Regina Thunder

CJFL Major Awards

By CJFL Media 11/08/2024, 6:15pm PST

The top performers of 2024

Photos courtesy of Wanda Harron Photography and @in_motion_sports_photography

The Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) is proud to announce their Outstanding Player Award winners for the 2024 season. The awards were handed out Friday night at the Celebration of Excellence in Windsor, ON.

The award winners are:

Gordon Currie Coach of the Year
Tom Sargeant– Saskatoon Hilltops - he led the Hilltops to an undefeated regular season and now home field advantage throughout the Prairie Conference playoffs. This is the third time Coach Sargeant was won this award.

Offensive Rookie of the Year
Quarterback Marek Filipek – Okanagan Sun – a 17-year-old rookie who won the job out of camp in the spring finished with 1316 passing yards, completing 61% of his passes and threw nine touchdowns

Defensive Rookie of the Year
Defensive back CJ Augustine – Langley Rams – an absolute ballhawk in his rookie campaign making seven interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns and added 17 solo tackles, knocked down two passes, forced a fumble and assisted on two other tackles.

Special Teams Player of the Year
Kick returner Kaleb Senz – Kamloops Broncos – he was a dangerous return man for the Broncos this season returning a BC Conference high 59 kicks, gathering 1081 yards, averaging 18.9 yards a return and did run one back for a touchdown

Larry Wruck Outstanding Defensive Player
Linebacker Stephen Smith – Regina Thunder (second consecutive season) - he led the Thunder with 34 solo tackles, had 20 assists, 2.5 sacks, 2 knockdowns and intercepted a pass returning it 23 yards

Peter Dalla Riva Outstanding Offensive Player
Running back Elelyon Noa – Okanagan Sun – he won the CJFL rushing title and set a new BC Conference single season record with 1612 yards and 23 touchdowns on 216 carries. He averaged 7.5 yards a carry

CJFL Past Commissioners Award
Demarco Espinoza Mattoon – Edmonton Wildcats

CJFL Stewart MacDonald Executive of the Year
Jen and Rob Annen – London Beefeaters

CJFL Life Member
Mike Morencie – St. Clair Saints

Rick Smoke Community Involvement Award
Hamilton Hurricanes (second consecutive season)

The 116th Canadian Bowl will kick-off Saturday November 9, at 7:00pm at Acumen Stadium in Windsor, Ontario.

BROADCAST INFO
Watch the pay per view Canadian Bowl broadcast HERE

Second Team All-Canadians

By CJFL Media 11/06/2024, 9:00am PST

Some of the best players from 2024

Photo courtesy of Hanlon Photography

The Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) is proud to announce the SECOND-Team All-Canadians for the 2024 season.

Offensive Line
Camauri Barney – Westshore Rebels (second consecutive season)
Bjorn Nelson – Edmonton Huskies
Michael Astone – Okanagan Sun
Jacob Deneau – London Beefeaters
Caleb Barajas – Regina Thunder

Receivers
Max Taylor – Edmonton Wildcats – he hauled in 41 receptions for 704 yards and had five touchdowns

Cameron St. Kitts-Park – St. Clair Saints – he led the OFC in receptions (29), receiving yards (468) and touchdowns (9)

Blaise Newberry – Calgary Colts – he caught 34 passes for 495 yards and collected three touchdowns

Christian Phillips – Ottawa Sooners – he had 22 receptions for 375 yards and four touchdowns

Running Backs
Sadik Sadik – Regina Thunder – he led the Prairie Conference with 10 rushing touchdowns on the strength of 106 carries and 781 yards, an average of 7.4 yards a carry

Rashaad Johnson (pictured) – Ottawa Sooners – he led the OFC with 1045 rushing yards on 120 carries for 10 touchdowns

Quarterback
Maurice Sodja – St. Clair Saints (second consecutive season) – completed 68.5% of his passes for a Conference high 1499 yards and 20 touchdowns for a quarterback efficiency of 153.3%. He also rushed 62 times for 624 yards with 11 more touchdowns, averaging over 10 yards a carry.

Punter
Teijon Abel-Douglas – Saskatoon Hilltops – when called upon he averaged 30.8 net yards with each boot and recorded 39 punts over the course of the regular season

Place Kicker
Jack Lewis – St. Clair Saints – he connected on an Ontario Conference high eight field goals out of 11 attempts. He added 52 converts during the regular season.

Defensive Line
Ted Windom Jr. – Westshore Rebels – he led the BC Conference with six sacks, had 22 tackles, seven assists and two knockdowns

Johnathon Stevens – Saskatoon Hilltops (second consecutive season) – he tallied 12 solo tackles, had nine assisted stops, three sacks, recovered a fumble and had a knockdown

Noah Williams – London Beefeaters – he had eight solo tackles along with five assisted stops and a pair of sacks

Anthony Adams – St. Clair Saints – he collected eight tackles, had 12 assisted tackles, 3.5 sacks, a knockdown, and recovered a fumble.

Linebackers
Isaac Michayluk – Saskatoon Hilltops - he made 33 solo tackles, assisted on 27 others, knocked down a pass, and had an interception that he returned 14 yards

Kyler Banfield – Winnipeg Rifles – he had 39 solo tackles, 13 assisted tackles, half a sack, blocked a kick, knocked down a pass, forced and recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass

Jon Banal – Valley Huskers – he had an eyepopping 50 solo tackles, had 14 assisted stops, two interceptions, recovered a fumble and returned it 109 yards for a touchdown, knocked down four passes, blocked a kick and had a sack

Defensive Backs
Kenley Williams – Okanagan Sun – he picked off five passes, and 13 tackles, three assists and four knockdowns

Raiden Mastin – Valley Huskers – he led the Conference with eight knockdowns, had 34 tackles, four assisted tackles, had two interceptions, and blocked a kick

Tanner Berezowski – Edmonton Huskies – he recovered a fumble and returned it 23 yards for touchdown to complement his 27 solo tackles, seven assisted tackles and knocked down a pass

Jacoby Dillon – Quinte Skyhawks – he collected four interceptions, had 27 tackles, knocked down a pass and forced a fumble

Felice Toscano – VI Raiders – he collected 33 tackles, four assisted stops, had four interceptions and four knockdowns

Return Specialist
Nick Szigeti – London Beefeaters (second consecutive season) – he collected 29 kick returns averaging 16 return yards and tallied two returns for touchdowns

The 2024 CJFL First Team All-Canadians will be announced on Thursday (tomorrow).

Playoff Players of the Week

By CJFL Media 10/29/2024, 1:30pm PDT

The best players from this past weekend

The CJFL is pleased to announce the Players of the Week following the National Semi-Final and the Ontario Conference title game.

Offensive Players of the Week

National Semi-Final
RB Elelyon Noa – Okanagan Sun
In big games you need your best players to be at their best and Elelyon Noa was that for the Okanagan Sun as they went into Regina to win the National Semi-Final. Noa carried the ball 18 times, picking up 84 very difficult yards and scored a fourth quarter touchdown from 17-yards out to seal the win for his club. He also tossed a two-point conversation pass after his touchdown.

Ontario Conference
QB Matthew Guenette – St. Clair Saints
After a long road back, Matthew Guenette returned to the helm of the Saints offence and delivered a masterful performance as the Saints continued their unbeaten season in a statement win that punched the Saints’ ticket to the Canadian Bowl. Guenette shredded the London defence as he completed 23 of 29 passes for 377 yards and six touchdowns and scampered five times for an additional 42 yards and had a touchdown.

Defensive Players of the Week

National Semi-Final
LB Jacob Bond – Okanagan Sun
He was the BC Conference Defensive Player of the Year and he should why on the national stage with an incredible 11 solo tackles and assisted on eight others against a very talented Regina running attack. He was also able to force a fumble and the Sun won the national semi with their defence.

Ontario Conference
LB Carl Fabre – St. Clair Saints
In a video game like atmosphere where the offences put up points on both sides of the ball, the Saints defence simply made more plays and making the plays all over the field was Carl Fabre. The Saints linebacker had eight tackles, had a quarterback sack and forced a key fumble deep in London territory that set up a quick touchdown for the home side. Fabre totalled 18 defensive points on the night.

Special Teams Players of the Week

National Semi-Final
PR Jakeb Cortus – Regina Thunder
He was the leading punt return for the Thunder during the national semi-final returning eight punts for 95 yards as he attempted to give his offensive teammates good field position.

Ontario Conference
PK Jack Lewis – St. Clair Saints
As he has done all season long, Jack Lewis showed why he was the conference all-star as he was perfect on the night nailing all ten of his converts and drilling an all important field goal as time expired in the first half as he connected on his only field goal attempt from 34 yards out.