After beating the defending champion Fairview (Nanaimo) Cowboys 14-8 on Oct. 17 in Courtenay, the Comox Valley Raiders Junior Bantam football team knew they were in for a tough game when they travelled to Nanaimo for the Oct. 24 rematch.
In a back-and-forth battle, the Cowboys pulled out a 16-12 win to earn a split of the home-and-home series.
"We had an outstanding performance by Drew Wootton who ran two kicks back for touchdowns, had an interception and a forced fumble," said Raiders' coach Damon Mair.
"Our defence was put to the test all afternoon as the Cowboys used a hard-nosed, up-the-middle style running game which inevitably gave them a large time of possession advantage.
"In spite of the loss, our players remain focused on our upcoming home game against the top-ranked Victoria Spartans this Saturday at Bill Moore Memorial Park at 1 p.m.," said Mair.
"We are inviting everyone to come out this Saturday for some hot food from our concession and to cheer on the home team. As always, admission is free."