Depth of youthful Hilltops overpowers Colts

Saskatoon heads into bye week with 3-0 mark

Xavier Sabo jets to the end zone on a 75-yard touchdown reception.

The depth of talent for the youthful Saskatoon Hilltops appears to be rising to the top.

On Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, it seemed like everyone was making plays for the Hilltops as they improved to 3-0 routing the visiting Calgary Colts 50-18 in a CJFL regular season clash played in front of 1,036 spectators. Saskatoon veterans like quarterback Trey Reider, star power running back Boston Davidsen and defensive end Riece Kack all had big statistical days.

The Hilltops also benefitted from big performances from their youngsters. Rookie running back Xavier Sabo hauled in four passes for a game high 139 yards and one touchdown. Second year defensive end Kai Kukurudza had three quarterback sacks and three total tackles.

Xavier Sabo had 139 yards receiving on Sunday.

Back in the Hilltops 50-2 season opening victory over the Edmonton Wildcats on August 13 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Sabo scored his first touchdown of his CJFL career on a 33 yard run. Against the Colt on Sunday with the Hilltops holding a 33-0 lead in the second quarter, Sabo caught a short pass and zipped up the left sideline for a 75 yard receiving touchdown to give the host side a 40-0 advantage.

Sabo, who is a graduate of Saskatoon’s Centennial Chargers Football team, said his confidence has skyrocketed since he first started playing with the Hilltops. He said the team’s returning players have been important in helping him out.

The Hilltops celebrate Xavier Sabo’s 75-yard TD reception.

Sabo said one of his biggest influences has been Hilltops second year star running back Charles Sawi when it comes to supplying tips on what to expect. Sawi is currently out of the Hilltops lineup on a week-to-week basis due to injury, but he was still on the sidelines talking to Sabo and giving him feedback. Sabo said those little chats occur frequently at practice.

“Charles (Sawi) has been a big help,” said Sabo, who returned two punts for 14 yards on Sunday. “He is always hyping me up.

“He is a really good teammate. All the guys are good. We’re just a really good team were going to keep coming.”

With the Hilltops getting contributions from numerous players on their roster, it was a sight that brought a smile on the face of the team’s legendary head coach in Tom Sargeant.

The Hilltops sacked Colts QB Liam Oczkowski (#9) seven times.

“Once again, our first quarter was exceptional,” said Sargeant. “The coaches did a great job of preparing and getting these guys ready.

“Boy, did they execute the plan. We basically did everything we thought we should and could do. The second quarter was OK.

“We lost a little bit of energy or momentum, but it was good to unload the bench again. The kids came out and played well. We’re moving this thing in the right direction.”

Sargeant believes the Hilltops made a good find when they were able to recruit Sabo. Over the past two years, the Saskatoon high school football scene has been dominated by the always powerful Holy Cross High School Crusaders and the St. Joseph High School Guardians.

Kai Kukurudza (#73) had three sacks for the Hilltops.

While Centennial Collegiate has a good program, there is a chance that players on the Chargers team could be overlooked. Sargeant said he saw a lot of things he liked about Sabo when he watched him play for the Chargers.

“He has a glide and a smoothness,” said Sargeant. “It is tough to predict his speed.

“When he gets going as you saw down that sideline, can he accelerate and finish the run. He has been a kid that is gaining confidence and just getting better acclimatized to our offensive scheme. It was fun to watch him play and perform.

“We’re going to keep figuring out ways to put him on the field and have him do more.”

Sargeant said the team’s coaching staff thought Sabo had the potential to make big plays right out of the gate, if the young running back could get some early belief.

Trey Reider had 321 yards passing for the Hilltops.

“We’ve had high expectations,” said Sargeant. “He just needed to get the confidence within himself.

“Once he found that confidence, as I said, the ball found him and he took advantage of it.”

While Sabo’s self-confidence has grown, he has a really good feeling about the vibe on his Hilltops team.

“We’re getting better every week,” said Sabo. “Every practice we are getting better, so yeah, we’re coming for sure.”

The Hilltops opened Sunday’s clash scoring touchdowns on each of their first three offensive series to hold a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Davidsen ran in Saskatoon’s first score on a six-yard run.

Part of the 1,036 spectators that came to the Hilltops game on Sunday.

Reider hit Flaman, who made an acrobatic catch, for a five-yard touchdown reception to push the Hilltops edge out to 14-0. Before the first quarter ended, second-year running back Corbin Ebben plunged in from a yard out to increase the Hilltops lead to 21-0.

Early in the second quarter Teijon Abel-Douglas hit a 12-yard field goal to push the Hilltops advantage out to 24-0. At the 5:04 mark of the second quarter, Reider connected with second-year receiver Landon Thibault on a deep corner pattern for a 31-yard touchdown toss to push the Hilltops lead out to 31-0.

Boston Davidsen carried the ball 15 times for 190 yards on Sunday.

Just 44 seconds later, the Colts were forced to concede a safety due to bad field position to put the Hilltops up 33-0. Sabo’s long touchdown reception that put the Hilltops ahead 40-0 came on the ensuing series after the Colts conceded a safety.

Sabo admitted he was pretty pumped to be able to score on his long touchdown catch.

“It felt really amazing,” said Sabo, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 170 pounds. “We just went out and did our job.

“(There was) good blocking. It felt really good.”

While the Colts fell to 0-3, they have shown the ability to move the ball offensively with second year quarterback Liam Oczkowski, who is 19-years-old, calling plays. 

The Hilltop Cheerleaders perform at halftime on Sunday.

After the Hilltops went up 40-0, the Colts put together a long touchdown drive that was capped with Oczkowski hitting receiver Jonathan Dikome with a seven-yard touchdown toss to trim Saskatoon’s lead to 40-7.

Colts kicker James Keane hit a 17-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining in the second quarter to further trim the Hilltops edge to 40-10.

With 15.7 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Abel-Douglas nailed a 35-yard field goal to give the Hilltops a 43-10 advantage at halftime.

Kack said it was important for his squad to face a foe that favours the passing game offensively. The Hilltops first two opponents in the Wildcats and Winnipeg Rifles were both clubs that prioritized the run.

Riece Kack (#47) had two-and-a-half sacks on Sunday.

“It was honestly a good test for us,” said Kack, who had two-and-a-half sacks and two-and-a-half total tackles on Sunday. “The first two games we’re more they’re trying to get the run on us.

“When that didn’t work, the pass wasn’t really the best against the boys. To go against a quarterback with that kind of talent was definitely a good stepping stone for the next process for us.”

In the third quarter, the Hilltops scored the only points in that frame with a 36-yard field goal and a rouge from a 45-yard missed field goal from Abel-Douglas to go up 47-10.

Ryden Gratton, who is the Hilltops second-year reserve kicker, hit a 19-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to give further push the Hilltops edge to 50-10.

The trio of Hilltops defenders combine on a QB sack.

The Colts rounded out the game’s scoring from that point with a 67 yard punt single from Robert Lasebnik and a one-yard touchdown run from Oczkowski.

The Hilltops defensive line had a big night. Along with the three sacks put up by Kukurudza and the two-and-a-half sacks recorded by Kack, Johnathon Stevens had a sack and Ben Marce had a half sack.

“That D-line is just full of a bunch of dawgs to be honest,” said Kack. “They are just a bunch of ballers out there.

Hilltops mascot Topper hugs a young fan.

“I love playing with the boys. They know how to get the job done for sure. Pretty much all week, we said they’re going to be a pass heavy team.

“The second half comes around we’re going to start getting after them. Even before that, they were just trying to roll out, and we were on it. It was a heck of a day for the boys.”

Reider completed 17-of-26 passes for 321 yards, three touchdowns and didn’t throw any interceptions. Davidsen had a monster afternoon carrying the ball 15 times for 190 yards to go with his major score.

Oczkowski completed 18-of-30 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception. He carried the ball five times for 10 yards to go with his major score. Alan Xiang led the Colts with 79 yards rushing coming off 13 carries.

Hilltops safety Dalton Urban makes a big hit on a Colts receiver.

Middle linebacker Matt Wist led the Hilltops with five-and-a-half total tackles. Linebacker Andy Scrivens had an interception for Saskatoon.

Defensive back Cody Anglo led the Colts with five-and-a-half total tackles.

The Hilltops are now off until Saturday, September 9, when they travel to Regina to face the 3-0 Thunder at 7 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium. That starts a stretch that sees the Hilltops play three straight road games.

Their next home game isn’t until Saturday, September 30, when they host the Thunder at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

The Hilltops mingle with family and friends after Sunday’s game.

Kack said his Hilltops are pumped to be 3-0 at this point in the campaign but focus will quickly turn towards the next step in the journey of their campaign.

“Work is not done,” said Kack. “We’re going to go into the bye and take some practice this week, and we’re on to Regina.”

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Hilltops’ Abel-Douglas just misses record territory

Teijon Abel-Douglas (#80) boots a field goal on August 13.

Teijon Abel-Douglas just focuses on his next kick and doesn’t realize when he is on a roll.

This past Sunday, the Saskatoon Hilltops third-year place kicker nailed all five of his field goal attempts in his team’s 49-0 victory over the host Winnipeg Rifles at East Side Eagles Field in Winnipeg. The Humboldt, Sask., product was short of the Hilltops team record for most field goals make in one regular season game and two kicks away from the CJFL regular season mark for most field goals made in one contest.

Abel-Douglas was unaware about how close he was to record territory. He said his job was easy making kicks in the win against Winnipeg, because the Hilltops special teams unit was on fire.

“It is just good execution from everyone,” said Abel-Douglas, whose 2-0 Hilltops return to action this coming Sunday against the 0-2 Calgary Colts (1 p.m., Saskatoon Minor Football Field). “It is good execution from Isaac (Michayluk) snapping and Drake (Douglas) holding and the unspoken heroes of like the guys on the line taking the shot.

“When we have everything just working and running smoothly, it is real easy. It is just keep your head down, kick the ball and celebrate with the team after.”

Had the opportunity for Abel-Douglas to make a couple of more field goals in that contest come up, he would have had the chance to equal some long standing marks.

The Hilltops team record for most field goals made in one regular season game is six, and it happened twice. On August 26, 1984, Rick Barrack was the first Hilltops player to make six field goals in one regular season game. That mark was matched on October 3, 1999 when Jody Kerr made six field goals in one regular season contest.

The CJFL record for most field goals made in one regular season game is seven, and it happened twice. On July 31, 1988, Brian Demug of the Colts made seven field goals in one CJFL regular season game. That mark was matched on August 15, 1992 when Jason Appleyard of the London Beefeaters hit seven field goals in one CJFL regular season contest.

Against the Rifles this past Sunday, Abel-Douglas made his field goals from 18, 30, 31, 31 and 34 yards out. He made three of those kicks in the first half helping the Hilltops build an 18-0 lead and added his fourth and fifth field goals in the third quarter to aid the Hilltops in building a 38-0 advantage.

Teijon Abel-Douglas (#80) got close to a longstand CJFL record.

Abel-Douglas said he didn’t feel like he was in the zone or anything special was happening. He was just focused on the process of making each kick.

“It is more next kick mentality,” said Abel-Douglas, who stands 6-feet and weighs 155 pounds. “You’re only as good as your last kick.

“Kickers don’t get a bunch of opportunities every week. Any time I am out there I like to keep my head down and just stay focused. After the first, second and third one, you are just always thinking about the next one.

“That is what was going through my head I would say.”

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant was pleased Abel-Douglas was able to come through with his kicks to allow the Saskatoon side to build momentum in that contest against the Rifles. That performance saw Abel-Douglas named the PFC’s special teams player of the week on Wednesday.

“Our goal all the time on offence is to get points on the board whether they are touchdowns or field goals,” said Sargeant. “Obviously, we want touchdowns, but the situation didn’t dictate that.

“Teijon (Abel-Douglas) and the field goal team went out there, and they were 100 per cent. It was awesome. It is a good mechanism.

“You are always looking for all three phases to contribute. Any time you make a field goal, it helps to build the momentum and the morale up, and that certainly paid off. Eventually, we did find the end zone a few times.”

Back 2021, Abel-Douglas joined the Hilltops right after graduating from Humboldt Collegiate Institute, where he played for the Mohawks football team. He was joined on the Saskatoon roster by then 19-year-old Carter Sirman, who was playing his first CJFL season. Abel-Douglas handled the majority of the place kicking duties that campaign, while both kickers battle nagging injuries.

In 2022, the Hilltops brought in then 22-year-old veteran Connor Green who ultimately replaced Sirman on the team’s roster. Green, who spent four years with the University of Regina Rams football team in the U Sports ranks, handled the majority of the place kicking and punting duties for the Hilltops in 2022.

Teijon Abel-Douglas handles the Hilltops place kicking duties.

He ended up developing a mentor and apprentice type relationship with Abel-Douglas, who was in his second-year with the club. Abel-Douglas it was a huge help to have Green on the roster.

Through the veteran, the youngster learned more about the skills and techniques of the punting game. When it came to kicking field goals, Abel-Douglas said he picked up tips about how to read the wind conditions from Green to be able to boot the ball better among the countless pointers that came his way.

“You could definitely tell he (Green) had done it for longer than I had,” said Abel-Douglas, who added Green quickly developed an infectious love for the Hilltops that lasts to this day. “Being a fifth-year guy and playing in all those big games we had playing in the PFC final and all that, you sit and watch and you are there to support him.

“You want to get better off what he is showing you. He is not showing it for no reason. I definitely keep a lot of that in my mind.

“Me and him (Green) still talk very frequently, and he wishes me good luck. He is a great friend, a great brother. I definitely learned a lot from him.”

Sargeant said that mentor and apprentice type relationship Green and Abel-Douglas developed really helped Abel-Douglas when he reassumed the main place kicking duties for the Hilltops this season.

“Teijon kicked the year before (in 2021), and he had a year to sort of be around how another guy attacks his role and his job,” said Sargeant. “I think it was an awesome learning experience.

“Hey, Teijon is in his third year. He has two more years after this year, and he is really becoming a marquee player in the PFC, and the sky is the limit. The confidence that he left with from Sunday him and us as a team it is only going to benefit us as we move into the future.”

Looking to the future, Abel-Douglas didn’t think it would be likely he would get the chance to kick six, seven or eight field goals in a game to get a chance match or break the Hilltops or the CJFL records for most field goals made in a game. He expects the offence will be efficient in finishing drives with touchdowns.

Teijon Abel-Douglas is focused on helping the Hilltops win games.

With that noted, he admitted he doesn’t concern himself with setting any personal records.

“I feel like at the end of the day we are here to win a national championship,” said Abel-Douglas. “If it naturally comes where we need to kick seven field goals or something like that, if that happens, then sure, great.

“I’ll do my part for the team. At the end of the day, we want to win. I’m here to win.

“These guys take hits for me. These guys bleed. At the end of the day, it is more of me just doing my job, me doing my part for them as they do their part for me.”

Young Colts quarterback to test ’Toppers, other notes

Matt Wist, centre, and the Hilltops“D” will face a pass happy Colts squad.

It won’t be hard to miss the player the Saskatoon Hilltops will be looking to limit or shutdown when they play the Calgary Colts.

The two teams are set to go at it on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in a CJFL regular season clash. The Hilltops enter the contest with a 2-0 record, while the Colts have an 0-2 mark.

While the Colts are searching for their first win, their 19-year-old quarterback is turning heads helping the Calgary side score 58 points in two games. Liam Oczkowski, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 210 points, has completed 38-of-67 passes for 590 yards and four touchdowns, while throwing one interception. He has run the ball 18 times for 122 yards and one major score.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said it was pretty obvious to see that Oczkowski, who played last season with the Prince George Kodiaks in the British Columbia Football Conference, is the Colts big playmaker.

“It starts with their quarterback (Oczkowski),” said Sargeant. “He was involved in 80 per cent of their plays last week and 70 per cent the week before.

“They really put the ball in his hands and expect him to be a decision maker, be a playmaker, and he has shown that ability to do that. He has put up a lot of good numbers. We have a lot of respect for his athleticism.”

With Oczkowski slinging the ball, the Colts have two receivers rated in the top four in receiving yards in the PFC. Nicholas Sirleaf sits third in the PFC with 182 receiving yards coming off seven catches with two of those receptions going for touchdowns. Tim Dewar sits fourth in the PFC with 123 receiving yards coming on eight catches.

The Hilltops enter Sunday’s game with five players having make single interceptions over their first two outing in linebackers Matt Wist, Wade Keating and Denym Mantyka along with cornerback Justin Adamko and safety Dalton Urban. Saskatoon has outscored the opposition 99-2 so far this season.

“It is going to be a big job by our defence, but at the end of the day, we have a lot of confidence in that defence,” said Sargeant. “Part of the whole package is we have to make sure our offence stays on the field a little bit better this week than what they did last Sunday (in a 49-0 win over the Rifles in Winnipeg).

“We have a lot of challenges out there. We have a lot of expectations. We know we have to rally up and come out and play better this Sunday at home against Calgary.

“Hey, they are 0-2. They’ve had enough. They are going to be ready to try and catch us on one.”

Teijon Abel-Douglas, who is the Hilltops place kicker, believes his team’s overall confidence is in a good spot going into this Sunday’s game against the Colts.

“I think honestly offensively and defensively we’re just playing great,” said Abel-Douglas. “The defence, they had nine takeaways last week.

“When the defence is on top of it like that, and we have a short field to work with, it is great. I think the confidence around here is a great deal right now. At the same time, we have to play one down at a time there is no question about that.

“Going into this week, I’m feeling good. The body feels good. I think the spirits around here are high, and I think we are ready to go.”

• On Wednesday, Regina Thunder quarterback Carter Moberg was named the offensive player of the week for the PFC for his efforts in his team’s 53-14 road win over the Edmonton Wildcats. In that contest, Moberg completed 21-of-34 passes for 367 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran the ball twice for 18 yards.
• On Wednesday, Edmonton Huskies running back Brady Fedyniak was named the defensive player of the week for the PFC for his efforts in his team’s 51-38 victory over the visiting Calgary Colts this past Saturday. He recorded 10 total solo tackles in the win.
• Hilltops star running back Boston Davidsen sits second in the PFC in rushing yards. He has carried the ball 34 times for 268 yards and two touchdowns.
• Hilltops emerging star receiver Drake Douglas tops the PFC in receiving yards. He has 13 catches for 210 yards and one touchdown.
• Hilltops starting quarterback Trey Reider has completed 28-of-42 passes for 395 yards and five touchdowns this season, while throwing one interception. Reider was the subject of a feature story appearing on the website of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders known as www.riderville.com written by Roughriders senior journalist and team historian Rob Vanstone, who is part of the 2023 class to enter the Regina Sports Hall of Fame. The piece on Reider can be found by clicking right here.

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Veteran captain Wist has faith in Hilltops’ youngsters

Saskatoon romps over Rifles 49-0 in Winnipeg

MLB Matt Wist is one of the Hilltops defensive captains. 

Matt Wist is a part of a minority in the Saskatoon Hilltops dressing room these days, but he believes that minority is a group all of his teammates can be a part of.

The Hilltops star middle linebacker is one of five players in the team’s dressing room who owns a CJFL championship ring. Wist is one of five holdovers along with linebacker Wade Keating, defensive back Carter Wingert, running back Boston Davidsen and defensive lineman Craig Torgerson left from the Hilltops 12-0 CJFL title winning team in 2019.

All five of those players are playing out their final seasons of CJFL eligibility with the Hilltops along with linebacker Jordan Levesque and offensive lineman Justice Walker.

It never crossed Wist’s mind that the number of active players with CJFL championship rings on the Hilltops roster could shrink down to five.

“It is pretty crazy,” said Wist, who is one of the Hilltops defensive captains. “I think we learned a lot from that first year, because it was a grind.

“It wasn’t one of those years where we were blowing out every team. We definitely learned how to work hard and earn what we deserve.”

Back in the 2019 campaign, the Hilltops opened their schedule slugging out three road wins downing the Rifles in Winnipeg 34-20, the Thunder in Regina 34-16 and the Huskies in Edmonton 24-22. In their home opener and fourth game of the schedule, the Hilltops needed a last minute touchdown to down the Thunder 28-21 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

The Hilltops went on a roll at that point until the CJFL championship game, where they battled past the Rams in Langley, B.C., 11-6 in a defensive slugfest.

Matt Wist finished sixth in defensive points in the PFC in 2022.

Fast forward to the current campaign, the Hilltops entered the 2023 season after having 20 players exhaust their CJFL eligibility at the end of the 2022 season. The Hilltops have a more youthful roster in 2023, but with that noted, Wist believes the youngsters can be special.

“It is definitely different losing all those guys from last year,” said Wist, who stands 6-feet and weighs 225 pounds. “We’re definitely a young and talented team that likes to fly around and have lots of fun, and we have lots of energy.

“It brings a lot to our game.”

Taking on the Rifles in Winnipeg at East Side Eagles Field on Sunday, Wist and Wingert combined in one moment to show the old guys can and will still make plays. Early in the fourth quarter, Wist stripped the ball from the Rifles quarterback.

Wingert recovered the football and returned it to the end zone to put the Hilltops up 45-0. The Hilltops would cruise to a 49-0 victory in the CJFL regular season clash improving to 2-0, while the Rifles fell to 1-1.

The youngsters on defence also make lots of plays in that game. Dalton Urban, who is the team’s third-year safety, had a pair of interceptions and returned one of those picks for a touchdown to give the Hilltops a 38-0 lead late in the third quarter. Rookie linebacker Denym Mantyka also came up with an interception in the fourth quarter.

Wist, who is a graduate of Saskatoon’s Bethlehem Catholic High School Stars Football Team, has been impressed with the young players on the Hilltops roster and believes they still have lots of room to grow and be better.

“Lots of talent,” said Wist, who is also the Hilltops regular punter this season. “They have lots to learn still.

“They show up. They work hard, and they just want to get better every day, so it is great to have them here.”

Matt Wist became the Hilltops regular punter this season.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said it has been big to have Wist’s veteran presence on the team that has a youthful roster this season. The sideline boss said his 22-year-old middle linebacker has been leading by example on the field.

“Any time you have players that are proven in the league and have a lot of experience, you need them to step up and be your leaders,” said Sargeant. “For an example, Matt on defence has done a good job of bringing the energy and making players accountable, and he is helping us on special teams.

“He is our punter this year. He had a 43 yard average (in a 50-2 win over Edmonton Wildcats on August 13). He is a player with confidence.

“When he is on and he is full of confidence, he makes a lot of plays. He has played a lot, so he should be one of our guys leading us out there with smarts, and that is what we’ve seen.”

In eight regular season games in 2022, Wist finished sixth in defensive points in the PFC with 98.5 points coming off 36 solo defensive tackles, 19 defensive tackle assists, one interception, one pass knockdown and a half quarterback sack. He did get to punt the ball five times for an average of 56.0 yards per kick last season.

During the Hilltops 50-2 romp over the Wildcats at Saskatoon Minor Football Field this past August 13, Wist, who is in his third season as the starter at middle linebacker, had two solo defensive tackles, two defensive tackle assists and one interception. He also punted the ball six times for an average of 43.3 yards per kick.

Wist took over the punting duties with the graduation of place kicker/punter Connor Green at the end of the 2022 campaign. Sargeant said the team’s coaching staff had been considering letting Wist take on the duties as the team’s punter, but things just lined up better for him to take on the role full time this season.

“We’ve been working over this over the last couple of years,” said Sargeant. “There is always someone in there that maybe the coaches had more confidence in.

Matt Wist averaged 43.3 yards per punt in Week 1 in 2023.

“As I said, this is a young team, and it is his time. I think he enjoys it, and we embrace it. When he hits it the way he hits it, it is a game breaker.

“It makes a difference, and it gets everyone excited. We’re expecting more, and he is expecting more. I can’t wait to see him do more.”

With being a fifth-year player, Wist said he has noticed that the younger players are looking up to him frequently. Wist said he is trying to be more mindful of how he acts on and off the field to set a good example for the younger players due to the fact he is noticing more eyes looking his way. On top of being good players on the field, Wist wants the young players to be good people in their lives away from the game.

He embraces the role he is taking on in 2023. Wist is enjoying the fact the team has had a real good focus over the first two weeks of the season being in the present and enjoying that moment of the journey the season takes. When that journey ends, Wist would like it to be one where everyone on the roster gets a CJFL championship ring.

Personally, he said it would be a cool way to cap his time with the venerable Saskatoon squad and the careers of the team’s six other fifth-year players.

“It would be a great way to end off our career as Hilltops,” said Wist. “That is obviously the end goal to be a Canadian champion.

“We just have to take it one day at a time with these young guys to teach them you can’t look too far ahead. You just have to work day by day.”

In Sunday’s win over the Rifles, the Hilltops led 3-0 after the first quarter, 18-0 at halftime and 38-0 after three quarters. Teijon Abel-Douglas, who is the team’s third-year kicker, made five field goals in the win.

Rookie receiver Datiel Fountaine and third-year pass catcher Noah Flaman each had major scores on receptions for Saskatoon. The Rifles conceded three safeties to the Hilltops to further aid the convincing win by the Saskatoon side.

The Hilltops can celebrate being 2-0 in 2023.

The Hilltops return to action this coming Sunday when they host the Calgary Colts (0-2) at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

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Hilltops set for new look Rifles in first road outing

Winnipeg goes away from air heavy attack used in 2022

The Hilltops defence put the clamps on the Wildcats.

The Winnipeg air show has turned into the ground and pound game.

When the Saskatoon Hilltops take the field against the Winnipeg Rifles, they will see a much different Manitoba-based squad on the offensive side of the ball from a year ago, if statistics from the first week of the CJFL’s regular season action in the PFC is any indication. The two squads, who won their respective regular season openers, go at it on Sunday at East Side Eagles Field in Winnipeg at 1 p.m. local time.

The Hilltops opened their regular season schedule this past Sunday hammering the Edmonton Wildcats 50-2 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Rifles traveled to Edmonton this past Sunday, and they grinded out a 20-15 victory over the host Huskies at the Jasper Place Bowl.

In 2022, the Rifles posted a 4-4 regular season record relying on the arm of starting quarterback Bryson McNeil. During the regular season, McNeil finished second in the PFC with 2,269 passing yards but was injured in his club’s final regular season contest and unavailable for their PFC semifinal loss to the Thunder in Regina. McNeil exhausted his CJFL eligibility with the conclusion of the 2022 campaign.

When the Rifles downed the Huskies this past Sunday, they ran the ball 40 times and threw it 24 times. The Rifles piled up 177 yards rushing and 164 yards passing. Running back Kaiden Banfield led the way carrying the ball 30 times for 151 yards.

Ben Marce runs back a fumble recovery for the Hilltops.

Rifles quarterback Thomas Hubbard, who is in his fourth year of CJFL eligibility, completed 16-of-24 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception.

“They definitely flipped the script from last year,” said Hilltops star middle linebacker Matthew Wist. “They were definitely a pass first team when they played against us (in 2022).

“This year by the looks of it they are going to like to run the ball more. We’ll get prepared with that for this week. We’ll just keep our heads down and keep moving forward.”

In 2022, the Hilltops downed the Rifles 19-10 on August 14 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, and the Rifles claimed a 19-16 triumph on August 28 at East Side Eagles Field. It is believed that victory by the Rifles marked the first time they had beaten the Hilltops since 2005.

The Hilltops had a solid day on defence this past Sunday against the Wildcats. They held the Wildcats to 155 yards rushing and 96 yards passing as a team.

Saskatoon’s defence had a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery. The Wildcats two points game courtesy a conceded safety by the Hilltops offence after a bad shotgun snap.

Tom Sargeant, who is the Hilltops legendary head coach, believes his team has good read on what their Winnipeg foes will be like in 2023.

Justin Adamko drops into coverage for the Hilltops.

“At the end of the day, they are going to run and play act (action pass),” said Sargeant. “Hey, I think that plays into our strengths.

“With the personnel we have and the talent we have, I think we’re very good at run defending. Hey, some of our pass defence film we sent out shows that boy you don’t want to throw the ball in certain areas, because boy, our guys are playing physical right now.”

The trip to Winnipeg is the Hilltops longest in conference road jaunt usually requiring about a 10-hour bus ride. Wist said the road journey to Winnipeg is always a learning experience for the club’s younger players.

“For those younger guys, it is always a nice eye-opener,” said Wist. “We have some fun on the trip too, so it is good just to get some team bonding in.

“It is also a business trip, so we have to keep our heads on our shoulders and know what our task is at hand.”

Like previous years, the Hilltops travel the day before the game and will depart for the Manitoba capital early Saturday morning. As has become a tradition, the Hilltops will stop in Moosomin to hold a walk-thru practice.

“It is nice little break,” said Wist. “We get off the bus and get loosened up.

The Hilltops aim to continue their inspired play on Sunday.

“We have a nice little quick walk thru – a little bit of fun. Then we go get some lunch, and then we are back on the road to Winnipeg.”

With both the Hilltops and Rifles having 1-0 records, their head-to-head encounter this coming Sunday is a big game in the early part of the schedule. While the Hilltops usually come out on the winning side in their trips to Winnipeg, Sargeant admitted his squad always seems to end up in a tough battle in the Manitoba capital.

“For whatever the reason, we don’t get off that bus in Winnipeg and play good football,” said Sargeant. “They keep talking about how that is a legacy win for them last year, so we have to own that.

“We have to build on some of the great things we saw (against the Wildcats). I have to take a hungry team. I have to get them refocused and redirected on the task at hand and performing and coming out and playing better.”

Hilltops’ Reider named a PFC player of the week, other notes

Trey Reider is the offensive player of the week for the PFC.

A big opening day earned Saskatoon Hilltops starting quarterback Trey Reider a PFC weekly award.

On Wednesday, Reider was named the offensive player of the week for the PFC for his performance in the Hilltops 50-2 victory over the Edmonton Wildcats at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. In that contest, Reider completed 20-of-25 passes for 294 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Reider became the Hilltops starting quarterback in their sixth regular season contest in 2022. During regular season action in 2022, Reider completed 63-of-95 passes for 756 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing three interceptions. The graduate of the St. Joseph High School Guardians Football Team is playing out his fourth year of CJFL eligibility.

Calgary Colts linebacker Andrew McKay was the PFC’s defensive player of the week. McKay had five solo defensive tackles, five defensive tackle assists and one quarterback sack as the Colts fell 36-20 this past Sunday to the visiting Regina Thunder at Hellard Field in Calgary.

Winnipeg Rifles kick returner Roy Tambal Musa captured honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week. In the Rifles 20-15 victory this past Sunday over the host Huskies at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton, Tambal Musa returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. He also returned four punts for 34 yards.

• When the Hilltops down the Wildcats 50-2 this past Sunday, it marked the second time Saskatoon scored 50 or more points in a game since the start of the 2021 campaign. The other time the Hilltops scored 50 or more points in that span of time came on October 16, 2022, when they dumped the host Wildcats 64-7 at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta.
• After one week of regular season play, Hilltops receiver Drake Douglas leads the PFC in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (171).
• Regina Thunder third year star running back Ryland Leichart started the 2023 campaign on a hot note. In the Thunder’s 36-20 victory over the host Colts at Hellard Field in Calgary, Leichart carried the ball 21 times for 171 yards and one touchdown. He also had a 19-yard touchdown catch in the victory.
• On August 9, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a piece on Savannah Sutherland, who won the 400-metre women’s hurdle championship at the NCAA Track and Field Championships held this past June at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. That win concluded Sutherland’s second season with the University of Michigan Wolverines Women’s Track and Field Team. The Borden, Sask., product has huge potential to compete in a future Summer Olympic Games. The piece on Sutherland can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that mainly focuses on the post-season chase on the diamonds heating up at the Complex. That post 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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Reider makes case to cement himself as Hilltops starting QB

Saskatoon smashes Wildcats 50-2 on opening day

Trey Reider was firing strikes for the Hilltops on Sunday.

While it may be a cliché, Trey Reider knows all he can do is put his best effort forward in order to remain the starting quarterback of the Saskatoon Hilltops.

If Reider can keep stringing together performances like he had at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on Sunday, any questions about him being the Hilltops starting signal caller will fade away to the point of no longer being in existence.

In the Hilltops opening day game to start their 2023 CJFL regular season schedule, Reider completed 20-of-25 passes for 294 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions as the Hilltops hammered the visiting Edmonton Wildcats 50-2 before 1,201 spectators. After his final pass found offensive lineman Jeremy Funk for a six-yard completion for a touchdown on a gadget play from the jumbo set to give the Hilltops a 39-2 edge with 2:12 remaining in the third quarter, Reider gave way to the team’s reserve quarterbacks as the Saskatoon coaching staff got all the team’s backup into the contest.

Hilltops OC Shane Reider, left, talks to QB Trey Reider.

Brexton Elias took snaps right after Reider and Wil Ansell entered the contest at quarterback in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

“We finally started to figure it out, and everything started to click out there,” said Reider, who also carried the ball three times for 19 yards. “I just put it up, and my wide receivers made some good catches, and O-line stood up and just was great with lots of pocket time.”

With the Hilltops having dealt with uncertainty at quarterback each of the past two seasons, Reider wants to do his best to make sure he is the answer as the starting quarterback in 2023. Last year, Damon Dutton started the campaign as the Hilltops starting quarterback, but after he struggled for a stretch, Reider was inserted at the starting spot for the last three regular season games and both of the club’s post-season contests.

Trey Reider scrambles downfield for the Hilltops.

In 2021, Doug Fleming started the first three regular season games at quarterback for the Hilltops before he got benched after he struggled for a stretch. Dutton took over as the starting quarterback for the rest of that campaign starting with the team’s fourth regular season contest.

Fleming departed from the Hilltops following the 2021 campaign, and Dutton exhausted his CJFL eligibility with the completion of the 2022 season. Reider said he focuses on what he has to do to become a better quarterback and added Dutton was a big positive influence in helping him out.

“Damon (Dutton) taught me a lot last year, and we were always competing for the spot,” said Reider, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 175 pounds. “Now that he is gone, I am just working as hard I can every day in practice to make sure it (uncertainty at the starting quarterback spot) doesn’t happen.”

Trey Reider (#3) calls out signals for the Hilltops. 

During regular season action in 2022, Reider completed 63-of-95 passes for 756 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing three interceptions. Last year, Reider said he had a tendency to get locked on veteran receivers. In 2023, the fourth-year signal caller said he has gotten better at throwing to all the Hilltops pass catchers.

“With the younger guys, I just have more of a confidence level, and I just feel better in the pocket,” said Reider, whose father, Shane, is the Hilltops offensive coordinator. “As an older guy, now I have to take control, so it is a lot better now.”

Trey Reider completed 20-of-25 passes for 294 yards on Sunday.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant was pleased to see Reider have a big first game like he did on Sunday to start the campaign. With Hilltops star running back Boston Davidsen having surpassed 1,000 yard rushing in the 2022 regular season, Sargeant figured the Wildcats would try to key on the run first.

“The way they were playing, we knew Boston (Davidsen) is a marquee guy in the league,” said Sargeant. “They certainly came in and wanted to jam the line of scrimmage.

“Coach (Shane) Reider and his staff did a heck of a job of calling the right plays at the right time. Hey, Trey hit his marks. When he does that, it is amazing what we do and how we’re going to do it.

Part of the crowd of 1,201 spectators that saw the Hilltops play on Sunday.

“I’m very proud of everybody today.”

Going forward, Sargeant said the Hilltops coaches will be working on helping Reider consistently have performances game after game like he had on Sunday. The sideline boss really liked what his signal caller did early in the game on a 12-yard scramble run.

“I felt Trey’s best play of the game was none of these throws,” said Sargeant. “We had a certain play call.

Noah Flaman secures a 13-yard TD catch for the Hilltops.

“He looked, and he didn’t trust it and took off for 12 yards. That is the evolution of a quarterback, and that is what we are challenging on. That is what we keep practicing so hard and filming so hard.

“As I said, he was the leader of that offence today. Any time you put 50 points on then you are leading it pretty well.”

As for Sunday’s game, the Hilltops took a 1-0 lead, when kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas’s opening kickoff went into the Edmonton end zone for a rouge. After defensive back Justin Adamko came up with an interception for the Hilltops, Abel-Douglas booted a 42-yard field at the 2:49 mark of the first quarter to push the Hilltops lead out to 4-0.

Boston Davidsen ran in two touchdowns for the Hilltops.

With 5:14 remaining in the first quarter, Reider hit third-year receiver Noah Flaman with a 13-yard touchdown toss to give the Hilltops an 11-0 advantage. On the final play of the opening quarter, Davidsen scored on a one-yard plunge to push the Hilltops edge out to 18-0.

In the second quarter, Reider hit receiver Drake Douglas with a four-yard touchdown toss to put the Hilltops up 25-0 at halftime. Douglas finished the contest leading all receivers with nine catches for 171 yards to go with his major score.

“Drake Douglas was so good,” said Reider. “He just got open for me, and I just threw it deep to him.

“It was good to get that going.”

A bad shotgun snap by Hilltops centre Matthew Noble resulted in Davidsen downing the ball in his own end zone for a safety for the Wildcats and slightly trimmed the Saskatoon’s lead to 25-2 just 30 seconds into the third quarter.

Drake Douglas caught nine passes for 171 yards and a TD.

Davidsen later scored on another one-yard plunge leading up to Funk’s touchdown catch to give the Hilltops a hefty 39-2 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The Hilltops rounded out the game’s scoring in the fourth quarter with a 60-yard punt single by middle linebacker/punter, Matt Wist, a 40-yard field goal from second-year kicker Ryden Gratton and 33-yard touchdown run by rookie running back Xavier Sabo.

“For a young team, the thing we challenged on that was we want to see great energy and great excitement and enthusiasm,” said Sargeant. “We saw that today.

“We were physical. The coaches did a great job of getting this group ready, and they were on point. Any time you win 50-2 you are doing a lot of things right.

“Offence and defence and special teams complimented one another. It was just a great team win, and we need this.”

Ben Marce returns a fumble recovery for the Hilltops.

Davidsen led the Hilltops with 74 yards rushing on 16 carries to go with his two touchdowns.

Defensively, Wist had three total tackles and an interception for the Hilltops. Defensive lineman Johnathon Stevens had a sack for the host side, while fellow defensive lineman Ben Marce had a fumble recovery for Saskatoon.

Quarterback Caleb Taylor completed 12-of-21 passes for the Wildcats for 96 yards, while throwing two interceptions. Running back David Lezama led the Wildcats with 67 yards rushing on 10 carries.

Defensively, defensive back Tytan Johannesson led the Wildcats with 6.5 total tackles. Defensive linemen Lajaune Morgan and D’wayne Williams each shared a half sack.

Xavier Sabo (#32) reacts to scoring a TD for the Hilltops.

With the opening day game out of the way, the Hilltops now turn their attention to their next contest this coming Sunday, when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Rifles (1 p.m. local time, Maple Grove Park). Going into that contest, Reider said the key is for his Hilltops to keep sharpening up their game.

“I’d say we just worry about us this week at practice and just continue to throw hard,” said Reider. “Our wide receivers are going to make some plays for us next week.”

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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Hilltops get nods in CJFL Top 50

Storied Saskatoon squad opens regular season on Sunday

Charles Sawi was rated second on the CJFL Top 50 list.

Tom Sargeant is about team first, but he will always be up for his players receiving any individual recognition.

Heading into the 2023 CJFL regular season, the Hilltops had five players crack into the CJFL’s annual Top 50 players to watch list heading into the campaign. Running back and kick returner Charles Sawi was rated second, defensive end Riece Kack placed eighth, running back Boston Davidsen was listed 22^nd, middle linebacker Matt Wist cracked in at 26^th and defensive back Joe Yausie was rated 38^th.

The Hilltops, who were rated third in the CJFL’s pre-season power rankings, open their regular season schedule on Sunday when they host the Edmonton Wildcats at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

Sawi cracking the list in the second spot was head turning considering he is entering his second campaign in the CJFL, and he is still 18-years-old.

“It is certainly a recognition of the type of playmaker that he is,” said Sargeant, who is the Hilltops legendary head coach. “At the end of the day, it is still a small sample size, because he really didn’t get a lot of touches.

“Certainly, Boston (Davidsen) is still our feature running back and the guy that we’re going to put a lot of emphasis in. Charles will get some of his reps there, and he’ll get some reps in other places as well. We have a pretty good core offence.

Riece Kack (#47) was rated eighth on the CJFL Top 50 list.

“We’ll move him around a little bit and try and showcase what his skill set is and see if he can earn that number being number two.”

The CJFL has produced Top 50 players lists at the start of each season since 2016. Sawi joins select company as only three other Hilltops players have been rated either first or second on the Top 50 lists that have come out.

 The first time the circuit ever did such a list in 2016, Hilltops linebacker Cole Benkic was rated first. 

One year later, Hilltops running back Logan Fischer cracked the Top 50 list in the second position. In 2018, Hilltops quarterback Jordan Walls was ranked first on the Top 50 list.

Benkic, Fischer and Walls were all in their respective final campaigns of CJFL eligibility when they reached those lofty ratings on the Top 50 list.

Last season, Sawi won the CJFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. He became the first member of the Hilltops to be named a rookie of the year for the entire CJFL since that honour was first handed out in 1998.

In 2022, Sawi, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 185 pounds, played through his rookie campaign in the CJFL at just 17 years of age and made some of the season’s most electrifying plays on offence and special teams. During the regular season, Sawi carried the ball 30 times for 342 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Boston Davidsen was rated 22nd on the CJFL Top 50 list.

On special teams, Sawi returned seven kickoffs for 168 yards and one touchdown, and five missed field goals for 271 yards that included a 125-yard return for a touchdown.

Sargeant, who is the all-time leader in career amateur post-secondary head coaching wins in Canadian football at 224 victories, said the splash plays Sawi made in 2022 picked up a lot of attention.

“First things first, he is so exciting on special teams, and that is where he made the majority of his name,” said Sargeant. “He runs pitch well, and he has a few things that really feature well into our offence.

“He is going to be our punt returner and kick returner. He is going to get into that offence way more than he was last year. Coach (Shane) Reider and the offensive staff have to keep figuring out how to get him in space, because once you get him in space, boy, he is tough to tackle out there.”

While Sawi captured the CJFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, Davidsen had an outstanding campaign in his own right. 

In the Hilltops eight regular season contests, Davidsen, who is entering his final season of CJFL eligibility, carried the ball 149 times for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns.

With Davidsen slated as the Hilltops top running back, Sargeant has his own set of expectations for Sawi in 2023.

Matt Wist was rated 26th on the CJFL Top 50 list.

“We just want him to be a solid, competitive player that fits in well with our offence, and at the end of the day, that is reliable,” said Sargeant. “We can rely on him consistently.

“He is accountable to himself and to his teammates. If he can do those things, then they usually turn into big things with the blue and gold.”

On August 3, the Hilltops fell 32-1 to the Hilltops Alumni Team in the annual Hilltops Alumni Game at Ron Atchison Field. The Hilltops enter the 2023 regular season with a young and inexperienced team playing out of a resetting Prairie Football Conference.

Sargeant said there is a bit of a different vibe going into Sunday’s game with the Wildcats compared to how the Hilltops started any of their other campaigns in recent memory.

“It is way different, because we have so many new starters in here,” said Sargeant. “Certainly, we saw that last week against the alumni that youth and the lack of experience.

“Hopefully, through that performance and that game, the coaches are coaching it up and coaching hard that they’re going to be ready to play against their peers in the Edmonton Wildcats, a foe we’ve gone against for years. They have a new coaching staff and a new regime. There is a lot of uncertainty.

Joe Yausie (#9) was rated 38th on the CJFL Top 50 list.

“At the end of the day, we’re just focusing on ourselves and making sure that we get out here, and we perform up to our standards and attack the goals that we’ve set. At the end of the day, let’s see where it takes us.”

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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