Rookie Elash morphs into all-star centre with Hilltops

Holy Cross High School grad relative newcomer to football

Matt Elash (#62) stands for the national anthem.

Matt Elash said his teammates on the Saskatoon Hilltops keep him humble, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

The graduate of the Holy Cross High School Crusaders Football Team, who turned 18-years-old earlier this month, took over the role of starting centre for the CJFL’s storied Saskatoon Hilltops in just the third week of the regular season. With that development, Elash became one of the rare rookies to earn a starting spot on the club that has won 23 CJFL titles in its history.

Elash ended up excelling and earning nods as an all-star in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference, and he was also named to the conference’s all-rookie team. With the accolades that have come his way, Elash has had a few more media interviews come his way.

Through it all, Elash said he still receives some good natured jabs from his veteran teammates along the offensive line to keep him grounded.

“It is kind of a weird dynamic, because even though I’m the rookie, they still get to like razz me around,” said Elash. “Centre is still kind of a leadership position, and so it is like we have to be kind of on the same level, but I’m still like the rookie.”

Elash is also getting a full taste of rivalry action during his first year on the junior football circuit. On Sunday, his Hilltops (7-2 overall) will face their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder (9-0 overall) for the fifth straight year in the PFC final at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium. In the previous four meetings, the Hilltops claimed the conference title in 2021 and 2023, while the Thunder took the conference championship in 2022 and 2024.

In the two regular season encounters split by the two clubs, Elash thought that the rivalry between the Hilltops and Thunder was like the one he experienced in high school between his Crusaders and the St. Joseph High School Guardians.

“I actually compare them a lot to St Joe’s, because they run a similar defence with like the 30-front with the D-linemen and lots of twists and blitzes,” said Elash. “It is very similar to the St. Joe’s defence.

“I find the Thunder somewhat similar to Joe’s.”

Matt Elash (#62) is the Hilltops rookie starting centre.

When it comes to the sport of football, Elash is still a relative newcomer. He is really only in about his fifth year playing the game taking up the sport when he started attending Holy Cross.

“I started in Grade nine,” said Elash, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 260 pounds. “I joined the junior team.

“It was my first time. My first coach was Noah Foster. He played Hilltops for a while.

“In high school, I started doing football and wrestling. I found it was really my thing. I was exceeding in it, and I just kind of stuck with it.”

Elash was actually a competitive swimmer all through his middle school years. During his high school years, Elash admitted he enjoyed the school spirit that surrounded the football team at Holy Cross and the attention was a fun benefit.

He credits his first head coach with the Crusaders senior team in Scott Hundseth for being his biggest influence in helping him along in the sport of football.

“He has played a big factor in that,” said Elash. “I also did the Institute of Saskatchewan Football.

“He was also a coach there. He is the one who recommended it to me, and he just played a big factor.”

Elash’s opportunity to become the starting centre came when fifth-year veteran Matt Noble elected to retire from playing the sport after the Hilltops second regular season contest due to shoulder injuries. When Noble’s injury troubles surfaced during action in the Hilltops first two regular season games, Elash was inserted into the centre spot.

Matt Elash (#62) sets out to make a block.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said Elash quickly turned the heads of the team’s coaching staff, when he started training with the club.

“He was a top recruit for us,” said Sargeant. “He just kept doing his thing, working hard and got noticed by the coaches.

“Matt Noble, our other centre got hurt, and he (Elash) took advantage of his opportunities. Low and behold, he became a starter, and for him to finish off and cap the season as an all-star, that says just tremendous things about his dedication and work ethic towards the game of football.

“He is an outstanding player and a better person, and we’re sure excited that he is in our uniform.”

Sargeant chuckles at the notion of Elash being a “pup” on the Hilltops starting offensive line, which contains fourth-year left-tackle Davin Johnson, fifth-year right-tackle Victor Bikulo, third-year left guard Simon Clark and third-year right guard and PFC all-star Jack Erlandson.

“He is the young buck there for sure,” said Sargeant. “At the end of the day, he doesn’t play like it.

“Centre is a tough position. There is lots that comes his way, but he is a student of the game too. He is very passionate about the game of football.

“He puts a lot of time and energy into it, and as I said, he is a special person, special player, and he has really helped our run game to make it what it is this year.”

When it comes to playing the centre position, Sargeant said Elash does a number of things well.

Matt Elash was named a PFC all-star.

“Number one, his snaps are right on point, and that is always job number one,” said Sargeant. “Number two, once a snap is gone, he certainly fits into who he is supposed to block and does a great job of keeping his eyes, his feet all together and all in one package.

“He does a good job of moving people. As I said, it is fun to see, and any time you put on the game film, he is certainly passing with flying colours with his performance.”

Elash was expected to get the chance to be the Hilltops starter until his second or third year with the team. When Noble decided to retire as a player and Elash became the starting centre, the young offensive lineman was shocked when that all came about.

“It was a big opportunity for me,” said Elash. “I was excited and also very nervous, because in the games, he (Noble) would go in and then he’d get hurt, and then I’d have to go in.

“It wasn’t like being completely thrown into the fire, but it was still pretty shocking.”

Elash is looking forward to having a long career with the Hilltops, and he wants to keep continually improving. 

In the present, he just wants to win the PFC final to get to the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl. The winner of the PFC final clash between the Hilltops and Thunder will host the CJFL title match on November 9.

“I’m nervous for my fifth years, because I still want them to play another game,” said Elash. “I’m nervous for the fifth years, because I want to win.

Matt Elash, with ball, is looking towards a long career with the Hilltops.

“I want them to play another game.”

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