Forty-five of the 80 players expected to gather on the field for the start of Prince George Kodiaks’ junior football training camp at Masich Pace Stadium Thursday afternoon are northern B.C. born and bred and most of them are from Prince George.
Receiver Kaden Wagner, a native of Medicine Hat who played for Boreham with the Sun, was the first call Boreham made when he started his Kodiaks recruiting drive and the 22-year-old gladly accepted the offer to come to Prince George. He’s already emerged as one of the team leaders.
The team has 45 returning players including quarterbacks – Quinn Neukomm (Duchess Park), Sam Sabine (Calgary) and Andrew Johnson (Duchess Park). Hixon product Jason Kragt, a former PGSS Polar, will be back to anchor the defensive line, coming off a stellar first junior season.
The rookie crop of locals includes receiver Taemon Piddocke (College Heights), offensive lineman Connor Sherlock (College Heights), offensive lineman Connor Johnson (PGSS), linebacker Nicholas Krawsyzk (PGSS) and defensive back Hayden Matheson (College Heights), who missed most of last season with an injury.
Former Duchess Park Condor receiver Carson Briere, who sat out his rookie season last year due to an illness, is back in the Kodiaks’ fold, as is receiver Aiden Lewis (Duchess Park) who played basketball at Grande Prairie College.
“This is truly Prince George’s team, more than 50 per cent of our players are local; these are kids that are staying her, playing here, and they’re in pivotal roles,” said Kodiaks president Craig Briere.”At the end of the day they’re the heartbeat of the Kodiaks and this is what we wanted. We wanted to keep these young men here., playing in front of their friends and family and the people of Prince George.”
Offensive guard Will St. Hubert and Keon Raymond II, both BCFC all-stars last season, won’t be back, nor will running back Noah Lank, a Duchess Park product who has moved on to the University of Saskatchewan.
Boreham has lined up as his assistant coaches Adrien Kellman, Garfield Nelson, Johannes van Leenen, Scott Wagner, Reid Williams, Brad Paakonen, Sean Yeulet, Ken Hocker, Nick Pankurst, Rylan Anderson, Cam Brown and Dave Thomas.
Coming off a 1-9 season, the Kodiaks open their 2023 schedule July 29 at home against Okanagan, the first of three games this year against the defending champs.
