Saskatoon improves to 6-0 downing Huskies
36-16
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| The Hilltops defence corrals Huskies RB Brandt Burzuk. |
Saskatoon has won its last 14 games in a row including
action in the regular season and playoffs.
The Huskies fell to 4-2 to remain second in the PFC.
With
two weeks to play in the regular season, the Huskies would be unable to pass
the Hilltops for top spot in the conference due to Sunday’s loss. By winning the
only regular season clash between the
two sides in 2018, the Hilltops control the standings tiebreaker with the
Huskies.
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| The Hilltops defence takes down Huskies starting QB Tommy Yanchuk. |
The first place finish
allows the Hilltops to play at home throughout the 2018 CJFL playoffs including
the Canadian Bowl league championship game.
“It is nice knowing
that we don’t have to go out on the road for playoffs,” said Hilltops defensive
tackle Jesse McNabb. “It is always nice to play in front of our home crowd and
give the hometown people a show.”
It seemed like
everyone on the Hilltops defence was stepping up to make plays in the win over
the Huskies. Still, the Hilltops were only able to slowly pull away in the
contest due to the fact the Huskies defence forced four turnovers of their own.
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| Huskies backup QB Brendan Guy, left, is sacked by Hilltops DB Logan Bitz. |
An interception by
Hilltops middle linebacker Bobby Ehman would turn into a 41-yard field goal
from kicker David Solie to give the Toppers a 10-0 edge.
Edmonton forced
Saskatoon to concede a safety right before the first quarter expired, and
Saskatoon returned that favour in the second quarter to see the hosts hold a
12-2 edge.
Hilltops head coach
Tom Sargeant said his defensive unit’s success was due to an outstanding game
by the defensive line. Star defensive tackle Jesse McNabb had six tackles,
defensive tackle and captain Garth Knittig had three tackles, three assisted
tackles and one sack and defensive end Connor Guillet had one tackle, three
assisted tackles and two fumble recoveries.
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| MLB Bobby Ehman knocks down a pass for the Hilltops. |
“They were the difference
makers today no question. They just controlled the line of scrimmage, so it was
awesome to see. I couldn’t be more proud.”
While the Hilltops
defence had the big highlights of the day, the Hilltops offence still delivered
a critical play right before halftime. After forcing the Huskies to turn the
ball over on downs, Walls hit receiver Keegan Dicks for a 70-yard pass-and-run
touchdown with 23.9 seconds to play in the first half to give the Hilltops a
19-2 lead.
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| DB Jared Giddings intercepts a pass for the Hilltops. |
“That was massive,”
said Sargeant. “Any time with less than a minute you get something over the top
like that, you don’t anticipate that.
“Keegan is a special
player. He has got lots of growing and learning to do. He certainly has that
gift of making some big time plays.”
In the third
quarter, the Huskies cut the Hilltops lead to 19-9 scoring a kickoff single
from kicker Cole Sabourin and seven-yard rushing touchdown from running back
Brandt Burzuk. Edmonton failed to score on a two-point conversion attempt after
Burzuk’s touchdown.
Solie hit a 35-yard
field goal for the Hilltops to extend their lead to 22-9 by the end of the
third quarter.
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| RB Brandt Burzuk scores a touchdown for the Huskies. |
“I felt like we
played unreal out there,” said Peters. “We overcame adversity.
“They brought it to
us, but we answered back with a good response.”
Burzuk scored on a
one-yard plunge for Edmonton to cut Saskatoon’s lead to 29-16 with 6:47 to play
in the fourth quarter.
The Huskies forced
the Hilltops offence to go two-and-out to get the ball back. Edmonton’s offensive
drive came to an end when starting quarterback Tommy Yanchuk tried to run for a
first down on a third-and-seven gamble in his own end only to get drilled short
of the first down marker by McNabb.
After that turnover
on downs, the Hilltops scored their final major on an 11-yard run from star
running back Joshua Ewanchyna to cement the final at 36-16.
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| RB Josh Ewanchyna piled up 201 yards rushing for the Hilltops. |
“It is OK. We
answered back out there. I like a team that likes to get a little dirty.”
McNabb appreciated
the physical approach of the Huskies as well.
“It was pretty good,”
said McNabb. “There was always lots of good contact in there.
“You are always
playing hard to the whistle, no dirty stuff after. You can’t ask for anything
else than that.”
Walls completed
15-of-25 passes for 243 yards, three touchdowns and zero interception for the
Hilltops. Ewanchyna ran the ball 27 times for 201 yards and one touchdown.
Defensive back Logan
Bitz had four tackles, three assisted tackles, one sack and a forced fumble for
the Hilltops. Fellow defensive back Jared Giddings had an interception for the
Toppers. Saskatoon’s defence forced Edmonton to turn the ball over on downs on
five occasions in the contest.
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| Jordan Walls (#19) threw three touchdown passes for the Hilltops. |
Huskies linebacker
Jassen Brown had six tackles and a fumble recovery.
“At the end of the
day, this was a big game, a key, critical scenario, and we are able to execute
the mission,” said Sargeant referring to his club’s first place finish in the
PFC. “That feels pretty good.
“It is not very
often you do that after six games. They are a worthy opponent. They are a good
football team.
“It was a good,
physical aggressive game. Ultimately, we were able to get the two points (in
the standings) that were extremely needed.”
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| The Hilltops celebrate a 70-yard TD catch from Keegan Dicks, left. |
The Hilltops return
to action this coming Sunday, when they travel to Edmonton to take on the Wildcats
(2-4). That will be the Toppers final road trip of the 2018 campaign.
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