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| Hilltops LB Cody Peters, right, was named the CJFL’s top defensive player. |
On Friday night at the Canadian Junior Football League’s
awards banquet at the Radisson Hotel, Peters was named the winner of the league’s
Larry Wruck Defensive Player of the Year award. Peters became the first
Hilltops player to claim that honour since Cole Benkic back in 2015.
As an added bonus, Peters accepted the award from Saskatoon
Hilltops linebacker great Larry Wruck, who the defensive player of the year
award is named after.
In late May and early June, Peters, who is in his fifth and
final season with the Hilltops, attended training camp with the CFL’s
Saskatchewan Roughriders along with Hilltops star defensive back Colton Holmes.
Peters proceeded to spend the first two weeks of the CFL
season on the Roughriders practice roster.
When he returned to the Hilltops, Peters recorded 26 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced
fumbles and one interception during the regular season helping the Hilltops
post a perfect 8-0 record. In the Hilltops two post-season wins, Peters had
nine total tackles and a forced fumble.
The Hilltops (10-0)
will try to win an unprecedented fifth straight CJFL title on Saturday and try
to complete a perfect season hosting the Langley Rams (10-3) in the Canadian
Bowl at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.
During the campaign,
Peters picked up honours as a Prairie Football Conference all-star, most
outstanding linebacker and most outstanding defensive player. On Wednesday, he
was name a CJFL all-Canadian all-star.
The Peter Dalla Riva
Offensive Player of the Year was awarded to quarterback Jake Marquette of the
Hamilton Hurricanes. Marquette, who was a CJFL all-Canadian all-star, completed
97-of-145 passes for 1,760 yards, 28 touchdowns and one interception in eight
regular season games.
Marquette
quarterbacked the Hurricanes to an 8-0 regular season record and a berth in the
CJFL semifinal game, where they fell 39-14 to the Rams in Langley on Nov. 3.
Hurricanes receiver Keyshaun
Jordan took home CJFL Rookie of the Year honours. He topped the Ontario
Football Conference with 33 receptions, 753 receiving yards and 15 receiving
touchdowns appearing in all eight regular season games.
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| HCs Tom Sargeant and Howie Zaron pictured with the Canadian Bowl. |
The Gord Currie
Coach of the Year award was presented to Chilliwack, B.C., based Valley Huskers
head coach Bob Reist. Reist guided the Huskers to a 6-4 record and their first
playoff berth in the British Columbia Football Conference since 2008.
Huskers defensive
lineman James Moar claimed the CJFL’s Past Commissioners Community Service
award.
Before the awards
banquet was held, the CJFL held a press conference on Friday afternoon where
the head coaches from both the Hilltops and the Rams addressed the media at SMF Field.
The Hilltops head
into the Canadian Bowl coming off a 19-day layoff from last hitting the field
for a game, when they downed the Edmonton Huskies in the PFC final on Oct. 28.
Legendary Hilltops
head coach Tom Sargeant was in top form, when asked about the opportunity his
team had to win a fifth straight CJFL title.
“We’re here for the fifth-year
players,” said Sargeant. “Last year was last year’s team. The year before was
that team.
“This is this team,
so they just want one. They don’t care about all that other stuff. That is
noise.
“At the end of the
day, to go 10-0 in our league obviously we’ve done something right to get to
here. I expect that team to show up that has been here all year show up
tomorrow and understand and be focused and get the job done. That is what I
want to see.”
Rams head coach and
general manager Howie Zaron said his club is just worried about trying to beat
the Hilltops squad that will take the field on Saturday.
“I think, if you get
caught up in the championships and the four in a row and all that stuff, you’re
already defeated before you get here,” said Zaron. “It hasn’t been a thought
for us at all.
“We’re just here to
have some fun and win a football game. Everybody likes to make a big deal of
these games. It is just another football game for us.
“We know what is on
the line. We’re excited.”
This will mark the third time in seven years the Hilltops
and Rams face each other in the Canadian Bowl. The previous two encounters were
both held in McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C.
In 2012, the Hilltops claimed one of the all-time classic
CJFL title encounters downing the Rams 23-21. In 2014, the Hilltops ran away
with a 39-14 victory, which started their current run of winning four straight
CJFL championships.
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