Huskies good and feeling alright as Hardy Cup champs

U of S repeats as Canada West Conference title winners

The Huskies raise the Hardy Cup as Canada West champs.

Scott Flory didn’t want to break up the party.

The head coach had just guided his University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team to a 23-8 victory over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds before 1,916 spectators at Griffiths Stadium in the Canada West Conference championship game on Saturday. With the win, the Huskies captured the Hardy Cup for the second straight year and 21^st time in program history.

Following the trophy presentation, the players celebrated with their family and friends on the field getting various pictures taken. After about 25 minutes, Flory with a big smile on his face started rounding up his players for a quick team meeting.

Kicker David Solie is pictured with some family members.

Flory was telling his players as he rounded them up the meeting wouldn’t take long and then they can get back to celebrating. He would tell parents with a big grin that he just needed their sons for a short time, and then they can get back together after the meeting was held.

Even Huskies team staffers were chuckling as they tried to help rounding up players. It felt like an exercise in herding cats.

Overall, it might have been -15 C throughout the conference championship game, but you couldn’t miss the warm family feeling that existed between the host side and their supporters. Once again under the direction of Flory who became the Huskies head coach before the start of the 2017 campaign, the U of S side is off on another long playoff run.

Huskies HC Scott Flory holds court with a post-game TV interview.

The next stop on the ride will be the Uteck Bowl this coming Saturday, when the Huskies (9-1) travel to Antigonish, N.S., to take on the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men (9-0). A big contingent of Huskies supporters will make the trip across about 75 per cent of Canada to that contest at StFX Stadium, which will also be shown on CBC Gem and CBC Sports.ca and heard by local broadcasters on HuskieFAN at 11 p.m. Saskatchewan time.

Last year, the Huskies claimed the Uteck Bowl with a 14-10 victory over the Universite de Montreal Carabins at The CEPSUM in Montreal, Quebec. U of S then advanced to the U Sports title contest – the Vanier Cup – where they fell 27-21 to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec.

QB Mason Nyhus has won all of his 16 career home starts.

In 2022, the Huskies, who have won three Canada West championships under Flory’s watch, are intent on getting back to the Vanier Cup and winning the U Sports championship for the first time since 1998, when U Sports was still known as the CIAU.

On these journeys, the Huskies and their supporters don’t get ahead of themselves and always stay mindful to be in the present. Everyone with the team knows that time goes by too fast when you’re linked to something good.

The first order of business was to take care of business in the Hardy Cup. Saturday’s game was your classic frigid tilt that is commonly held on the Prairie Provinces in November.

A mix of the Huskies veteran and young generations would all have big moments to ensure the Hardy Cup continued to reside at the U of S.

David Solie made all three of his field goals on Saturday.

After playing through a scoreless opening quarter, the Huskies took a 9-0 lead after veteran kicker/punter David Solie hit field goals from 30, 24 and 21 yards out. The second field goal was set up by Huskies veteran defensive back Charlie Ringland forcing a fumble that was recovered by a massive pile of teammates who dove in to get the loose ball.

The Thunderbirds didn’t go away as they are guided by one of U Sports all-time great sideline bosses in head coach Blake Nill. Late in the second quarter, the Thunderbirds put together a 70-yard drive the concluded with a one-yard touchdown dive by running back Lucas Mastrodomenico with 30.6 seconds remaining in the frame to cut the Huskies edge to 9-7.

Lucas Mastrodomenico (#30) squeaks in a UBC major score.

At the 5:37 mark of the third quarter, the Thunderbirds had a chance to jump in front, but kicker Owen Brown pushed a 25 yard field goal attempt wide for a single point that trimmed the U of S advantage to 9-8. That was as close as the Thunderbirds would get.

Huskies fifth-year star quarterback Mason Nyhus, who was named the player of the year for Canada West, proceeded to engineer a game-turning scoring drive that ran 14 plays, covered 67 yards and ate the final 7:31 of the third quarter.

On the final play of the third quarter, Nyhus hit first-year receiver Jordin Rusnack with an eight-yard outlet pass for a touchdown to push the Huskies lead out to 16-8. 

Jordin Rusnack scores a TD on an eight-yard reception.

That touchdown catch was Rusnack’s only reception of the contest, but it came at a critical time for the Huskies.

In the fourth quarter, the Thunderbirds offence had difficulty sustaining any drives.

Thanks to a well placed Solie punt and a key special teams tackle by veteran defensive back Logan Bitz, the Thunderbirds were forced to start a drive at their own seven yard line with 9:05 remaining in the stanza.

On the first play of that drive, Thunderbirds second year starting quarterback Derek Engel was intercepted by Huskies defensive back Finn Marcotte-Cribb, and Marcotte-Cribb had an uncontested nine-yard run for a touchdown to push the Huskies lead out to 23-8.

Finn Marcotte-Cribb (#27) returns an interception for a TD.

The Thunderbirds proceeded to turn the ball over on the first play of their ensuing offence series, when Engel was picked off by Huskies veteran star defensive back Nixen Voll. Voll returned the ball 27 yards to the UBC 28 yard line.

The Huskies weren’t able to convert Voll’s interception into points. Nyhus was intercepted by first year Thunderbirds defensive back Ben Sangmuah at the UBC 15 yard line on the ensuing U of S series.

While there was still 6:41 remaining in the fourth quarter, it felt like the 23-8 score was going to be cemented as the final outcome which it was. The Thunderbirds were unable to advance past their own 45 yard line the rest of the contest.

The game ultimately ended with a knee down by Nyhus to spark the post-game conference championship celebration by the hosts.

Ryker Frank, right, had 63 yards rushing and 70 yards receiving.

Nyhus quietly put together a solid outing competing 22-of-28 passes for 232 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception. Set to graduate from the team once their playoff run concludes, Nyhus played his final home game on Saturday, and he won all 16 of his U Sports home starts during his time with the Huskies.

Huskies second year running back Ryker Frank led his side in both rushing and receiving yards. Frank carried the ball 23 times for 63 yards and caught a game high eight passes for 70 yards.

Engel connected on 15-of-31 passes for 149 yards while throwing two interceptions for the Thunderbirds.

The Huskies faithful salutes their team at game’s end.

Running back Isaiah Knight topped the Thunderbirds in rushing with 17 carries for 54 yards, while receiver Edgerrin Williams was the top pass catcher for the visitors hauling in six passes for 68 yards. UBC was held to 231 yards of total offence.

Huskies second-year linebacker Seth Hundeby led the hosts with 7.5 tackles to go with a quarterback sack. Thunderbirds second-year linebacker Ryan Baker topped the visitors with 10.5 tackles.

Saturday’s win allowed the Huskies to run their home winning streak up 18 games. Their last loss at home came back on September 14, 2018, when they dropped a 37-28 decision to the University of Calgary Dinos.

The Hardy Cup victory on Saturday added another memorable moment to the rich history of the Huskies football program and another milestone for all involved with the team in recent years.

The Huskies celebrate winning the Hardy Cup.

After the Hardy Cup game on Saturday, the Huskies took time to soak in their accomplishment. Come Sunday morning, the focus turns towards making another lifetime memory at the upcoming Uteck Bowl.

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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Tournament, interprovincial travel ban clamps down Sask. summer sports season

There is no interprovincial travel for minors sports teams in Saskatchewan.

    It will be all about house leagues and city leagues, if competitive sports are played in any form this summer in Saskatchewan.

    After Saskatchewan entered Phase 3 of its reopening plan on Monday, minor sports organizations and teams waited to hear announcements for dates of when the first and second parts of Phase 4 would occur.

    The reopening plan was created to start returning Saskatchewan to action in a world that is in the grip of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

    In the first part of Phase 4, sports and recreational activities for children and adults may resume including activities taking place on soccer fields, volleyball and basketball courts, baseball diamonds, lawn bowling greens and football fields.

    The second part of Phase 4 will see indoor pools, indoor rinks, libraries, museums, galleries, movie theatres and casinos and bingo halls open to the public.

    Full contact sports like tackle football, rugby, wrestling, boxing, martial arts and ice, ball and field hockey with checking will not be allowed during any part of Phase 4. Athletes can do conditioning and skills training in those sports, but won’t be able to engage in competitions with the way these plans unfold at the moment.

    During a press conference on Thursday, the Government of Saskatchewan said it plans to announce a date for the first part of Phase 4 early next week.

    At that same press conference, deputy premier and minister of education Gord Wyant said kids’ sports and activities will go ahead this summer. He proceeded to add there would be no tournaments or interprovincial travel for sports teams and no handshakes.

    The big bomb there was the fact tournaments and interprovincial travel for sports teams was nixed. It would be safe to say most sports organizations likely weren’t expecting that to come down the pipe.

    It is safe to say minor sports bodies were hoping to conduct competitions within the province including provincial championships.

    The Government of Saskatchewan did not define the length of this tournament and interprovincial travel ban for sports teams. One has to wonder if it will extend into September, October, November or December, when the weather turns cold and the winter sports season usually starts up.

    On Tuesday, Baseball Sask announced it was cancelling all of its provincial championship tournaments citing it couldn’t wait any longer for a date to be announced for the first part of Phase 4.

    Softball Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Soccer Association haven’t announced what the fate will be of the provincial championship tournaments each of those bodies run.

    The tournament and interprovincial travel ban will likely end the hopes of Saskatchewan Rugby hosting provincial championships as well.

    Golf Saskatchewan annually hosts a pile of provincial championship tournaments in junior, men’s and women’s amateur, men’s and women’s mid-amateur and men’s and women’s senior amateur play. All of those have sizable followings, and all of those events have to be thrown into doubt.

    Since golf is an individual sport, it might be able to get around the tournament and interprovincial travel ban, because groups of players traveling together wouldn’t be considered teams. Still, the Government of Saskatchewan didn’t provide any clarity on this front.

    On the summer hockey front, it is considered a contact sport and there is a tournament and interprovincial travel ban, so it is likely the rinks won’t see any sort of games this summer.

    The announcement of the tournament and interprovincial travel ban was skillfully tucked in with announcements regarding grad ceremonies and places of worship on Thursday.

    Outdoor grad ceremonies can have 30 graduates for class and 150 in attendance overall.

    Places of worship will be allowed to have one-third of the seating capacity of a building or a maximum of 150 people whichever is less.

    Those two announcements drew the bulk of the attention on Thursday. Concerns about graduations or attending places of worship actually far exceed concerns people have about returning to the world of sports.

    As for the provincial sports scene, it is possible that the Government of Saskatchewan and the medical officials could make new decisions making a return to play more of a possibility for even contact sports.

    Still, there are a tonne of questions about the tournament and interprovincial travel ban for sports teams. Hopefully, more details about the travel ban will emerge sooner than later.

Third Saskatoon Black Lives Matter rally draws 1,000

Protesters take a knee at Saturday’s Black Lives Matter rally in Saskatoon.

    Saskatoon seems to have the magic touch when it comes to hosting peaceful anti-racism rallies which have been held across the world to support the Black Live Matter movement.

    The third such rally occurred in downtown Saskatoon on Saturday and around 1,000 people turned out. The rally ran from noon to about 4 p.m.

    The march started at Kiwanis Memorial Park, moved to the police station, cycled down to city hall and finished up back at Kiwanis Memorial Park. The protesters in the march filled the air with chants and a number of people carried signs.

    There were speakers who took centre stage addressing the crowd at each stop of the march. At the police station, the protesters at the rally took a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds to remember George Floyd and other minorities who lost their lives unjustly at the hands of police.

    These demonstrations were triggered due to the death of Floyd, who is African-American, on May 25 after he was arrested by police in Minneapolis, Minn.

    Video of the arrest showed Floyd being pinned on the ground with a police officer identified as Derek Chauvin driving his knee into the back of Floyd’s neck.

    Four officers were fired over the incident including Chauvin, and at first, Chauvin, who is Caucasian, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter over Floyd’s death. The charges against Chauvin were increased to second-degree murder on June 3.

    The three other officers - Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao – were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
    The crowd at the Saturday rally in Saskatoon was about 60 per cent between the ages of 18 to 24. The rest of the crowd encompassed various age backgrounds.

    The rally seemed to attract a number of families too. A wide variety of cultures were present as well.

    The rally wasn’t as big as the one held in Saskatoon on June 4, which was called the “Justice for George Rally.”

    It is now estimated the crowd at the June 4 rally contained around 4,000 people. About 95 per cent of the people at that rally were age 18 to 24.

    The one noticeable difference was the presence of the Saskatoon Police Service. At the June 4 rally, members of the Saskatoon Police Service mingled with those at the rally, which include posing for pictures.

    The Saskatoon Police members did a great job of blocking off streets to allow the June 4 march to happen without any hiccups.

    Since that time, a number of other stories have come out in the mainstream media regarding police clashes with minorities and a couple of high profile cases in Canada involving interactions with police and people of First Nations decent.

    Some of the stories include clashes between those attending Black Lives Matter rallies in Montreal and the police service in that centre, where protesters were tear-gassed and pepper-sprayed.

    The organizers of Saturday’s rally asked for the Saskatoon Police Service to not have a presence at that rally. The Saskatoon Police members kept their distance and efficiently blocked off streets to allow Saturday’s march to take place.

    There were calls at the Saturday rally to defund the police in order to transfer money into social programs to deal with issues of racism and mental health. The “defund the police” line originated in the United States due to the continuing racial turmoil in that country.

    The people in the Saturday rally in Saskatoon made their voices heard, and everything went off in a peaceful way.

    If the rallies continue to happen in a peaceful way, it will help those organizing the rallies to get their anti-racism message out.

New heights for COVID-19 frustration, other thoughts

People in the COVID-19 pandemic want to get after each other like this.

    One has to wonder if frustration over the COVID-19 pandemic is reaching new heights at least in Saskatchewan.

    Over social media lines, it seems there are a large number of people that want the province to start returning more to normal due to the low number of COVID-19 cases in the province. As of Saturday, there were 23 active cases in Saskatchewan including one person in intensive care in Saskatoon and one receiving in patient care in the northern part of the province.

    Between the four western Canadian provinces in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, there are a total of 67 hospitalizations as of today due to COVID-19 with nine of those cases needing intensive care.

    There are a lot of people on social media lines who want restrictions to be relaxed, and they do not want society to be held down by those low hospital rates. These people want to be out and about and live their lives like normal.

    There are still others who view the COVID-19 pandemic as a serious crisis and believe restrictions are being relaxed too quickly and everything should be locked down. Those people fear leaving their homes.

    There are a handful of people who look at the Worldometer statistics to try and determine how dangerous COVID-19 is. Worldometer seems to be extremely accurate in counting deaths in real time.

    At the time this post went live, Worldometer stated 432,475 deaths due to COVID-19 this year. Worldometer also stated so far this year there have been 3,711,624 deaths by cancer, 2,259,154 deaths caused by smoking, 1,130,291 deaths caused by alcohol, 759,706 deaths by HIV/AIDS, 484,615 deaths by suicide, 443,281 deaths by malaria, 220,187 deaths by seasonal flu and 139,684 deaths from mothers giving birth.

    It should be noted that HIV/AIDS has been a pandemic for decades.

    The Worldometer also stated at the time this post went live there was over $180,792,000,000 spent on illegal in the world so far this year.

    No matter where you sit in belief on how dangerous COVID-19 actually is, it does seem people only look at the situation from their own person perspective. There doesn’t seem to be much empathy for those who see things differently.

    If you have a job in an industry that is keeping you financially sound at the moment, it seems some in that situation don’t care if others slip to poverty due to the fact those others work in an industry that could totally collapse due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    It is almost, “I’m glad that is not me, and tough luck to the other person.”

    It is safe to say chronic stress regarding this situation that has no end date is affecting a lot of people.

    If everyone could find a way to a touch more kind and empathic, that would help.

• Blake Nill, who is the head coach of the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds football team, agrees with the cancellations of the fall sports seasons announced by U Sports, the Canada West Conference, Atlantic University Sport and Ontario University Athletics that were announced on Monday. Nill told J.J. Adams of Postmedia for a Tuesday article, “Ultimately, universities have to provide leadership. They have to set an example. And this is absolutely about that.” Adams’s story can be found by clicking right here.
• On Thursday, multiple media reports out of Regina stated late University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team running back Samwel Uko tried to seek help for mental health issues from a Regina hospital twice on May 21, which was the day he died. The 20-year-old died of an apparent suicide by walking into Wascana Lake. Overall, this is just a horrible thing to hear about.
• Gregg Drinnan, who was the best ever when it came to covering the WHL, posted a lengthy column on his Taking Note blog on Friday about the various difficulties the sports world is encountering with the COVID-19 pandemic. That piece can be found by clicking right here.
• A year ago today on June 13, 2019, the Toronto Raptors downed the Golden State Warriors 114-110 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. With the win, the Raptors took the best-of-seven series 4-2 to capture the first NBA title. There were huge watch parties across Canada including in downtown Saskatoon to view that win. Right now, there are likely a lot of people in the country who would want to go back to that moment.
• On the uplifting front, big congratulations go out to Muenster, Sask., product Logan Hofmann. On Thursday, the 20-year-old right-handed pitcher was selected in the fifth round and 138^th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the MLB Draft. Hofmann played this past season with the Northwestern State University Demons baseball team in the NCAA Division I ranks. With the Demons in a shortened season, Hofmann pitched 28 innings without allowing an earned run. He won all four of his starts striking out 38 batters earning second-team all-American honours. Hofmann will turn up from time to time to train at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex here in Saskatoon.

    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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Huskies playoff upset of T-Birds a monumental one

Sean Stenger (#23) hit the OT playoff winning field goal.

    Sean Stenger made the kick that was heard around the U Sports football world.

    On Saturday at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver B.C., the fifth-year kicker and all-time leading scorer for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team booted a 38-yard field goal in overtime to give his squad a 31-28 victory over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in a Canada West Conference semifinal playoff match.

    Stenger’s kick before 738 spectators gave the Huskies their first post-season victory since November 7, 2009, when they downed the University of Regina Rams 53-23 at Griffiths Stadium in a Canada West semifinal match. In the process, the Huskies ended a playoff losing streak that had spanned eight games.

    Before Saturday’s game, the Huskies were 1-11 in their previous 12 post-season contests.

    Both the Huskies and the Thunderbirds posted 5-3 regular season records heading into their playoff clash. UBC earned second place in the conference and home field advantage for the post-season encounter due to beating the Huskies 20-10 in the lone regular season encounter between the two sides on October 12 in Vancouver.

    While the two sides had identical records, this was a game the Huskies, who failed to make the post-season last year, weren’t supposed to win.

Jesse Kuntz caught the TD pass that forced overtime.

    Their playoff struggles since last making the Vanier Cup and falling to the Universite Laval Rouge et Or 13-8 at Griffiths Stadium on November 25, 2006 have been well publicized.
    The playoff stumbles weren’t the only thing standing in the Huskies way.

    They were heading on the road to play a Thunderbirds team that has Blake Nill as head coach. Nill’s teams had made the Canada West title game – the Hardy Cup – for the last 10 straight years and claimed victory on seven of those occasions.

    That run included seven straight appearances with the University of Calgary Dinos from 2008 to 2014 and three straight appearances the past three years with the Thunderbirds.

    Going into the playoffs this season, the Thunderbirds had won their last three straight games. Despite their early struggles, it appeared UBC had righted the ship.

    Teams coached by Nill just don’t lose at this point in the U Sports playoffs. Playing at home and riding a hot streak, it was supposed to be impossible to see an opponent come out with a victory.

    The Huskies were expected to put in a good effort and proceed to bow out into the off-season with the fifth-year grads crying tears of sadness.
    The Dogs defied all odds and came away winning a post-season classic that the Huskies players will remember for the rest of their lives.
    After falling behind 10-0, the Huskies stormed back to take a 20-10 lead in the third quarter. UBC forced a 20-20 tie early in the fourth quarter, but the Huskies went in front by a single point 21-20 on a 46-yard punt single by Stenger.

Kyle Siemens delivered a TD toss that forced overtime.

    It appeared that would be the last U of S lead on the day.

    The Thunderbirds mounted an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ended with star fourth-year quarterback Michael O’Connor hitting standout receiver Trivel Pinto with a four-yard touchdown pass with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. The two connected on a pass for a two-point convert to give the Thunderbirds a 28-21 advantage.

    On the ensuing Huskies possession, Thunderbirds defensive back Stavros Katsantonis intercepted fifth-year Huskies star quarterback Kyle Siemens at the UBC 33 yard line with 75 seconds remaining in the frame.

    Thanks to having a couple of timeouts to use, the Huskies forced the Thunderbirds to punt after two running plays. On the punt, a no yards penalty and an unnecessary roughness facemask penalty on the Thunderbirds allowed the Huskies to start a march at the UBC 47 yard-line with 51 seconds remaining on the clock.

    Siemens drove the Huskies offence that distance in four plays and connected with receiver Jesse Kuntz on a 14-yard touchdown reception with 21 seconds to play in the stanza to tie things up at 28-28 and force overtime.
    In the shootout style overtime format, the Thunderbirds had the first possession. UBC kicker Greg Hutchins missed a 33-yard field goal and Huskies running back/receiver Colton Klassen ran the ball out of the end zone to ensure the score remained tied at 28-28.

Tyler Chow ran in two major scores for the Huskies.

    Stenger hit his winning field goal on the Huskies ensuing possession.

    This was a win where the Huskies found a way to get it done.

    O’Connor completed 28-of-41 passes for 435 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Besides throwing a touchdown toss to Pinto, O’Connor threw major scores to Ben Cummings from 25 yards out and Blake Whiteley from 24 yards out.

    Siemens, who has thrown the second most passing yards in the history of the Huskies program, had a more pedestrian day hitting on 19-of-31 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

    Fifth-year running back Tyler Chow grinded out 89 yards rushing on 21 carries and ran home touchdowns from one and 16 yards out. He hauled in six passes for 54 yards to go along with his efforts on the ground.

    Hutchins hit field goals from 12 and 21 yards out to round out UBC’s scoring.

    Stenger hit field goals from 33 and 37 yards out in regulation for the Huskies.

    Defensively, Bowan Lewis had 10.5 total tackles for the Huskies, while linebackers and brothers Thomas and Ben Whiting had nine and seven total tackles respectively.

Thomas Whiting had nine tackles for the Huskies.

    Under second-year head coach Scott Flory, this playoff victory by the Huskies was monumental and a big step forward for the football program.
    The Huskies showed they can finally win again in the U Sports football post-season, and they knocked off a team guided by a head coach in Nill, who continually guides teams on long playoff runs.

    Now, the Huskies get to travel to Calgary, Alta., to face the Dinos, who are a combined 9-0 in the regular season and post-season, in the Hardy Cup final to determine the Canada West champion this coming Saturday at McMahon Stadium at 1 p.m. Calgary time.

    The Dinos took the other Canada West semifinal 37-13 last Saturday in Calgary against the University of Manitoba Bisons. U of C will be appearing in the Hardy Cup final for the 11^th straight year.

    U of S is once against faced with the task of manufacturing another monumental upset.

    Still, it appears you can’t count these football Huskies out. The belief is there that anything is possible.

Here's your game-winning kick from Sean Stenger 🔥#HuskiePride #WinTheWest pic.twitter.com/B6a7NntrSb

— Huskie Football (@skhuskies) November 4, 2018

Hilltops to face Rams in Canadian Bowl

Congratulations to the @LangleyRams on advancing to the 2018 Canadian Bowl with a 39-14 victory over the @CanesFootball63 in the #CJFL National Semi-Final pic.twitter.com/3GxYgY4Kw6

— CJFL News (@CJFLnews) November 4, 2018

    The Jevon Cottoy show powered the Langley Rams into the Canadian Bowl.

    On Saturday in Langley, B.C., the 22-year-old receiver hauled in nine passes for 190 yards and scored three touchdowns, ran in a major from a yard out and kicked a 54-yard punt single to power the Rams to a 39-14 romp over the Hamilton Hurricanes in a Canadian Junior Football League national semifinal contest. Quarterback Duncan Little hit Cottoy with the three touchdown tosses in the semifinal game at McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C.

    With the win, the Rams, who improved to 10-3 overall, advance to the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl – to face the four time defending champion Saskatoon Hilltops on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Hilltops are 10-0 overall on the campaign and trying to complete their fourth perfect season in team history and first since 2003.

    The Hurricanes finished the 2018 campaign with a 10-1 overall record.

    The Hilltops and Rams are familiar foes in the Canadian Bowl as they will meet in the CJFL title game for the third time in seven years.

    The previous two encounters were both held in McLeod Stadium.

    In 2012, the Hilltops claimed one of the all-time classic CJFL title encounters downing the Rams 23-21. In 2014, the Hilltops ran away with a 39-14 victory, which started their current run of winning four straight CJFL championships.

    The Hilltops will be trying to win their 21^st CJFL title in their upcoming Canadian Bowl clash with the Rams.

    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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Rams prove a point in sound win over Thunderbirds

The Rams defence stops the Thunderbirds on a third-and-one gamble.

    REGINA - The University of Regina Rams showed their 6-2 regular season record last year was no illusion.

    In 2016, the Rams were guided by a first-year U Sports head coach in Steve Bryce and were coming off an 0-8 campaign in 2015. U of R posted one of the greatest single season turnarounds in U Sports history in Bryce’s first season placing first in the Canada West Conference for the first time in team history.

    In the playoffs, the Rams were one and done falling 40-34 to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in a Canada West semifinal match. Before last season, the last time the Rams posted a .500 or better record was when they went 6-2 in 2012 and lost that year’s Canada West final to the U of Calgary Dinos.

    Looking at the recent past, one might think what the Rams accomplished last season might be just a one year thing. It appears the wins are going to keep coming in 2017.

Rams receiver Mitch Thompson (#82) zips home for a major score.

    On Friday night at new Mosaic Stadium, the Rams soundly beat the Thunderbirds 36-20 before a crowd of about 3,000. At one point in the third quarter, the Rams were up 33-6.

    The Thunderbirds are guided by U Sports head coaching great Blake Nill, whose teams have won seven of the last nine Canada West titles. Nill guided the Dinos to six straight Canada West titles from 2008 to 2013 before joining the Thunderbirds in 2015. During his first year with UBC, Nill coached the Thunderbirds to a Canada West title and a Vanier Cup championship as U Sports national champions.

    Going into 2017, the Thunderbirds were ranked second in Canada West’s pre-season coaches’ poll, which means they are expected to meet the lofty bars that Nill’s teams usually do. UBC’s 3-5 regular season record from a year ago appears to have been viewed as an anomaly.

Rams LB Nick Cross sacks Thunderbirds QB Cole Meyer.

    That means the Rams, who were rated third in the pre-season Canada West coaches’ poll, pulled out a significant result in their win on Friday night.

    Besides Friday’s win over the Thunderbirds, the Rams knocked off the Dinos 39-3 in a neutral site pre-season tilt in Medicine Hat, Alta., on Aug. 23. The Dinos topped the pre-season Canada West coaches’ poll.

    Against the Thunderbirds on Friday, the Rams looked really good during a number of stretches. Like usual regular season openers, the Rams also had spots that didn’t go as smoothly shown by the fact they took 18 penalties that cost them 131 yards.

    The Thunderbirds were worse in the penalty department taking 23 infractions for 210 yards.

    Rams quarterback Noah Picton, who won the Hec Crighton Trophy last year as the most valuable player in U Sports football, was solid throughout the contest mixing up plays completing 23-of-35 passes for 335 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. One of those interceptions wasn’t his fault due to the fact one of his passes deflected off the hands of a Rams receiver into the hands of Thunderbirds defensive back Payton LaGrange.

Receiver Mitchell Picton caught six passes for 120 yards for the Rams.

  Rams receiver Mitchell Picton, who is Noah’s cousin, caught six passes for 120 yards. The Rams defence held the Thunderbirds offence to 318 yards of total offence and stopped the Thunderbirds on a key third-and-one gamble on the UBC 54 in the third quarter.

    Thunderbirds starting quarterback Michael O’Connor completed 14-of-25 passes for 155 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception before giving way to backup Cole Meyer on two occasions.

    Linebacker Cole Benkic, who was the 2015 Canadian Junior Football League’s defensive player of the year suiting up for the Saskatoon Hilltops, and defensive back Polis Koko both almost ran interceptions back for touchdowns for the Rams.

    U of R’s runaway win started slow before picking up steam. The Rams held a 1-0 after the first quartered ended thanks to kicker Thomas Huber scoring a single on a missed 37-yard field goal.

Rams quarterback Noah Picton throw a pass over a defender.

    Early in the second quarter, Noah Picton hit receiver Kyle Moortgat on a deep corner pattern for a 28-yard touchdown toss to put the Rams up 8-0. On the ensuing kickoff after the major, Daniel Scraper booted the ball into the end zone, and it was downed there to give the Rams another single to go up 9-0.

    Shortly before the midway point of the second quarter, Rams standout running back Atlee Simon pushed his way into the end zone from two yards out to put the hosts up 16-0.

    The Thunderbirds battled back when kicker Greg Hutchins booted a field goal from 41 yards out near the end of the second quarter and a field goal from 31 yards out early in the third quarter to cut the Rams lead to 16-6.

    The Rams restored order scoring 17 straight point to exit the third quarter with a 33-6 edge. Huber hit a field goal from 45 yards out, Mitch Thompson hauled in a 21-yard touchdown pass from Picton and backup quarterback Tyler Vieira plunged in from a yard out to complete the surge.

RB Atlee Simon darts upfield for the Rams.

    Thunderbirds running back Shane Noel ran the ball in from a yard out early in the fourth quarter to cut the Rams edge to 33-13.

    Scraper hit a field goal from 15 yards out to put the Rams up 36-13.

    Inside of the game’s final three minutes, the Thunderbirds rounded out the scoring with a Hutchins 47-yard punt single and a 23-yard touchdown toss from Meyer to receiver Marcus Davis. The Thunderbirds failed to score on a two-point conversion try after Davis’s major to cement the final at 36-20.

    UBC returns to action on Sept. 9, when they host the U of Manitoba Bisons (1-0).

    Overall on Friday night, the Rams had an impressive performance. While they made mistakes that need to be corrected, it appears the Rams ability to pile up victories in 2016 will continue in 2017.

    Next up, they travel to Calgary to face the Dinos on Sept. 8. The Dinos flattened the U of Alberta Golden Bears 55-26 in the regular season opener for both those teams on Friday in Edmonton.

    If the Rams can beat the Dinos on their turf, U of R would cement its status as being a U Sports powerhouse.

Rams honour 2000 Vanier Cup finalist team

Members of the 2000 Rams and their family watch a video highlight reel.

    The Rams honoured their 2000 Canada West championship team that advanced to that year’s Vanier Cup during halftime of Friday’s game.

    A number of players from that team and their families marched out on to the field to be saluted by the fans. They also watched a video tribute filled with various highlights of the 2000 campaign.

    The 2000 season marked the Rams second season in the Canadian university ranks after moving from the CJFL. They finished 4-4 in the regular season before catching fire in the playoffs.

    They downed the Dinos 33-32 in a Canada West semifinal match, the Bisons 25-22 in the Canada West final and the St. Mary’s University Huskies 40-36 in the Atlantic Bowl. The Rams fell 42-39 in the Vanier Cup to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

Rams fall short of final Mosaic miracle

Rams QB Noah Picton sets up in the pocket.

    REGINA - For a moment, you thought the Regina Rams would pull off one final miracle at Taylor Field/Mosaic Stadium.

    During their history as members of first the Canadian Junior Football League and then U Sports representing the University of Regina, the Rams in their glory days pulled out games that seemed lost guided by legendary head coaches Gord Currie and Frank McCrystal. Playing a Canada West semifinal game at their storied home park on Saturday against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, it appeared the Rams first place season was going to die on a whimper.

    With 12:31 to play in the fourth quarter, Thunderbirds quarterback Michael O’Connor hit receiver David Mann with an 11-yard touchdown toss to put the visitors up 39-13. The hosts trailed because they hadn’t played well. The Thunderbirds, to their credit, played good, but they weren’t great or spectacular.

    Despite the fact a crowd of 4,500 has been pretty raucous, the Rams appeared to be down and out.

    While there wasn’t much time remaining on the clock, the Rams roared back scoring three touchdowns, while the Thunderbirds replied with a rouge punt single from Greg Hutchins.

William McGee's punt is blocked by A.J. Blackwell (#35).

    The last U of R major came when star quarterback Noah Picton hit receiver Ryan Schienbein with an 11-yard scoring strike with nine seconds to play cutting the UBC lead to 40-34. Those that followed the Rams history know they once pulled out a 35-31 regular season victory at home in 2000 against the University of Alberta Golden Bears by scoring the winning points on an onside kick.

    That day, future CFL star Jason Clermont batted a ball out of the air into the arms of teammate Chris Warnecke, who ran the rest of the way for the deciding score. You wondered if something crazy like that would happen again to push the Rams into the Canada West championship game.

    However, Thunderbirds receiver Trey Kellogg hauled in the onside kick to ensure no miracle would happen on this day. The Thunderbirds held on for the 40-34 victory. They will travel to Calgary this coming Saturday to face the University of Calgary Dinos for the Canada West championship trophy – the Hardy Cup.

    With that loss, one of the great single season turnaround stories in recent U Sports history came to an end. After going 0-8 in 2015, the Rams topped the Canada West standings in 2016 with a six-win improvement going 6-2.

Atlee Simon darts through a hole to score a TD for the Rams.

    They were rated fourth in the U Sports top 10 rankings going into their clash with the Thunderbirds. It was an unthinkable development for anyone outside of the team.

    Under the one-year watch of former head coach Mike Gibson in 2015, the Rams fell into disarray. After the winless campaign in 2015, Gibson left the club for the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos to become their offensive line coach and run game coordinator.

    From there, Steve Bryce entered the picture as the Rams new head coach. He played on their offensive line from 1987 to 1991 in the team’s CJFL days and was part of a national championship winner in his rookie season. Under Bryce, the Rams started to play up to their past image from their glory days.

    Picton completed 224-of-323 passes for 3,186 yards, 25 touchdown passes and nine interceptions in the regular season. He set a new U Sports record for passing yards in a season completing an impressive 69.3 per cent of his throws. The Rams were always known as a pass-happy team, but they took that characteristic to a new exciting level this season.

The Rams defence stops Thunderbirds RB Ben Cummings.

    Against UBC, the Rams ran into one of U Sports best ever head coaches in Blake Nill, and his staff developed a game plan to neutralize their high-powered foes. The best way to keep Picton from hurting you was to make him stay on the Rams sidelines.

    Through a combination of running and a series of short passes, the Thunderbirds, who were 3-5 in the regular season, held the ball for 35 minutes and 21 seconds, which limited the Rams to 24 minutes and 39 seconds of possession time.

    The Thunderbirds also ran 22 more plays than their foes did and piled up an unheard of 42 first downs on 179 yards rushing and 397 yards passing. O’Connor accounted for all of UBC’s yards through the air connecting on 29-of-40 passes, two touchdown strikes and one interception.

Michael O'Connor piled up 397 yards passing for UBC.

    The Rams defence couldn’t get the stops their side needed.

    Adding to the frustrations for the home side, Thunderbirds defensive back A.J. Blackwell blocked a punt in the second quarter that was returned 27 yards by teammate Colton Zayshley for a major score. That play increased a 6-3 Thunderbirds edge to 13-3.

    With their limited time with the ball, the Rams still piled up solid offensive numbers. Picton completed 25-of-35 passes for 364 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. U of R also put up 106 yards rushing. Most of those yards came from running back Atlee Simon, who ran the ball 16 times for 78 yards and scored three touchdowns.

    Fifth-year Rams slotback Riley Wilson, who was playing his final university game, caught nine passes for 184 yards in a spectacular final bow.

    Still, the Rams had to ponder what might have been.

    With that in mind, the Rams will return the core of their team next season. They only loose Wilson and seven other players to graduation.

The Rams exit the Taylor Field/Mosaic Stadium tunnel for the last time.

    U of R is miles ahead of last year.
    Under Bryce’s guidance, another golden age for Rams football might be around the corner.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass on about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.