The 2024 BC Football Conference season was a tale of two teams for the Prince George Kodiaks.
“First half of the season we struggled,” said Head Coach Jamie Boreham.
“I think we struggled to find out who we were and who our leaders were, and then about five, six weeks ago, there was a shift in our leadership, and it wasn’t that we changed people, it’s just that leaders stepped up.”
The team won their first game of the season at home, clawing out a 39-34 win over the Vancouver Island Raiders.
The Kodiaks then lost seven straight games, before capping off their season with a pair of wins over the Kamloops Broncos to finish sixth in the BC Football Conference with a 3-7 record.
“It’s nice to finish the season like this, finish on some highs, finish on some success,” Boreham said.
“We lost the Sun game, but there’s a whole bunch of positives we can take from that, with shutting down the number one offense in the country in the second half. Our guys have really taken pride in this, they’re happy with where they’ve come, and we really are looking forward to 25.”
The team won’t be losing many players over the offseason. Just four are aging out of the league, and defensive end JJ Aboagye committed to the University of Calgary Dinos for next season.
Boreham said he sees continuity for next season at all levels of the organization.
“We’re losing five guys, everyone else has the opportunity come back,” Boreham said.
“I think Sawyer [Thiessen] and [Liam] Diebert [Saturday] night, they both managed the game really well, and I think the future’s really bright there with the two of those guys.”
Thiessen took a majority of the snaps under centre for Prince George this season, while Diebert emerged as the backup.
“Xander Shane popped off another hundred, receivers stepped up, it just got cleaner as we went along,” Boreham said.
“We’re going to need to support our offensive line, find a few more key personnel there and support them.”
On the defensive side of the ball, the Kodiaks struggled to start the year, but immensely improved towards the tail end of the season.
“It’s nice that they feel they can go out on the field and get people off the field,” Boreham said.
“We’ll support our coaches, support players, develop, and grow our community and get these guys a great off-season.”
He added the off-field management for the team has been incredible as well.
“Scott Stoughton has been instrumental in business and office, and off-field management things,” Boreham said.
“He’s added so much leadership to the team off the field, and support to me, I can’t thank him enough.”
Looking forward to the next Kodiaks, Boreham said he’s happy with the graduating high school players in Prince George.
“It’s been pretty neat for us to start the High School Northern Selects fall team,” he said.
“There’s a bunch of high school kids, we’ve got some College Heights guys, trying to think of the grade 12s because they’ve got some grade 11s too.”
Boreham said he’s happy with how the team is moving along in Prince George.
“It’s great to be working with our community, working with all levels of football, and then finding those diamonds, not in the rough anymore, but just the diamonds.”
Boreham also gave a thanks to all the fans and sponsors that have supported them throughout the season.
Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
