Sun hoping to shine Sunday
The Okanagan Sun are hoping Jakob Loucks is the quarterbacking saviour who will start their season with a victory Sunday — and end it with a victory in the championship game in the fall.
Loucks has been described as the best quarterback the team has seen in decades.
He is one of multiple USports rookies of the year on the Sun roster. He was set to return home to Ontario after leaving Mount Allison University, but the Sun convinced him to come to Kelowna.
The team is looking to improve on an eight-win campaign in 2017, which ended with a playoff loss at home to the VI Raiders.
But the Sun did much better last year than the Broncos, the team they open the season against in Kamloops on Sunday.
The Broncos are coming into 2018 after a two-win season in 2017 — the second straight year with a 2-8 mark. They have missed the playoffs since 2015.
Like the Sun, the Broncos have a new quarterback in 18-year-old Reid Vankoughnett, who they recruited from Winnipeg to replace veteran quarterback Colby Henkel.
Since last season, the Sun acquiring more depth, adding OUA Rookie of the Year Jesse Amankwaa from Toronto’s York University. Amankwaa is on the Sun’s 55-man game-day roster for this weekend.
He’ll bolster an RB core that includes veteran Kelton Kouri and new additions Lawrenzo Dissee and Andre Goulbourne.
The receiving core features a few veterans, along with plenty of rookies who’ve grabbed spots on the game-day roster out of main camp.
Tyson Mastrodimos is back, along with sophomores Javen Kaechle, Dakota Cartier, and Spencer Schmidt.
Earning spots from the coaching staff out of main camp were rookies Malcolm Miller, Payton Price, Reid LeClaire, Cole Stroud, Adam Burton, and Kelowna native Kyle Zakala, who’s a graduate of KSS.
On the offensive line, Daniel Townsend and his 6’7” frame will be hard to miss. The line will also be bolstered by former Carleton Raven Jmin Pelley, who the team has said will likely get some work on the D-Line as well.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Sun have been fortunate to get two All-Canadians back after cornerback Tye Kitzman and linebacker Conor Richard opted not to make the jump to university this season. In the league’s Top 50 list, Richard was ranked ninth, while Kitzman shot up to No. 3, making him the top-ranked player in the entire Conference.
Canada West Rookie of the Year DE Nicholas Dheilly anchors the D-Line, and is a player that coaches expect will draw double team coverage this season.
He’ll be backed by a core of veterans including Cory McCoy, Aiden Hennessey, Ryan Marquardt, Gavin Kulscar, Conner Novak and James Harney. Other rookies on the 55-man roster include Jesse Boa and Ovie Uloghbui.
Richard, Tyler Going (LB/DB), Cody Thompson, Miguel Wood, and Brenden Ripco are all returning faces this season at the linebacker position. A couple rookies will join them this weekend — Austin Daisy and Bradley Hladik.