Sun duo wins weekly awards for defence and special teams
Special to The Okanagan Weekend
For the second time this season, two members of the Okanagan Sun were named B.C. Football Conference players of the week.
Fifth-year linebacker Eli Haynes earned the defensive player of the week after a dominating performance in Okanagan’s 45-11 win over the Vancouver Island Raiders in Nanaimo last Saturday.
Haynes recorded nine tackles, along with one deflected pass and one forced fumble.
In five games this year, Haynes has now racked up 23 tackles, with two deflected passes and two forced fumbles.
The 22-year-old Kelowna native is in his final year with the Sun and was a graduate of the KSS Owls program.
Rookie kick returner Javen Kaechele captured the special teams player of the week thanks to his 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
In three games this year, Kaechele has returned kicks four times and is averaging 50.2 yards per return. The 17-year-old receiver came to the Sun from Calgary.
Other Sun players recognized with BCFC weekly awards this season include defensive back Tye Kitzman (defence, Week 1), quarterback Nick Wenman (offence, Week 2), receiver/returner Nate Anderson (special teams, Week 2) and defensive back Aldrich Berrios (defence, Week 4).
The unbeaten Sun (5-0), and the rest of the BCFC, are on a bye week and will kick off the second half of the season with a rematch against the Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 10. That kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna.