For the second time in two years the BCFC Champion Okanagan Sun will travel to Windsor, Ontario to face the Ontario Football Conference Champion St. Clair Saints, this time around it’s for all the marbles, CJFL’s holy grail, the Canadian Bowl.
Sun ready to take on Saints for Canadian Bowl
In 2022, the Sun defeated the Saints 42-24 in Windsor, to win the National Semi-final and a ticket to the final in Regina, SK.
The St. Clair Saints earned the right to host the 2024 Canadian Bowl as OFC Champions when they defeated the London Beefeaters 75-39 in the conference final.
Who are the St. Clair Saints?
The St. Clair Saints evolved out of the original team, Windsor AKO Fratmen. The Fratmen franchise was one of the oldest in CJFL history, playing their first season in 1945. They have appeared in eight National Finals and won three, 1952, 1954 and 1999.
In 2020, the AKO Fratmen were purchased by the St. Clair College Saints Student Athletic Association becoming the St. Clair Saints.
The Fratmen win in 1999 came at the expense of the Okanagan Sun in a game that see-sawed back and forth, between the #1 ranked Fratmen and #3 Sun, with Windsor pulling out a 32-29 win. That win also marks the last time a team from the OFC hoisted the Canadian Bowl.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
The Okanagan Sun closed out the 2024 season with a perfect 10-0 record, thanks to the unbelievable running ability of their MVP RB Elelyon Noa. Over the 10 games Noa set a new BCFC rushing record and led the country with 1,612 yards, with 161.2 yards per game, and scoring 23 rushing touchdowns.
In two BCFC playoff games Noa rushed for 128 yards and 3 TD’s. In the CJFL National Semifinal, Noa had 18 carries for 83 yards, 1 TD, and a two-point conversion.
Expect another start for QB Liam Kroeger, who over the three playoff games threw for over 500 yards passing.
Look for Kroeger to spread the ball around to his receivers, his number one target being WR Jordan Falconer, with 171 yards receiving over 3 games.
If the St. Clair Saints want to throw the ball, they should be wary of the OK Sun ball-hawks, aka DB’s David Lewis, Easton Fenske, and Ahmed Borhot, who have combined for a total of 10 interceptions, 3 pick-sixes, in the playoffs.
Let’s not forget the outstanding season that LB Jacob Bond had, leading the CJFL in defensive tackles with 60. Going into Saturday’s game Bond has 97 total defensive tackles.
One stat that is rarely factored in is punting. In the CJFL Semifinal, in blustery Regina, P Grady Hay was the key for field position throughout the game. Hay punted 11 times for 330 net yards with precision accuracy.
In the OFC Final, the St. Clair Saints had four of their starting players sidelined due to injury including their starting QB Maurice Sodja, and their leading RB M.J. Doyle-Marshall.
The Saints back-up QB Matthew Guenette, stepped in for the OFC Final and engineered a complete dismantling of the London Beefeaters, piling up over 500 yards in offence, throwing for 377 yards and six touchdowns.
Another Saints back-up who had a career game was RB Jesse Burella, who had 112 combined rushing and receiving yards and scored two touchdowns along the ground and added two more thru the air.
Much like the National Semifinal in Regina, it’s a high-powered offensive attack with the St. Clair Saints vs an unforgiving Okanagan Sun defence…has all the markings for a classic National Championship.
Saturday November 9th, 2024
Acumen Stadium, St. Clair College, Windsor, ON.
Kick-off 7:00 PM (EST) 4:00 PM (PST)
Radio Broadcast – AM1150 – Stephen Keppler and Jason Casey
Streaming at CJFLTV.com
Special Notes: The Okanagan Sun will charter to Windsor, ON., leaving Thursday Nov. 7th, 4:00 PM, returning after the game on Sunday Nov. 10th, 1:45 AM (PST).
The Sun has established a Go Fund Me page to help off-set travel expenses for the team. https://gofund.me/b903c283
A watch party will be held at Dakoda’s Pub on Saturday Nov. 9th, the game will be on throughout the pub. Also, a silent auction will be held with many prizes, including a team signed helmet.