Okanagan Sun running back CJFL offensive player of the year

Noa takes top honour

Photo: Contributed

Elelyon Noa

Okanagan Sun running back Elelyon Noa has another individual award to add to his trophy case.

Noa was named the Canadian Junior Football League's offensive player of the year at the CJFL awards banquet on the eve of the tonight's Canadian Bowl in Windsor.

The award comes on top of numerous year ending team awards and offensive player of the game honours in both the BCFC and national semi-final games.

Noa led the CJFL in rushing with a BCFC record 1,612 yards. He added 25 touchdowns including 23 on the ground.

He is the sixth member of the Sun to be named offensive player of the year, joining Malcolm Miller (2021), Jeff Halvorson (2004), Zach Silverman (2000), Terrance Huston (1999) and Ron Arnold (1998).

First-year quarterback Marek Filipek was named the CJFL offensive rookie of the year.

Filipek threw for 1,316 yards and nine touchdowns through the regular season.

Regina Thunder linebacker Stephen Smith won his second straight defensive player of the year honour edging out Sun linebacker Jacob Bond.

Saskatoon head coach Tom Sargeant was named coach of the year for a third time after leading the Hilltops to a perfect record in the Prairie Football Conference. He beat out Sun head coach Travis Miller.

Kamloops kick returner Kaleb Senz was named special teams player of the year. He averaged nearly 19 yards per return, taking one back for a touchdown.

The Sun hope to bring back one more piece of hardware when they face the St Clair College Saints in this afternoon's Canadian Bowl.

Kickoff is 4 p.m.