U-18 Returns Home Champions

Football BC’s provincial under-18 (U18 Team BC) team is returning home a champion after defeating Team Vegas USA Varsity by a 23-20 score at the inaugural High Roller Football Showdown hosted by World Wide Athletic January 23, 2016.

A key third quarter touchdown by South Delta Sun Devils RB Stefanos Goulas proved to be the difference-maker as U18 Team BC hung on against a tough Vegas squad in a game in which they never trailed U18.

Team BC opened the scoring on a run by Argyle Pipers QB Cole Theobald (Game MVP) would put the U18 Team BC up 10-0 before Vegas got on the board with an unconverted touchdown to pull within four points.

Vegas had an opportunity to take the lead on a subsequent drive but a couple of key defensive plays snuffed out a dangerous drive.

REC Spencer Schmidt (Mt. Boucherie Bears) would help stretch U18 Team BC’s lead to 16-6 with his highlight-reel catch-and-run TD, but Vegas would respond early in the second half with a TD to pull to within 16-12 setting the stage for Goulas’ heroics.

Vegas would score again in the third quarter but that was as close as they came as U18 Team BC managed to hang on with some key defensive players in the final quarter including a defensive fumble recovery by REC Gavin Cobb (Mt. Douglas Rams).

Earlier in the day on Saturday, Football BC’s provincial under-16 team (U16 Team BC) won their consolation round game by defeating the San Jose Hitsquad by a 28-0 score. QB Benjamin Robinson (Ballenas Whalers), RB Matthew Klak (Kelowna-Mission Lions), REC Kyle Zakala (Kelowna-Mission Lions), and QB Evan Currie (Handsworth Royals) had the major scores for U16 Team BC in that game.

U16 Team BC had dropped their tournament-opening game the night before against U16 Team Vegas by a 14-6 score. Football BC’s Grade 8 provincial team (Grade 8 Team BC) concluded the tournament with a 0-2 record.

Game photos are available upon request from communications@playfootball.bc.ca.

More info on the World Wide Athletics are available at www.warriorsforyouth.org.

Thanks to Daniel Fung for the info.