For the Okanagan Sun, 2015 represented a return to B.C. junior football supremacy.
Under the guidance of third-year head coach Shane Beatty, the Sun won its first BCFC title in 11 seasons, defeating the Vancouver Island Raiders 54-0 in the final on Oct. 25 at the Apple Bowl.
“It means everything,” Beatty said of the Sun’s first league championship since 2004. “These kids worked tirelessly, I’m so proud of them. This is for the whole organization from top to bottom.”
The win made amends for a heartbreaking defeat in the final a year earlier to the Langley Rams, a rallying point for the Sun throughout the 2015 season.
“Nobody forgot about that one,” said Sun quarterback Bedore following the BCFC title game. “We worked our butts off, I don’t think we’ve taken more than three or four days off over the last 12 months so it really shows.”
The Sun went 12-0 against B.C. competition, but fell short of a perfect season in Saskatoon, as the hometown Hilltops defeated Okanagan 38-24 in the Canadian Bowl.
The Sun also had some outstanding individual performances and recognition during 2015, as Brennan Van Nistelrooy, Cord Delinte, Jonas Gering, Tomas Huber, Kyle Kawamoto and Cliff Crews were named all-Canadians.
Shane Beatty was named the CJFL coach of the year.
