Owls edge Voodoos in final pre-season football game

Grade 11 quarterback Marcus Athans threw three touchdowns passes and teammate Nathan Tonogai returned a kickoff 80 yards to lead the Kelowna Owls to a 27-18 pre-season B.C. High School Football Association win over the Rutland Voodoos on Friday at the Apple Bowl.

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Blaise Beauchemin, Quinn Large and Dakota Cartier were on the receiving end of the Athans' TD passes, while Kyle Zakala made the catch of the night, diving around a Rutland defender to grab a 35-yard throw from Athans in the third quarter.

The Voodoos got a pair of long touchdown runs from running back Matt Klak, while QB Zach Hemmett found slotback Kyle Solloway with a first-half TD pass.

“It was a battle right to the end, with both teams making big plays to give their teams a chance to win,” said the Owls’ new head coach, Chris Cartwright. “That’s what high school football is all about. We’re lucky to be able to play crosstown-rival games in the Okanagan, and this one will be one to remember.”

While Cartwright was pleased with his team’s passing game, he said the Owls have a lot of work to do to solidify their run game and “have to make sure we are in a good position on defence to make the stops we need.”

Voodoos' veteran coach, Pete McCall, conceded it's been a challenging first two weeks for his young team (0-2).

"We're still making pre-season mistakes, and our depth isn't there yet, but that's what pre-season is for. We'll get everything up to speed for our final exhibition game/homecoming game next Saturday (Sept. 24) against Fulton (Vernon) on our home field."

KSS opens in 2016 regular season Sept. 23 at the Apple Bowl when they play host to the Lord Tweedsmuir Panthers of Surrey beginning at 4 p.m.

Following the Owls-Tweedsmuir game, the Mt. Boucherie Bears will take on the Mission Roadrunners at the Apple Bowl starting at 6:30 p.m.

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