Even with the loss of the 2020 season to the pandemic, most athletes could still say that at least they had 2019. But Colby Henkel couldn鈥檛 even point to that as the Westshore Rebels quarterback was lost for the sa国际传媒 Football Conference season to an injury in the first game of 2019.
Back-up Shawn Lal stepped in and did a yeoman job for the Rebels that year. Henkel watched from the sidelines with his 21-year-old year season lost. That was followed by the 2020 pandemic season and the loss of his final year of junior football eligibility. But the six-foot-four, 235-pound Henkel and the other 22-year-olds from last year were saved by a Canadian Junior Football League ruling 颅allowing an extra 23-year-old season of eligibility this year for the 22-year-olds who were signed for the 2020 season.
鈥淪o we will have a 23-year-old quarterback who is big with a strong arm and who can really sling it around,鈥� said Rebels team president Rob Lervold.
Henkel, from Windsor, will be looking to fellow-Ontarian and outside receiver Dolani Robinson as his wide-out threat and Kieran Poissant from Regina as the inside receiving option.
The Rebels open the 2021 BCFC season today against the Okanagan Sun in a marquee match-up pitting two top-level teams. It is a Suns home game but will be played in Chilliwack, and not at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna, due to the COVID restrictions in Interior Health.
The Rebels had 80 players in training camp, of which 39 were from the Island and 41 outside recruits.
鈥淭he Belmont and Mount Douglas high school programs have been a great source of local talent and our connections in Alberta, Regina, Winnipeg and Ontario have been good sources for our recruiting,鈥� said Lervold.
鈥淏asically, it鈥檚 been two years worth of recruiting because of the missed 2020 season.鈥�
鈥淲e think this is a very 颅athletic and fast group that can be special.鈥�
Rebels head coach Shane Beatty鈥檚 speciality is defence, which will again be evident.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 Shane鈥檚 forte and our defence is looking fast and 颅ferocious and will play with edge and really get after people,鈥� said Lervold.
The BCFC season opened last weekend with the Sun handily beating the Valley Huskers 39-8 in Chilliwack.
鈥淲e had our coaches there scouting the game and Okanagan ran the ball well [running-back Malcolm Miller scampered for 128 yards] and looked to have a strong defensive line,鈥� said Lervold.
The Rebels will also have to be wary of Okanagan wide receiver Mike O鈥橲hea Jr., son of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers CFL head coach Mike O鈥橲hea Sr. This Sun is a talented son as the younger O鈥橲hea caught a pass and ran for a 92-yard touchdown and also returned a punt for an 80-yard touchdown against the Huskers.
鈥淭he advantage is we have seen them [Sun] but they have not yet seen us. We will be well prepared for our opener against them,鈥� said Lervold.
The 2021 BCFC season is reduced to eight regular season games from the usual 10.
The Vancouver Island 颅Raiders, under head coach 颅Curtis Vizza, open today at 5:30 p.m. at Nanaimo District Secondary School field against the 颅Langley Rams, the latter a power in recent seasons.
The Rebels鈥� home opener is Sept. 18 against the Valley Huskers at Starlight Stadium in Langford.
Lervold touched on the 颅importance of this level of 颅football.
鈥淭he CFL is littered with 颅players from the Canadian 颅Junior Football League,鈥� he said.
The BCFC regular season concludes Oct. 30. The playoff semifinals are Nov. 6-7, with the fourth-place team visiting the top seed and the third-place team visiting the second seed. The Cullen Cup BCFC championship game is Nov. 13 or 14. The Cullen Cup champion will play in the national semifinals Nov. 20. The Canadian Bowl national junior championship game is Dec. 4.
