BCHL, Interior Conference

BCHL Today: Tanaka-Campbell earns CJHL Academic Player of the Year, Three Stars Rewinds back to 1999 Vipers RBC Cup title

Written by Brian Wiebe on

Vipers forward Campbell named CJHL Academic Player of the Year

Vernon Vipers forward JoJo Tanaka-Campbell was named Canadian Junior Hockey League Academic Player of the Year for 2019-20 on Thursday. It is an award the Yale University commit had to apply to the CJHL for consideration.

During his five years at Shawnigan Lake School on Vancouver Island, Tanaka-Campbell made the Honour Roll and Dean’s List annually and perennially was among the top three academic students in his grade. The 19-year-old had seven goals and 19 assists in 52 games as a rookie with the Vipers this past season.

Three Stars of the Night ⏪ May 8, 1999

First Star: Vernon forward Petr Chytka scored the winning goal shorthanded and added an assist as the Vipers beat the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Bramalea Blues 3-2 to advance to the 1999 RBC Cup final.

Second Star: Vipers forward Tyler Knight assisted on Chytka’s winner and notched a helper on Vernon’s second period power play goal.

Third Star: Blues forward Mike Cammalleri scored a goal and an assist in the loss.

Honourable Mentions: Vernon goaltender Derek Gustafson made 21 saves.

Brian's been involved in the BCHL in a variety of capacities for 17 years. From 2002 to 2012, he served in several roles around the Merritt Centennials organization, including as team president, board member, beat writer, colour commentator, webmaster, media and communications coordinator and marketing assistant. He's been writing about the BCHL since 2008 and served as colour commentator on the TSN 1040 broadcasts in 2012-13. BCHLNetwork is one of Brian's many passion projects that he balances around his full-time job as an instructor in the Radio Arts and Entertainment Program at BCIT in Burnaby.