Rick Stiebel/News staff
The Belmont Bulldogs will put their undefeated season to the ultimate test on Saturday when they play for the provincial high school championship.
Belmont Secondary School’s junior varsity team defeated Vancouver College 21-12 last week to earn a berth in the final at B.C. Place in Vancouver, where they will take on the Kelowna Owls.
The Bulldogs carry an 11-0 record into the game, including playoff wins over a pair of Coquitlam-based Terry Fox and Centennial secondary schools.
“We knew we were amongst the better teams in the province and that we could contend for the championship,” said Bulldogs head coach Alexis Sanschagrin. “The win against top-ranked Vancouver College proved that. Now it’s a question of staying healthy and performing on game day.”
The Bulldogs, made up of 44 Grade 9 and 10 players, have dominated on both sides of the ball, Sanschagirn noted. “We’ve been pretty strong offensively and defensively. Football is the ultimate team game, and we’ve had different players step up on different weeks. The guys have pulled together in the same direction. We have great chemistry and positive leaders.”
Although the Bulldogs haven’t faced Kelowna this year, Sanschagrin said having a chance to study the team on film has been helpful this week as the Bulldogs’ prepare for the championship game. “We know what to expect and who their better players are,” he explained. “Now it’s a question of performing on Saturday.”