For the second-straight season, the Crew went undefeated through the regular season and playoffs to capture the Cowichan Women's Football League crown.
Last year, the Crew continued their winning streak in Sun Bowl, winning the entire tournament, but it remains to be seen if they can accomplish the feat once more.
To get to the finals, the Crew had to beat the Cougars, which they did, by one of the narrowest of margins they'd had all year. The final score was 19-12. In the other semi-final, the Ravens bested the Storm by a single point, winning 28-27.
The Crew didn't have to work hard to take the 2024 CWFL title, however, as a Ravens forfeit sealed the deal for the undefeated champs.
The CWFL awards banquet was held this past weekend with Law quarterback Jaimie Olson picking up the League MVP award.
This year the Storm's Kelsey Ambler stood out above the other new players, and was the Rookie of the Year award recipient.
"It was an amazing year, with so many positives moving away from COVID," said the league's Chris Mann. "We grew to seven teams this year, and we had more than 25 rookies (the last time was 1984, when we started) and that just puts a smile on my face."
Almost every team had rookies and it brought the level of play to new heights, Mann said.
"Yes, some teams struggled with scoring, yet they always played and got better. It was one of the most competitive years that I can remember."
Mann said he is so proud of how the league has maintained its commitment to building something special and Debbie McGougan, the reason the league was started, would love what it has done over the years.
"What's even more remarkable is Kerry Hydes is playing today and she was one of the original bunch of girls who came and played in those first years and she is still a threat on the field," Mann said.
Sun Bowl has grown again this year, with 12 teams participating: six from Cowichan, two from Victoria and four from Vancouver.
"The competition will be strong for all levels," Mann noted. With flag football in the Olympics in 2028, teams are building with the idea of competition as more and more tournaments are starting to happen across the country. We still offer one of the best tournaments in B.C."
Sun Bowl XXXVII runs June 14-16 at McAdam Park.
