CJFL 2025 CANADIAN BOWL OKANAGAN SUN vs SASKATOON HILLTOPS

With apologies to Canadian rock legends The Guess Who — the Okanagan Sun will be “Flyin’ Back to Saskatoon” for the 117th edition of the CJFL Canadian Bowl, where they’ll face a familiar foe in the powerhouse, Saskatoon Hilltops.

The last meeting between these two storied programs came almost exactly a decade ago — November 7th,

2015 — when the Hilltops claimed a 38–24 victory on home turf to capture the national title. Sunday’s kickoff

will mark a decade and two days since that matchup.

This year’s championship will be the fourth Canadian Bowl showdown between the clubs. Saskatoon holds a 2–

1 edge in the head-to-head series, with the Sun’s lone triumph coming in 2000 on home soil in Kelowna.

The Sun return to the national final for the second straight season after a dominant campaign — a perfect 10–

0 regular season followed by a 3–0 playoff run through the BCFC. The Hilltops, meanwhile, went 6–2 during the

Prairie Football Conference season before knocking off the favored Regina Thunder to claim their spot in the

title game.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Quarterbacks

The Sun’s success in 2025 has been due in large part to the steady play of fourth-year quarterback Liam Kroeger.

The team’s MVP directed the offense to a second consecutive undefeated regular season (10–0). Kroeger led

the BCFC in total passing yards with 2,860, completing 190 of 281 attempts for 26 touchdowns against just 3

interceptions. He also finished first in total offensive yards with 3,026.

The Hilltops, meanwhile, spread their quarterbacking duties among several players. Brexton Elias, the primary

starter, appeared in five games, completing 56 of 99 passes for 809 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.

Griffen Sander, who engineered the comeback win in the Prairie Conference Final, went 14 of 23 for 152 yards

in three games. Hayden McMahon also saw action in three contests, completing 28 of 54 passes for 376 yards

and 2 touchdowns.

Rushing

The battle in the backfield looks much tighter. Gerren Hardisty powered the Sun ground game, leading the

league with 163 carries for 1,025 yards — an average of 6.3 yards per carry — and 9 touchdowns.

For Saskatoon, David Collins was equally impressive, carrying the ball 126 times for 1,028 yards, averaging 8.2

yards per rush, and scoring 13 touchdowns over the eight-game regular season.

Receiving

Kroeger’s numbers were supported by a deep and talented receiving corps. Leading the way was Seth

Famakinde, who hauled in 27 receptions for 590 yards and 7 touchdowns. Right behind him was Vincent Chuoi

with 36 catches for 557 yards and 6 touchdowns. Jordayne Falconer added 27 receptions for 489 yards, and

Jasiah Haliburton contributed 33 catches for 471 yards and 6 touchdowns.

The Hilltops’ air attack features a reliable trio in David Boyd Jr., Isaiah Vallderruten, and Charles Sawi. Boyd

totaled 23 receptions for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns, Vallderruten recorded 16 catches for 392 yards and 4

scores, while Sawi added 15 receptions for 153 yards.

Defense

The Sun defense, which shut down the St. Clair Saints in the National Semi-Final, will once again be a major

factor. JaQuintis Summers and Jarveon Williams anchor the defensive ends, with Hunter Bultsma and Mitchell

Hickingbottom inside. That front four has spent much of the season living in opposing backfields, limiting run

games and harassing quarterbacks. Summers led the league in sacks with 12, adding 17 tackles and 9 assists. Williams finished with 11 sacks, 14 tackles, and 4 batted balls. Bultsma and Hickingbottom combined for 5 sacks and 26 tackles. Phil Palmarin and Grayson Statham lead the linebacking corps, while the Sun’s opportunistic secondary — nicknamed the “ball hawks” — was headlined by Tariq Brown with 7 interceptions, followed by Palmarin with 3. Altogether, the Sundefense recorded 18 interceptions on the season.

For Saskatoon, the defense is paced by fourth-year linebacker Isaac Michayluk, who posted 32 tackles, 22

assists, and 3 interceptions. Teammate Rudolph Osborne contributed 26 tackles and 11 assists, helping anchor

a disciplined Hilltops defensive unit.

Special Teams

When you talk about the Sun’s special teams, three names immediately come to mind — return specialist

Jordayne Falconer, kicker Liam Attwood, and punter Grady Hay.

Falconer, with his blazing speed and open-field vision, was a constant threat on returns, totaling 19 punt returns

for 432 yards, averaging 22.7 yards per return, and finding the end zone three times.

Hay led the league in punting with a 39.6-yard average, consistently flipping field position in the Sun’s favor.

Attwood topped the charts in kickoffs with a net average of 42.5 yards and five singles, while also cementing his place in CJFL history as the all-time career leader in successful field goals.

For Saskatoon, Charles Sawi handled the bulk of return duties, collecting 50 punt returns for 451 yards and 11

kickoff returns for 282 yards. Gino Frassetto managed the punting game with 30 punts for a 36.8-yard average,

while kicker Ryden Gratton connected on 12 of 18 field goal attempts and added four singles.

Final Thoughts

When two of the CJFL’s most storied programs meet with a national title on the line, you can expect nothing

less than a classic. The Okanagan Sun and Saskatoon Hilltops have built their legacies on preparation, precision, and pride — traits that have defined both teams for decades.

For the Sun, the formula for success remains the same: balance on offense, relentless defensive pressure, and

game-changing special teams. Saskatoon counters with championship experience, physicality, and the homefield advantage that comes with playing in front of their faithful at SMF Field.

Whether it’s Kroeger’s passing attack or Hardisty’s ground game setting the tempo, or the Hilltops’ defensive

front trying to slow them down, Sunday’s showdown promises to deliver a fitting finale to another outstanding

CJFL season. When the final whistle blows, one of these proud franchises will once again etch its name into Canadian Bowl history.