The Howe Sound Sounders went down with a fight but came up a little short in their quest to become provincial champions.A few too many mistakes early on cost the team and the Nanaimo Islanders picked up the 28-21 victory at the Tier 2 B.C. High School Provincial Final, which took place in Burnaby on Friday (Nov. 25)."We all knew it was going to be a hell of a fight and knew we had to play the game of our life," said the Sounders Rory Baldwin. "We had a tough start but made some adjustments and got ourselves back into the game."Tough start could be considered an understatement. The Islanders used a squib kick on the games opening kick off and the Sounders couldn't handle it. Nanaimo recovered the opening punt and scored a touchdown just 45 seconds later.The next few possessions saw the two teams jockey for field position but the Sounders fumbled a hand off on their own seven yard line just before the second quarter, giving the Islanders great field position and they took a 14-0 lead after the opening quarter.The Sounders responded with a 75-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown from Anthony Wuster but an attempted onside kick following the score ended up costing Howe Sound. The Islanders, once again, had good field position and only had to travel 45 yards to go back up two touchdowns on the Sounders.Despite the 14-point deficit, Baldwin said the Sounders refused to give up."We knew if we really worked hard we could get back in the game," he said.And they did. The Sounders marched 62 yards to again reach the end zone, after Wuster scored his second touchdown of the game. However, the Islanders offence was equal to the task, converting on a 4th and long as well as a 3rd and long on the drive to re-take the 14-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.Most of the fourth quarter was a battle of field positioning but Sounders quarterback James Kyle managed to connect with Griffin Dare for a massive 85 yard passing touchdown, which got the Sounders back to within one touchdown with under three minutes left to play."That was a phenomenal play," Baldwin said, noting that the reaction from the several dozen Howe Sound fans in the stands was deafening. "We really needed it."Howe Sound tried another onside kick but it was no good and after picking up a first down Nanaimo only had to run out the clock to pick up the win. Islanders head coach Nate Stevenson, who led his team to a perfect season, said the Sounders were the toughest challenge they'd faced all year."Howe Sound is a tough, physical team and we knew it was going to be battle," he said. "They adjust very well and they make you earn your yards. My hat is off to them, they had a great year."Stevenson said his team's main goal was to try and contain the Sounders strong running game."We spent the majority of our practice time trying to work on ways to slow down their run," he said. "We knew they're so fast and can score from anywhere on the field and we had to stop them to win. Were we successful? It's hard to say but I think we managed to slow them down a bit."The Sounders vaunted defence was also torched for the most points they've allowed all year and Baldwin said Nanaimo's offensive and defensive lines were the difference."It was really hard to try and stop them," he said. "Their line is phenomenal and we just couldn't break through it and get into their backfield."Despite the loss, Baldwin said it was a season to remember for the Sounders."It's just been a great year," he said. "Howe Sound, as a team, has never had a season like this. Last year we had good individual players but this year we really came together as a team, everyone from the veterans to the rookies."Howe Sound lost only two games all season, both to the Islanders and both by under 10 points. Nanaimo played a perfect season but the only team to come within 10 points of them all year was the Sounders.Check the print edition of The Chief for more on this story.
