-star tailback, gaining 76 yards on eight carries, including a 38-yard touchdown run.
Defensively, the Panthers were equally impressive, shutting down the Vikings’ offensive efforts in the first half. AA provincial MVP, Mark Johnson, led the defense with 4.5 tackles, while Diego Tamez and Austin Dunnill contributed with four tackles each. Aiden Engleman, Tristan McKenzie and Liam Greenan had interceptions and Ayden Stringer recovered a fumble. The defense was particularly effective in limiting the Vikings’ quarterback scrambles and designed runs, which was a point of emphasis for the Cats in practice all week, leading to three interceptions and one fumble recovery.
Despite being outscored in the second half, head coach Sean Smith expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance as he was able to give his backups valuable playing time. “Our scout team did a great job preparing our starters all week and I was so glad that they were able to get into the game to contribute.”
Looking ahead, the Panthers will face the John Barsby Bulldogs (Nanaimo) in the championship game. Barsby defeated the Windsor Dukes 28-9 to secure their spot in the final.
“Barsby is a big, athletic, and well-coached team that plays power football at a high level,” said Smith. “We will need to be ready to take on the physicality that they bring or it will be a very long day for us”
The championship game is scheduled to take place at BC Place Stadium on Sat, Dec. 2 at 4 pm. The Panthers, having reached their fourth championship game in six seasons, hope to secure another title after previous successes in 2018 and 2019.
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