Sun reload at key positions for upcoming BCFC season
The Okanagan Sun have bolstered their offence for the upcoming B.C. Football Conference season, which kicks off Aug. 5 in Kamloops against the Broncos.
Here is a positional breakdown of the Sun offence as training camp continues, with a scrimmage scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. beside the Apple Bowl in Kelowna.
QUARTERBACK
One of the team’s high-profile signings was quarterback Jakob Loucks, from Cornwall, Ont., who is a former U Sports rookie of the year during his time at Mount Allison University.
Matthew Mahler, a sophomore with the Sun, is back to battle for the No. 2 spot, along with a group of other recruits.
Bailey Tisdel from Dalmeny, Sask., Dylan Coveney from Calgary, and Kai Sampson from Lethbridge are the other quarterbacks in camp.
“We’re going to have a difficult decision to make heading into gameday, how do we cut down from five guys and dress a maximum of three,” said Okanagan head coach Ben Macauley. “We certainly want to help guys develop and build experience, but we also want to win right now.”
Last year’s quarterback Keith Zyla will move into the defensive secondary, likely as a safety, for 2018.
RUNNING BACK
Returning from last season are Brendan Hansen, Kelton Kouri and Joseph Okunlola.
Pushing them for playing time will be several recruits, including Lawrenzo Dissee, from Calgary, and Andre Goulbourne, from Toronto.
Other new faces competing for runningback reps at camp are Jude Oh (Okotoks, Alta.), Brayden Anderson (Kelowna) and Matt Labelle (West Kelowna).
“Lots of guys to work into that mix, and I think we won’t miss a beat,” said Macauley.
RECEIVER
With familiar names like Kyler Mosley, Nate Anderson and Liam Crane moving on, the receiving corps will feature plenty of newcomers in 2018.
“Some of the young guys we’ve had waiting in the wings are going to get their opportunity to play,” said Macauley. He pointed to Javen Kaechle, Dakota Cartier, Spencer Schmidt and Tyson Mastrodimos as players in line for expanded roles.
Recruits include Malcolm Miller from Toronto, who was a teammate of Loucks at Mount Allison.
Other names to watch will be Adam Burton (Raymond, Alta.), Reid LeClaire (Lethbridge), Cole Stroud (Lethbridge), Blaise Beauchemin (Kelowna) and Kyle Zakala (Kelowna).
The Sun have also added Dayton Moore, a West Kelowna native who is coming home from McGill University.
“I think if you were to drop by practice, you’ll see the level of physicality that these guys have. They’re in great shape and well-conditioned, there’s definitely some size there,” said Macauley.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Size is a theme for the Sun on both sides of the line of scrimmage. For the O-line, a veteran core remains, with three starters returning from last year’s team in Marshal Klein, James Harney and Liam Hamlyn.
A big addition this year is Daniel Townsend, from the University of Calgary, who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 325 pounds. Macauley says Townsend would likely have started for the Dinos this season.
Another U Sports recruit is Josh Pinnock (6-4, 320) from the Western Mustangs in London, Ont.
They will be joined by Danil Balan (Montreal), Brendan Barnes (Calgary, UBC) and Jmin Pelley (Calgary).
“(Pelley) is an exceptional athlete, who will likely play both ways for us,” said Macauley. “He has the size, and he’s spent some time on the practice roster with the Calgary Stampeders, so a very talented young man who we expect to dominate both sides of the ball.”
Friday’s edition of The Daily Courier will feature a breakdown of the Sun defence.