Hilltops focus on taking another step forward

Saskatoon departs to Edmonton to face Wildcats

The Hilltop leveled the Wildcats with big hits in their 2021 meeting.

The Saskatoon Hilltops put the skids on their skid, but they know they have to take a few more steps to get out of the wilderness.

Last Sunday, the Hilltops downed the Colts in Calgary 35-17 to end an uncharacteristic three-game losing streak, which was something the club hadn’t experienced at least in over three decades. The win evened the Hilltops regular season record at 3-3 to sit third in the PFC.

This coming Sunday, the Hilltops travel to Edmonton to face the Wildcats, who are the only club in the Prairie Football Conference eliminated from playoff contention with an 0-6 record. The two sides will meet at Emerald Hills Regional Park, which is located in Sherwood Park, Alta., a centre that is right on Edmonton’s east border.

Hilltops veteran middle linebacker Matt Wist said his team still has to be mindful of where they are at even with finally adding another victory to the win column last Sunday against Calgary.

“For sure, it was a good win,” said Wist. “We just have to focus on where we are.

“We’re 3-3 and we can’t forget that. We just have to move forward and focus on ourselves.”

The victory over the Colts has put the Hilltops in a position of being on the cusp of locking up a berth in the CJFL playoffs. The Hilltops will clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Wildcats combined with a loss by the Colts (2-4) in their game this coming Sunday at home against the Regina Thunder (6-0). The Thunder need one win to lock up first place in the PFC.

A third regular season game that will be played this coming Sunday as well involving PFC teams will also be of interest to the Hilltops. The second place Edmonton Huskies (4-2) will host the fourth place Winnipeg Rifles (3-3).

The Hilltops own head-to-head standings tiebreaker with both the Huskies and Rifles, and the second place team in the PFC will host a PFC semifinal contest.

Boston Davidsen, left, leads the PFC in rushing yards.

At the moment, Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant isn’t too worried about where his team sits in the conference standings. He is focused on ensuring his Hilltops are playing well when the post-season comes around, and he saw glimmers of what his team needs to do in their win over the Colts.

“We’re starting to make some plays,” said Sargeant. “We want to make more plays.

“We have two more regular season games before we get into the reality of playoffs. We need all our players to step up and make more plays. If we’re able to do that, we are going to have more success.”

Going into last weekend’s game with the Colts, Sargeant said he was going to start some of the Hilltops younger players. At quarterback, 20-year-old Trey Reider got his first career CJFL start over 22-year-old veteran Damon Dutton.

Reider completed 16-of-24 passes for 191 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Hilltops running game carried the day in the win over the Colts posting a combined 269 yards on the ground. Star power running back Boston Davidsen led the Hilltops running the ball 19 times for 144 yard and one touchdown.

Davidsen leads the PFC with 734 yards rushing coming off 121 carries, where he has scored three touchdowns.

Veteran running back Carter McLean, who is in his final season of CJFL eligibility, carried the ball eight times for 70 yards in the win over the Colts after missing two games due to a minor ailment. Hilltops 17-year-old rookie running back Charles Sawi had eight carries for 36 yards.

Defensively in the win over the Colts, Wist led the Hilltops with seven total tackles and had an interception.

The Hilltops look celebrate more major scores this coming Sunday.

Heading into the clash with the Hilltops, Wildcats running back Jayden Zak leads his team in rushing with 240 yards coming on 45 carriers. Receiver Travis Heggart is the Wildcats top pass catcher hauling in 19 passes for 307 yards.

The Hilltops and Wildcats met once in 2021 with Saskatoon posting a 44-7 victory at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on October 17 of that year.

Wist believes his team can do achieve big accomplishments and make big plays during the rest of the 2022 campaign, but he reinforced the focus at the moment is on the Wildcats.

“We are expected to do big things,” said Wist. “We all think we can do big things, which is a good thing to move forward.

“We just have to get the win this weekend.”

McNeil get player of the week nod in Rifles setback

Bryson McNeil was the PFC’s offensive player of the week.

Bryson McNeil did his best to try and sling his Winnipeg Rifles to an upset win, and he got a player of the week award for his efforts.

On Wednesday, McNeil was named the offensive player of the week for the PFC for his efforts in his club’s 29-23 loss to the visiting Regina Thunder last Sunday at IG Field in Winnipeg. McNeil completed 25-of-39 passes for 329 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. 

He also ran the ball five times for 28 yards. This marked the second time this season McNeil was a PFC offensive player of the week.

Had the Rifles won that contest, they would have been in the thick of the race for first in the PFC. The Thunder improved to 6-0 with the victory, and they are one win away from clinching top spot in the conference. Winnipeg fell to 3-3 to sit fourth in the conference.

The PFC’s defensive and special teams play of the week awards went to members of the Edmonton Huskies for their performance in a 48-14 victory over the Edmonton Wildcats this past Saturday at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta.

Huskies defensive back Nahome Giorgis was named the defensive player of the week for the PFC recording seven solo defensive tackles, one quarterback sack and a pass knockdown in the victory over the Wildcats.

Huskies receiver and kick returner Caleb Akerley took home honours as the special teams player of the week for the PFC. Akerley returned two kick off for 69 yards and seven punts for 80 yards.

Sawi stats change on early season touchdown

Charles Sawi had a change made on one of his TDs this season.

In reviewing game tape to double check the accuracy on statistics, a change was made to one of the two touchdowns Saskatoon Hilltops 17-year-old rookie running back Charles Sawi scored on August 21.

On August 21, the Hilltops played their second game of the CJFL regular season downing the visiting Edmonton Huskies 38-10 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Sawi scored that game’s first touchdown on a 40-yard swing pass from quarterback Damon Dutton.

In watching that video, the statisticians ruled Dutton pitched the ball on that play to Sawi and registered that major score coming on a 40-yard run. Sawi added a second touchdown coming off a reverse run that covered 31 yards.

On the season, Sawi officially has 20 carries for 164 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a major score coming on a 125-yard missed field goal return in a 29-21 overtime setback to the Regina Thunder on September 10 at SMF Field.

Bury joins U of Saskatchewan Huskies

Heather Bury, left, at the Hilltops clubhouse in May of 2020.

Arguably the Saskatoon Hilltops best behind the scenes talent will have the chance to make a big behind the scenes impact on a new stage.

On Friday, Heather Bury started her first day working as the new sports information and marketing specialist for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies athletic program in U Sports. Bury will be involved with the sport information and marketing needs of the Huskies 15 varsity teams.

Bury has been the equipment manager and social media manager for the Hilltops for a lengthy stretch. She has been the team’s equipment manager for a time that has included nine CJFL championship wins coming in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

On top of being the equipment manager, Bury is a go to person for the players when they had any questions about the Hilltops organization. She always points them in the right direction.

In U Sports, it is common for sports information and marketing specialists to work 60 hours a week when an athletics program’s season is in progress, but Bury will be staying on with the Hilltops. Both the Hilltops and Huskies will benefit from her expertise.

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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Horsley at home with Hilltops

Saskatoon ends three game skid with win in Calgary

Lachlan Horsley has made some big catches for the Hilltops.

Lachlan Horsley found a new sense of belonging when he joined the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Looking back on his entire football career from when he first started playing the game, the 22-year-old receiver said the best experiences he has had in the game have come from being a member of the storied CJFL club.

“I always played flag when I was young,” said Horsley, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 185 pounds. “It was just natural that I was going to play tackle in peewee six-a-side.

“I think I’ve played ever since I was seven and just kept going. After high school, I had the opportunity to go play post-secondary with the (University of Saskatchewan) Huskies and now here. I’ve been playing my whole life and really found a home here with the Saskatoon Hilltops.”

On Sunday, Horsley and the Hilltops ended a three game losing streak posting a 35-17 victory in a CJFL regular season contest over the Colts at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary. The Hilltops improved to 3-3 and moved into third place in the PFC after the Winnipeg Rifles fell at home 29-23 at IG Field Sunday to the visiting Regina Thunder.

While both the Hilltops and Rifles have identical 3-3 regular season records and they split their two head-to-head regular season games, Saskatoon holds the standing tiebreaker having outscored Winnipeg 35-29 head-to-head. The Rifles sit fourth in the PFC, and the Colts fell to 2-4 with their loss to the Hilltops to occupy fifth in the PFC.

The Thunder sit first in the PFC with a 6-0 mark and need to win one of their last two games to lock up top spot in the conference. On Saturday, the Edmonton Huskies thumped the Edmonton Wildcats 48-14 in Sherwood Park, Alta.

The Huskies have won three straight and improved to 4-2 to sit second in the PFC. The Wildcats fell to 0-6 and were officially eliminated from contention for a post-season berth.

As for Horsley, he graduated from Warman High School in June of 2018, and he first joined the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team in the U Sports ranks. 

Lachlan Horsley had a big day in a PFC semifinal win last year.

The skill pass catcher was a red shirt for the 2018 as the Huskies would win the Hardy Cup as the Canada West Conference champions and bow out of the post-season falling 47-24 to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs in the Mitchell Bowl U Sports semifinal contest.

While going through that campaign just practicing with the Huskies, Horsley found he was jumping to get back into game action. He thought that in his personal situation joining the Hilltops would allow him to get on the field in game situations quicker than if he remained with the Huskies.

“I was originally just OK to red shirt and have like this long played out career there,” said Horsley, who is playing through his final campaign of CJFL eligibility. “Then, I was pretty eager to start playing again and to actually start.

“I was climbing the depth chart quite a bit, but I made the decision to come over to the Hilltops here. Then, I was kind of a scout team guy the first year, but I took the time to develop and kind of flourish a bit.”

Horsley joined the Hilltops for the 2019 CJFL campaign. He got to see the field for limited game action that season catching two passes for 10 yards and returning two kicks for 14 yards in regular season play.

During what was a learning campaign for Horsley, the Hilltops posted a perfect 12-0 record in 2019 winning the Canadian Bowl as CJFL champions for a sixth straight year. He made enough progress that the coaches were tabbing him for a starting role in 2020.

The 2020 CJFL campaign was ultimately cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world. The Hilltops did practise as team for six weeks in September and October of that year.

Last season, Horsley’s hard work and perseverance paid off as he hit the field as a starter. During the Hilltops eight regular season games, he hauled in 24 passes for 365 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Lachlan Horsley, left, had a big game versus the Thunder on Sept. 10.

Horsley had another 10 catches for 152 yards in the Hilltops three outings in the 2021 postseason.

“Finally last year, I got my first real taste of the starting life,” said Horsley. “I got two years now here.

“I love it. I feel like I fell in love with football when I came here.”

Horsley’s growth has been noticed by the Saskatoon coaching staff too. Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant said Horsley is a prime time player who is getting rewarded for the hard work he has put in over the years.

“He was a quality player coming out of high school,” said Sargeant. “He was a quality player when he got here.

“He paid his dues. He waited his time, and he is taking advantage of his situation.”

Sargeant said he wishes Horsley could have had a better opportunity to make a key play in the Hilltops 29-21 overtime loss to their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder on September 10, 2022. In that contest, Horsley caught nine passes for 122 yards.

The Hilltops had the first possession in the extra session played under the CFL’s shootout rules format. They gambled on a third and goal situation from the Regina six yard line and Horsley came open in the end zone, but the pass that came his way was thrown behind him.

“He’s got a lot of gifts, so that is why we threw him the ball a lot, and he made his plays,” said Sargeant. “It is too bad we didn’t get him the ball in a better spot for him to make that play at the end of the game, because I believe if it was a good throw he makes the play and maybe the outcome is a little different.”

Lachlan Horsley has come up clutch in big situations.

To date, Horsley’s most memorable game came in the Hilltops 33-31 PFC semifinal win on November 7, 2021 against the Edmonton Huskies at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. In an all-time CJFL classic, Horsley caught six passes for 106 yards.

After the Huskies scored to go ahead 27-24 with 1:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, Horsley made three key catches on the Hilltops final drive to set up quarterback Damon Dutton hitting veteran receiver Dillan Heintz with a five-yard touchdown toss to win the game by two points with 21.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

“To be honest, the stadium energy was low,” said Horsley. “Our sideline energy was low.

“As much as we went out there and, ‘Yeah, we’re going to win this game,’ I didn’t feel like the expectations were that high. Then a couple of guys made a play or two and that switch just flipped, and it was like, ‘Hey, we’re going to do this.’ I got a couple of balls thrown my way and made all my catches.

“We’re matching the field, and then, it became a reality you know what we were actually going to do this. We finished it off. That is probably my favourite football moment of my life so far.”

While the Hilltops hit a rough stretch losing three in a row after starting out 2-0, Horsley believes his squad has the players to end the campaign on a high note. He is focused on doing his part to write a good end to his final CJFL season.

“I suppose I am a fifth year, but regardless of what year you are in when you play for the Saskatoon Hilltops, you’re expected to win the Canadian championship for the fifth years regardless,” said Horsley, who travel to Edmonton next weekend to face the Wildcats. “It is my last year.

“It would be terrific to win, but right now, we have our work cut out for us. I’m excited, because I am a workaholic if you ask any of our coaches. We’re going to get to work, and we’ll get this thing figured out.

Lachlan Horsley and the Hilltops face the Wildcats next.

“It should be exciting soon to watch.”

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Hilltops embrace opportunity to beat adversity

Saskatoon lineup expected to be juggled to break skid

The Hilltops are looking to halt a three-game skid.

Riding a three-game losing streak, head coach Tom Sargeant said his Saskatoon Hilltops don’t dwell on the negative of what could happen if the setbacks continue.

With Sargeant guiding the Hilltops as head coach since the start of the 1998 season, the storied CJFL club hadn’t lost three games in a regular season or three in a row until the current campaign. Sargeant’s run as the Hilltops sideline boss is best known for the 13 CJFL championships the squad has collected under his watch over the years.

So far in the 2022 campaign, the Hilltops came out of the gates winning their first two contests before dropping their last three straight games to sit at 2-3. The three losses in regular season play and three setbacks in a row mark the first time those things have occurred in Sargeant’s career as Hilltops head coach.

The legendary sideline boss is taking an upbeat approach to his team’s predicament heading into their next regular season game this Sunday against the Colts in Calgary (1 p.m. local time, Shouldice Park).

“I’m doing great,” said Sargeant. “At the end of the day, I get the opportunity to coach young men and get an opportunity to get them ready for Calgary.

“At the end of the day, we just have a lot of work to do to get better. That is OK. It is healthy.

“It is real. The players are embracing the situations they are in as well. At the end of the day, it is not how you start the race it is how you finish it.”

The Hilltops face stakes the club doesn’t normally see heading into the clash with the Colts. Both teams sport 2-3 records to sit in a tie for fourth and fifth place in the PFC standings. The team that loses will be sitting in fifth place and one win behind fourth place and the final playoff berth in the conference.

Both sides have two games remaining after their head-to-head contest on Sunday including another head-to-head encounter on Sunday, October 16 at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. That October 16 game closes the respective regular season schedules for both clubs.

Boston Davidsen (#24) sits second in the PFC in rushing.

Sargeant said his team isn’t contemplating where they would stand if they drop their game this Sunday against the Colts in Calgary.

“We don’t think that way,” said Sargeant, who Hilltops are 0-2 on the road this season. “We’re working hard in figuring out who is going on the bus when we leave Saturday morning.

“We’re doing the same thing we’ve always done. We’re in the film room. We’re in the coach’s meetings.

“We’re grinding, and the players are grinding. This isn’t a very happy place right now, and that is OK. You know what, you learn way more in adversity.”

In last Saturday’s 23-7 loss to the Thunder at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, the Hilltops pulled starting quarterback Damon Dutton early in the second quarter after he completed 2-of-4 passes for 22 yards, while throwing one interception. Dutton’s interception was returned 35 yards for a touchdown by Thunder star defensive back Justin McKerracher.

Trey Reider, who is the Hilltops 20-year-old backup quarterback, played the rest of the way in relief completing 18-of-29 passes for 180 yards and no touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions. Reider accounted for the Hilltops only major score on a one-yard sneak.

Sargeant said Dutton and Reider are splitting reps at practice this week 50/50, and the team’s coaches are evaluating to see just how many younger players they could elevate up to the starting lineup not just at the quarterback position.

“There are some young guys who are going to start this weekend for sure,” said Sargeant. “They don’t know who it is yet.

“We’re letting them split reps. There are going to be some new starters performing on Sunday. That is exciting for a coach.

“That is a cool thing to see. We’re uncovering every stone and turning everything over just to see if we can find that spark that switch that sort of ignites what we feel this team should be. There is more than enough talent all across the board.”

Veteran defensive tackle Dylan McNutt, who is one of the team’s captains, said his club is focused on getting out of the rut they are in. The graduate of Saskatoon’s Bishop James Mahoney High School Football Team said Sunday’s game provides a chance for the Hilltops to prove they’re not finished as far as this season is concerned.

Konner Johnson leads the PFC in defensive points.

“I think we’re going to come out on Sunday there, and the boys are going to strap up the buckets and go out there and go to work and prove to everybody that there maybe is a glimmer that we are making it through playoffs,” said McNutt. “Once playoffs hit, it is a whole different season.

“The season starts all over again. We’re going to go from there. We’ll finish off the season strong, and the boys will be prepared and ready to go to work.”

McNutt, who will turn 22-years-old in December, believes this down stretch provides an opportunity for the Hilltops to show character and that they can persevere.

“I think we have the right character,” said McNutt. “We definitely have the right set of guys out here on the field at all times.

“Our character is great. We’ve had to face a lot of adversity this year. You know what, adversity is something that it breaks you or you just get stronger from it.

“I think based off what we’ve showcased out here we’re getting stronger off of it, and I’m excited to go show what it is going to look like and how we are going to perform as a team.”

Going into this Sunday’s clash with the Colts, Hilltops star power running back Boston Davidsen sits second in the PFC with 590 rushing yards coming on 102 carries with two touchdowns. 

Hilltops star outside linebacker Konner Johnson leads the PFC in defensive points at 85 thanks to posting 21 solo defensive tackles, 10 defensive tackle assists, three special teams tackles, two special teams tackle assists, one quarterback sack, five pass knockdowns and three interceptions.

Colts quarterback Nick Kennedy is having a sound season completing 82-of-139 passes for 1,139 yards and 11 touchdowns, while throwing nine interceptions. 

Calgary defensive back Damien Bucknor sits fifth in the PFC with 62 defensive points coming off of 25 solo defensive tackles, four defensive tackle assists, two special teams tackles and one interception.

Dylan McNutt (#51) believes his team has great character.

Sargeant believe his Hilltops is going to face one of the most confident Colts teams they’ve seen in a number of years.

“You know what; they’re probably excited that we are rolling into town,” said Sargeant. “The tape we’ve thrown out the last couple of weeks it is sort of we’re not putting intimation or throwing the awe to anybody.

“At the end of the day, I understand that. Our players need to respect that. The old days of Calgary are gone.

“They are very athletic. They are well coached. You can tell they are heading in the right path.”

Thunder versus Rifles poses intriguing battle

Rifles QB Bryson McNeil (#9) leads the PFC in passing yards.

The Winnipeg Rifles can cement the notion they a powerhouse CJFL club in 2022, if they prevail in what is arguable the game of the week in the Prairie Football Conference.

On Sunday, the Winnipeg Rifles (3-2) host the Regina Thunder (5-0) at IG field in Winnipeg at 1 p.m. local time. The Rifles ride into that CJFL regular season clash with a three-game winning streak and are tied with the Edmonton Huskies (3-2) for the second and third place spots in the PFC.

The Thunder are holding down first place in the PFC and can lock up first place in the conference winning two of their final three games.

If the Rifles can beat the Thunder, they will hold victories over both Saskatchewan based CJFL teams this season. On August 28, the Rifles slipped past the visiting Saskatoon Hilltops 19-16 at East Side Eagles Field.

Before downing the Hilltops, the Rifles nearly prevailed in their first meeting with the Thunder back on August 21 at Leibel Field in Regina. Winnipeg led that contest 22-18 after three quarters, but Regina pulled out a 24-22 victory thanks to two fourth quarter field goals by kicker Zack Schmidt.

If the Rifles can beat the Thunder by three or more points in their encounter this Sunday, Winnipeg would hold the head-to-head standings tiebreaker between the two sides placing more pressure on the Thunder to win out to lock up first place in the PFC.

This contest features the PFC’s two passing yardage leaders in Rifles quarterback Bryson McNeil and Thunder quarterback Carter Shewchuk. McNeil has a PFC leading 1,694 yards passing having completed 116-of-184 passes for nine touchdowns, while throwing seven interceptions.

Shewchuk has the second most passing yards in the PFC at 1,662 yards having completed 111-of-162 passes for 11 touchdowns, while throwing seven interceptions.

At the moment, folks in Winnipeg might have a chance to see a CJFL classic, when the Rifles and Thunder collide.

Thunder’s McKerracher gets player of the week nod

Justin McKerracher had a dream game that resulted in capturing a PFC player of the week award.

Last Saturday, the star defensive back made three interceptions helping his Regina Thunder down their provincial rivals the Saskatoon Hilltops 23-7 in front of 2,003 spectators at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. McKerracher returned the first of his three interceptions 35 yards for a touchdown.

On top of those interceptions, McKerracher had one solo defensive tackle, four defensive tackle assists and one pass knockdown in the win.

For his efforts, McKerracher was the named the PFC’s defensive player of the week on Tuesday. McKerracher leads the PFC with five interceptions this season.

The PFC’s offensive player of the week went to Edmonton Huskies star running back Alex Gayle. Last Sunday at the Johnny Bright Bowl in Edmonton, Gayle carried the ball 21 times for 194 yards and scored two touchdowns in a 45-27 victory over the Calgary Colts. Gayle also caught one pass for nine yards.

Colts receiver Jonathan Dikoume was named the PFC’s special teams player of the week. In the loss to the Huskies, Dikoume returned two kickoffs for 132 yards, and one of those returns went 101 yards for a touchdown.

Football Weekend in Saskatchewan was a great showcase

The Saskatchewan Roughriders marketing department gets gold star for the successful execution of its Football Weekend in Saskatchewan promotion.

For the first time in history, the Roughriders and Saskatchewan’s two CJFL teams and U Sports teams were all in Regina playing games at Mosaic Stadium over a two-day period this past Friday and Saturday. The promotion really helped highlight the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder and U Sports’s University of Saskatchewan Huskies and University of Regina Rams.

Last Friday before a paid attendance of 26,974 spectators, the Roughriders fell 26-24 to the Edmonton Elks. The Roughriders led 24-23 until Elks kicker Sergio Castillo hit the winning field goal from 47 yards out with 24 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Last Saturday in an afternoon tilt, the Thunder downed the Hilltops 23-7 in front of a crowd of 2,003 spectators and many in attendance don’t normally check out CJFL football. The Roughriders ensured there was a radio call provincially for this contest on 620 CKRM.

In a night time U Sports clash, the Huskies slipped past the Rams 11-10 before 7,055 spectators. Again, many of the people who were in the crowd don’t normally check out U Sports football.

The Rams led 10-8 until Huskies kicker David Solie hit the winning field goal from 32 yards out with two seconds to play in the fourth quarter. Solie was a member of the Hilltops 11-0 CJFL championship team in 2018 ultimately handling duties as a place kicker, punter and receiver.

This game was carried on radio by 620 CKRM and the Huskies home broadcast was heard on 750 CKJH.

It would be cool if this promotion could be repeated in future years involving all five teams.

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Skid puts Hilltops in unfamiliar territory in CJFL

Saskatoon falls to 2-3 with 23-7 loss to Thunder

Boden Marley and the Hilltops have lost three straight games.

Shockingly could this Saskatoon Hilltops be team what its record says it is?

Unfortunately, the Hilltops recent perfect CJFL championship seasons of going 11-0 in 2018 and 12-0 in 2019 seem like something long gone in the rearview mirror.

On Saturday at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, the Hilltops fell 23-7 to the host Thunder. The setback was a third straight for the Hilltops, who saw their CJFL regular season record fall to 2-3.

The last time the Hilltops lost three games during an entire CJFL regular season came back in 1993, when they posted a 5-3 mark to finish second in the PFC. In the 1993 post-season, Saskatoon advanced to the PFC final ultimately falling 30-15 to the Regina Rams, who advanced to win the CJFL title with a perfect 12-0 record.

It is unknown when exactly the Hilltops last lost three games in a row before their current skid. The last time the Hilltops had a losing regular season record came back in 1973, when they posted a 3-4-1 mark in the then Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League.

The Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League in 1973 was a conference comprised of the Hilltops, Rams, Winnipeg Hawkeyes and Winnipeg Rods. The Hawkeyes and Rods junior programs are both defunct, while the Rams joined the U Sports ranks as the University of Regina Rams in 1999.

This is the first time the Hilltops have lost three regular season games let alone three in a row under the guidance of legendary head coach Tom Sargeant, who became the team’s top sideline boss before the start of the 1998 CJFL season. Sargeant’s career record is 220-36-2 overall including 163-26-2 in regular season play.

During the first two games of their current three-game skid, the Hilltops faltered in moments. After starting 2-0, the Hilltops losing streak started on August 28 with a 19-16 setback to the Rifles at East Side Eagles Field in Winnipeg.

The Hilltops held a 16-13 advantage at the 3:45 mark of the fourth quarter, but weren’t able to close out the contest down the stretch. Rifles kicker Donavon Downing booted two field goals including the winner from 10-yards out with 36 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to pull out the 19-16 victory.

Hilltops QB Damon Dutton, left, was pulled in the second quarter.

Saskatoon’s second straight loss came on September 10 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, when they dropped a 29-21 decision in overtime to their provincial rivals in the Thunder. That was a contest where the Hilltops were in position to win but couldn’t make the plays down the stretch to seal a final outcome in their favour.

The Hilltops were up 21-14 and their offence was given the ball with less than two minutes to play just inside Regina’s side of midfield after a fumble recovery by Saskatoon defensive back Dylan Cook. Saskatoon’s offence wasn’t able to get a first down, and the Thunder gained another offensive possession after a Hilltops punt.

On that ensuing possession the Thunder found themselves facing a third-and-eight situation from the Saskatoon 31 yard line. Thunder quarterback Carter Shewchuk connected with receiver Isaiah Woodley on a 31-yard touchdown pass that evened the score at 21-21 with 16.8 seconds remaining the quarter.

Woodley had to make a great adjustment on an underthrown pass to allow that scoring play happen.

The Thunder got the winning touchdown in overtime on a 15-yard run from running back Ryland Leichert, while Shewchuk connected with receiver Isaac Ford on a two-point convert. In the CJFL, teams must attempt a two-point convert after every major score due to using the CFL’s shootout format to decide extra time games.

When those two sides met again on Saturday in Regina, there was no wondering what might have been if two or three plays were changed in critical moments in the fourth quarter or overtime. The Thunder seemingly scored 23 points in the slowest way possible to post a solid victory and improve to 5-0.

The Hilltops were close on the scoreboard for most of the contest but couldn’t seem to get kickstarted to start any type of roll of momentum. Regina had possession of the ball for long stretches of time, while the Hilltops had a significant number of drives where they went two-and-out.

Trey Reider score the Hilltops only TD on Saturday.

Regina held a 5-0 lead at the end of the first quarter thanks to a 35-yard field goal by kicker Eric Maximuik and a conceded safety by the Hilltops due to bad field position.

Just 51 seconds into the second quarter, Hilltops starting quarterback Damon Dutton was intercepted by Thunder star defensive back Justin McKerracher, who returned the ball 35 yards for a touchdown to increase the host side’s advantage to 12-0. McKerracher would ultimately make three interceptions on the day to sit with five picks on the season.

Dutton played one more two-and-out series, which included being sacked on first down by Thunder defensive lineman Reece McCormick, before being pulled for backup quarterback Trey Reider. Reider played the rest of the way in relief.

With 2:38 remaining in the second quarter, the Hilltops conceded another safety due to bad field position to give the Thunder a 14-0 advantage.

Despite all the momentum being on the Thunder’s side, the Hilltops broke through on the scoreboard, when Reider executed a quarterback sneak from one-yard out for a major score that cut Regina’s advantage to 14-7 with 33 seconds remaining in the second quarter. That Hilltops scoring drive was kept alive by roughing the kicker and rough the passer infractions against the Thunder.

Early in the third quarter, the Hilltops came up with a goal-line stand turning away Leichert on a third-and-goal gamble from the Saskatoon one yard line.

Again, the Hilltops couldn’t build momentum off that stop and had to concede their third safety of the game on their ensuing offensive possession due to the bad field position increasing the Thunder’s edge to 16-7.

With 56 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Thunder running back Ife Adebogun punched in a touchdown from one-yard out to ultimately round out the game’s scoring at 23-7.

Hilltops RB Boston Davidsen, right, was kept in check on Saturday.

Inside the final minute of the fourth quarter, the Hilltops were turned away by a Thunder goal-line stand, when Reider was stopped on a quarterback sneak attempt on a third-and-goal gamble from the Regina one yard line.

With the win, the Thunder sweep the regular season series and the home-and-home set with the Hilltops 2-0. That marked the second straight year the Thunder have claimed the regular season series against the Hilltops 2-0, which was a first in the history of the Regina program that began play in 2000.

The Hilltops will try to end their skid, when they return to action on Sunday, September 25, when they travel to Calgary to face the Colts.

At the moment, the Colts, Edmonton Huskies and Rifles all have 2-2 records. The Colts and Huskies face each other this coming Sunday (tomorrow) in Edmonton, while the Rifles will also be in the Alberta capital at the same time taking on the 0-4 Wildcats.

Going forward, the Hilltops will be in a battle for the race for second place in the PFC and the right to host a game in the first round of the playoffs. As inconceivable as it sounds, the Hilltops could miss the post-season for the first time since 1971, when they posted a 3-5 record playing in the then Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League.

In Saturday’s loss to the Thunder, the Hilltops did have players make good plays in spurts including receiver Boden Marley and star power running back Boston Davidsen on offence and defensive end Riece Kack, who had a sack, and defensive back Evan Mantyka, who had an interception, on defence.

They have the coaches that can guide them out of this unaccustomed position. On paper, they have players who have the potential to allow the Hilltops to have a special season.

With all the media cuts that have happened in Canada, they aren’t going to face the big outside pressure to turn things around, and they won’t face anywhere near the scrutiny that comes the way of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, who are facing a tonne of heat being 6-8 on the Canadian professional football circuit.

Still at this time, the facts lead to the conclusion that realistic doubt has to exist if the Hilltops can get thing done on the field in 2022.

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant, right, faces his first ever three-game skid.

At the moment, the Hilltops are what their record says they are and that is that they are a 2-3 football team.

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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Horsley plays to prime time level for Saskatoon

Hilltops look for others to do the same in rematch with Thunder

Lachlan Horsley, left, had a big game last Saturday for the Hilltops.

Lachlan Horsley was in prime time form last Saturday for the Saskatoon Hilltops, and team’s sideline boss wants to see others play up to the same level displayed by the veteran pass catcher.

Horsley, who is playing his final season of CJFL eligibility with the Hilltops, caught nine passes for 122 yards as his squad dropped a 29-21 regular season decision in overtime to their provincial rivals in the Regina Thunder last Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. With the CJFL using the CFL’s shootout format to decide games in extra time, Horsley almost ended up the overtime hero for the Hilltops.

Saskatoon had the first possession of the extra season, and Horsley hauled in a 29-yard pass and was stopped six yards from the end zone. On a third and goal gamble, Horsley came open just inside the end zone, but Hilltops quarterback Damon Dutton threw the ball behind the sure-handed pass catcher.

The Thunder proceeded to post a touchdown and a two point conversion to win the game on their ensuing possession.

The two sides are set to go at it again on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. The Thunder sport a perfect 4-0 record, while the Hilltops sit at 2-2 having lost their last two straight outings.

Tom Sargeant, who is the Hilltops legendary head coach, said his team is going to need other players to step up like Horsley did to allow the storied CJFL club to break out of its recent funk. Sargeant said the Hilltops plan to keep targeting Horsley, but the sideline boss expects his skilled receiver will attract increased attention from the Thunder defence.

“The other team is going to know that too,” said Sargeant. “We gave him (Horsley) 10 targets last week, so that is a good number.

“We need some other players to step up too. Other players got to start making plays to make the field even bigger for him. Regina is smart.

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant, right, is working to end his team’s skid.

“They’ll rally around and make sure to try and take the ball away from him and force some other player to step up. I’m not sure we have enough players ready to do that.”

Horsley returned to the Hilltops lineup last Saturday after missing the team’s previous two games with a minor calf injury. While he drew the start against the Thunder, the 22-year-old wasn’t originally expecting to have a big night until the Thunder started playing a defensive look that gave him an opportunity to make plays.

“It wasn’t really a game plan that I was going to have the opportunities I did,” said Horsley, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 185 pounds. “Once we got going and I got a look at the defence, we got the look we wanted.

“It was going to come my way. They played a lot of cut where the half would give me this free space, so I just took it. Damon (Dutton) made the reads.

“He threw the ball to me coincidentally quite a bit, so I just made the plays. It turned out I had a pretty decent game after all.”

Even with having a good outing, the final outcome on the scoreboard still stung for Horsley. The setback hurt even worse for the Hilltops due to the fact they were holding a 21-14 lead inside the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter and the Thunder were facing a third-and-eight situation from the Saskatoon 31 yard line.

Thunder star quarterback Carter Shewchuk found star receiver Isaiah Woodley with a 31-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 21-21 with 16.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and ultimately force overtime. That set the stage for Regina to win the game in the extra session.

Due to that setback, the Hilltops find themselves in an unaccustomed position in the PFC standings. At 2-2, the Hilltops are tied for second to fifth place in the conference standings with the Winnipeg Rifles, Edmonton Huskies and Calgary Colts, who all sport 2-2 marks as well.

Horsley said he thought his team’s offence showed stretches of being able to play at a really high level last Saturday only for things to frustratingly drop off. He believes the Hilltops offensive unit can become a stellar unit like the team is used to seeing.

“Last Saturday, I think there were a lot of exciting things that you see when you watch this offence at times,” said Horsley. “Then, there are other times where you’re kind of scratching your head, and you’re like, ‘What are these guys doing?’

The Hilltops want more players to have big performances.

“We’re back out here, and we’re going to be putting in the work. We’re going to clean some things up. As bad as it looks right now at 2-2, I think there should be some excitement around our offence once we clean a few things up.”

While the Saskatoon side is looking to clean a few things up, Sargeant said the Hilltops are looking for Horsley to come through with another clutch game in the rematch with the Thunder this coming Saturday, which will close a home-and-home series between the two sides.

“He (Horsley) was one of the best players for us on Saturday, so we are expecting to run the same type of game plan this weekend, which means he will be heavily involved,” said Sargeant. “We’re excited to see how he performs.”

Johnson tabbed with third player of the week nod

The Hilltops celebrate a Konner Johnson (#42) interception.

Another big statistical game has resulted in another weekly award for Saskatoon Hilltops star outside linebacker Konner Johnson.

On Tuesday, Johnson was named the PFC’s player of the week for the third time this season. The Melfort, Sask., product picked up his latest weekly honour thanks to his performance in the Hilltops regular season game this past Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field against the Regina Thunder.

In that contest, Johnson posted eight total tackles, two pass knockdowns and an interception. On special teams, he also threw a key final block to clear the way for 17-year-old running back Charles Sawi to score a touchdown on a 125-yard missed field goal return.

On the season, Johnson leads the PFC in defensive points with 70 coming on 19 solo defensive tackles, four defensive tackle assists, two special teams tackles, one special teams tackle assist, one quarterback sack, four pass knockdowns and three interceptions.

The Thunder ultimately prevailed in that clash 29-21 in overtime.

Rookie Sawi named special teams player of the week

Charles Sawi romps to a 125-yard missed field goal TD return.

Charles Sawi took home his first player of the week honour thanks to one electrifying play.

On Tuesday, the Saskatoon Hilltops 17-year-old rookie running back was named the PFC’s special teams player of the week. This was the first time Sawi was named a player of the week in his young CJFL career.

Sawi claimed the award after returning a missed field 125 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter in the Hilltops 29-21 overtime setback to the Regina Thunder at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. After Thunder kicker Eric Maximuik missed a 45-yard field goal attempt, Sawi caught the ball deep in his own end zone, came first up the middle, then burst down the left sideline and cut back up the middle in returning the rock all the way the other way for a major.

The graduate of Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High School Crusaders Football Team had one other touch on special teams returning a punt for 11 yards. He also ran the ball on offence once for three yards.

So far this season, Sawi has returned four missed field goals for 239 yards including his long touchdown jaunt.

Edmonton Huskies coach passes away, other notes

A tweet from the Huskies about Neil MacLean.

On Wednesday, the Edmonton Huskies announced that their special teams coach Neil MacLean passed away suddenly on Tuesday evening.

MacLean suffered a brain aneurysm on Monday night. He passed away the next evening with his family by his side.

The 64-year-old had been a fixture in the Edmonton football community, and he had been the Huskies special teams coach for a lengthy amount of years.

The Huskies gathered on Tuesday night to reflect and celebrate the impact MacLean had on their lives.

MacLean is survived by his wife, Wilma, and sons, Iain and Andrew. Iain served as the Huskies head coach from November of 2011 to November of 2020.

·         On Tuesday, Winnipeg Rifles quarterback Bryson McNeil was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week for his work in his team’s 31-28 victory over the Calgary Colts last Sunday at East Side Eagles Field in Winnipeg. In that contest, McNeil completed 18-of-28 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing one interception. He also ran the ball four times for 39 yards as the Rifles won their second straight game to improve to 2-2. On the season, McNeil has completed 91-of-144 passes for 1,254 yards and five touchdowns, while throwing five interceptions. He has passed for the second most yards in the PFC this season.

·         On Wednesday at their annual general meeting, the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders announced a profit of $151,191 for the 2021-22 fiscal year. The Raiders posted a profit of $25,891 for the 2020-21 fiscal year, where they played a 24-game regular season in a bubble environment in Regina due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world. That profit came due to $1,081,179 in government grants including $600,000 from Saskatchewan’s provincial government. The Raiders lost $331,895 in 2019-20 in a campaign that was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. In their WHL championship season in 2018-19, the Raiders posted a profit of $633,314.

·         The U Sports football regular season provides an intriguing gem of a game this coming Saturday. In a battle of 2-0 teams, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies face the University of Regina Rams at 7 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium. The Huskies and Rams are the last two remaining undefeated teams in the Canada West Conference. The Huskies are rated second in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, while the Rams are listed in sixth. The clash will see Huskies fifth-year star veteran quarterback Mason Nyhus go up against Rams rookie quarterback Noah Pelletier. Nyhus has completed 54-of-73 passes for 70 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Pelletier has completed 32-of-57 passes for 488 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing one interception.

·         On Thursday, tennis all-time great Roger Federer announced he will be retiring from the ATP Tour and grand slams following the Laver Cup, which runs Sept. 23 to 25 in London, England. The 41-year-old has won 20 singles grand slam titles in his career.

·         Last Friday, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a feature about how high school football has been a tradition at Saskatoon Minor Football Field since 1960. That piece can found by clicking right here. I also created a photo round up that had a mix of pictures from the summer and fall sports seasons that 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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Thunder snatch victory away from Hilltops

Regina pulls out 29-21 OT win in miraculous fashion

Ryland Leichert (#32) scores the OT winning TD for the Thunder.

The Regina Thunder pulled a game that was seemingly lost out of the fire leaving the Saskatoon Hilltops to wonder what might have been.

On Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops saw a 21-14 advantage disappear right before the end of the fourth quarter as the Thunder scored to force overtime and proceeded to pull out the CJFL regular season clash in the extra session 29-21 before 1,477 spectators.

Thunder star running back Ryland Leichert ran home the winning touchdown from 15 yards out in overtime, and Regina star quarterback Carter Shewchuk hit star receiver Isaac Foord with a pass for a two-point convert to round out the final outcome.

Ryland Leichert (#32) had 139 yards rushing for the Thunder.

“Shoutout to the O-linemen,” said Leichert. “They had great blocks.

“They made a hole for me. I just hit it. A lot of that goes to them.

“It just feels good to get the win.”

With less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Hilltops defensive back Dylan Cook recovered a Thunder fumble to set Saskatoon up with an offensive possession just inside Regina’s side of midfield. The host Hilltops led the Thunder 21-14 and were looking to run out the clock.

The Hilltops offence went two and out. After a punt by Saskatoon kicker Connor Green, the Thunder had the ball with just over a minute to play deep in their end with no timeouts.

Carter Shewchuk threw for 319 yards for the Thunder.

Very quickly, Shewchuk connected on a number of intermediate routes to move the ball downfield. The visitors would then find themselves facing a third-and-eight situation from the Saskatoon 31 yard line.

Shewchuk proceed to throw a duck pass that seemed destined to fall incomplete on the Saskatoon five yard line on the right side of the field. Thunder star receiver Isaiah Woodley, who was running a go route down the right sideline, broke to the middle, and he hauled in the underthrown and wobbly pass.

Woodley then zipped in to the end zone for the touchdown that evened the score at 21-21 with 16.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and ultimately forced overtime.

Isaiah Woodley celebrates his late fourth quarter TD catch.

In overtime, the CJFL plays CFL shootout rules, where offences scrimmage from the opposing 35 yard line attempting to drive the short distance for a score and teams have to go for two-point conversions after major scores. The Hilltops got the first possession in overtime and got down to the Regina six yard line after quarterback Damon Dutton hit Lachlan Horsley with a 29-yard pass.

The Hilltops drive stalled and a third down gamble pass to Horsley in the end zone fell incomplete.

That set the stage for Leichert to put up the winning points on the Thunder’s ensuing possession.

“We got a little too high,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, whose team will face the Thunder again this coming Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. “We still struggle in moments and situations, and that seems to be the flavor of this team right now.

Hilltops R Lachlan Horsley, left, had nine catches for 122 yards.

“At the end of the day, that falls directly on me. Preparation is half the battle. At the end of the day, we didn’t close the game, which has been a theme.

“Regina wanted it more than we did at the end. That was pretty simple. Good for Regina, and we’ll see them next week.”

The Hilltops opened the game’s scoring in the first quarter going up 3-0 with a 12-yard field goal from Green. Just 61 seconds into the second quarter, the Thunder evened things up at 3-3 with a 32-yard field goal from star kicker Eric Maximuik.

At the 5:06 mark of the second quarter, Dutton hit Hilltops backup running back Tanner Szakacs with a nine-yard touchdown pass to give the hosts a 10-3 advantage heading into halftime.

Charles Sawi, left, returns a missed field goal 125 yards for a TD.

Green booted the second half kickoff into the Thunder end zone, where it was downed for a single point to increase the Hilltops lead to 11-3. 

At the 5:30 mark of the third quarter, Green hit a 39-yard field goal to increase the Hilltops advantage to 14-3.

With 1:40 remaining in the third quarter, Thunder running back Keane Szabo dove into the Saskatoon end zone from a yard out for a touchdown. Following Szabo’s major score, Shewchuk hit Leichert with a five yard pass for a two-point conversion that trimmed Saskatoon’s lead to 14-11.

Boston Davidsen (#24) had 128 yards rushing for the Hilltops.

Early in the fourth quarter, Maximuik attempted a 45 yard field goal to pull the Thunder even on the scoreboard. His kick sailed wide, and Hilltops 17-year-old rookie running back Charles Sawi ran the ball back 125 yards the other way for a touchdown to give Saskatoon a 21-11 edge.

With 6:21 remaining in the fourth quarter, Maximuik connected on a field goal from 31 yards out that cut the Hilltops lead to 21-14. That set the stage for the dramatics inside the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime.

“It didn’t end the way we want it to,” said Hilltops defensive end Daylen Hartz, who had a sack and three total tackles on Saturday. “The fun thing is that we get to play them again next week too.”

The Hilltops celebrate an interception from Konner Johnson.

Hartz said the Hilltops missed a lot of opportunities in key situations that would have helped them win the game. The veteran, who is in his final season of CJFL eligibility, said his will continue to work on getting better in practice to cash in on those missed opportunities.

“There were a lot of things everyone could have done a bit better,” said Hartz. “That is what this next week is for.

“A chip on the shoulder helps with working a bit harder, and I think we’re definitely going to be working a bit harder this week.”

During Saturday’s game, Dutton completed 19-of-32 passes for 221 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception. Horsley caught nine passes for 122 yards to lead the Hilltops in receiving.

Damon Dutton (#19) threw for 268 yards for the Hilltops.

Star power running back Boston Davidsen led the Hilltops on the ground carrying the ball 24 times for 128 yards.

Shewchuk completed 27-of-42 passes for 328 yards and one touchdown, while throwing two interceptions for the Thunder. Foord led the Thunder in receiving with eight catches for 127 yards.

Leichert paced the Thunder’s ground game carrying the ball 19 times for 91 yards to go with his game-winning major score. He said Saturday’s win improved his team’s confidence about pulling out games in desperate situations.

“I think that just goes to show our confidence and our effort,” said Leichert. “That is how we play all season.

“There is not going to be a game where it is not over. We’re going to be playing hard until the whistle blows. That is our mentality.”

Isaac Foord (#8) had eight catches for 127 yards for the Thunder.

Defensively, Hilltops star outside linebacker Konner Johnson had eight total tackles, two pass knockdowns and an interception. Defensive end Riece Kack had eight total tackles and one sack for the Hilltops, while defensive back Justin Adamko had an interception.

Thunder defensive back Adam King led his team with nine total tackles. Linebacker Kenten Effa had 7.5 total tackles and a sack for the Thunder, while defensive back Justin McKerracher had four total tackles and an interception for the Regina side.

Regina remained undefeated with the win improving to 4-0, while the Hilltops fell to 2-2 having lost two straight.

The Thunder celebrate their game-winning score on Saturday.

“At the end of the day, we have to get back to drawing board, and we have to figure out how to become more effective as a football team in all three phases,” said Sargeant. “At the end of the day, third and eight the defence could have won the game right there too.

“We didn’t. They made more plays. They were a better football team tonight.”

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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