Hilltops romp in the rain to lock up first in PFC

Saskatoon downs rival Thunder 19-10 to improve to 7-0

The Hilltops celebrate a big defensive play on Saturday.

The weather forced the Saskatoon Hilltops to win gritty and ugly.

Playing in a steady rain on Saturday night before 1,584 spectators at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the host Hilltops slugged out a 19-10 CJFL regular season victory over their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder.

The win allowed the Hilltops to improve to 7-0 and clinch first place in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference, while the Thunder fell to 5-2 to sit second in the PFC. Saskatoon also locked up home field advantage through the CJFL playoffs up until the Canadian Bowl, which is the circuit’s championship game.

The Hilltops received five field goals from third-year kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas to pull out the win over the Thunder. Regina got the game’s only touchdown thanks to a one-yard plunge by star 20-year-old running back Ryland Leichert with 2:23 remaining in the second quarter to trim an 8-0 Hilltops lead to 8-7.

Boston Davidsen carried the ball 33 times for 131 yards.

“It was a great win for this young football team,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “The coaches had to grit and grind.

“The players had to grit and grind. At the end of the day, throw out all the stats it’s Regina. You know it is going to be a great game, and it certainly was today.

“I love how my boys fought especially in the second half. Boy, they played mentally and physically tough.”

Abel-Douglas was good on five-of-six field goal attempts on Saturday. His lone miss game on his final attempt of the game that came from 37 yards out and counted for a single point to put the Hilltops up by the eventual final score of 19-10 with 2:41 to play in the fourth quarter.

Charles Sawi tries to run to the outside for the Hilltops.

Had Abel-Douglas been able to make that last kick, he would have equaled the Hilltops team record for most field goals in one regular season game at six. That accomplishment was achieved on two occasions.

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.

Abel-Douglas was pleased he was able to come through with his five made field goals on Saturday to capitalize on the work his teammates did to get in field goal range.

Teijon Abel-Douglas (#80) made five field goals on Saturday.

“It was good, because the offence drove down the field,” said Abel-Douglas. “The defence had a few turnovers, and that put us into good spots.

“It is all about execution. I missed one today, so obviously, there is still room for improvement. We were put in good positions, and they were kicks I see every day in practice.

“That is comfortable. You go out and you put your head down and kick the ball.”

Hilltops star power running back Boston Davidsen was doing his best to get Abel-Douglas into field goal range. Davidsen carried the ball 33 times for 131 yards to top all ground gainers.

That performance allowed Davidsen to hit the 1,000-yard rushing plateau for a second straight season. In the Hilltops seven regular season outings to date, Davidsen has carried the ball 150 times for 1,036 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had one catch for six yards.

Ryland Leichert dives in for a rushing touchdown for the Thunder.

On Saturday, Davidsen said Abel-Douglas played a huge role in helping the Hilltops pull out the win.

“We leaned on him (Abel-Douglas) today, and he really answered the call,” said Davidsen. “It is a blessing to have a guy like Teijon (Abel-Douglas) on your team, you know a really upbeat and positive guy.

“He does his job on the field as well.”

Abel-Douglas hit a 24-yard field goal to account for the only points in the first quarter giving the Hilltops a 3-0 lead. The Thunder conceded a safety just 14 seconds into the second quarter and Abel-Douglas followed with a 19-yard field goal to give the Hilltops an 8-0 advantage.

Thunder RB Justin Reiger (#31) is stopped by a Hilltops defender.

That set the stage for Leichert’s one-yard touchdown plunge that cut the Hilltops advantage to 8-7 going into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Hilltops got a 49-yard punt single from middle linebacker/punter Matt Wist, and Abel-Douglas nailed 20-yard field goal with one second remaining in the frame to push the Hilltops edge out to 12-7.

At the 4:14 mark of the fourth quarter, Shawn Green hit a 21-yard field goal for the Thunder to trim the Hilltops lead to 12-10.

Abel-Douglas proceeded to add field goals from 19 and 34 yards out to give the Hilltops an 18-10 advantage. That set the stage for Abel-Douglas’s missed field goal single that rounded out the 19-10 final score in favour of the Hilltops with 2:41 left to play in the quarter.

Isaiah Woodley, right, makes a catch for the Thunder.

The Thunder had two final drives that ended in an interception and a turnover on downs.

“I think we did our job, but now, the season is really just going to get to start,” said Davidsen, who team has won both head-to-head encounters with the Thunder this season. “We have first place, and now, we put ourselves in the best position for this next part of the season, which is the biggest part.

“Playoff football, we’re excited for it. There is a lot of work ahead of us. We played a good team today.

“There is a chance we will see them again, so we’ll have to regroup and focus up and get ready for the next opponent.”

QB Trey Reider, right, runs upfield for the Hilltops.

Due to the weather, Hilltops quarterback Trey Reider had quiet day throwing completing 8-of-12 passes for 136 yards with one interception. He ran the ball five times for 26 yards. Receiver Noah Flaman topped the Hilltops with 81 receiving yards coming off three catches.

Thunder backup quarterback Ethan Hugg started in place of Carter Moberg, who was out for undisclosed reasons. Hugg completed 20-of-32 passes for 202 yards, while throwing two interceptions.

Star receiver Isaiah Woodley led the Thunder with 10 catches and 107 yards receiving. Leichert led all Thunder ground gainers with 61 yards rushing coming on 20 carries to with his major score.

Hilltops defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens recorded 4.5 total tackles and a pair of interceptions, which included a pick that came on the Thunder’s second last offensive series. Outside linebacker Noah Gedir topped the Hilltops with 10.5 total tackles. Ben Marce and Jace Mowles had fumble recoveries for Saskatoon.

Matt Wist (#44) plugs a hole for the Hilltops.

Linebacker Stephen Smith led the Thunder with 12 total tackles. Linebacker Kenten Effa had a sack, and defensive back Elijah Norris had an interception for Regina.

The Hilltops lost second-year starting right guard Victoire Bikulo to a lower leg injury on the game’s first offensive play. Bikulo had to be taken off the field on a cart on a stretcher.

Quinton Pike, who is also in his second year, played a strong game in Bikulo’s place.

“Boy, losing Victoire (Bikulo) on play one certainly doesn’t help anything, but you know what, I love how everyone responded and took ownership of what was in front,” said Sargeant, who expects Bikulo will likely be out for the rest of the season. “You know what, Quinton Pike came in and played hard and played well, and the O-line played hard and played well, because that is an outstanding front seven.”

The Hilltops huddle up on offence.

The Hilltops will now close their regular season schedule on Sunday, October 8, when they host the Winnipeg Rifles at 1 p.m. at SMF Field.

The Thunder will also conclude their regular season schedule on Sunday, October 8, when they host the Edmonton Huskies at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field.

When the final gun sounded in Saturday’s clash between the Hilltops and the Thunder, Davidsen was pumped his side took the rain-soaked affair.

“Winning is more fun in the rain than losing is in the rain,” said Davidsen. “I’m happy we got the win, but I think we still have a lot of work to do.

The Hilltops react to their hard-fought victory on Saturday.

“That is a really good team we played, and it is likely we will see them again.”

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Hilltops chase first place, Davidsen on cusp of 1,000

Boston Davidsen is nearing 1,000 yards rushing.

The offensive linemen know the magic number for Boston Davidsen is 95.

The Saskatoon Hilltops 22-year-old star power running back is 95 yards away from hitting the 1,000 yard rushing plateau for the second consecutive year. Davidsen is also striving to record the 10^th all-time individual 1,000 yard rushing season in regular season play in the history of the modern version of the Hilltops club, which began play in 1947.

In the team’s eight regular season games in 2022, Davidsen carried the ball 149 times for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns for the ninth all-time individual 1,000 yard rushing season in the history of the Hilltops. His rushing yardage total in 2022 topped the Prairie Football Conference.

Over the Hilltops first six regular season games in 2023, Davidsen tops the PFC in carries (117), rushing yards (905) and rushing touchdowns (eight).

During early team practices this week, members of the Hilltops offensive line were talking about getting Davidsen that last 95 yards to hit the 1,000-yard plateau again. The graduate of Saskatoon’s Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints Football Team said it was special that his teammates felt that highly of him and the chase for the 1,000-yard rushing season.

“It is a very blessed position to be in to have teammates that care about me like that,” said Davidsen, who is playing out his final campaign of CJFL eligibility. “To have a team that wants this stat for me even though it is a team stat, we’re pursuing it together.

“At the end of the day, the win is more important. It is nice if we can shoot for accomplishments like this, but that 6-0 is what we’ve been going for, and we’re looking to keep adding to that and keep going for the rest of the season.”

To that end, the Hilltops have a huge outing coming up. After playing three straight games on the road, the Hilltops (6-0) host their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder (5-1) in a CJFL regular season contest on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The clash is a battle between the two top teams in the PFC.

If the Hilltops win on Saturday, they will clinch first place in the PFC and lock up home field advantage through the CJFL playoffs up until the league’s championship game – the Canadian Bowl. 

Boston Davidsen has piled up 905 rushing yards this season.

The two sides met back on September 9 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, where the Hilltops claimed a 36-6 victory. 

The Thunder need to beat the Hilltops by 31 or more points to claim the head-to-head standings tiebreaker.

The Hilltops haven’t been in the position to lock up first place in the PFC since 2019, when the team posted a 12-0 overall record and last won the CJFL title. 

Davidsen is one of five holdovers who was a rookie on that 2019 Hilltops squad and played sparingly in that campaign. He is enjoying the opportunity to play a bigger role in helping the Saskatoon side.

“It is a new experience for me to shoot for this, because when I was a rookie, I was one of the practice roster guys not playing too much,” said Davidsen. “It will be a unique experience.

“It is something that we are shooting for. We love to play at home. We think we have the best fans in Canada.

“We like that they can come out and watch our games. They fuel us.”

Of course, the Thunder are also bringing in a large number of standout players into Saturday’s clash like their star 20-year-old running back in Ryland Leichert. Leichert is also chasing the 1,000-yard rushing plateau.

Over the Thunder’s first six regular season contests, Leichert has carried the ball 114 times for 831 yards and five touchdowns. He sits second behind Davidsen in each of those statistical categories in the PFC and needs 169 yards rushing to hit the 1,000-yard mark.

On Wednesday, both Davidsen and Leichert shared PFC offensive player of the week honours for their efforts in their clubs’ respective wins this past Sunday. Davidsen carried the ball 24 times for 196 yards and two touchdowns and added two catches for 21 yards to power the Hilltops to a 40-7 victory over the Huskies in Edmonton.

Boston Davidsen wants the Hilltops keep piling up wins.

Leichert ran the ball 22 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns to allow the Thunder to stampede over the Colts in Calgary 50-14.

Tom Sargeant, who is the Hilltops legendary head coach, said his club has a lot of pride in Davidsen.

“Boston is a special player,” said Sargeant. “Last year, he sort of put the team on his back with some of his running, and he is doing the same thing this year.

“He has had a phenomenal off-season. He’s done everything right. We just trust him in all situations.

“He’s as big of a prime time player as we got. Everybody in the league knows that, but he always comes out and does his job.”

The sideline boss said his veteran running back has been businesslike and professional throughout his CJFL career.

“He (Davidsen) is not looking for a pat on the back,” said Sargeant. “He’s just a football player who knows how to play and certainly makes this football team better.

“We’re going to honour him. One of our goals is to make sure Boston (Davidsen) hits 1,000 this week. That involves the O-line, the receivers, quarterback and everybody else.

“As I said, one of the big reasons we’re 6-0 is because of Boston Davidsen.”

If both teams need to, they can take it to the air as well. Hilltops starting quarterback Trey Reider has completed 93-of-139 passes for 1,310 yards and 15 touchdowns, while throwing three interceptions. Thunder starting quarterback Carter Moberg has completed 91-of-171 passes for 1,449 yards and 13 touchdowns, while throwing eight interceptions.

On defensive, Hilltops defensive end Riece Kack leads tops the PFC with 7.5 quarterback sacks along with making two fumble recoveries and safety Dalton Urban has pulled down four interceptions and recovered one fumble. 

Boston Davidsen ran for 1,037 yards in 2022 to lead the PFC.

Thunder linebacker Stephen Smith leads the PFC with 92 defensive points collected on 41.5 total tackles, one quarterback sack, one blocked kick and one fumble recovery.

Sargeant said the Hilltops focus is always on improving and getting better, and that this week’s challenge deals with helping his players navigate through a rivalry clash. He said the games with the Thunder always give his players a good test.

“We’re very fortunate that we have Regina coming in this weekend,” said Sargeant. “They are our archrival.

“In those games, you throw out all the stats anyways. It is about who wants it more. It is going to be a real physical game, so we have to step up, show up and have a great game plan and these players need to come out and execute it.

“At the end of the day, there is lots on riding for the Thunder more than there is on us, so we know they’re going to come out guns a blazing.”

During the 2021 and 2022 campaign, the Thunder were 5-1 against the Hilltops in action that included the regular season and post-season, which included winning all three head-to-head encounters last year. 

Davidsen said the setbacks in recent years against the Thunder were in the back of the minds of the returning Hilltops players during off-season workouts, but the head-to-head record between the two clubs in 2021 and 2022 was forgotten when the 2023 campaign got going.

“It is a big rivalry when we play them,” said Davidsen, whose father, Donnie, is the Hilltops offensive line coach. “We do try to put our best foot forward.

“At the same time, we try to go into every game day with the mindset that we’re going to win. The past is in the past. If we live in the past, it is going to affect our future.

“I think that those losses did motivate us in our off-season training. This is a new season and new team. They’re a new team, and we’re look to just go out there and do whatever it takes to win.”

The Hilltops celebrate a touchdown from Boston Davidsen (#24).

NOTES – On Wednesday, Huskies defensive back Sam Kolkman was named the PFC’s defensive player of the week. Kolkman had a pair of interceptions, five solo defensive tackles and a forced fumble in his club’s loss to the Hilltops this past Sunday. Winnipeg Rifles kicker Alex Minor took honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week making a field goal, five converts, recording a kickoff single and averaging 29.8 yards per kick on eight punts in a 39-0 win over the visiting Edmonton Wildcats this past Saturday.

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Urban arrives as Hilltops newest star on defence

Safety gets two picks to help Saskatoon go 6-0

Dalton Urban, right, has enjoyed making big plays this season.

Dalton Urban might lead the way when it comes to being the publicist for his teammates on defence.

Going into the 2023 CJFL campaign, the 20-year-old took over the starting safety spot on the Saskatoon Hilltops defensive unit from standout Evan Mantyka, who graduated at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign. Urban has made highlight plays with takeaways and hits, but he adds the rest of the defensive unit, especially the team’s front seven, have made patrolling the secondary an absolute joy.

“It has been fun,” said Urban. “When the front seven is able to get pressure on the quarterback, it makes our job easier on the back end.

“I’ve been able to make plays and then celebrate as a team. It is always good. We’re always trying to get everybody to the ball.

“When it is thrown up or there is a ball on the ground, it is just important to get on it and make a play.”

On Sunday at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton taking on the Huskies, the host side opened the game’s scoring with an early touchdown to take a 7-0 lead on the visiting Hilltops. With the Huskies still holding their 7-0 edge, Urban came up with an interception.

Following that play, the Hilltops went on to score 40 unanswered points to take the CJFL regular season contest 40-7. The win allowed the Hilltops to improve to 6-0 and officially lock up the right to open the CJFL playoffs at home hosting a Prairie Football Conference semifinal contest. Saskatoon can’t finish lower than second in the PFC standings.

The Huskies fell to 3-3 with the setback to sit third in the PFC.

With the Hilltops holding a 30-7 lead in the third quarter, Urban came up with his second interception of the contest. Urban has four interceptions on the campaign and returned a fumble 61 yards for a touchdown in the Hilltops 49-0 win over the Rifles in Winnipeg on August 20. The graduate of Saskatoon’s St. Joseph High School Guardians Football Team has also made a handful of big hits.

“To see his growth from day one to what he is today, he is a complete football player,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “He is smart out there.

“He puts himself in great spots. He reads the defensive sets and formations well, and he knows how to arrive. He’s made some big hits and big interceptions.

Dalton Urban has four interceptions this season.

“He has just got a real knack for getting around the ball, and when he is there, you notice him, because he is an impactful player.”

When Urban played for the Guardians, he said his main focus was being an offensive player.

“I actually played quarterback for most of my high school career,” said Urban, who stands 6-feet and weighs 180 pounds. “I backed up Trey Reider in high school, and I played a little receiver.

“I didn’t get much experience on defence until I came here, so it is good to know both sides of the ball. It has given me some helpful knowledge as I play defence now.”

On joining the Hilltops in 2021, Urban figured he was likely going to have to find a new position, if he was going to get on the field and help the team. That started to get the wheels in motion that saw Urban become a safety.

“I just wanted to put myself in a position to be able to make the team,” said Urban, who is in his third season with the Hilltops. “I talked with (Hilltops offensive coordinator) Shane Reider early on about just finding a spot on the team.

“I liked the DB that I did play in high school. I had lots of fun doing it, so then I just felt it was best for me. Ever since then, it has been my favourite position.”

After moving over to defence, Urban found he really hit it off with Hilltops defensive backs coach Brent Turkington, who was a star defensive back in the Hilltops 1985 CJFL championship team. Urban said Turkington has been one of his biggest influences in helping him out in the game.

“He (Turkington) has been super helpful,” said Urban. “I couldn’t say enough good things about him.

“He (Turkington) brings the passion every single day, which helps us just give our all every single day and makes us better. His coaching technique, he always has something or he is getting better, so that is our main goal. He is able to help us do that.”

Urban said he loves the physical aspect and the hitting part of football, so switching to defence has been a natural fit for him.

Dalton Urban has returned a fumble 61 yards for a TD this season.

“I’d say physicality is always good,” said Urban. “Being able to tackle, and then, just being able to celebrate as a team, it is a good team sport.

“There is always bonding in the locker room, and then it is just exciting to make plays.”

When it comes to how much better Urban can get when it comes to playing the game, Sargeant believes his young safety can make his way to some lofty spots in the sport.

“At the end of the day, the sky is the limit,” said Sargeant. “We’re going to get through this year.

“You always look what are some positions at the next level like the (CFL’s) Saskatchewan Roughriders are looking for. They are always looking for players in certain areas, and safety is one of them. Dalton (Urban) has a long ways to go, but he has the work ethic, the drive and desire from what we’ve seen.

“As I said, we’re just looking to him to keep playing at the level he’s playing at, because he’s starting to turn heads around the PFC.”

When it comes to the notion of potentially playing in the professional ranks one day, Urban said he isn’t looking that far ahead.

“I’m just taking it one season at a time right now,” said Urban. “When I was in high school, my goal was just to play post-secondary football.

“Now that I have this opportunity, I’m just going to run with it. In three years so far, I’ve had so much fun. I’m just going to keep playing and take it year by year.”

In Sunday’s clash with the Huskies, the Hilltops got their first two points on a safety to cut the Huskies lead to 7-2. Early in the second quarter, the Hilltops jumped ahead 9-7 thanks to a rushing touchdown from Charles Sawi.

Receiver Drake Douglas followed with a touchdown catch and star power running back Boston Davidsen put up a rushing touchdown to give the Hilltops a 23-7 advantage at halftime. In the second half, Davidsen added a second rushing touchdown, Douglas made a second touchdown catch and Teijon Abel-Douglas booted a 35-yard field goal to round out the game’s scoring.

The Hilltops return to action this coming Saturday when they host their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder (5-1) at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. 

Dalton Urban (#17) and the Hilltops have been pumped up for games.

If the Hilltops win that contest, they will lock up first place in the PFC and home field advantage through the CJFL playoffs until the Canadian Bowl, which is the circuit’s championship game.

Urban said his Hilltops have had the success they have had so far this season, because they’ve been able to stay in the moment and take things day by day. He said everyone on the team has to keep up that approach as the season moves on.

“I think that is the way you have to look at it,” said Urban. “You just try to come out to practice every single day and try to find something that you can get better at and be able to compete with the other teammates on the field.

“I think that is what has helped us so far, and that will continue to help us, if we keep up that competition.”

Hilltops End Zone Dinner set for Sept. 30

Jorgen Hus sets to snap the ball for the Roughriders in 2019.

The Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner is returning with a quartet of guest speakers.

The End Zone Dinner is slated for Saturday, September 30 in the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. Doors for the dinner open at 4:15 p.m. and dinner follows at 5 p.m.

A ticket to the dinner also includes a ticket to that night’s CJFL regular season game between the Hilltops and Regina Thunder set for 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

The guest speakers include a pair of alumni from the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders in Al Johns and Carm Carteri along with current Roughriders players Jorgen Hus and Derrick Moncrief. Johns was a defensive tackle for the Roughriders from 1980 to 1987 and played for the Hilltops in the 1970s. Carteri played linebacker for the Roughriders in 1979, 1980 and 1985, and he had a long run as a colour analyst on Roughriders radio broadcasts that concluded following the 2016 campaign.

Hus is the Roughriders veteran long snapper and he played linebacker with the Hilltops from 2007 to 2009. He helped the Hilltops win a CJFL title in 2007 after graduating from St. Joseph High School.

Moncrief is a veteran linebacker with the Roughriders. He often comes out to Saskatoon to help coach with Saskatoon Minor Football’s Playground To Pros Camp that is held annually in April.

All proceeds from the End Zone Dinner will go towards the Saskatoon Hilltops Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $100 per single person or $725 for a table of eight. Tickets for the End Zone Dinner can be purchased 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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Raiders get lunch bucket win on opening day in WHL

The Raiders celebrate a goal from Krzysztof Macias (#34).

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - It was a three yards in a cloud of dust victory for the Prince Albert Raiders on opening day.

If you are scoring by CFL rules, it was four yards in a cloud of dust.

Regardless of what set of football rules you use as an analogy, the Raiders brought their lunch buckets to the Art Hauser Centre on Friday night. When the dust settled, the young squad from “Hockey Town North” skated away with a 4-0 victory holding a 47-28 advantage in shots on goal before an appreciative standing room crowd of 3,025 spectators at the team’s storied 2,580 seat building.

The clash was the WHL regular season opener for both teams.

For Raiders 19-year-old netminder Max Hildebrand, Friday’s win was a special one as he recorded his first career WHL regular season shutout stopping all the Warriors 28 shots. He was pretty pumped to get the clean slate and a game puck at the end of the night for a keepsake.

Krzysztof Macias scored his first career WHL goal on Friday.

“Obviously, it was a really big win to get the year started,” said Hildebrand, who joined the Raiders part way through the 2021-22 campaign. “I wish would have had one last year or the year before.

“It is good to get it over with. I got the nerves out early and just kept going. It was a really easy game for me tonight.

“The D-men boxed out nice, cleared rebounds. They made a lot of big blocks tonight (on shots).”

Raiders head coach Jeff Truitt said Hildebrand earned full marks in getting the shutout win. The bench boss said his netminder had to come up with some challenging stops on the night.

“He (Hildebrand) had to fight off some traffic,” said Truitt. “He had some shots in the middle of the ice where we turned the puck over or else didn’t make good plays.

Max Hildebrand picked up his first career WHL shutout on Friday.

“We had to break the puck out a couple of times, and they made plays off of it. He had to stand strong. He faced some quality shots, but he did excellent job swallowing (the puck) up. There weren’t a lot of rebounds there to be had.

“He was just very efficient.”

The teams played through a scoreless opening frame with the shots on goal finishing even at 10-10. The Raiders had momentum over the first 10 minutes, and the Warriors carried play in the last 20 minutes.

The Raiders broke through on the scoreboard at the 10:29 mark of second to go ahead 1-0. While working on the power play, 18-year-old defenceman Justice Christensen fired home a point shot through a screen to give the host side the lead.

Jackson Unger made 43 saves in goal for the Warriors on Friday.

Just seconds after that tally, the Raiders nearly went up 2-0. A point shot from defenceman Easton Kovacs got out from under Warriors netminder Jackson Unger and was sitting loose in the crease of the Moose Jaw net. Warriors rookie 17-year-old rearguard Brady Ness swooped in the sweep the puck out of danger for the visitors.

After that near miss, Kovacs was given an interference minor, but the Raiders killed off that penalty to take their edge into the second intermission. Truitt said that kill was an important one for his club.

“We could have let into the game with a goal, but our penalty kill did a great job,” said Truitt. “We were four-for-four I believe on the penalty kill.

Justice Christensen scored the Raiders first goal on Friday.

“We were one-for-two on the power play. You win those special teams, and it is obviously a difference most nights. I thought that we did a good job tonight.”

The two squads exited the second playing a fairly even frame with the shots on goal knotted up at 24-24.

The Raiders blew the game open scoring three times in the first 4:46 of the third to surge ahead 4-0. Just 28 seconds into the frame with the teams playing a spurt of four-versus-four hockey, Raiders sophomore centre Aiden Oiring banged home a loose puck in front of the Moose Jaw net to give Prince Albert a 2-0 edge.

At the 2:09 mark of the third, Raiders rookie import left-winger Krzysztof Macias banged home his first career WHL goal on almost an identical play to Oiring’s tally to give the Raiders a 3-0 advantage. Raiders star 17-year-old right-winger Ryder Ritchie capped the surge firing home a shot off a rush down the left wing to give the hosts their 4-0 lead.

Aiden Oiring potted the Raiders second goal on Friday.

Macias was excited to get his first career WHL goal in his first career WHL regular season game. The 19-year-old said the tally gave him a boost of confidence going into the rest of the campaign after not recording a point in four pre-season games.

“It helped very much,” said Macias, who is from Poland but has played the last number of years in Czechia. “In pre-season, I kind of struggled with my productivity, but it wasn’t the biggest point of my play.

“I was trying to get the system right and do the things coach wants me to do and productivity was in second place or even third. But, now it helps really, really much. I feel really much better after scoring the first goal.

Ryder Ritchie had the Raiders fourth goal on Friday.

“I hope it is not my last. I will do everything to help the team win every game in whatever role I am in.”

Truitt said it was big for his squad to get the two gritty goals to start the third and that type of effort is going to be needed for the rest of the campaign.

“We’ve always talked about getting to the inside of the ice, whether it is rebounds or screens or looking for second opportunities,” said Truitt. “That is where you have to play.

“Goaltenders are too good. If they can see it, then they’re going to make the saves. You have to grind it out on the inside and win the inside battles.

“I thought we did that tonight. We pick up some goals that way.”

Raiders mascot PIMS has fun with some young fans.

Unger turned away 43 shots to take the setback in net for the Warriors, who were rated fifth in the CHL Top 10 pre-season rankings. Moose Jaw was missing a trio of key players who are away at NHL training camps including defenceman and captain Denton Mateychuk (Columbus Blue Jackets) and centres Brayden Yager (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Jagger Firkus (Seattle Kraken).

The Raiders were without the services of 18-year-old standout defensive-defenceman Terrell Goldsmith, who is at training camp with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes.

The Warriors return to action on Saturday when they host the Brandon Wheat Kings (7 p.m., Moose Jaw Events Centre).

The Raiders get back at it on Sunday when they travel to Saskatoon to take on their archrivals the Blades (4 p.m., SaskTel Centre). Hildebrand said his squad always looks forward to meeting the Blades.

The Raiders salute the Art Hauser Centre faithful after Friday’s win.

“Obviously, home opener for them, and it is going to be a good crowd there,” said Hildebrand. “It is always a good battle when we go there.”

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Hilltops aim to lock up home playoff game

Saskatoon to battle Huskies in Edmonton on Sunday

The Hilltops defence has caused tonnes of troubles for opponents.

How will the youthful Saskatoon Hilltops perform in a regular season game when there is something extra on the line?

That is the upcoming challenge the squad’s legendary head coach Tom Sargeant is looking to see how his players tackle it. On Sunday, the Hilltops (5-0) travel to Edmonton to take on the Huskies (3-2) in a CJFL regular season contest at 1 p.m. local time at the Jasper Place Bowl.

If the Hilltops win that game, they will lock up the right to open the CJFL post-season at home hosting a Prairie Football Conference semifinal game. In each of the past two years, the Hilltops locked up the right to host a home playoff game late in the season thanks to the combination of pulling out a win with the fact the Huskies lost to the Regina Thunder in another contest that same day.

Sargeant said the opportunity his Hilltops have in front of them is exciting. For most of the roster, this will be the first time they’ve encountered a situation in the CJFL regular season where they control their own fate when it comes to getting a home playoff game.

“At the end of the day, we love playing at home in front of our Saskatoon fans and family,” said Sargeant. “There is nothing more than we want to do.

“That’s certainly a motivator. The last couple of years we haven’t been in this situation. I want to see how we respond.

“Our first five games, I’ve certainly been happy with where we are at. I think Edmonton Huskies are going to be as tough as a test as anyone we’ve played.”

The Hilltops enter this weekend’s action leading the PFC for points scored at 237 and total offensive yards at 2,332. On a bit of a more overlooked side, the Hilltops on defence tops the PFC for the fewest points allowed at 33 and fewest yards allowed at 1,163.

“The ‘D’ has been awesome,” said Sargeant. “They’re working hard every night.

Safety Dalton Urban makes a big hit for the Hilltops.

“They’re working hard in the film room. They’re working hard on the practice field. When game day shows up, they’re just showing up with a lot of passion and a lot of love for each other and they’re flying around.

“When you get that combination, it is amazing what it becomes, and we’ve been very impressed with where they’re at. We know they can improve and get better, because it is still a pretty young crew. Son of a gun, they want to get better.”

Looking ahead to the Huskies, Hilltops safety Dalton Urban said his team has to key on running back Ife Adebogun and quarterback Carson Neitz. Adebogun, who is a 22-year-old veteran who played last season with the Thunder, has carried the ball 51 times for 317 yards and two touchdowns, and his rushing yardage total is third best in the PFC.

Neitz, who is a 22-year-old veteran, has completed 55-of-102 passes for 933 yards and eight touchdowns, while throwing one interception. His 107.2 quarterback efficiency rating ranks second in the PFC.

“They have a big running back, so he is going to bring physicality when he runs on the field,” said Urban, who is in his third season with the Hilltops and first campaign as a starter. “Their quarterback looks mobile, and he is able to make plays outside the pocket.

“I think he has a pretty decent arm, so it will be a good challenge for us defensively.”

Hilltops star 22-year-old power running back Boston Davidsen continues to lead the PFC in rushing with 709 yards coming on 93 carries. He also tops the PFC with six rushing touchdowns.

Hilltops 21-year-old quarterback Trey Reider has completed 77-of-118 passes for 1,140 yards and 13 touchdowns, while throwing one interception. His 129.9 quarterback efficiency rating leads the PFC.

Urban, who has two interceptions and one fumble recovery on the season, said the players weren’t trying to think too much about the chance to lock up a home playoff date, but with that said, he added his team likes playing at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

“It is just a regular like regular season game, but it is important for us to be able to play at home just the support we get from friends and family and the extra motivation helps a lot when they come out and support,” said Urban. “I think that factors into things.”

The Hilltops defence has enjoyed making lots of big plays in 2023.

Sargeant said another key to Sunday’s game will come down to which club takes care of the ball better. The Huskies sit second in the PFC with 20 total takeaways and top the PFC in fewest giveaways at five. The Hilltops lead the PFC with 24 total takeaways and sit second in the PFC in fewest giveaways at six.

“When you look at what they do defensively, they’ve had like 20 takeaways this year,” said Sargeant. “They have a pretty opportunistic defence.

“They fly around and play physical. We have to get on point and get ready for what they’re going to bring. Right now, we’re just hunting two points.

“You stack two points one after the other then you end up hosting playoff games, so that’s how we are approaching it.”

Hilltops End Zone Dinner set for Sept. 30

Jorgen Hus sets to snap the ball for the Roughriders in 2019.

The Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner is returning with a quartet of guest speakers.

The End Zone Dinner is slated for Saturday, September 30 in the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. Doors for the dinner open at 4:15 p.m. and dinner follows at 5 p.m.

A ticket to the dinner also includes a ticket to that night’s CJFL regular season game between the Hilltops and Regina Thunder set for 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

The guest speakers include a pair of alumni from the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders in Al Johns and Carm Carteri along with current Roughriders players Jorgen Hus and Derrick Moncrief. Johns was a defensive tackle for the Roughriders from 1980 to 1987 and played for the Hilltops in the 1970s. Carteri played linebacker for the Roughriders in 1979, 1980 and 1985, and he had a long run as a colour analyst on Roughriders radio broadcasts that concluded following the 2016 campaign.

Hus is the Roughriders veteran long snapper and he played linebacker with the Hilltops from 2007 to 2009. He helped the Hilltops win a CJFL title in 2007 after graduating from St. Joseph High School.

Moncrief is a veteran linebacker with the Roughriders. He often comes out to Saskatoon to help coach with Saskatoon Minor Football’s Playground To Pros Camp that is held annually in April.

All proceeds from the End Zone Dinner will go towards the Saskatoon Hilltops Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $100 per single person or $725 for a table of eight. Tickets for the End Zone Dinner can be purchased by clicking right here.

Rebels’ Jessie living up to top player rating

Te Jessie in a CJFL promo graphic.

Te Jessie continues to pile up the accolades.

The veteran quarterback of the Westshore Rebels was named the British Columbia Football Conference’s offensive player of the week on Tuesday for his performance this past Saturday when the Rebels crushed the visiting Vancouver Island Raiders 95-14 in Langford, B.C.

Jessie completed 15-of-20 passes for 358 yards and six touchdowns, while throwing one interception. The 21-year-old also carried the ball once for 17 yards.

This marked the third time Jessie has been named the BCFC’s offensive player of the week. In helping the Rebels top the BCFC standings with a 7-0 mark, Jessie has completed 117-of-162 passes for 1,894 yards and 31 touchdowns, while throwing six interceptions. He has carried the ball 24 times for 130 yards and three major scores.

Jessie, who is a graduate of the St. Paul’s High School Crusaders Football Team in Winnipeg, Man., topped the CJFL’s annual Top 50 players to watch list heading into the 2023 campaign.

In May, Jessie participated in the training camp for the CFL’s British Columbia Lions as part of the CFL’s QB Internship Program.

Last season, Jessie was named a first team CJFL all-Canadian all-star and claimed the CJFL’s Peter Dalla Riva Offensive Player of the Year Award. In 10 regular season games with the Rebels, Jessie completed 169-of-305 passes for 2,864 yards and 28 touchdowns, while throwing 11 interceptions. He carried the ball 54 times for 290 yards and six touchdowns in regular season play in 2022.

Jessie is the son of Tim Jessie, who was a running back on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Grey Cup championship teams in 1988 and 1990 and was part of the NFL’s Washington franchise - then known as the Redskins - that won Super Bowl XXII following the 1987 regular season.

The PFC’s players of the week were announced on Tuesday. Calgary Colts quarterback Liam Oczkowski was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week for his efforts in his club’s 48-40 victory over the visiting Edmonton Huskies this past Sunday.

Oczkowski completed 32-of-43 passes for 369 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing one interception. He carried the ball five times for 61 yards and two major scores.

Huskies defensive back Cedric McCallum was named the PFC’s defensive player of the week for his efforts in that setback to the Colts. McCallum made 11 total solo tackles in the loss to the Colts.

Edmonton Wildcats defensive lineman Steven Groves was named the PFC’s special teams play of the week for his efforts in a 52-7 loss to the visiting Saskatoon Hilltops at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. Groves made four special teams solo tackles in that contest.

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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Flaman morphs into “TD Noah” for Hilltops

Saskatoon improves to 5-0, locks up CJFL playoff berth

Noah Flaman has six TD catches for the Hilltops this season.

The end zone has become Noah Flaman’s zone.

In his first four games with the Saskatoon Hilltops this season, Flaman has caught 12 passes with six of those catches going for touchdowns. Those efforts saw “TD Noah” jump to the top of the Prairie Football Conference for touchdown catches.

Coming into his third year with the Hilltops in 2023, Flaman figured he would have extra opportunities to make plays. The 20-year-old said he has had success because everyone around him on offence is playing well.

“We lost six guys last year just in our receiving group,” said Flaman. “We had a lot of spots to fill.

“The message was next man up. We have lots of young guys, but we felt like we had the talent, we had the work ethic, and we do. We’re a young team, but we’re going to come out and we’re going to fight.”

On Sunday, the Hilltops didn’t need Flaman to catch any touchdowns as they improved to 5-0 wiping out the Edmonton Wildcats 52-7 in a CJFL regular season clash at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. The Wildcats fell to 0-5 with Sunday’s result.

Star power running back Boston Davidsen ran for two touchdowns for the Hilltops, while Charles Sawi had a major on the ground. Trystan Ginther, Evan Ward and Drake Douglas all had touchdown catches for Saskatoon. Teijon Abel-Douglas hit a pair of field goals for the ’Toppers in the win.

Combined with the fact the Regina Thunder downed the Rifles in Winnipeg 23-11, the Hilltops officially clinched a berth in the CJFL playoffs. If the Hilltops beat the Huskies (3-2) this coming Sunday at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton, the Saskatoon side will lock up the right to host a Prairie Football Conference semifinal game to open the post-season.

Noah Flaman makes one of his six TD catches this season on Aug. 13.

So far this season, Flaman said one of biggest memories will be hauling in three touchdowns to help the Hilltops down the Thunder 36-6 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on September 9. In that contest, Flaman finished with four catches for 84 yards to go with his three major scores.

“It was cool,” said Flaman, who stands 6-feet and weighs 170 pounds. “Playing in Mosaic (Stadium) is always awesome.

“Coach (offensive coordinator Shane Reider) is calling good plays and (quarterback) Trey (Reider) putting the ball in good spots makes my job easy. It was good to get a good team win.”

Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant said Flaman has found a comfort zone with the red zone. The sideline boss said the veteran receiver has been getting good looks when the team is in the red zone which has allowed the sure handed pass catcher to haul in multiple touchdown grabs during the club’s first four games.

“He’s a red zone threat,” said Sargeant. “When we get in red zone situations and a team thinks we are running the ball, we know we are going to get zero one.

“Noah and Trey (Reider) have such a good chemistry together that they know what each other is doing and it has resulted in some might nice touchdowns plays. We know that teams are going to creep up and play a little bit more man-to-man. Noah is a man beater.

“He has a multitude of different patterns that make a big difference. We just make sure that we take advantage of what is in front of us. Coach (Shane Reider) makes some good play calls, and they execute it, so it is fun to watch.”

Noah Flaman caught three TDs against the Thunder on Sept. 9.

Flaman said he got into football early in life when his father, Cory, enrolled him in flag football. The pass catcher’s love for the game grew, and he ended up suiting up for the Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High Crusaders Football Team guided by long time head coach Scott Hundseth, who is a Hilltops alumnus.

“The Holy Cross tradition of excellence, there has always been a good team there,” said Flaman. “The coaching staff is awesome.

“There are lots of great players. Mitch Hillis is a physio here. He was a great receiver there.

“I look up to a lot of those guys. Just the tradition, you kind of see that here. It started at Holy Cross and then seeing the winning here just flew right in.”

When it came to joining the Hilltops, Flaman said it meant a lot when Hilltops receivers coach Barclay Schlosser called his place asking if he wanted to play. Flaman felt he really hit things off well with Schlosser.

The talented receiver also met a lot of players from across Saskatoon playing for Saskatoon Minor Football’s North Sask Academy program. A number of those friends were electing to join the Hilltops, which added to Flaman’s decision to stay home.

“I met a good group of guys here, and that really kept me home,” said Flaman. “You meet all these guys through high school and all the camps.

“That played a huge decision. It is a great group of guys and being home. It is a great team, and there is lots of winning.”

During his first two seasons with the Hilltops, Flaman said he learned a lot watching veteran receiver Dillan Heintz, who was playing his final two campaigns of CJFL eligibility, go about his craft. Flaman said Heintz did so many little things well and was awestruck by how well Heintz could block.

Noah Flaman can haul in those challenging catches.

“Being a receiver who doesn’t really like to block coming into this team, seeing him (Heintz) go out and work his butt off and feeling that throughout the whole team I think really just motivates everyone and pushes everyone else,” said Flaman. “Being a young guy and then trying to replicate that this year has been something I’m trying to work on.

“I think as a group we’re going to get more physical and kick butt throughout the rest of the year.”

As a sophomore receiver in 2022, Sargeant said Flaman started to come into his own and elevated up the Hilltops depth chart.

“Last year, we had a real deep receiving corps,” said Sargeant. “Noah worked his way into that mix and became very, very productive.

“During the off-season and with him and Trey, they’ve been together these three years. It was neat to see how they developed it together. Now, it is just a real natural feel with the way they play.

“Noah, he had a real good off-season. He trained real hard, and we’re benefitting with his results.”

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Flaman said the Hilltops are just living in the moment taking things day by day. With that said, he said the team is trying to build up to another gear as post-season play draws near.

“We’re really excited,” said Flaman. “We have lots of young guys, so we feel like we can make it through the whole season healthy.

“That next day, one day mentality, take it one day at a time. It is not all going to be there at once. Once we do get further in the season, we have to tighten up and lock down, because that is when it starts to get cold, it starts to get tough.

Noah Flaman and the Hilltops look to have more end zone visits.

“We have to focus up and play hard for the guy next to you.”

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Hilltops on to the Wildcats

Saskatoon aims to stay even keel after win over Thunder

Ben Marce returns a fumble for the Hilltops.

Tom Sargeant is facing a welcomed challenge.

The legendary head coach’s young Saskatoon Hilltops went into this practice week sporting a 4-0 record after downing their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder 36-6 at Mosaic Stadium in “The Queen City” this past Saturday. The CJFL regular season clash was the Hilltops biggest contest up to this point of the 2023 campaign, and they gave the Thunder their first setback as the Regina side fell to 3-1. The Hilltops now sit alone in first place in the Prairie Football Conference.

Sargeant was good with everyone on the team enjoying that win for the night. The aim going into the practice week was to ensure the team stayed humble and players didn’t think they had it made for the rest of the 2023 CJFL season.

The message to the team was there was still a lot to improve on. Parts of the team’s film sessions were spent going over errors that were made in the win over Regina as the Thunder still made their share of splash plays.

“We’re excited and proud of the win,” said Sargeant. “To go into Regina, that is not an easy task to do.

“To perform the way we’ve performed, I’m very appreciative of the coaches’ effort and game planning and the players’ work ethic and desire. Ultimately, we’re striving for perfection. We’re not even close to the game plans that I need us to play with and that we’ll need to play with at the end of the year.”

Noah Flaman (#85) excepts the Wildcats to play desperate.

The Hilltops next task is to smooth out the errors they made heading into their next contest this coming Sunday when they take on the Edmonton Wildcats (0-4) at 1 p.m. at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. The ’Toppers romped over the Wildcats 50-2 back on August 13 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in the regular season opener for both sides.

“We’re on to the Edmonton Wildcats,” said Sargeant. “We know that they’re 0-4, and they’re desperate.

“We have to come out and continue to build on the things we are doing.”

Hilltops third receiver Noah Flaman said his squad is aware the Wildcats are improving. His club is gearing up to be on task once again.

“They’ve gotten way better, and we saw that on film,” said Flaman. “They have a lot of talent and good players and new coaching staff, so we have to be ready for whatever they could throw out.

“They’re 0-4, so they are going to be desperate. We have to come out and be ready for whatever they’re going to throw at us.”

Going into Sunday’s game, Hilltops star power running back Boston Davidsen is putting together an outstanding final CJFL campaign. He tops the PFC with 578 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns coming on 73 carries.

Wildcats 20-year-old linebacker Kieran Harris sits tied with Thunder linebacker Kenten Effa for second in defensive points in the PFC at 46. Harris has collected his points from 20 solo defensive tackles, two defensive tackle assists, and two special teams solo tackles.

Besides worrying about offensive and defensive schemes on Sunday, Flaman said his team wants to be better in one basic department of playing tougher physically.

Boston Davidsen leads PFC with 578 yards rushing.

“Talking back about the Regina game, we felt like even though we had a good game we got pushed around a bit and our blocking on run plays wasn’t up to where we want it to be,” said Flaman. “We’re always striving to be the best we can be.

“Whether that is backs, receivers, O-line, we all feel like we have to be better as a unit, and we will.”

Sargeant said the big focus for his team this week will be blocking and tackling. He said those were two areas his club had a drop off in the win over the Thunder.

“We need to see improvement,” said Sargeant. “I need to see improvement.

“It comes down to blocking and tackling. The focus this week is I need a team that is going to block and tackle better than what I saw last week.”

Hilltops End Zone Dinner set for Sept. 30

Jorgen Hus sets to snap the ball for the Roughriders in 2019.

The Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner is returning with a quartet of guest speakers.

The End Zone Dinner is slated for Saturday, September 30 in the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. Doors for the dinner open at 4:15 p.m. and dinner follows at 5 p.m.

A ticket to the dinner also includes a ticket to that night’s CJFL regular season game between the Hilltops and Regina Thunder set for 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

The guest speakers include a pair of alumni from the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders in Al Johns and Carm Carteri along with current Roughriders players Jorgen Hus and Derrick Moncrief. Johns was a defensive tackle for the Roughriders from 1980 to 1987 and played for the Hilltops in the 1970s. Carteri played linebacker for the Roughriders in 1979, 1980 and 1985, and he had a long run as a colour analyst on Roughriders radio broadcasts that concluded following the 2016 campaign.

Hus is the Roughriders veteran long snapper and he played linebacker with the Hilltops from 2007 to 2009. He helped the Hilltops win a CJFL title in 2007 after graduating from St. Joseph High School.

Moncrief is a veteran linebacker with the Roughriders. He often comes out to Saskatoon to help coach with Saskatoon Minor Football’s Playground To Pros Camp that is held annually in April.

All proceeds from the End Zone Dinner will go towards the Saskatoon Hilltops Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $100 per single person or $725 for a table of eight. Tickets for the End Zone Dinner can be purchased by clicking right here.

’Toppers Wist player of the week, other notes

Matt Wist was named the PFC’s defensive player of the week.

Timely big players resulted in Saskatoon Hilltops middle Matt Wist getting a player of the week nod.

Wist was named the PFC’s defensive player of the week on Wednesday for his efforts in the Hilltops 36-6 over the Thunder at Mosaic Stadium in Regina this past Saturday. In helping the Hilltops improve to 4-0 on the campaign, Wist had two defensive solo tackles, one defensive tackle assist, one pass knockdown and one interception.

On the season, Wist sits in the top five in the PFC in defensive points at 44. He has collected his defensive points off of nine defensive solo tackles, 12 defensive tackle assists, one pass knockdown, two forced fumbles and two interceptions.

Calgary Colts receiver Nicholas Sirleaf was the PFC’s offensive player of the week on Wednesday. This past Sunday, Sirleaf caught 11 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown as the Colts downed the visiting Winnipeg Rifles 33-21 at Hellard Field.

Rifles linebacker Kyler Banfield took honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week on Wednesday for his efforts in the setback this past Sunday to the Colts. Banfield blocked a kick and recovered it to go with three special teams solo tackles and one special teams tackle assist.

Banfield also recorded one solo defensive tackle, two defensive tackle assists, one quarterback sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in the loss to the Colts.

• Saskatoon Hilltops 21-year-old quarterback Trey Reider tops the PFC with a 127.6 quarterback efficiency rating after four games. Reider has completed 64-of-100 passes for 953 yards and 11 touchdowns, while throwing one interception. Reider’s touchdown pass total also leads the PFC.
• Calgary Colts 19-year-old quarterback Liam Oczkowski leads the PFC with 1,169 yards passing after four contests. On the season, Oczkowski has completed 87-of-137 passes including seven touchdown passes, while throwing two interceptions.
• The Westshore Rebels and their ultra-talented quarterback Te Jessie lead the BCFC with a 6-0 record. Heading into the 2023 campaign, Jessie topped the CJFL’s annual Top 50 players to watch list. The St. Clair Saints lead the OFC standings with a 4-0 mark.
• On September 9, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a piece on the University of Saskatchewan Women’s Softball Program focusing on how important it has become to the sports scene in Saskatoon and province. The piece on the U of S Softball team can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that shows the summer season ending hot and the fall season starting with a roar. 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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If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.