Hilltops rainy night win over Thunder had throwback feel

The Hilltops charge on to SMF Field on Saturday.

It felt like the only things missing between the latest clash between the Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder were leather helmets and mud.

On Saturday, the provincial rivals battled each other in a CJFL regular season contest that was played in a constant rain at Saskatoon Minor Football Field where the Hilltops would prevail 19-10. It is actually quite rare to see a football game played in a steady rain from start to finish these days.

Most of those who were at Saturday’s game had to think back in their memories as to when they last witnessed or were part of such a contest. In Canada, it is more common for teams to play games in the snow and cold late in the season as opposed to a constant rain at any point in a campaign.

Saturday’s rain didn’t come down in heavy buckets. With that noted, the constant steady rain did affect the game. It appeared it was going to let up late in the third quarter only to regain the steady intensity it had for most of the contest.

Due to the elements, neither side had a banner day on offence. The Hilltops collected 288 yards of total offence coming off 152 yards rushing and 136 yards passing. The Thunder had 317 total yards of offence coming off 115 yards rushing and 202 yards passing.

Hilltops star power running back Boston Davidsen had a strong outing carrying the ball 33 times for 131 yards. Thunder star receiver Isaiah Woodley had a good night too hauling in 10 passes for 107 yards.

The west side stands at SMF Field on Saturday.

Overall, Saturday’s game had a throwback feel to it. There was a time the elements were a welcomed factor to be adjusted to in football games.

On top of testing a team’s skill on offence and defence, a team’s toughness and resolve was tested by how everyone on the squad dealt with different weather conditions. Those conditions often forced teams to alter strategy.

A couple of times on Saturday, the Hilltops elected to not gamble on a third-and-one situation offensively after crossing into Regina’s side of the field. Hilltops linebacker Matt Wist was having a good night punting, and the Hilltops brain trust led by legendary head coach Tom Sargeant elected to punt.

The Hilltops managed to pin the Thunder inside their own 10 yard line on those two occasions. As the rain came down, it seemed like a daunting task for teams to drive the length of the field, when they were pinned inside their own 10 yard line.

Both teams tried to do some different things in the running game with jet sweep type plays only to be dropped for losses.

Making long passes seemed to be an impossible task in the rain. Still, Hilltops quarterback Trey Reider was able to hit receiver Noah Flaman with a 36 yard pass and connect with pass catcher Drake Douglas on a 40-yard completion.

Matthew Noble (#54) fires snap back to Trey Reider (#3).

Thunder quarterback Ethan Hugg was able to hook up with Woodley on a 37 yard passing play.

One of the saving graces when it came to scoring came from the fact that an artificial field turf field was installed at SMF Field before the start of the 2014 campaign. Thanks to playing on field turf, Hilltops kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas was able to find secure footing to make 5-of-6 field goal attempts to allow the host side to pull out the win.

Many in Saskatoon remember what the old grass field was like at SMF Field when it was known as Gordie Howe Bowl before the field turf was installed. Had Saturday’s rain occurred on the old grass field that existed at that facility, both teams would have been playing in a mud pit.

There were times the mud pit got so bad that CJFL and high school games had to be moved from that facility to Griffiths Stadium on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan.

In the old mud pit that used to occur, it is likely Abel-Douglas wouldn’t have had the day he had making field goals due to bad footing.

The Thunder scored the only touchdown on Saturday thanks to a one-yard plunge by star running back Ryland Leichert with 3:23 remaining in the second quarter. Leichert’s score at the time trimmed an 8-0 Hilltops lead to 8-7.

Thunder RB Sadik Sadik, left, is caught by a Hilltops defender.

The different in the contest came down to the turnover battle, which the Hilltops claimed 5-1. The Hilltops got a pair of interceptions from defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens, fumble recoveries from defensive back Jace Mowles and defensive end Ben Marce and a turnover on downs. 

The Thunder got an interception from defensive back Elijah Norris.

Those turnovers were big in allowing the Hilltops to improve to 7-0 to lock up first place in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference, while the Thunder fell to 5-2.

Another throwback “prairie tough” site was seeing a healthy crowd of 1,584 spectators turn out Saturday’s contest. 

Before the game, the Hilltops held their End Zone Dinner to raise funds for the team’s scholarship program, and that brought a few extra fans. The Thunder came with a healthy contingent of followers.

While those at the End Zone Dinner could look down from the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building upon the field from the south end zone, most of the spectators took in the contest from the stands. They showed the football crowds in Canada can still be hearty bunch outside of those who support the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

In the social media age, it has become common for fans to bail out on bad weather football games, and adverse weather can be as mild as 5 C and sunny with no wind.

The Hilltops mark their victory on Saturday.

Saturday’s clash been the Hilltops and Thunder was a throwback clash that had an all-around cool feel to it. It was a regular season encounter that all those at SMF Field that night will never forget.

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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