The Langley Rams were blown away by the Okanagan Sun Sunday afternoon at McLeod Stadium.
In a game originally scheduled for the night before but postponed due to Saturday’s windstorm, the Rams suffered a 52-10 trouncing.
The win improved the Sun’s record to 6-0 as the Kelowna squad sits alone atop the B.C. Football Conference.
The Rams, meanwhile, dropped to 3-3 and slid backwards into fourth place behind the Kamloops Broncos and Nanaimo’s V.I. Raiders, both with 4-2 marks.
“We competed our butts off for the first half,” Rams head coach Jeff Alamolhoda said.
A blocked punt by Okanagan’s Brennan Van Nistelrooy and recovered by JP Kalambay in Langley’s end zone, moving the Sun ahead 22-7 in the third quarter, was a turning point, in Alamolhoda’s opinion.
“The guys got down on themselves [after that] and showed their youth and inexperience,” Alamolhoda said. “We lost our composure and need to regain that in those critical situations.”
Leading 15-0 at halftime and 29-7 after three quarters of play, the Sun turned up the heat in the final quarter by outscoring the Rams 23-3.
The Rams' offence fizzled, producing 10 first downs to the Sun’s 22. Langley’s usually effective rushing attack was held to 39 total yards.
The Sun did most of their damage in the air, with 215 yards passing in the second half, alone led by the two-pronged quarterbacking attack of Josiah Joseph (130 yards) and Cam Bedore (who completed nine of 11 throws for 162 yards, including four touchdown tosses).
Langley’s lone touchdown came in the third quarter off a forced fumble and recovery by defensive lineman Brock Gowanlock, who returned the ball 40 yards to paydirt.
Langley’s Brian Hope booted a 17-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
The Rams don’t play again until Sept. 12, when they host Kamloops at McLeod Stadium. Opening kickoff is 7 p.m.
This is the second loss the Rams have suffered to the Sun this season, the first coming on Aug. 15 when Okanagan defeated Langley 32-13 at Kelowna’s Apple Bowl.