Three local football players returned from the 2013 Flag Football National Championship with silver medals.
Drey Blair of Surrey and Delta residents Jakob Desousa and Austin Blum were part of the B.C. under-16 team which won their first six games of the tournament in Regina, before losing 19-18 to Ontario in the gold medal game.
Blair was named the tournament’s defensive MVP (Most Valuable Player).
“We had a chance for victory but we made mistakes and you can’t do that in the finals,” said B.C. head coach Bobby Singh. “It’s flag football at the end of the day and life goes on. That’s what I’ve got to teach my boys. Next year the national championship is in PEI and hopefully we can get back and win it all.”
The under-16 boys finished the tournament with an overall record of six wins and one loss while out-scoring their opponents 206-62.
Other members of the team were Devin Patterson of New Westminster, Tyler Moxin, Gabriel Saklofsky and Bobby Singh Jr. of Richmond, and Nolan McMurchy of Langley.