by Photo: Natalie Butler
Okanagan Sun vs. Regina Thunder at Regina’s Mosaic Stadium.
UPDATE 1:50 p.m
The Okanagan Sun has captured the third Canadian Bowl in franchise history.
Exactly 34 years to the day after winning their first title in 1988, the Sun went to Regina and beat the Thunder 21-19.
The Sun defense, flexing but not breaking all day, tucked the Rams into third and fourth with 44, with seconds remaining to secure the two-point win.
More details shortly.
UPDATE: 1:10 p.m
The Okanagan Sun stormed back from a 15-0 deficit to take a 21-17 lead over the Regina Thunder after three quarters at the Canadian Bowl in Regina.
The Sun conceded a safety early in the third quarter to fall 17-7 behind before the offense came to life.
Jevan Garwood ran 52 straight yards at center to reduce the deficit to 17-14.
After an interception by Dawson Puk on Regina’s next possession, Dominic Britton found Mike O’Shea from 24 yards out third and second to give Sun their first lead of the game.
UPDATE: 12:30 p.m
The Regina Thunder lead the Okanagan Sun 15-7 at halftime in the Canadian Bowl in Regina.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Thunder drew the first blood on their first drive of the second quarter.
Regina capped a 69-yard drive with a two-yard run from Ryland Tragert.
The Thunder got the ball back deep in Sun territory moments later when a third down snap jumped in front of punter Isaac Wegner. At the Sun 21, he fell on the ball.
Five plays and a pass interference call later, Thunder quarterback Carter Shewchuk ran six yards to give the hosts a 14-0 lead.
The sun couldn’t move the ball until her final drive.
Quarterback Dominic Britton started at 35 after a Thunder single with less than two minutes left at halftime and marched the team 70 yards in 10 games to get on the board.
Britton connected with receiver Mike O’Shea on 15- and 20-yard passes, then topped it off with a five-yard throw to Colby Miletto in the last game of the half.
The Thunder receive the kickoff to open the second half.
UPDATE: 11:40 a.m
The Okanagan Sun and Regina Thunder are scoreless after a Canadian Bowl quarter in Regina.
Both teams have tried to lead the football with some success.
Sun running back Jevan Garwood has 40 yards on the loop in the first half.
The Sun was able to move the football into Thunder territory but stopped at 30 and had to punt.
Quarterback Dom Britton completed only two out of 10 passes.
The Okanagan Sun are hoping to turn back the clock to their dominant glory days of the late 1980s and ’90s.
The Sun will look to repeat the success of the 1988 and 2000 teams when they won the only national title in franchise history.
The 2022 team appears to be just as dominant as these teams, balanced on offense, defense, and special teams.
In her own way, the equally dominant Regina Thunder rolled through the Prairie Conference, winning all eight regular season games and two more in the playoffs to earn the right to host tonight’s Canadian Bowl against a Sun team that went 13 times in Episode was unbeaten, including the national team semifinals two weeks ago in Windsor, Ontario.
“We’ve had a lot of time to get used to what they’re doing,” Sun head coach Travis Miller said of today’s opponent during a cold-weather practice earlier this week.
“We watched all 10 games and had the opportunity to see their tendencies.
“Of course we will make adjustments to that, but we will focus more on ourselves. We’ve honed who we are and what we do, making sure we’re as prepared as possible.”
That means a lot of film work and a lot of field work.
On film, Miller says the Thunder appear to be the best team they’ve faced all season, strong offense and defense, strong front fours and a consistent offense.
“I don’t think we’ve played against a defense outside of our own that’s as strong as them. Your front seven is pretty good.”
“It’s been a long time coming,” added safety veteran Garrett Cape.
“We’ve been working on this for a couple of years now. A lot of the guys are nearing the end of their careers here so it’s nice to finally get to where we want to be.”
Everyone is focused on the task at hand, receiver Noah Bymak said.
Oh, and it’s getting cold in Regina. The latest forecast calls for temperatures of -15C with a wind chill of -24C at game time.
Kick-off is Saturday at 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
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