They're big, they're tough and they have a human steamroller named Hunter Brophy on their side.
The Nechako Valley Vikings are bent on spoiling the Duchess Park Condors' perfect season and the Condors know the key to keeping their string intact in today's P.G. Bowl Northern Conference double-A varsity football final (5 p.m., Masich Place Stadium) is finding ways to stop running back Brophy, who has averaged 220 rushing yards per game this season.
"We know they're a big team and they run the ball hard, and if we don't get serious about Hunter Brophy he will run us over," said Condors head coach Richard Bundock. "Hunter is a huge running back and if you take him up high you're just going for a ride and you can't give him space. He runs north and south and with Corbin (Brown) lead-blocking for them they are a big tandem threat to deal with."
In four regular-season games, the six-foot, 205-pound Brophy piled up 879 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns to lead the B.C. High School Football Association's four-conference double-A varsity league. He didn't get to pad those stats in the semifinal playoffs last weekend because the Vikings' scheduled game against the Prince George Polars was forfeited with the Polars down to just 11 available players.
The Vikings don't throw the ball often, but quarterback Alex Winch racked up 361 passing yards for nine touchdowns in four games and he has scrambling ability. In their only meeting with the Condors this season, on Sept. 23., they lost 35-32.
The Condors won't have Jacob Cundy starting at quarterback. He dislocated his thumb two weeks ago in the last game of the regular season and although the injury is not to his throwing hand, it still affects his ability to handle snaps. The Condors won't take the risk and will go with Grade 10 Andrew Johnson in his third senior start. Johnson led the Condors to a 38-24 semifinal win over the College Heights Cougars last Friday.
Despite taking only about 10 per cent of the reps at QB prior to Cundy's injury, Johnson has filled in admirably for Cundy and has found ways to utilize the abilities of his receivers - Gage Reimer, Nathan Stokes, Jared Annis and Colburn Pearce. Pearce was Johnson's usual target last year on the Condors junior varsity team. Any one of those four have the ability to break free for long gains.
"Andrew had definitely risen to the occasion and has learned a lot - I'm more than ecstatic about how he's carried himself, he's stepped up for us," said Bundock. "It's a big jump to go from junior varsity to varsity. Kids break on (the ball) earlier and he's been picked off a couple times he didn't expect, so he has to put a little more pep on it and be a little more accurate and he just has to trust his receivers and they'll go get it. Our guys are so used to how Jacob was throwing. Nothing against Andrew, it's just not the same."
Assuming he can gain any traction today on the badly-damaged natural grass field at Masich, Pearce is a formidable threat with the ball in his hands. He's got good size, he's shifty and he has the instincts to figure out the right place to run before he puts it into passing gear.
"He sees things quicker than anybody else and then he has the speed and the body to take advantage of that," said Bundock. "So many times people think they have him trapped and there's just a little sliver and he gets half a block and breaks through. If you don't watch him, he'll light you up, and if you double-cover him, he still might light you up. He's had a ton of touchdowns on special teams, a few picks and just flat-out receptions and running. He's had touchdowns every game, close to 20."
Pearce is the Condors' safety and can also kick field goals. He rarely misses on touchdown conversions and is known for booting kickoffs deep into the end zone.
A rainy fall has left field conditions at Masich at an all-time worst, with chunks of turf lying loose on soil in the worst areas. While that field will be replaced by artificial turf next spring as part of a Masich Place Stadium renovation, it won't help the players today.
"We might have more problems with the field than the defence," said Bundock. "I saw it a couple times (last week) where Colburn got stuck in the mud. We're built on speed and that evens things out. It's like playing in snow."
Fullback Zack Bundock will be counted on to open up the holes for Pearce, who scored four touchdowns in the playoff win over College Heights. Cundy will play today at linebacker and will team up with Bundock to form an imposing duo in the middle of the field. They will have the job of trying to slow down Brophy if he gets through the line.
Brett Stubbs, a six-foot-five, 300-pound offensive/defensive Grade 12 lineman, returns to the Condors' lineup today after missing the last game with a concussion.
"We have lots of weapons but the challenge will be how fast we get going," said coach Bundock. "Sometimes we come out of the gate a little slow and we're hoping to fix that for (today)."
The winner of today's final will get the No. 1 Northern seed and will get a week off before the BCHSFA quarterfinal playoffs, Nov. 18 in Kamloops, and will play the winner of a playoff between West No. 2 and East No. 4. The P.G. Bowl loser will have to travel for a wild-card playoff against East No. 3 next Thursday.
The Prince George Polars and College Heights Cougars meet in the third-place game today at 7 p.m.
