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Abbotsford wins provincial semi-final

Panthers defeat Langley 50-29 to move on to AA provincial final
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Abbotsford's Chase Claypool darts downfield during the provincial semi-final game at BC Place on Saturday.

Chase Claypool made it look easy at BC Place on Saturday, catching four touchdowns and snagging an interception to help the Abbotsford Panthers win 50-29 over the Langley Saints to punch their ticket to the AA provincial final.

Claypool scored a major in each quarter, and said he and quarterback John Madigan have built up a lot of trust.

"I tell him just to throw it up as high and as far as he can and I'll try to make a play on it," he said, after the game.

The star wide receiver did just that on several plays, and also was a key defensive piece in the Panthers win. Abbotsford now moves on to the AA provincial final to battle the Carson Graham Eagles.

"We've never seen them before so we're going to do a lot of film on them this week," he said. "We have to know how they play and be prepared for them."

Claypool said last week's win against the defending champion Barsby Bulldogs was a huge confidence booster for the team, and Panthers head coach Jay Fujimura said the team is coming together at the right time.

"We're peaking at the right time," he said. "We're getting better every week and we seem to be making less and less mistakes."

Running back Richard Tshimpaka also had a monster game, scoring two touchdowns and playing a key role on defence. Reese Morrison caught the Panthers other touchdown.

Details for the provincial title game are still to be determined, but it will occur next week.

For more from the game, read Wednesday's print edition of the Abbotsford News.

To check out a gallery of photos from the game, visit https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1107443115946982.1073742048.131829896841647&type=3

 



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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