The wait is nearly over as the Okanagan Sun are hours away from facing the St. Clair Saints in the 115th edition of the Canadian Bowl.
The match marks the second time in three seasons the Sun will play for the national title after they defeated the Regina Thunder in the 2022 edition of the event.
Just like in 2022, the Sun are undefeated heading into the Canadian Bowl as they look to win their fourth national title in their 10th appearance.
But before the final game of the season gets underway, the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) announced its first-team and second-team all-stars earlier this week – and the list was filled with Okanagan Sun players.
Players from the Sun to be named first-team all-stars include Kaiden Kerntopf, Elelyon Noa, Jacob Bond, Ahmed Borhot and Grady Hay.
Noa won the CJFL rushing title for this season after breaking the BC Football Conference (BCFC) record with 1612 yards in 10 games.
The running back averaged a little more than seven yards a carry and scored 23 touchdowns.
Bond managed 49 tackles this season, while Borhot led the CJFL with eight interceptions
Kerntopf was among the best linemen in the league and Hay kicked 60 punts that averaged just under 30 yards and tallied a pair of singles.
Michael Astone, an offensive lineman, and Kenley Williams were named second-team all-stars. Williams notched five interceptions, 13 tackles, three assists and four knockdowns this season.
The Sun and the Saints previously met in the Canadian Bowl in 1999 when the Saints were known as the Windsor AKO Fratmen.
In that match, the Fratmen defeated the Sun 32-29, marking the last time a team from Ontario won the national title.
The last time the Saints appeared in the Canadian Bowl was in 2017 when they lost to the Saskatoon Hilltops.
Kick off is at 4 pm and the game will be streamed at CJFLTV.com.
There will also be a watch party at Dakoda's Sports Bar & Grill. The game will be on throughout the pub with a silent auction and prizes to be won, including a signed helmet.
