The New Westminster Hyacks toughest game of the year is also the program’s most difficult hurdle.
The varsity Hyacks have not won a B.C. high school AAA football playoff game since 2009, and this Friday’s first-round matchup against fifth-place Eastern division opponent Mt. Boucherie appears on paper to be no walkover for New Westminster.
“We need to win a playoff game,” said Hyacks head coach Farhan Lalji. “I think (Mt. Boucherie) is better than any team we’ve beaten this year. They’re physical, and we’re going to have to work hard to beat them.”
Mt. Boucherie’s quarterback tandem haven’t exactly lit it through the air, and the pair have been sacked a total of 10 times during the regular season.
The West Kelowna team has two capable weapons in the backfield in Aiden McLeod and Zac Callaghan, who averages nearly 85 yards rushing a game, but has a tendancy to drop the ball with a league-high six fumbles this season.
New West has not lost to Mt.Boucherie in two earlier meetings.
The Hyacks beat them 29-7 in a 2011 Homecoming Game, and the following season scrapped out a 36-33 win.
New West also holds the edge against common opponents this season, but its exhibition wins against Notre Dame, Centennial and W.J. Mouat all came in the month of September.
Mt. Boucherie lost a close encounter with Notre Dame early in the season.
Winning in November takes a different mindset, said Lalji.
“We have to get used to that single-elimination environment. It’s important regardless of what happens later,” he said, alluding to a second-round matchup with No. 1 Terry Fox awaiting the winner of Friday’s playoff. “That’s the focus of this week.”
The 4-3 Hyacks meet 3-4 Mt. Boucherie in a first-round playoff on Friday at Mercer Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
