Photo courtesy of Erich Eichhorn - AllSportMedia

BC Conference

Valley Huskers @ VI Raiders – Saturday August 12, 5:30pm – NDSS Field | WATCH HERE

Both teams are coming off lopsided losses last week with the Huskers playing their second straight game on the road.    They are looking for their second win of the campaign after beating Langley in Week 1.  They will need to find some consistency on the offensive side and establish the run game after gaining 87 yards last week.  All six of the points in Kelowna were scored in the second quarter.

The Raiders have lost two in a row to open the season and are looking for any kind of rhythm.  Last week they were held to 144 yards and only three points in Langley.  Their defence was on the field for the majority of the game and coughed up 554 yards and 54 points. 

Players to Watch:

Huskers – Jaiden Claassen has been a beast for the Huskers in the first two games of the season and will need to get into the Raiders backfield to disrupt their offensive push.

Raiders – Jacub Gillam will be called upon to try and slowdown the Huskers passing game.  Last week he intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.

Kamloops Broncos @ Okanagan Sun – Saturday August 12, 7:00pm – Apple Bowl | WATCH HERE

Judging solely on last week’s score, this seems like a David vs. Goliath match up as the Sun host the Broncos.  Last week the Sun scored 62 points and have 94 in the first two games, while giving up six.  The Broncos have only played once and were manhandled by the Westshore Rebels 70-10 last Saturday. 

For the Sun this is the second straight home game and the Broncos are back on the road.  This will be a tough test for the young Broncos, who learned a difficult lesson last weekend at Westshore.  They will need to play a near perfect game to beat the defending champs on their home grass.

Players to Watch:

Sun – LB Romereo Reid is the reigning Defensive Player of the Week for good reason.  He had an interception, three tackles and even blocked a kick, recovered it, and scampered 28 yards for a touchdown.  His quickness will give the Huskers problems all game. 

Broncos – QB Clark Snider will need a bounce back game the lopsided loss last weekend.  He completed 10 passes for 116 yards but threw two picks.  It will be interesting to see how the young pivot comes back this weekend. 

Westshore Rebels @ Prince George Kodiaks – Saturday August 12, 4:00pm – Masich Stadium | WATCH HERE

This will be the first ever matchup between these two teams after not meeting last year in the Kodiaks’ inaugural season.  

So far this year the Rebels have shown their offensive punch with superstar quarterback Te Jessie.  He’s only played the first half in both games this season and has put up massive numbers, including 10 touchdowns and 394 passing yards.  He may get even more if the Kodiaks defence doesn’t play better than they did in game one.  

During their Week 1 matchup they allowed 32 points and 457 yards when they hosted the Okanagan Sun.  They are coming off a bye week so have had two full weeks to prepare for the highflying Rebels. 

Players to Watch:

Rebels – WR/KR Cairo Berry has proven to be a very dangerous threat each time he touches the ball.  He caught seven passes last weekend, four of them for touchdowns.  Returning kicks, he is equally scary and has the speed to break one at any time.

Kodiaks – LB Ryley Amendt will need to do even more this game to try and stop or slow down the Rebels running attack.  In Week 1 he had a Conference high 10 solo tackles. 

Ontario Conference 

London Beefeaters @ Ottawa Sooners – Saturday August 12, 4:00pm – Lee Stadium | WATCH HERE

The Ontario Conference opens play this CJFL season and they kick-off in the nation’s capital when the Beefeaters visit the Sooners.   This is a rematch of last year’s very entertaining semi-final that the Beefeaters won.

Both these teams are expected to be battling for the Conference title when the season is all said and done in October.  It’s only the first game of the season, but this match-up is extremely important in the standings because this is the only time these two teams will meet, so coaches are already thinking about a possible tiebreaker situation down the road.   Neither of these teams is going to take this one lightly. 

Players to Watch:

Beefeaters – RB LJ Dyer returns and leads a cast of talented running backs coming into the 2023 season in London.  If the Beefs can establish a running game early on, it will open the passing options later in the game.

Sooners – QB Owen Cowan was the Ontario Conference offensive Rookie of the Year last season completing 53% of his throws for 1254 yards and nine touchdowns.  It will be interesting to see his progression in his sophomore year. 

Hamilton Hurricanes @ GTA Grizzlies – Sunday August 13, 1:00pm – Chinguacousy Park | WATCH HERE

This is always a fun game when the Hurricanes and Grizzlies meet as the Conference’s closest geographical rivalry. 

The Hurricanes begin a new era with new head coach Barry Emohead taking over, looking to improve the team’s 3-5 performance last year.  They were a playoff team but made a quick exit on the road in Windsor.  They took down the Grizzlies twice last season, a trend they are hoping to continue in the first game of this campaign. 

As for the Grizzlies, they are trying to make some giant leaps this season. They were held winless in 2022 and would love nothing more than to get a victory against their closest rival in game 1. 

Players to Watch:

Hurricanes – LB Zach Chaddock was the OFC Defensive Rookie of the Year last season and is back to plug up the middle.  Last year he finished with 36 tackles, had an interception, a fumble recovery, forced a pair of fumbles and had half a sack. 

Grizzlies – WR/KR Cliff Jerry Karingoh is a dangerous player with the ball in his hands.  The Grizzlies will need to create some opportunities for him to get his touches. 

Prairie Conference

Regina Thunder @ Calgary Colts – Sunday August 13, 1:00pm – Shouldice Field | WATCH HERE

The defending Conference champion Thunder begin their title defence on the road in Calgary after a dominating exhibition game win in Brandon last weekend.  The Thunder haven’t lost a regular season game since the 2019 campaign, going 16-0 over the last couple of years.  They will look different but similar than a year ago as some big names like quarterback Carter Shewchuk have graduated but others return like linebacker Stephen Smith. 

As for the Colts they begin a new era as Greg Delaval was named the head coach and former CFL coach Tom Higgins was named defensive coordinator.   With those two football minds at the helm, the Colts will be a better team then their 2-6 record from last year.

Players to Watch:

Thunder – WR Isaiah Woodley was an All-Canadian last season and will be called upon to be even better this season.  Arguably the Thunder passing attack could take a step back after the graduation of Shewchuk, but if the new pivot can find Woodley often, it could spell trouble for the Colts.

Colts – RB Alan Xiang needs to establish the running game immediately to give the Colts a more balanced attack.  It will be a challenge to run against the Thunder, but Xiang has the agility to out juke and out run most defensive players. 

Edmonton Wildcats @ Saskatoon Hilltops – Sunday August 13, 1:00pm – SMF Field | WATCH HERE

Two teams that finished on opposite ends of the standings last season will play in their first game this year when the Hilltops host the Wildcats.  

The Hilltops will once again be in the mix when it comes to deciding the Conference championship at the end of the year. They have a veteran group of coaches that demand a lot from their players and it pays off in the win/loss column.  They have already gelled as a team and get their first test as they host the rejuvenated Wildcats on Sunday afternoon. 

A new era is set to begin in Edmonton as Kevin Wuthrich has taken over as the new head coach.  They didn’t win a game last year, something they are hoping to change and stun the League with a victory in Saskatoon in the first game.

Players to Watch:

Hilltops – RB/KR Charles Sawi was the CJFL Rookie of the Year last season and is an explosive player.  He is mature beyond his years and has the ability to break a big gain at any time.  Look for him to make an immediate impact. 

Wildcats – QB Caleb Taylor is a year older and has put on some strength as he looks to lead the Wildcats offensive charge.  Last year he completed 53% of his passes for 921 yards and a pair of scores. He has a very tough test out of the gate against a veteran Hilltops defence.

Winnipeg Rifles @ Edmonton Huskies – Sunday August 13, 1:00pm – JP Bowl | WATCH HERE

A pair of playoff teams from last season will duke it out on Sunday to open their respective schedules when the Huskies host the Rifles.  Both teams will want to start quickly to show the rest of the Conference they have every intention to move up in the standings from where they finished last year. 

The Huskies’ strength will be their defence this season and are expected to keep their team in it throughout.  They have several veteran players that will be called upon to hold the opposition at bay and win the turnover battle.

The Rifles organization recorded some franchise firsts last season and they are hoping to build upon those milestones.  Their season came to an end last year following a snowstorm in Regina.  They have some key pieces returning this season and seem to be fairly balanced on both sides of the ball heading into the season opener. 

Players to Watch:

Huskies – DL Mikhail Biggs is a big body up front with tremendous speed and will require special attention from the Rifles line.  If he can get pressure on the quarterback, it’ll be a long day for the visitors. 

Rifles – LB Brandon Kamenz will no doubt be playing with a slight chip on his shoulder after being snubbed last season as a Conference All-Star despite leading the way with 37 tackles, along with four sacks and four interceptions.