2014 BC Senior Bowl Recap: Team Friesen earns decisive victory

The 2014 BC Senior Bowl wrapped up at Langley’s MacLeod Athletic Park with Team Friesen’s (named for UBC Thunderbirds coach Jerry Friesen) decisive 24-6 victory over Team Kelly (named for Denis Kelly of the WJ Mouat Hawks). Friesen and Kelly served as Defensive Coordinator and Offensive Coordinator during the camp.

The game opened with a scoreless quarter, before Team Friesen managed to gain a narrow 2-0 lead after forcing Team Kelly to concede a safety. Late in the opening half, quarterback Ty Marshall (Windsor Dukes) marched Team Friesen down field and receiver Manvir Khun-Khun (Vancouver College Fighting Irish) came in for a touchdown. A two-point conversion followed to make it 10-0 at halftime in favour of Team Friesen.

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In the second half, Team Friesen running back Braeden Pritchard (White Rock Titans) tallied a major to make  it 17-0, before Team Kelly quarterback Josiah Joseph (Mount Boucherie Bears) scored the lone touchdown for the team. A 105-yard pick-six from defensive back Jake Firlotte (WJ Mouat Hawks) would be the final nail in Team Kelly’s coffin as it halted a fourth quarter drive into the Friesen end by Joseph and Team Kelly.

AJ Blackwell (Carson Graham Eagles) was named the Offensive MVP for Team Friesen and Conner Novak (Kelowna Owls) earned the Defensive MVP award for Team Friesen. For Team Kelly, Brody Taylor (John Barsby Bulldogs) and Jonathan Kongbo (Holy Cross Crusaders were respectively Offensive MVP and Defensive MVP.

Dino Geremia, technical director for Football BC, which organizes the Senior Bowl, thought that the game was a perfect cap to the week’s camp.

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“I’m always impressed and I always like to see the game and how it finishes up,” Geremia said., “With the all-star game it always starts off a little shaky early in the week and you’re not sure how everything is going to come together.”

“So it is always a relief and I am always impressed at how the coaches and the players come together on game day and really make it a competitive and high-level game. It is always nice when you reach game day and see the work of the week being done and that is has been successful.”

However, Team Friesen’s victory over Team Kelly did surprise Geremia due to the high level of talent he saw on both sides.

“Certainly, Team Friesen had the running back AJ Blackwell who definitely the player of the game,” Geremia said. “But Team Kelly had a strong passing attack and had (Receiver MVP) Eldridge Sellers.”

“He was impressive all week, but Team Friesen just did a good job of keeping him under wraps.”

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Geremia thought that this year’s venue, Langley’s McLeod Athletic Park, was a big step up for the BC Senior Bowl and sets a standard for future venues that will have to be met by other communities.

“It was another highlight because it has a big screen which did replay and it just adds that technical element where fans can watch the replays, and the whole game is taped and live streamed,” Geremia said.

“I think that most communities are going to have follow what Langley has done.  It is going to be tough to select another venue unless they have Langley’s bells and whistles. It is like anything that once you have stepped it up you’ve established a new expectation.”

Players were unanimous in their praise of the Senior Bowl as well as the efforts and mentorship of the coaches and professionals that took the time to help them.

For Josiah Joseph, who earned the Quarterback MVP Award at the camp, it led him directly to the next stage of his football career – Okanagan Suns of the British Columbia Football Conference in the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL).

“It was a great way to end my high school career and start my post secondary football career,” Joseph said. “It was great!”

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Jake Firlotte, Defensive Back MVP whose pick-six sealed the game for Team Friesen, also thought the camp and game was a great way to end his high school career.

“I had a great time over the week,” Firlotte said.  “I learned a lot from all of the different coaches and the BC Lions players who came out and helped us.”

“Meeting different players from around the province was very fun along with playing with players who I have played with or against during the regular season.”

Manvir Khun-Khun, whose touchdown began Team Friesen’s dominant performance also earned one of the Senior Bowl Scholarships presented every year by Football BC, the BC Lions and Sandman Hotels. He declared the Senior Bowl to be one of the greatest experiences he had as a high school player.

“I would not want to end my high school football career in any other way,” Kuhn Kuhn said.  “Having the BC Lions coach us for a few days really inspired and motivated me.”

“The Football BC coaches and staff treated us spectacularly.  I can speak on everyone’s behalf that each and every one of us athletes came out as improved football players. I guarantee no one who attended the Senior Bowl would rather be sleeping in and relaxing than waking up bright and early to play the best sport on this planet.”

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CAMP PLAYERS OF THE WEEK AWARDS

QUARTERBACK 
MVP: Josiah Joseph (Mt. Boucherie Bears)

Most Improved: Mike LeMoine (Handsworth Royals)

RUNNING BACK 
MVP: AJ Blackwell  (Carson Graham Eagles)

Most Improved: Kyle Deugau (Terry Fox Ravens)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
 MVP: Brogan Cruse  (Duchess Park Condors)

Most Improved: Kyle Harrington (Victoria Spartans)

RECEIVER
 MVP: Eldridge Sellers V (Terry Fox Ravens)

Most Improved: Dustin Lander (Pemberton Grizzlies)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
 MVP: Conner Novak (Kelowna Owls)

Most Improved: Cory Hudson (Seaquam Seahawks)

LINEBACKER 
MVP: Dariush Afshari (Eric Hamber Griffins)

Most Improved: Curtis Garlough (South Delta Sun Devils)

DEFENSIVE BACK 
MVP: Jake Firlotte (WJ Mouat Hawks)

Most Improved: Clovis Lumeka (WJ Mouat Hawks)

SENIOR BOWL SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTED BY FOOTBALL BC, BC LIONS AND SANDMAN HOTELS:

Manvir Khun-Khun (Vancouver College Fighting Irish)

Clovis Lumeka (WJ Mouat Hawks)

PRACTICE PLAYER WINNERS:

QUARTERBACK: Ben Minaker (Mt. Boucherie Bears)

RUNNING BACK: Kory Nagata (Hugh Boyd Trojans)

RECEIVER: Cameron Dare (Howe Sound Sounders)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: Trenton Nesdoly (Rutland Voodoos)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: Brock Gowanlock (Cowichan Bulldogs)

LINEBACKER: Devin Weemers (Argyle Pipers)

DEFENSIVE BACK: Ryan McQuillan (Terry Fox Ravens)

Max Olesen’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/WritingOlesen

Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.

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