Coquitlam’s Justin Buren is being looked at to help lead a young SFU Clan football team from the wilderness of a winless season in 2016.
The senior wide receiver was a rare glimmer of light on a team that averaged only 8.3 points a game while opponents were racking up more than 50 against them.
Buren, a Centennial grad, caught 47 passes and scored one touchdown. He averaged 13.4 yards per catch.
“Justin is our leader on and off the field,” Clan coach Kelly Bates said. “He approaches life with the demeanour of a professional and applies that to all facets of his life.”
That’s a good template to follow for Port Coquitlam’s Matthew Shuen, a freshman out of Terry Fox who’s looking to crack the lineup as a running back.
Shuen was a key contributor to the Ravens’ 10-0 record last season and he scored a touchdown in their 17-14 win over the Notre Dame Jugglers in the BC Subway Bowl.
In the spring, Shuen’s strength and foot speed helped lead Terry Fox senior boys rugby team to the AAA Tier II provincial championship. He scored five tries in the tournament and was named to its first all-star team.
On the defensive side of the ball, Port Coquitlam’s Brad Lyons will be looking to build on a strong sophomore season on the line when he was an honourable mention for the All-Conference team. The 6’4”, 260 lb. grad of Terry Fox secondary, who came to SFU via South Dakota State university, had 5.5 sacks last season and executed another 13.5 tackles that caused the opposition to lose yards.
Other locals on defence include Isaac Evans and Will Kinnaird.
The Clan open their season Sept. 2, against Arizona Christian University in Phoenix. Their first home game at Terry Fox Field is Sept. 9, at 1 p.m.
