A trio of Westshore Rebels was recognized as the B.C. Football Conference announced its major award winners on Saturday.
Jamel Lyles, who established a new league record for rushing yardage this season with 1,604, took home two awards. He was named the top offensive back and the outstanding offensive player for the year.
“I believe in my team so much. We’re all on the same page and that’s what makes us successful,” Lyles said after last week’s 34-29 semi-final victory over the Vancouver Island Raiders.
Lyles ran 25 times for 198 yards, including the winning score from two yards out in the dying seconds in the semifinal. He also ran the opening kickoff back 103 yards for a touchdown as he collected the league’s top offensive player of the week honours for the fifth time this season.
Former Mount Douglas Ram Christian Krause was also recognized as the BCFC’s top offensive lineman for 2016, helping open those gaps for Lyles.
J.C. Boice was named the BCFC coach of the year as he turned the Rebels around from a 2-8 campaign in 2015 to 8-1-1 in 2016. The local club will face the defending champion Okanagan Sun on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Westhills Stadium in the Cullen Cup final, the first time the championship will be played in Victoria.
“I am incredibly proud for this award only because it reflects our program’s team success,” Boice said. “So many people have worked so hard this season and I really appreciate that.
“We simply could not have experienced this magical season without my wife, Janiene Boice, my good friend and Rebels’ board member Rob Chernoff and, especially, our Rebels’ defensive co-ordinator and strength coach Shane Beatty.”
Other award winners included: Dustin Rodriguez, of the VI Raiders, top receiver; Shaiheem Charles-Brown, of the Langley Rams, top defensive lineman; Okanagan’s Layne Hull, top linebacker and top defensive player; kicker Tiernan Docherty, of the Langley Rams, top special teams player; quarterback Colby Henkel, of the Kamloops Broncos, rookie of the year; and Kamloops teammate Jordan Angove also took home two awards — top defensive back and return specialist.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
