There will be no football this week for the St. Thomas More Knights.
On the strength of two Luca Bellini touchdowns, the Knights rallied to beat the Kelowna Owls 14-7 on Friday and capture the No. 2 Eastern Conference playoff spot, securing a bye to start the B.C. AAA playoffs.
Bellini bolted to a 90-yard TD late in the third quarter to erase a 7-0 deficit, then capped a seven-minute march with a four-yard major late in the game to push the host Knights in front 12-7. Demarius Henderson caught a two-point convert pass from Liam Feenan to put the nail in the win and home field advantage in the next round on the board.
“We can still play better, but it was one of our (offensive) line’s better efforts in terms of blocking and protecting the runner,” said STM head coach Bernie Kully. “Finishing second gives us some breathing room.”
The Knights entered the night as an honourable mention in the B.C. ratings but wrap the season at 5-1 trailing just No. 1 Terry Fox in the Eastern Conference. The victory leapfrogged them past Kelowna and sets up a quarterfinal matchup with the winner of New Westminster and Handsworth on Nov. 20.
Bellini led the way with 183 yards while Lucas Dalla Vecchia added 53 yards. Feenan completed nine of 16 passes for 85 yards. As part of the winning drive, STM twice encountered fourth-and-short yardage, converting both.
“It wasn’t a big decision, because trailing and with the time running down, you have to go for it,” noted Kully. “I think it’s a testament to the guys’ perseverance and determination that a tough team like Kelowna wasn’t going to stop us.”
Ben Steele led the defence with seven tackles, while Tyler Eckert corralled six tackles and two QB sacks. Bellini and Henderson also finished with six tackles apiece, while Anthony Prpic picked up five.
Now the focus turns to a new foe – with New Westminster or Handsworth deciding who the Knights play on Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Mercer Stadium.
“We’ll prepare for either outcome, but New West of course would be an interesting game,” noted Kully. “We haven’t played each other since, 2010 or 2011.
“They run a wing-T offence so it’s something we haven’t seen much of… Our playbook will be diverse because they are going to focus on (Bellini) just because of the yards he’s been putting up. But we have other pieces playing well and it will be up to us to get them the ball.”
