The British Columbia Spartans roared to life in 2008 as a group of players, having previously communted to Bellingham to play in the US-based football leagues.  Kevin Tomyk, noting the issues with crossing the border and making the trek for games and practices, decided a team was needed in Langley.  Former Bellingham standout Dan Poasa gave up his coaching clip board to play for the Spartans on the offensive line.  Flying through the NAFL Northwest virtually unchallenged, the Spartans remained undefeated until the San Diego Thunder put a stop to the 12-game winning streak.  Following the season, turmoil erupted as players, coaches and owners battled it out eventually leading to the formation of the Langley Longhorns and a number of personnel leaving for the US-based Bellingham Bulldogs. Boloy Lokombo, born in Congo and moving to America as a 13-year old, returned a blocked Saints field goal attempt for a record 96-yards before being stopped short of a score. The speedster, having returned a missed Jaguar field goal 108-yards previously in the season, Lokombo was also a leading defensive back for the Spartans leading the team with interceptions.
 
The Spartans, after winning the NAFL Northwest in it's first season did not return in 2009 after some dust-up among the founders over rumors the Spartans were joining the "pro" Next Level Football Leauge.  The NLFL never formed, replaced by the four-team Professional Developmental League.  In the Spartans place, the Langley Longhorns were formed but the North American League, noting the border crossing issues that hampered US-based teams in 2008, handcuffed Langley with having to play all of their games across the border in the US.  The NAFL cited the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, implemented in stages from 2007 to 2009, as a reason for American teams being prohibited from playing in Canada.  The Longhorns survived just one game getting blown out by the Bellingham Bulldogs.  The rest of the season was forfeited and ended the international-flavor of American football leagues in Washington from that day forward.  Some Canadian players would continue to go south to play with Bellingham-area teams including Boloy who joined the Bulldogs for 2009.  Chase Cantrell would repeat as an all-league and all-america selection with Bellingham in 2009.

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