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Rookie Class Of 2014

By Ryan Watters (@ryan2tswatters), 01/16/15, 11:00AM PST

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No less than 10 true rookies made an impact this past season

Photo courtesy of Greystoke Photography

Taking a closer look at the Sun Rookie Class of 2014 reveals the future is bright after a 9-1 season and a trip to the Cullen Cup.

At least nine true rookies made solid contributions on the field this past season, all of them just 18 years old. The breakdown:

#1 Josiah Joseph, QB – A graduate of Mount Boucherie in West Kelowna, Joseph looked comfortable in the pocket in just his first season. He completed 50 of 84 passes for 839 yards, threw seven touchdowns and six interceptions.  The Peachland native completed 59.5% of his passes and finished with a 95.3% passer efficiency rating.

#6 Lliam Wishart, WR – The Kamloops native and graduate of Valleyview Secondary, Wishart is another big target for the Sun quarterbacks.  In his rookie season, Wishart made seven catches for 97 yards, including catching his only touchdown pass in his hometown of Kamloops.

#25 Kory Nagata, RB (pictured) – With a very low centre of gravity and great speed, stopping Nagata wasn’t easy for defenders.  The Richmond native and Hugh Boyd Secondary grad carried the rock 24 times for 213 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns.  On his very first carry at the Apple Bowl Nagata scored from 25 yards out.

#26 Keegan Hughes, LB – Primarily used on special teams during his rookie season, the West Kelowna native collected two solo tackles and was often the first man down the field to cover a kick.  At just 18 years old, the future is bright of this Mount Boucherie grad.

#30 Isaiah Stewart, DB – The Coquitlam native received great experience in his rookie campaign, making four solo tackles and forced a fumble.  The Centennial grad could make a big impact in the 2015 season after the loss of some important secondary pieces.

#33 Chris Pereira, LB – He was one of the most noticeable rookies this past season, following in the footsteps of some outstanding Winnipeg natives.  The St. Pauls high school grad posted six solo tackles, had two sacks and two forced fumbles.  Whenever he was on the field Pereira was heavily involved in seemingly each and every play.  He will be asked to step up even more in 2015 after the graduation of Ron Mwamba and Jeff Mock.

#40 Jean Ventose, DB – The Calgary native appeared and had an impact in many of the regular season games making five solo tackles.  The Henry Wisewood grad improved each time he stepped on the field and will be looked upon to carry a heavier load this upcoming season.

#57 Connor Novak, DL – After an extremely successful high school career at Kelowna Senior Secondary, Novak brought his drive and intensity into his rookie season.  He finished the year with an impressive nine solo tackles and the coaching staff took notice.  The Kelowna native is poised to have a very big 2015.

#58 Hayden Nellis, DL – The D-Line has been one of the strengths of the Sun for the last number of years with names like Doege, Ironstand, Eli, Machado, Gering, Hurlock, Law and Wynsouw.  The next name included in this list could be Nellis.  The Winnipeg native and Dakota High School grad showed great progress and growth moving into the junior ranks.  Nellis could be a big piece on the line in 2015.

#74 Elias Rodriguez, DL – Another Kelowna Senior Secondary grad, Rodriguez showed command on the defensive line at just 18 years old.  The Kelowna native played well enough during the regular season, to win a spot on the 40 man playoff roster.  He made three solo tackles during the regular season, but the highlight must have been recovering a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown during the semi-final victory over the VI Raiders at the Apple Bowl.