The Terry Fox Ravens handily beat the Centennial Centaurs 42-6 in Friday’s Coquitlam Cup wrap-up to the BC High School Football Association’s AAA regular season.
But the Ravens’ win at rainy and blustery Centennial Field was as much about their next game as defeating their crosstown rivals.
With a record of six wins and one loss, Terry Fox is heading to the playoffs, while the Centaurs finished the season without a victory and six losses.
Ravens coach Tom Kudaba said it was important his charges find their groove and maintain the momentum of a third straight win since the team suffered its only setback, 21-15 to St. Thomas More on Oct. 14. Key to that was the return to limited action of senior quarterback Owen Sieben who missed the bulk of the season with a grade three separation of his right shoulder.
Kudaba said the Ravens are a different team with Sieben behind centre.
“He’s a leader. We know we can run and with Owen back we can throw those bombs as well.”
Much of the Ravens’ running game is built around 5’4” spark plug Xyon Fleary who was averaging more than 156 yards rushing a game heading into Friday’s tilt.
What Fleary lacks in size he more than makes up for with speed, agility and determination.
“I didn’t think he was going to be as good as he’s been for us this year,” Kudaba said.
Fleary gets another chance to amaze his coach next week, when the Ravens will host either Notre Dame or South Delta, depending on the outcome of Saturday’s game between the Jugglers and Vancouver College Fighting Irish.
To Kudaba and his players, though, the opponent doesn’t matter.
“All we’ve done is we’ve guaranteed ourselves another week of football.”
