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| RT Kirk Simonsen, right, was named a PFC all-star. |
Saskatoon
Hilltops
offensive line received their due for a dominate 8-0 regular season.
On Friday, three of
the Hilltops five starting offensive linemen were named to the Prairie Football
Conference all-star team. Right tackle Kirk Simonsen was voted unanimously as a
PFC all-star. Also receiving all-star nods were right guard Taylon Elderkin and
left tackle Mason Ochs. The trio were named PFC offensive all-stars for a
second straight year.
“It is pretty good,”
said Simonsen, who is in his fifth and final season with the Hilltops. “They
couldn’t name five of us, but I think all five are pretty deserving of the
award.
“It is good to get
the recognition out there for the three of us, but it is a five man award
pretty much to me.”
Saskatoon’s starting
offensive line is rounded out by centre Patrick Arno and left guard Ryder
Klisowsky. As a five-man unit, the Hilltops offensive line did earn a PFC
offensive player of the week award after Saskatoon crushed the Colts in Calgary
79-7 on Sept. 15.
The offensive
linemen were joined as PFC all-star selections by the Hilltops version of “The
Triplets” in quarterback Jordan Walls, running back Josh Ewanchyna and receiver
Jason Price. The PFC offensive all-stars were released a day after the defensive
all-stars.
The Hilltops, who
are 9-0 overall, host the PFC final against the Edmonton Huskies, who are 7-2
overall, at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.
Walls, Ewanchyna and
Price were all able to enjoy special seasons because of the work of the club’s
O-line.
Walls had an
outstanding campaign completing 122-of-197 passes for 2,010 yards, 18 touchdowns
and four interceptions in the regular season. He topped the PFC in passing
yardage.
Ewanchyna appeared
in seven regular season games carrying the ball 134 times for 1,007 yards and
14 touchdowns. He led the PFC in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and was
named the PFC’s offensive player of the week on four occasions.
The graduate of
Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High School Crusaders football team became the first
Hilltops player to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in a season since Wayndel Lewis
turned that trick back in 2014.
 |
| RG Taylon Elderkin, right, was named a PFC all-star. |
Price was by far the
PFC’s most productive pass catcher. During the regular season, he hauled in 31
passes for 709 yards and scored four touchdowns. The fifth-year veteran
collected the most receiving yards in the PFC.
Walls said his
team’s offensive line is the reason his club’s offensive unit can put up the
points and yardage that it does.
“They don’t get the
recognition that they deserve, so when they get awards like that, it is
awesome,” said Walls. “They work so hard in practice and so hard in the
off-season to get themselves in playing shape, and they do their job when they
get on the field.
“I like those guys. I
hang around with them lots. They are good people.
“They are always
coming to work and ready to work hard. I am super happy to have those guys
there to back me and just perform like they have been performing.”
Simonsen said
continuity has been the biggest thing that has helped Saskatoon’s offensive
line succeed. Klisowsky was the only new starter among the Hilltops “hogs” this
season.
“I think just knowing
each other,” said Simonsen. “We’ve all played together.
“I’ve played with
Taylon (Elderkin) now for three years. You just know where he is going to be.
You don’t even have to communicate.
“He is just there,
and you know how to work with each other. It helps a lot.”
The Hilltops
offensive line also takes a lot of pride in helping the club’s quarterbacks,
running back and receivers have good years.
“It is good for
them,” said Simonsen. “We want to make sure that they have good years and make
sure they get their awards and their goals they set for themselves at the start
of the year.”
Walls took his own
all-star selection in stride.
“It is nice,” said
Walls. “I think my goal at the start of the year was just to execute and give
this team a chance to win.
 |
| Mason Ochs, left, was named a PFC all-star. |
“Whether that was
throwing the ball 30 times or handing the ball off 30 times, it didn’t matter
to me. To get recognized is nice, but my goal is the Canadian championship.
Hopefully, we can get a win this week to get there.”
While the PFC
all-star selections are great, the Hilltops have their sights set on winning an
unprecedented fifth straight CJFL title. The winner of the PFC final advances
to host the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl – on November 17.
Walls said his team
is focused on the challenge they face in the Huskies.
“I’m very excited to
get to the PFC final,” said Walls. “It is a big game.
“It is a big stage.
We like being there. I am excited.
“I’ve got a lot of
family coming down for it, so it is going to be a fun day.”
Thunderbirds get second in Canada West on
crazy comeback
 |
| Michael O’Connor guided UBC to a big comeback win. |
It seems like the
football Gods love the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.
Back on Sept. 28, the
Thunderbirds dropped a 26-21 decision to the University of Alberta Golden Bears
in a U Sports regular season game in Edmonton, Alta. At the time, the loss
dropped the Thunderbirds record to 1-4 heading into the bye week for the Canada
West Conference.
Before the Canada
West teams returned to action, the University of Regina Rams self-declared they
had been playing with an ineligible player. That led to the Rams forfeiting three
wins including a 19-17 victory over the Thunderbirds on Sept. 14 in Regina.
The Thunderbirds
received new life improving to 2-3 with that development. UBC proceeded to down
the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 20-10 on Oct. 12 and the Golden Bears
30-11 on Oct. 20 to improve to 4-3. Both those wins came in Vancouver, B.C.
Entering play
Saturday, the Thunderbirds needed to beat the University of Manitoba Bisons in
Winnipeg, Man., to lock up second place in Canada West and earn the right to
host a Canada West semifinal playoff game. If the Thunderbirds lost, the
Huskies, who posted a 5-3 regular season record, would take second place.
The Bisons jumped out
to a 31-10 lead and held a 31-13 advantage at halftime at Investors Group
Field.
The Thunderbirds
rallied to claim a 38-34 victory in overtime to improve to 5-3 and take second
place. The Bisons fell to 3-5 to finish fourth in Canada West and hold the
conference’s last playoff berth.
UBC claims the
standings tiebreaker with U of S due to winning that Oct. 12 encounter, which
was the only regular season meeting between the two sides.
Thunderbirds star
quarterback Michael O’Connor hit receiver Trivel Pinto with a 46-yard touchdown
pass and running back Ben Cummings ran in a two-point convert to force a 31-31
tie with 7:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. The 46-yard reception marked
Pinto’s second touchdown catch of the game.
In overtime, Bisons
kicker Brad Mikoluff hit a 50-yard field goal to put the host side up 34-31.
Mikoluff had two field goals in the contest.
On the ensuing
overtime shootout possession, O’Connor hit Cummings with a two-yard touchdown
pass to give the Thunderbirds their third straight victory, with every one of
those wins coming after the Rams forfeited all their wins.
O’Connor completed
36-of-49 passes for 467 yards, four touchdowns and one interception for the
Thunderbirds. Bisons quarterback Jamie Ybarra, who started in place of the
injured Des Catellier, completed 20-of-26 passes for 396 yards, two touchdowns
and two interceptions.
Trey Kellogg had a
touchdown catch for the Thunderbirds, while Greg Hutchins made all three of his
field goal attempts. Dylan Schrot and Shai Ross had touchdown receptions for
the Bisons, while Jesse Walker and Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette ran in major
scores.
The Bisons travel to
Calgary, Alta., to face the University of Calgary Dinos (8-0) in one Canada
West semifinal contest this coming Saturday, while the Huskies face the
Thunderbirds in the other Canada West semifinal to be held in Vancouver on the
same day.
Siemens leaves mark on Huskies career
passing records
 |
| QB Kyle Siemens vaulted up the U of S Huskies’ all-time passing lists. |
With one great final
regular season game, Kyle Siemens ensured he will go down as one of the top
quarterbacks to ever play for the U of Saskatchewan Huskies.
On Friday facing the
U of Regina Rams at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Siemens completed 21-of-31 passes
for 321 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. In helping the Huskies
post a 5-3 record, Siemens completed 155-of-249 passes for 2,118 yards, 16
touchdowns and six interceptions.
A graduate of
Saskatoon’s Aden Bowman Collegiate Bears high school football team, Siemens
finished the regular season portion of his five-year Huskies career completing
604-of-998 passes for 7,932 yards, 55 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
Siemens 604 career
completions rank first on the Huskies all-time list surpassing the 586
completions of Drew Burko. Burko played from 2012 to 2016 and was a former
teammate of Siemens.
The 7,932 yards
passing Siemens piled up ranks second on the Huskies all-time list surpassing
7,675 yards put up by Burko. Siemens 55 career touchdown passes equals Steve
Bilan for second on the Huskies all-time list. Bilan played for the Huskies
from 2001 to 2005.
While Siemens will
still get to guide the Huskies through one more venture into the U Sports
playoffs, he has to be given big props for posting some lofty accomplishments.
Chow passes Siwak for third in Huskies
career rushing
 |
| Tyler Chow is the Huskies third all-time career leading rusher. |
Running back Tyler
Chow vaulted to a spot that will be tough for future ball carriers to hit as
the sport of football continues to evolve into more of a pass heavy game.
Chow, who is a
fifth-year veteran for the U of Saskatchewan Huskies football team, finished
the regular season with a strong outing carrying the ball 14 times for 99 yards
and scoring one touchdown and hauling a pass for 11 yards as the Huskies
thumped the U of Regina Rams 57-14 on Friday at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.
On the season, Chow
carried the ball 100 times for 640 yards and scored two touchdowns to help the
Huskies post a 5-3 regular season record. During his regular season career with
the Huskies, Chow carried the ball 385 times for 2,372 yards and scored 13
touchdowns.
The Calgary, Alta.,
product just edged Tyler Siwak for third on the Huskies career rushing yards
list.
Siwak was a red
shirt during the Huskies last Vanier Cup winning season in 1998 and he carried
the ball 361 times for 2,365 yards and scored 11 touchdowns during a five year
career as an active player from 1999 to 2003. During his time with the Huskies,
Siwak was a fan favourite due to being a power tailback that could crush up to
six would be tacklers on any running attempt.
The Prince Albert,
Sask., product was a physical runner who favoured initiating contact and
powering through defenders as opposed to running around them. Fans at Griffiths
Stadium used to rise to their feet and cheer, when Siwak gave one of his
textbook punishing runs.
Away from the field,
Siwak was a very personable, jovial and upbeat when he interacted with everyone
on campus and in the city.
Siwak had been the
Huskies third all-time leading rusher since he graduated from the program. With
that in mind, the fact that Chow cracked into the top three of the Huskies
career rushing list is impressive.
Back in the Express assisting on female
hockey story
 |
| Emily Clark, left, and Grace Shirley are hockey greats from Saskatoon. |
I was back in the pages
of the Saskatoon Express this week helping out with a story on the growth of
female hockey in Saskatoon.
I gathered pictures
and quotes from head coach Greg Slobodzian and captain Grace Shirley from the defending
Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League champion Saskatoon Stars for this
piece. I helped add some details for the facts that were used as well.
Theresa Kirkpatrick,
who is a veteran sportswriter, did a masterful job of crafting the piece. I was
happy with how the article turned out and contributions I was able to make to
it.
The Express article
can be found by clicking right
here.
If you have any
comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them
to stankssports@gmail.com.
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