Chilliwack Minor Football’s midget Giants are two wins away from a provincial final after bumping off the Vernon Magnums 45-7 last weekend.
Things didn’t start the way Chilliwack wanted in this one, with Deion Bains fumbling on their first offensive play.
But the defence held strong and the Giants played near-flawless football from there.
Owen Devries produced the first Chilliwack points, booting a field goal to put his team up 3-0. Bains added to the lead minutes later, plowing over from the two yard line.
Bains and Conner Herrmann terrorized the Vernon defence on the ground, setting the stage for quarterback Klay Larocque and the passing game. Larocque hooked up with Robert Begg for the second Chilliwack major and a 17-0 lead.
Larocque and fellow quarter back Josh Pretty were well-protected by offensive linemen Reid McMorris, Carson Allinott, Brennen Breuker, Clayton Cullen and Paul Angel.
The boys up front allowed no sacks and paved the way for Larocque on a quarterback keeper that produced the third Chilliwack TD.
Larocque and Begg combined on another scoring strike to make the score 31-0 at halftime.
Pretty took over at QB in the second half, with Larocque moving to the slot.
Bains scored another Chilliwack major and Pretty hooked up with Larocque for the final Giants touchdown.
Vernon got on the board late, but the Chilliwack D was otherwise suffocating. Brandon Tooke, Matt McConnell, Michael Popovici, Rapheal Olivares and Perry Ross showed the Vernon offense no mercy.
At one point, Reid McMorris chased the Magnum QB 30 yards backwards trying for a sack.
McConnell snuffed out one Vernon drive with an endzone interception.
Chilliwack plays in Cowichan Sunday in a provincial quarter-final.
— The bantam Giants are moving on to the Valley Community Football League final in unorthodox fashion. Chilliwack got a forfeit win over Meadow Ridge, which leaves them facing Abbotsford in a battle of the VCFL’s top two regular season teams.
Chilliwack went 8-0 in league play, with Abbotsford close behind at 6-2.