Tuesday 22 October 2019

Hilltops get 10 PFC all-star nods

Ben Abrook was named a PFC all-star for the first time.
    Some of the Saskatoon Hilltops biggest stars highlighted the all-star nods handed out by the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference on Tuesday.
    The Hilltops, who finished the regular season with an 8-0 record for the second straight year, received 10 all-star selections ahead of hosting the PFC final this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Edmonton Huskies at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.
    Tuesday’s PFC all-star selections included power running back Ben Abrook, left tackle Mason Ochs, defensive back Colton Holmes and veteran defensive tackle Jesse McNabb.
    On offence, Abrook, who is in his third year with the Hilltops and first year as the club’s full-time starter at running back, had a sensational campaign leading the PFC in rushing with 1,215 yards coming off 199 carries and scoring eight touchdowns.
    Two of the men who opened huge holes for Abrook on the Hilltops offensive line also found their way on to the all-star squad. Ochs, who attended the training camp of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, was a unanimous selection and was named an all-star for the third consecutive year.
Mason Ochs (#73) was a PFC all-star for the third straight year.
    Fifth-year left guard Ryder Klisowsky earned his first PFC all-star nod.
    Pass catchers Connor Graham and Keegan Dicks made the all-star team for the first time. Graham, who is in his fifth season, hauled in 28 receptions for 599 yards and scored six touchdowns. Dicks, who is in his third season, caught 31 passes for 494 yards and scored four touchdowns.
    McNabb, who is in his final campaign of CJFL eligibility, was named an all-star on the defensive side of the ball for a second consecutive season recording 26.5 total tackles and three sacks.
    Holmes, who also attended Roughriders training camp and was on the CFL club’s practice roster, was a unanimous selection at defensive back and took all-star honours for a second straight year. 
Jesse McNabb was a PFC all-star for the second straight year.
    He posted 17.5 total tackles, two pass knockdowns, one fumble recovery and one interception.
    Fifth-year linebacker Jadyn Pingue was named an all-star for the first time. He collected 33.5 total tackles, one pass knockdown, one fumble recovery and one interception.
    Third-year safety Brant Morrow made the all-star team as well. Morrow posted 18.5 total tackles, three interceptions, two pass knockdowns, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He returned one of his interceptions 113 yards for a touchdown in a 34-16 victory over the Thunder in Regina on Aug. 25.
Rylan Kleiter (#7) was named a PFC all-star as a place kicker.
    Rylan Kleiter made the all-star team at place kicker. 
    He connected on 18-of-22 field goal attempts for an 81.8 per cent success rate with a long of 42 yards.
    Kleiter kicked 33 conversion attempts, recorded one rouge and hauled in two touchdown receptions as a receiver to lead the PFC in scoring with 100 points.
    The Hilltops, who are currently 9-0 overall, advanced to the PFC final downing the Edmonton Wildcats 31-7 in a PFC semifinal contest last Sunday at SMF Field. The Huskies, who are 7-2 overall, took the other PFC semifinal last Sunday in Regina downing the host Thunder 20-17.
    That clash likely could be the game of the year in the CJFL.

Bear’s rise to the Oilers uplifting, other notes

Ethan Bear raised the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2017.
    One of the best stories at the start of the NHL season has to be the fact Ethan Bear is a full-time member of the Edmonton Oilers.
    The skilled defenceman has a huge backing from the Saskatchewan’s Ochapowace First Nation, where he is from. During his time in the WHL from 2013 to 2017, Bear starred with the Seattle Thunderbirds appearing in 264 regular season games piling up 66 goals and 126 assists for 192 points and a plus-50 rating.
    When the Thunderbirds would play road games in the Eastern Conference, a huge contingent of Bear’s family and friends followed the team over the course of the trip.
    When Seattle won the best-of-seven WHL Championship series 4-2 against the Regina Pats in 2017, it was estimated Bear had 500 supporters at each of the three games held in the Saskatchewan capital.
    The Thunderbirds clinched the series with a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 6 at the Brandt Centre in Regina, and Bear got to take a skate with the Ed Chynoweth Cup in front of his supporters.
    Now as a third-year in the professional ranks, Bear has cracked the Oilers main roster. In the Oilers first 10 games, Bear has two goals, an assist and a minus-one rating helping the Edmonton club post a 7-2-1 record.
    His supporters from Ochapowace can be noticed at Rogers Place. If Bear elevates to star status, you can expect his Oilers jersey will become one of the biggest sellers in the league.

  • The University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey teams that won three straight Canada West Conference titles from 1981 to 1983 and the U Sports title in 1983 were announced as inductees to the Canada West Hall of Fame. Those Huskies squads were guided by legendary head coach Dave King and featured high-scoring star forward Willie Desjardins, who was the captain of the U Sports national title winner.
  • In the U Sports Top 10 rankings that were released on Tuesday, the U of S Huskies men’s hockey team were rated eighth with a 2-3-1 regular season record. The Huskies have battled injuries on defence, which has hampered the squad’s performance on the ice. The ranking shows the respect the Huskies program has nationally.
  • The U of S Huskies football team was rated seventh in the U Sports Top 10 rankings that were released on Tuesday. The Huskies (4-3) will face the U of Alberta Golden Bears (4-3) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium. The winner will be guaranteed at least a second place finish in Canada West and host a conference semifinal playoff game.
  • U of S Huskies women’s hockey team star netminder Jessica Vance is two wins away from becoming the third player in program history to record 30 career wins in regular season play. Vance has appeared in 44 career games with the Huskies posting a 28-11-4 record, a 1.09 goals against average, a .953 save percentage and 16 shutouts.
  • In eight overall games with the defending NCAA champion U of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team so far this season, star forward and Saskatoon product Sophie Shirley has eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points. Shirley is an alumna of the Saskatoon Stars female midget AAA team.
  • The new Joker movie was really good. It is a definite movie that should be seen in theatres. I have to warn you in my opinion it was messed up too in a disturbing way. You have to expect a dark script for a movie involving The Joker as a character. This one was dark but still done in an artistic way. It is the type of movie you will likely only watch once. My cousin, Justin Chomitzky, did a great review of the movie that can be found right here.
  • It was super sad to hear Aly Jenkins, who was the lead on Sherry Anderson’s curling team, died during childbirth on Sunday. A GoFundMe page has been started to help Jenkins husband, Scott, and the couple’s three children Brady, Avery and Sydney. The GoFundMe page 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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