Hilltops greats Filteau and Kozun perfect fit for CJFL all-decade team on defence

Justin Filteau in action with the Hilltops in 2014. 

    The Saskatoon Hilltops only needed two selections to overfill the quality of the CJFL’s all-decade team on defence.

    The CJFL has been determining its all-decade team via a fan vote over the last four weeks for the period of years from 2010 to 2019. The Hilltops won three straight CJFL title capturing the Canadian Bowl from 2010 to 2012 and the last six straight championships starting in 2014.

    On Saturday, the offensive members of the all-decade team were announced via the CJFL’s Instagram account, and five Hilltops were selected including quarterback Jared Andreychuk, running backs Logan Fischer and Andre Lalonde and offensive linemen Kirk Simonsen and Mason Ochs.

    On Sunday, the defensive members of the all-decade team were announced via the CJFL’s Instagram account. They included two of the best that ever donned Hilltops jerseys in the late Justin Filteau at linebacker and defensive tackle Matt Kozun.

    Filteau played for the Hilltops from 2010 to 2014 and was a member of three straight CJFL championship wins from 2010 to 2012 and in his final season in 2014. He picked up 43 per cent of the fan votes, which was tops among all linebackers.

    Following his time with the Hilltops, Filteau played for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team in the U Sports ranks from 2015 to 2017.

Justin Filteau (#45) enjoys the Hilltops PFC title win in 2014.

    In 2017, he joined the coaching staff of the Saskatoon Valkyries, who are a powerhouse squad in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, as a linebackers coach. He was coaching the team’s defensive line last season before tragically passing away in a plane crash at age 26 before the Valkyries final regular season game.

    The Valkyries went on to win the WWCFL title dedicating the rest of their season to him finishing their 2019 campaign with a perfect 9-0 record.

    Filteau coached minor football at different levels and with the Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints.

    He was born and raised in Moose Jaw and became a high school football star at A.E. Peacock Collegiate. Filteau joined the Hilltops after graduating from high school.

    Standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing 214 pounds, Filteau didn’t look like a linebacker. When he hit the field, you realized quickly looks were deceiving. He was the underdog who made it.

    During his five seasons with the Hilltops, Filteau’s best campaign might have been during his final season in 2014. After the Hilltops got out to an uncharacteristic 1-2 start losing twice to their provincial rivals in the Regina Thunder, Filteau played a big role in rallying the team off the field to help his teammates get into a better head space mentally.

Justin Filteau, left, works as a Valkyries assistant coach in 2019.

    The Hilltops proceeded to win their final eight games of that campaign between the regular season and playoffs to capture the Canadian Bowl as CJFL champions.

    Filteau was honoured as a CJFL all-Canadian all-star on defence registering 37 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one pass knockdown in the Hilltops eight regular season games.

    Last season, the Hilltops coaches did a great job of teaching their current generation of players how much Filteau meant to the provincial football scene. The Hilltops posted a 12-0 overall record in the 2019 campaign winning a sixth straight Canadian Bowl and posting a second straight perfect season.

    One person that was fully aware of Filteau’s impact on the provincial football scene before the 2019 CJFL season started was Hilltops fifth-year middle linebacker Jadyn Pingue. As a rookie in 2015, Pingue began wearing the old #45 jersey Filteau wore and at the moment is the only Hilltops player to wear #45 after Filteau.

    Pingue brought up the suggestion that maybe #45 should be retired by the team. The coaches asked Pingue to continue wearing #45 as one way to keep Filteau’s memory alive.

    In a fitting tribute to Filteau, Pingue went on to have an individual season that saw him win the award as the CJFL’s most outstanding defensive player in 2019.

Matt Kozun (#53) enters Saskatoon Minor Football Field in 2015.

    While Filteau turned heads at linebacker, Kozun was a force on the defensive line for five seasons with the Hilltops from 2011 to 2015 coming straight to the club from Bishop James Mahoney High School. Kozun picked up 46 per cent of the fan votes, which led all defensive players.

    He was a member of four CJFL championship teams with the Hilltops in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015.

    Kozun, who stood 6-foot-6 and weighed 280 pounds, was a gifted athlete and played on the team’s short-yardage package on offence as a tight end. He had a touchdown reception in the 2015 PFC final that the Hilltops claimed with a 38-16 victory over the Calgary Colts.

    Kozun’s best two seasons with the Hilltops were his final two campaigns with the team. In the Hilltops 2014 CJFL championship season, Kozun was named an all-Canadian all-star after piling up 15 sacks, seven tackles, five tackle assists, two pass knockdowns and one fumble recovery in eight regular season games.

    He was named an all-Canadian all-star again in the Hilltops 2015 CJFL championship campaign. In eight regular season games, Kozun recorded nine tackles, five tackle assists, 2.5 sacks, two pass knockdowns and one forced fumble.

Hilltops DT Matt Kozun (#53) chases down a Winnipeg Rifles QB in 2015.

    Kozun was a member of a freakishly good starting defensive line in 2015 that included fifth-year defensive tackle Blake Adams, third-year rush end Tom Schnitzler and third-year boundary end Blake Hermann.

    That foursome on the Hilltops defensive line could crush opposing team’s offensive units all by themselves.

    Following his time with the Hilltops, Kozun joined the Huskies for two seasons before his playing days came to an end.

    During their time with the Hilltops, Filteau and Kozun left their marks as two of the team’s all-time greats, and their legacies with the squad continue to live on long after they last played for the venerable and storied club.

    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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