The Chinese calendar insists 2008 is the Year of the Rat. Judging by the B.C. AAA high school football timetable so far, it’s looking very much like the Year of the Fox.

It’s anything but the Year of the Timberwolves, as struggling Pinetree was clobbered 49-0 Friday by the rival Terry Fox Ravens –– the consensus No. 1-ranked senior team in the province –– in an Eastern Conference contest at wet and windy Percy Perry Stadium.

The victory improved the Ravens to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in league play, while their Tri-Cities rival T-wolves slid to 0-5, including 0-3 in league action. The Ravens have out-scored their opponents by a 215-27 aggregate this campaign, while the T-wolves are pretty much the complete opposite at 34-266 in the points for-and-against category.

Once again, the Ravens used sparingly their starters, played primarily reserves and still bolted to a 35-0 halftime lead.

To show just how lopsided the game was, consider the following:

• Eleven different Ravens rushed the football and Fox didn’t throw a pass the entire game.

• Fox’s star backfield tandem of Joe Patko and Tibi Banica combined for a 78 yards on a mere four carries between them, with each scoring a touchdown.

• The Ravens’ defence forced five T-wolves’ turnovers, recorded seven sacks and held Pinetree to just four first downs in the contest.

“We’re not ones to run up the score,” said Fox co-coach Martin McDonnell. “They [T-wolves] are good guys. We always have good battles with them. When you look at our [overall] history with them, maybe one or two wins would be the difference. All the games are usually close.”

Cole Green scored a pair of majors for the Ravens, on sprints of 20 and 25 yards. Patko, Banica, Mike Valliere and Chris Thompson also scored rushing majors, while Patrick Mpuanga intercepted a pass and raced 42 yards for another Fox touchdown.

Suk Chungh recorded an end-zone sack for a two-point safety, with long snapper Ian Matthews, holder Prashant Chaube and kicker Matt Holt teaming up for four extra points.

With no junior team last season due to lack of numbers, the T-wolves senior program took a step back this year. However, Pinetree juniors have returned and McDonnell doesn’t think it will take too many seasons before the T-wolves are again a formidable senior opponent.

“There numbers are back up and I’m sure they’ll be tough again soon,” McDonnell said.

Fox is bound to get tested better soon as they meet Burnaby’s St. Thomas More Knights on Friday at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex (7:30 p.m.) before clashing with the tough Centennial Centaurs and Abby’s W.J. Mouat Hawks the following two weeks.

Pinetree meets Mouat on Friday night in Abbotsford while Centennial visits Surrey’s Holy Cross Crusaders on Saturday afternoon after having a bye last week.

• Jordan Wicki scooted for three touchdowns last Thursday as Fox’s junior team posted their first league win in three tries via a 36-19 blasting of previously unbeaten Mouat.

Wicki was a two-way standout, leading the Fox defence with six solo tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception.

Fox quarterback Jacob Patko plunged two yards for a touchdown and hit receiver Matteo Nardone for a 27-yard major. Nardone also had a two-point convert while Tanner White added another interception for the Ravens.