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Westshore Rebels earn BC Football Conference major awards

Only thing left for Jamel Lyles to win is a B.C. and national championship
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Record-setting Westshore Rebels running back Jamel Lyles

It's been an incredible season for Westshore Rebels running back Jamel Lyles.

On the heels of a record-setting first season with the team, Lyles was last weekend named the B.C. Football Conference's outstanding offensive player for 2016, as well as top offensive backfield player.

Lyles rushed for a new league record 1,604 yards on the year and powered the Rebels offence to top spot in the league. His all-purpose yardage total of 2,360 yards – he regularly ran back kickoffs and punts as well – was far and away tops i the league.

Joining him as a winner for the league award was centre Christian Krause, who picked up the top offensive lineman award. Krause was a key member of the Rebels' O-line, helping clear gaps for Lyles and fellow backfielders Trey Campbell and quarterback Ashton Mackinnon, who finished third and sixth, respectively, in BCFC rushing this season.

Capping the Rebels award wins was head coach J.C. Boice as coach of the year. The second-year bench boss played a critical role in turning around a team that had gone 2-8 for three consecutive seasons into a powerhouse that finished 8-1-1.

Other winners included:

Top receiver -- Dustin Rodriguez, Vancouver Island Raiders

Top defensive lineman -- Shaiheem Charles-Brown, Langley Rams

Top linebacker, most outstanding defensive player -- Layne Hull, Okanagan Sun

Top defensive back, return specialist -- Jordan Angove, Kamloops Broncos

Top special teams player -- Tiernan Docherty, Langley Rams

Rookie of the year -- Colby Henkel, Kamloops Broncos

editor@goldstreamgazette.com