TWO PROVINCIAL UNDER-16 TEAMS

Football BC announced today the final rosters for their two provincial under-16 tackle football teams that will represent British Columbia at the 2014 Red River Cup to be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from July 6 to 12, 2014.

Team BC Orange, led by defending gold medal winning head coach Sean Roden (Nanaimo Redmen), features 39 players including two returning members of the 2013 U16 Team BC gold medal championship squad.

Those players are DL Carlo De Coste (Notre Dame Jugglers) and DL Carson Vos (John Barsby Bulldogs). Team BC Orange boasts five players from the Vancouver College Fighting Irish of the BC High School Football Association.

In addition, Team BC Orange also features 10 players from the BC Community Football Association: QB Gabriel Olivares and DB Ethan Mastin from the Chilliwack Giants, OL Gabriel Wallace, LB Jesse Benneke and DL Kyle Zakala from Kelowna Minor Football, DB Connor Desnoyers from the Langley Mustangs, DB Justin Kular from the North Surrey Tigers, REC Cooper Jones from the South Delta Rams, and LB Phillip Grohovac from the Victoria Renegades.

Team BC Blue, led by two-time CJFL Coach of the Year Nick Kawaza (Langley Rams), features 38 players including one returning member of the 2013 U16 Team BC gold medal winning team in LB Mario Marra (Notre Dame Jugglers).

Team BC Blue also has four players each from the Notre Dame Jugglers and Handsworth Royals of BC High School Football, respectively.

In addition, Team BC Blue also boasts 12 players from the BC Community Football Association: LB Bailey Lamont and OL Logan Swanson from the Cowichan Bulldogs, DB Kieran Carter and LB Matthew Klak from Kelowna Minor Football. OL Dylan Strutt from the Nanaimo Redmen, REC Andy Hanlen from the North Langley Bears, DB Joel Klaassen from the North Surrey Tigers, DB Gage Oddy from the Salmon Arm Chargers, DB Josh Haydu from the North Delta Longhorns, RB Stefanos Goulas from the South Delta Rams, DL Jake Ounsted from the Victoria Renegades, and DL Tighe Andreou from the White Rock Titans.

Team BC Orange’s coaching staff is rounded out by offensive coordinator and running backs coach Martin McDonnell (Terry Fox Ravens), defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Jordan Liberman (Terry Fox Ravens), quarterbacks coach Suresh Parray (Chilliwack Giants), offensive line coach Tom Kudaba (Terry Fox Ravens), receivers coach Jim Head (North Surrey Minor Football), and special teams coordinator and defensive line coach Glenn Cook (John Barsby Bulldogs).

Team BC Blue’s coaching staff, in addition to having Kawaza serve as head coach, offensive coordinator and running backs coach, is rounded out by defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Jerome Erdman (McGill Redmen), quarterbacks coach Leon Lilley (North Surrey Minor Football), receivers coach Brendan Carrigan (White Rock Titans), offensive line coach Neil Cartwright (UBC Thunderbirds), linebackers coach Anthony Rasotto (Notre Dame Jugglers), and defensive line coach Ray Moon (South Delta Sun Devils).

Game dates for the 2014 Red River Cup are slated for July 6 (Sunday), July 9 (Wednesday) and July 12 (Saturday).

A detailed schedule will be available at a later time. All games will take place at Investors Group Field, home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League and the Manitoba Bisons of Canadian Interuniversity Sport.

The 2014 Red River Cup is a seven-team tournament featuring teams from four provinces: British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nova Scotia.

Thanks to Daniel Fung of Football BC for the info