Vancouver Fighting Irish vs South Delta Sun Devils

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In a much-anticipated Week 5 matchup, the Vancouver College Fighting Irish won a gritty 31-10 victory over the South Delta Sun Devils on O'Hagan Field. 

The Irish (6-0) faced a resilient Sout Delta team led by the Dumas brothers that came in undefeated (4-1) and determined to challenge the reigning champions, making this a clash of the titans that did not disappoint.

The game kicked off in dramatic fashion as Vancouver College fumbled on the opening kickoff, handing the Sun Devils a golden opportunity to strike early. However, the Irish defence, as it has so often this season, stepped up in the clutch. 

Senior defensive back Ryan Livingston delivered a crucial sack on fourth down, stopping South Delta in their tracks and setting the tone for a defensive battle in the first half. 

"We started out flat," Head Coach
Bryan Chiu admitted post-game, "and it's never good when you start off the game with a fumble on a kickoff
return. But credit to South Delta—they played tough."

Special teams were key early on for the Irish, with kicker Luan Lam converting a 42-yard field goal to give the home team a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter. From there, both teams struggled to gain any offensive momentum.

With punts and turnovers on downs defining much of the second quarter, the game seemed destined to remain a
defensive grind. South Delta managed to even the score with a field goal just as the first half expired, sending the teams to the locker room tied 3-3.

 "All credit to South Delta," said Assistant Head-Coach Regen Oey. "They
came out well-prepared and physical. I thought we responded in the second half, but we need to bring that same energy from the start."

The second half saw South Delta come out firing, taking their first lead of the game after a 3-yard touchdown run by Damian Dumas midway through the third quarter, putting the Irish on the back foot for the first time in several games. 

But the Fighting Irish would not be denied. Late in the third quarter, running back Jaxson Farac powered through for a 7-yard touchdown pass, bringing Vancouver College within one point at 10-9 after the extra point was blocked. 

The blocked kick could have shaken the Irish, but instead, it lit a fire in the team. "We built up energy in the second half and played our style of football," reflected senior lineman Will Curtain.

The fourth quarter saw the Irish take control of the game for good. A gutsy fake punt attempt by South Delta was taken down by an explosive hit from Chucky Black, stopping the play cold and shifting the momentum squarely in Vancouver College's favour.

Moments later, Perdido struck again with his second touchdown of the day, capping a 7-yard run to give the Irish a 17-10 lead after a successful two-point conversion.

From there, Vancouver College never looked back. Ryder Quintana, who had been a force all game, added a 12-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 24-10, while the Irish defence tightened the screws.  

Ryan Livingston and Noah James both recovered key fumbles in the final minutes, and Perdido sealed the win with his second touchdown of the game, a 5-yard burst into the end zone that brought the final score to 31-10. 

"It was a little bit of a slow start for us in the first two quarters, but we changed the tempo in the third," noted Running
Backs Coach Rob Parmar. "We like to think of our backs as thunder and lightning, and they controlled the rest of the game."

After the game, Coach Chiu reflected on his team's resilience: "I'm proud of the boys—they responded in the second half, executed, and got back to fundamentals. You could see the results at the end of the day." 

Looking ahead to their next matchup against Handsworth, he emphasised the basics: "Fundamentals, ball security, tackling, blocking—that's what it comes down to."

The Irish rushing attack was particularly impressive, with Ryder Quintana racking up 127 yards on 15 carries and Perdido adding 104 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. 

The offensive line, praised by Coach Parmar for "opening up big holes in the third and fourth quarters," played a pivotal role in turning the game around.

As the team prepares for their next game on October 11th against Handsworth at William Griffin Park, the
message from the coaching staff is clear: stay focused, and build on the momentum of this hard-fought victory.

"It all starts in practice," said Coach Oey. "We need to stay focused, eliminate distractions, and get the job done."

Sun Devils Head Coach Ray Moon is hoping for a rematch this postseason. 

"With over 10 players on this VC team from Tsawwassen these guys know each other well and battled extremely hard.  If they meet again this year it would most likely be deep in the playoffs and it will be a game that you would not want to miss."

The Sun Devils will get back to work and prepare for their game against the Belmont Bulldogs next Friday.