Could third time be the charm for the Prince George Kodiaks?
Prince George's entry in the B.C. Football Conference will be hosting the Valley Huskers this Saturday evening at Masich Place Stadium, 7 p.m. kickoff.
It will be the third time this season the teams have played each other and after losing twice to the Huskers in Chilliwack, the Kodiaks hope home-field advantage will prove the difference this time around.
If it does, it will not only be the Kodiaks' first win over the Huskers but also their first victory in inaugural season in the league for players ages 17-23 years old.
The Kodiaks lost 34-17 last weekend in Chilliwack but the score was not necessarily indicative of the game. Prince George rebounded from a shaky first half to get within a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
The Kodiaks defence then limited the damage from an 83-yard kick return by Huskers' Christopher Rolack to a field goal. But Huskers' Sawyer Tether then snagged an interception that led to a touchdown to put the game away.
Quarterback Liam Osckowski and receiver Jerome Erickson each scored a touchdown while Jack Cochrane contributed a 31-yard field goal and a pair of converts for the Kodiaks.
Oszkowksi was good on 13 of 28 passing attempts for 187 yards and ran for another 69 yards. Erickson gained 99 yards on nine receptions and Andrew Brown contributed 78 yards on four receptions.
Take away a few mental errors and the outcome would have been much different in the opinion of Kodiaks' head coach Keon Raymond.
"I know they felt they should've won the game but they understand why they lost the game," Raymond said.
That the Kodiaks remain among the least penalized teams in the league and that the team's defence held the Huskers scoreless during the third quarter were among the bright spots Raymond took away from the loss.
He was also impressed by Oszkowksi's ability to use his legs but would rather see someone other than the quarterback be the team's top rusher.
The loss was an improvement over the 31-5 hammering they absorbed at the Huskers' hands in Chilliwack on August 6.
The Kodiaks followed that up with a 35-20 setback to the Kamloops Broncos at Masich a week later. The Broncos held the lead from start to finish but the Kodiaks were within striking distance for most of the contest and were down by just a touchdown at the half.
The Kodiaks drew about 1,100 fans to their home opener two weekends ago and Raymond is hoping to see as many if not more on Saturday.
"It's been good, it's been a process," Raymond said of the progress he has seen each week. "I think, for a brand-new, first-year program, it's coming. Rome wasn't built in a day, but it's coming."
