Saskatoon picks up 52-26 road win over
Wildcats
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| Fifth-year captain Brexton Elias has settled in as the Hilltops starting QB. |
The 22-year-old spent his first four seasons as a backup signal caller for the storied CJFL club including the past two seasons as the number two guy behind star starter Trey Reider. After Reider’s graduation from the squad following the completion of the 2024 campaign, Elias was tabbed as the starter at quarterback going into his fifth and final season with the team.
The injury bug proceeded to bite, and Elias was scratched for the Hilltops first two regular season contests. He dressed as the fourth string quarterback in the third game for the venerable CJFL side.
On September 6, Elias finally made his elusive first start for the Hilltops in a clash against their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder at Mosaic Stadium. Elias completed 14-of-25 passes for 188 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in an 18-15 win, which included him guiding the squad on a late fourth quarter touchdown drive that resulted in the game-winning points.
“That was a special moment just to finally get into the game and start a game for this team,” said Elias. “I’ve been working for years on this to finally be able to get in there with the boys and fight for a win felt really good.”
Elias has now won his first three starts helping the Hilltops to improve to 5-1. On Sunday, the Hilltops traveled to Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta., and downed the host Edmonton Wildcats 52-26 in a CJFL regular season clash.
The Hilltops led 23-9 at halftime and went up 52-9 at one point in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats closed out the contest scoring 17 straight points to round out the final outcome.
With the win, the Hilltops have now won five straight to improve to 5-1. Out in Winnipeg on Sunday, the visiting Regina Thunder also improved to 5-1 outgunning the host Rifles 41-40 in a wild classic type Canadian game. Also on Sunday, the visiting Edmonton Huskies got past the host Colts in Calgary 41-30.
The Hilltops sit first in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference thanks to their head-to-head win over the Thunder. The Hilltops and Thunder are guaranteed to finish in the top two positions in the PFC, which means they will both host PFC semifinal contests. They go head-to-head on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in a contest that has a high probability of deciding first in the conference.
The Wildcats, Colts, Huskies and Rifles are all 2-4 and are tied for third through to sixth in the conference standings. Only two of those clubs will ultimately make the post-season.
Joining the Hilltops after graduating from the Marion M. Graham Falcons Football Team, Elias went on a four-year journey with the Hilltops where his focus was on being a good contributor in the team’s quarterback room leading up to his time in becoming a starter.
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| Brexton Elias was a Hilltops backup QB for four seasons. |
“I had a great guy to learn under in Trey Reider. He was a great QB. It was awesome to be able to watch him play and learn everything that he did well.
“It has been a mental game for the last four years.”
With all the work Elias has put in since joining the team, legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said he was super excited when the veteran signal caller got to start.
“I am proud of his patience and how hard he has worked to get to this spot,” said Sargeant. “We’re going to keep developing this offence catering to his skill set.
“He did a great job of moving the chains and getting the ball to the right people.”
Sargeant added that all the years of study and work Elias committed to in the quarterback room are paying off now.
“He is a student of the game,” said Sargeant. “He puts the time in.
“He pays attention to detail, and it has paid off. He struggled with that injury at the beginning of the year. It was very frustrating for all of us, but he kept his cool and kept learning and kept growing.
“Now that he is getting live snaps, he has been more than up to the challenge. He has been very, very effective in moving the chains for us.”
Elias’s first start included him moving the ball like a game manager. Against the Thunder, Elias showed poise, and he ensured he took care of the football.
“It felt like that was the plan,” said Elias. “Our O-line is awesome, the running backs are awesome, our receivers are awesome, so my goal was just to get in there, don’t make mistakes and let my playmakers make plays.”
In his second start against the Calgary Colts on September 14 at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary, the Hilltops opened the playbook a little more for Elias. He completed 15-of-22 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions before giving way to backup Griffin Sander in a 51-3 romp.
“Against the Colts, we were able to throw the ball a lot,” said Elias. “My O-line protected me well.
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| Brexton Elias brings poise to the quarterback position. |
While he has been working well from the passing pocket, Elias believes he can be a bit more dynamic from the quarterback position when the time calls for it.
“I’m able to get out of the pocket and run around a little bit,” said Elias. “I haven’t had to do that much, because my O-line’s been awesome.
“I can play from the pocket, but I can also get out and run around, if I need to.”
Elias also took initiative when it came to joining the Hilltops. He sent Sargeant a text message asking about becoming one of the team’s quarterbacks.
Sargeant invited Elias to come tryout, and that started the signal caller on his long journey to becoming the team’s starter. Over the years, Elias earned an appreciation for how special the culture is with the team.
“I love the family bond that all these guys have together,” said Elias. “We spend a lot of time together.
“All these guys, they’re awesome, and the coaching staff, we come together well over the season.”
When the Hilltops went into the off-season following the 2024 campaign, Elias was well aware he would get the chance to guide the team’s fortunes on the field offensively.
“In the off-season, “Sarge” told me that I was the guy coming into the season, so I was obviously mentally and physically preparing to take that role this season,” said Elias. “The coaches, we worked over the winter a little bit.
“I was getting reps as the main guy, so I’m feeling good.”
When Elias was forced to miss time at the start of the season due to injury, Sargeant said the coaches were not going to deviate from their plan to allow the veteran, who is a team captain, to be the starter.
“We’re such an open book,” said Sargeant. “Communication was always on.
“He was always in the film room. He was with us every step of the way. He just couldn’t play.
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| Brexton Elias plans to cherish his time with the Hilltops. |
As the campaign moves on, Elias has it stored in the back of his head that he is playing out his final season of CJFL eligibility. Out of the Hilltops 16 players who are playing out their final campaign, Elias spent his entire career with 10 players out of that group as members wearing the blue and gold. He focuses on staying in the moment as each day goes on and doesn’t dwell on the inevitable end that is coming.
“I don’t even want to think about that,” said Elias. “I’ve grown my last five years with all these guys.
“They’re awesome, awesome buddies of mine, and I don’t even want to think about moving on from this. I want to enjoy every moment of this last year.”
Johnson to speak at End Zone Dinner
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| Evan Johnson in action for the Roughriders on July 15, 2023. |
Evan Johnson, who played seven CFL seasons from 2017 to 2024, will be the guest speaker for the annual event that raises money for the Hilltops scholarships and bursaries. The End Zone Dinner is slated for Saturday, September 27, at the main hall in the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building located on the south end zone of Saskatoon Minor Football Field on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds.
The doors open at 4:15 p.m. and the dinner follows at 5 p.m. A ticket to the End Zone Dinner includes a ticket to that night’s regular season contest against the Hilltops provincial rivals the Regina Thunder. That game is slated for 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.
Johnson graduated high school from Regina’s Campbell Collegiate and moved on to play football in the U Sports ranks from 2012 to 2016 with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He would be selected in the first round and ninth overall by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2017 CFL Draft.
From 2017 to 2019, Johnson played 52 regular season games with the Redblacks making starts at left guard, right tackle and left tackle. He suited up for the Redblacks in their 27-16 loss to the Calgary Stampeders in the 2018 Grey Cup played at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alta.
From 2021 to 2023, Johnson played 48 regular season contests with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He moved on from the Roughriders to appear in 10 games with the Hamilton Tigers-Cats in 2024.
Johnson, who is 31-years-old, is married to Dallis (Aiken) Johnson, who is a former defensive back with the powerhouse Saskatoon Valkyries of the WWCFL. They reside in Saskatoon where Evan Johnson works for an engineering firm.
Tickets for the Hilltops 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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