Hilltops best Colts and weather, finish second in PFC

Collins surpasses 1,000 yards rushing in regular season finale

Ryan Adamko (#65) looks for a play call in snowy conditions.

Would you like rain gear or snowshoes?

That seemed to be the question facing both the Saskatoon Hilltops and Calgary Colts as they closed their respective CJFL regular season schedules playing each other on Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. As far as the natural elements went, it rained through the entire first half and turned into snow early in the third quarter.

The snow continued to fall through to the end of the contest. Throughout the game, sporadic winds would come into play creating another challenge for both clubs.

When the fourth quarter came to an end, the Hilltops claimed a 31-6 victory. With the win, the Hilltops improve to 6-2 and finish second in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference.

David Collins, left, walks to the field with his mom Sadia VaPond.

“You know what, (it was) a little sloppy today,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “We were matching the conditions at times.”

The loss was a fourth straight one for the Colts eliminating them from CJFL post-season contention as they finish with a 2-6 mark. They conclude having an identical record with the Edmonton Wildcats.

The Wildcats and Colts split their two head-to-head regular season meetings, but the Wildcats finish fifth in the PFC due to outscoring the Colts 50-38 in those two contests. That caused Calgary to settle out in the basement of the conference.

David Collins reaches the end zone after a 65-yard TD run.

The Wildcats were eliminated from CJFL post-season contention on Sunday when they traveled to Regina and were wiped out by the host Thunder 56-3 at Leibel Field. The Thunder finished first in the PFC with a 7-1 mark.

In the clash between the Hilltops and Colts, those on both sides will probably remember the havoc the weather played on the afternoon’s festivities, which saw the Hilltops honour their graduating players pre-game. Saskatoon’s graduating players made a walk to the field with their parents, and that walk has been a Hilltops tradition for decades.

Both the Hilltops and Colts combined for 16 turnovers. The Colts turned the ball over 10 times including twice on interceptions, four times via fumbles and four times on downs. The Hilltops gave the ball away six times including once by an interception, three times via fumbles and twice on downs.

David Collins finished the regular season with 1,028 yards rushing.

The teams were playing competitively and with fairly decent intensity until the 3:53 mark of the third quarter. With the Hilltops holding a 21-0 lead, one of the Colts players got injured on the field of play. The teams had to go through a wait of about 30 minutes before an ambulance arrived to tend to the injured Colts player.

The Colts and the officials returned to the dressing room, while the Hilltops remained on the field and went through some exercises to remain warm. When it was time to resume play, the Colts went through a short warm up when they came out of their dressing room.

After the action resumed, the competitive play for both sides took a drop. By the time play got going again, the rain turned to snow and the intensity drop persisted through to the end of the contest.

Ryan Adamko (#65) celebrates recovering a fumble.

“It is definitely one for the books,” said Hilltops fifth-year defensive tackle Ryan Adamko. “At that break (where the injured Colts player was tended to), we just tried to keep ourselves warm out here moving.

“We were keeping our boys trying to not lock up. I am happy with the way it ended, but now, we have to look forward and get ready for next week.”

The Hilltops came out of the gates on fire. Just 1:54 into the first quarter, star running back David Collins broke off a 65-yard touchdown run to give the host side a 7-0 lead.

A short time later, Collins surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the season marking the 11-time in team history a Hilltops player has hit the 1,000-yard barrier for rushing in one regular season. After getting past 1,000 yards rushing, Collins ran in a major score from three yards out at the 10:25 mark of the first quarter to push the Hilltops advantage out to 14-0.

Charles Sawi (#18) ran the ball nine times for 51 yards and two TDs.

On the day, Collins ran the ball 12 times for 119 yards to go with his two major scores. On the season, the St. Michael, Minnesota, product carried the ball 126 times for 1,028 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“It is nice to see D.C., David Collins, get that thousand yards,” said Sargeant. “You know, we blocked well, and you know, it wasn’t a good day for throwing.

“Defence was on point and played real well. Special teams were a little loose. We just seemed to be struggling a little bit.

“At the end of the day, we’re 6-2. We know we’re in second place, and we’ve got work to do.”

Some of the Hilltops hearty supporters watch their team.

Just past the midway point of the second quarter, fourth-year star running back Charles Sawi ran home a touchdown from two yards out to give the Hilltops a 21-0 lead heading into halftime.

After the injury stoppage early in the third quarter, the Hilltops increased their lead to 24-0 on the final play of that frame thanks to a 22-yard field goal from place kicker Ryden Gratton. Saskatoon’s field goal special teams unit struggled in the adverse conditions as Gratton made 1-of-4 field goal attempts in the contest.

Members of the Hilltop Cheerleaders battle the elements.

At the 3:31 mark of the fourth quarter, Sawi ran home a major score from five yards out to make the Hilltops advantage stand at 30-0 after a one-point conversion try was unsuccessful. On the ensuing play, Gratton scored a rouge off an 85-yard kickoff to make Saskatoon’s lead sit at 31-0.

It appeared the Hilltops were going to hold on to the shutout, but that changed late in the fourth quarter. At that point, Colts middle linebacker Davin Bajema intercepted Hilltops back-up quarterback Charlie Molder and returned the ball 50 yards deep into the Saskatoon end.

Colts reserve quarterback Jan Djoumessi concluded a short drive with a three-yard touchdown run with 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. Calgary wasn’t able to add a two-point convert causing the 31-6 score in favour of the Hilltops to settle out as the final outcome of the contest.

Colts QB Noah Makkreel (#13) is taken down by the Hilltops defence.

While the Colts got the late score to break up the shutout bid, Adamko was pleased with how things went defensively for his team.

“Defence, it seemed like all the boys were clicking,” said Adamko, who had one solo defensive tackle, two defensive tackle assists and one fumble recovery in the win. “Everyone knew what they were doing, and we all just did our jobs.

“It all worked out in our favour.”

Hilltops starting quarterback Brexton Elias completed 3-of-9 passes for 18 yards before being pulled at halftime as the Saskatoon coaches elected to get everyone on their roster into the game. Colts starter Noah Makkreel completed 9-of-16 passes for 87 yards before being pulled.

Colton Zimmer makes a special team tackle for the Hilltops.

Sawi ran the ball nine times for 51 yards including his two rushing majors.

The Hilltops had 235 yards rushing and 53 yards passing as a team, while the Colts had 64 yards rushing and 89 yards passing.

Rudolph Osborne topped the Hilltops with 5.5 total tackles to go with one pass knockdown. Defensive end Anthony Roepe had one quarterback sack for Hilltops.

Cornerback Aiden Rosa and middle linebacker Maddox Huynh each had one interception for Saskatoon. Long snapper Colton Zimmer and defensive ends Huntur Johnson and Noah Chelson each had one fumble recovery for the ’Toppers.

The Hilltops huddle up as the snow falls.

Colts middle linebacker Sean Gunnip led his club with nine total tackles to go with one quarterback sack and one fumble recovery. Defensive end Jordan Southern also had a fumble recovery for Calgary.

With the regular season now in the rearview mirror, Adamko is looking towards going on his final post-season run with the storied and historic Hilltops.

“It is surreal to think five years have already been gone by,” said Adamko. “I am excited to go through it and keep on playing.”

Also on Sunday at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton, the visiting Winnipeg Rifles trailed the host Huskies 11-0 after the first quarter, but roared to a 47-11 victory. The win was a second straight one for the Rifles, who finished third in the PFC with a 4-4 mark. Huskies finish fourth in the PFC with a 3-5 record.

Hilltops QB Griffin Sander eludes a Colts tackler.

The Hilltops will host the Rifles in one PFC semifinal set for this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at SMF Field. The Thunder host the Huskies in the other PFC semifinal set for this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field.

Way back on August 10, the Hilltops and Rifles opened their respective regular season schedules playing each other in Winnipeg, and the host Rifles claimed a 31-11 win. They met again on August 24 at SMF Field, and the Hilltops romped to a 42-15 victory.

“They showed us what we were about early in the year, and that loss was something that moved us forward,” said Sargeant. “I think ultimately in the long run we played well in the second game.

Hilltops players keep warm on their bench area on Sunday.

“Now, it is sort of let’s rally up, and hey, game three. Let’s see what happens.”

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Hilltops’ Collins chases 1,000-yard club for rushing

David Collins has 909 yards rushing this season.

Individual milestones were not on David Collins’ mind when he joined the Saskatoon Hilltops but getting to enjoy the game of football for one more season was.

The 22-year-old running back, who is from St. Michael, Minnesota, joined the CJFL’s storied and historic Hilltops after taking a year off from the sport. Collins last played the sport in 2023 for the Central Lakes College Raiders in Brainerd, Minn., who are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

After seven games with the Hilltops, Collins, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 195 pounds, has carried the ball 114 times for 909 yards and 11 touchdowns. His rushing yardage total ranks second in the Prairie Football Conference, and his 11 rushing majors top the conference in both rushing and total touchdowns.

The Hilltops (5-2) close their regular season on Sunday when they host the Calgary Colts (2-5) at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. If Collins can collect 91 yards rushing in that contest, it will mark the 11^th time in the history of the modern version of the Hilltops dating back to 1947 that one player hit 1,000 yards rushing in one regular season.

“I am very blessed for the opportunity and being able to play for this long of a season, and hopefully we can go as far as we can go in the championship game,” said Collins. “(I am) really thankful for the O-line.

“Thank you for my team. Thank you for the coaches for giving me the opportunity and believing in me to even get this close to the chance.”

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said Collins is going to get his chance to hit the 1,000-yard rushing barrier as the Hilltops aim to get going in an upward trend as the CJFL playoffs are just around the corner for the Saskatoon side. 

In their last outing, the Hilltops dropped a 24-21 decision at Saskatoon Minor Football Field to their provincial rivals in the Regina Thunder back on September 27. Following action on September 27 and 28, all teams in the PFC headed out on a bye week.

David Collins leads the PFC with 11 total touchdowns.

Sargeant said the Hilltops path forward includes ensuring Collins is a major part of the offence.

“He (Collins) has got to touch that ball 20 to 25 times this weekend,” said Sargeant. “There is no question about it.

“The offence has got to go through him. That is the mentality. That is the reality.

“Let’s go out there and make it happen. When he is touching the ball, if he is getting his carries, that means we’re moving the chains and first downs lead to touchdowns, and that is the type of offence we want to run.”

Going into the final weekend of the regular season for the PFC, the Hilltops, who are rated fourth in the final CJFL Top 10 Power Rankings on Friday, still have an outside shot at top spot in the conference. If they beat the Colts and the Thunder (6-1) fall in their final regular season clash with the Edmonton Wildcats (2-5), the Hilltops would take top spot in the conference.

The Thunder and Wildcats go at it on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field in Regina. The Colts and Wildcats need to win their final respective contests, which would be big upsets, to keep their respective post-season hopes alive.

The Edmonton Huskies (3-4) will host the Winnipeg Rifles (3-4) at Jasper Place Bowl on Sunday at 1 p.m. local time. The winner will lock up third place in the conference. A tie would clinch post-season berths for both squads.

Currently, the Colts hold the tiebreaker over the Rifles. The Huskies hold the tiebreaker over the Colts. The Rifles hold the tiebreaker over the Wildcats.

The Wildcats hold the tiebreaker over the Colts and Huskies. If there ends up being a three-way tie for fourth place and the final playoff berth in the PFC, the points for and against ratio for each team could be the deciding tiebreaker.

When the Hilltops and Colts met back on September 14 in Calgary, Saskatoon romped to a 51-3 victory. Sargeant said that was his club’s most complete game of the 2025 campaign, and he wants his club to get back to and surpass that performance to make a long post-season run possible.

David Collins is enjoying his lone season with the Hilltops.

“I’m just trying to build this football team so that when we hit the playoffs we hit our stride, and we play with great confidence and get the ball to the right guys,” said Sargeant. “David Collins is certainly one of those guys.”

Going forward, Collins is looking forward to embracing all the remaining experiences with the Hilltops. He almost can’t believe his team will only play one more regular season contest before starting a journey through the single-elimination CJFL post-season.

“It (the 2025 season) has been super fast,” said Collins. “Especially like coming in late July and soon as like the season got started and going, it just was every day was like game after game.”

Saints and Sun rolling in 2025, other notes

The St. Clair Saints and Okanagan Sun have cemented themselves as the teams to beat in the CJFL in 2025.

Last year, the Saints and Sun met in the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl. The host Saints claimed a 37-22 victory at Acumen Stadium in Windsor, Ont.

This year the defending CJFL champion Saints have topped the Ontario Football Conference with an 8-0 mark and are rated first in the final CJFL Top 10 Power Rankings released on Friday. The Sun claimed first place in the British Columbia Football Conference with a 10-0 mark.

Due to the fact the champion of the Prairie Football Conference hosts the Canadian Bowl, the post-seasons in the CJFL Playoffs begin this weekend for teams in the OFC and the BCFC, while the PFC concludes its regular season.

The Saints open their post-season schedule hosting the Sault Ste. Marie Cougars (4-4) in an OFC semifinal at Acumen Stadium at 1 p.m. local time. The Sun host the Vancouver Island Raiders (5-4-1) in a BCFC semifinal at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna, B.C., at 1 p.m. local time.

The BCFC champion will host the OFC champion in this year’s CJFL national semifinal set to be held on October 25.

• Winnipeg Rifles receiver Jarome Penner leads the PFC in receptions (39) and yards (760). He also has three receiving touchdowns on the campaign.
• Winnipeg Rifles linebacker Kyler Banfield leads the PFC with 118 defensive points. He tallied up that total recording 34 defensive solo tackles, 25 defensive tackle assists, one special teams tackle, one special teams tackle assist, two quarterback sacks, four pass knockdowns, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
• Saskatoon Hilltops defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens leads the PFC with three quarterback sacks.
• On Thursday, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a feature on Bedford Road Collegiate Redhawks Football Team star in Parker Bond. Bond is a natural middle linebacker, and has filled the roles of running back, fullback, receiver, starting quarterback and played on all special teams with the Redhawks this season. The piece on Bond can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that is dominated by images of high school football and the Toon Squad Female Flag Football League. The photo roundup also contains photos from baseball, softball, track and field and a couple of other surprises. 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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Invincible – Hilltops and Thunder are not

Squads built PFC leading records on work ethic

David Collins (#10) races downfield for the Hilltops.

The Saskatoon Hilltops and the Regina Thunder are vulnerable.

That seems like a strange thing to say about two squads that are cemented to finish in the top two of the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference in 2025. The Thunder lead the PFC with a 6-1 mark, while the Hilltops are second at 5-2.

All PFC teams are currently on a bye week and they all have one regular season contest remaining on their respective schedules.

The Hilltops and Thunder split their two head-to-head games in their regular season series playing to a tie 39-39 score in those two contests. At the moment, the Hilltops hold the head-to-head standings tiebreaker holding a 121 differential in points for and against in the regular season. Regina has a 104 differential in points for and against.

The Thunder can lock up top spot in the PFC by winning their final regular season contest against the visiting Edmonton Wildcats on Sunday, October 12 at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field. If the Wildcats pull off an upset, the Hilltops would be able to move back into first place in the PFC by winning their final regular season contest against the visiting Calgary Colts on Sunday, October 12 at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

The Hilltops and Thunder first went head-to-head on September 6 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. Saskatoon pulled out an 18-15 victory in a defensive slugfest.

The two sides met again this past Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Thunder prevailed in this encounter 24-21.

It is common to see the Hilltops and Thunder in the top two of the PFC. In 2025, it doesn’t feel like those two clubs are head and shoulders above everyone else like in past years.

During their first encounter, it felt like both sides had their starting quarterbacks in Hilltops pivot Brexton Elias and Thunder signal caller Adam Mosher act as game managers and play into the hands of their respective defences. There was more offence in the second encounter resulting in a more exciting contest, but there still seemed to be a reliance on the running game on both sides.

Peter Boersch leads the PFC with 1,117 yards rushing.

The signal callers on both sides haven’t played to a superstar level, which would make one club or the other untouchable. 

Regina saw that type of quarterbacking in the past at the CJFL level not with the Thunder but when Darryl Leason quarterbacked the Regina Rams from 1992 to 1995. Leason would again be the Rams signal caller in 2000 and 2001 after they moved to the U Sports ranks in 1999.

Saskatoon saw that type of quarterbacking when the late Chase Bradshaw was calling signals for the Hilltops from 2007 to 2011. The Hilltops also got stellar quarterbacking from Jared Andreychuk and Jordan Walls through most of the 2010s making the Saskatoon side fairly close to invincible.

With that noted, it feels like the players including the quarterbacks on the Hilltops and Thunder are bringing the work ethic and giving everything they have in 2025. When those clubs have posted lopsided victories against other foes in the PFC, those results were created by hard work.

Offensively, the Hilltops and Thunder are mirror images of each other in 2025. The Thunder top the PFC with 1,844 yards rushing, while the Hilltops are second with 1,680 yards rushing.

The passing attacks for both squads are at the other end of the spectrum. The Thunder are last in the PFC with 1,183 yards passing, and the Hilltops are second last in the PFC with 1,310 yards passing.

Traditionally, the Thunder are usually a pass-happy team that mirrors their U Sports cousins and CJFL predecessors in the Rams.

On defence, the Hilltops have given up the fewest gross yards of offence at 2,234, while the Thunder have surrendered the second fewest gross yards at 2,375.

Brexton Elias directs traffic on the run for the Hilltops.

For both teams, it makes sense to rely on the running game as both have strong offensive lines. The running backs on both sides are next level.

Thunder running back Peter Boersch had turned into a legitimate star leading the PFC in carries (156) and rushing yards (1,117) to go with three majors on the ground. Regina has also benefited from the strong play of sophomore running back Carter Ashman.

American import running back David Collins has had a spectacular campaign in the lone season he will be able to play for the Hilltops. 

The 22-year-old has carried the ball 114 times for 909 yards and 11 touchdowns. Collins sits second in the PFC in rushing yards and first in rushing touchdowns.

Saskatoon has benefitted from the strong play of veteran running backs Corbin Ebben and Charles Sawi.

On defence, Saskatoon has lots of big play players like middle linebacker Isaac Michayluk and defensive tackles Johnathon Stevens and Nahom Menghestab. Regina also has a lot of big time players on defence including middle linebackers Devin Baumann and Kenten Effa along with boundary cornerback Cooper Filazek.

At quarterback, Elias and Mosher feel like they have much greater potential than they’ve shown. During the CJFL post-season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if one or both had breakout games.

Still, it feels like the Hilltops and Thunder could potentially be upset in their respective PFC semifinal games, if they are not at their best. One squad that could cause upset wins is the 3-4 Winnipeg Rifles.

The Rifles thumped the Hilltops 31-11 on August 10 at Maple Grove Rugby Park in Winnipeg. 

Adam Mosher calls out signals for the Thunder.

On top of beating the Hilltops, the Rifles were one unsuccessful two-point conversion away from upsetting the Thunder falling 41-40 on September 21 at Maple Grove Rugby Park.

With that noted, the Hilltops and Thunder could continue to keep bringing top efforts, which ultimately leads to one squad winning another CJFL championship. In that situation, the winning coaching staff will have a special sense of pride for their players in how far they have come over the campaign.

Going forward, another PFC final between the Hilltops and Thunder is expected, but in the back of the mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise if one or both teams didn’t make it that far. They have to continue to bring a top level work ethic to have a third meeting in the 2025 campaign.

PFC players of the week nods Thunder heavy

Jake Mayo is the PFC’s defensive player of the week.

An exciting win over their provincial rivals have resulted in Regina Thunder players claiming two of the three PFC player of the week awards.

On Tuesday, Thunder cornerback Jake Mayo was tabbed as the PFC’s defensive player of the week, while Thunder place kicker/punter Shawn Green was the special teams player of the week. Both had big outings in their team’s 24-21 victory over the Saskatoon Hilltops this past Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

In the Thunder victory, Mayo intercepted two passes returning one pick 34 yards for a touchdown with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter. Mayo also had four solo defensive tackles and one pass knockdown.

Green made his lone field goal attempt from 35 yards out and connected on all three of his one-point converts. He punted 11 times for 373 yards for an average of 33.9 yards per kick. Green kicked off four times for 174 yards for an average of 43.5 yards per kick.

Edmonton Wildcats receiver Mekhi Tyrell took honours as the PFC’s offensive player of the week for his efforts in his team’s 28-26 setback this past Sunday to the Winnipeg Rifles at Maple Grove Rugby Park in Winnipeg. Mekhi caught 11 passes for 160 yards and carried the ball once for 23 yards. On special teams, Mekhi returned three punts for 30 yards and one kickoff for 15 yards.

Shawn Green is the PFC’s special teams player of the week.

All teams in the PFC have one game remaining on their respective regular season schedules. The Rifles hold third place at 3-4, while the Edmonton Huskies sit fourth at 3-4. The Wildcats are fifth at 2-5, while the Calgary Colts are sixth at 2-5.

The top four teams in the conference make the CJFL playoffs.

All six PFC teams will play their final regular season contests on Sunday, October 12.

The Huskies will host the Rifles at Jasper Place Bowl at 1 p.m. local time. The winner will lock up third place in the conference. A tie would clinch post-season berths for both squads.

The Saskatoon Hilltops (5-2) host Colts at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, and the Regina Thunder (6-1) host the Wildcats at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field.

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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First place clinch in PFC up for grabs in rivalry clash

Hilltops and Thunder battle for top spot

Johnathon Stevens (#57) has three sacks this season.

Johnathon Stevens smiles at the fact his final CJFL season will include a showdown to lock up first place in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference between his Saskatoon Hilltops and the Regina Thunder.

The provincial rivals take 5-1 records into their head-to-head clash set for Saturday at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Hilltops and Thunder are rated third and fourth respectively in the latest CJFL Top 10 Power Rankings released on Thursday. Saturday’s game is the second last regular season contest for both teams, who are guaranteed to finish first and second in the PFC and will respectively host PFC semifinal playoff matches.

Currently, the Hilltops hold the standings tiebreaker between the two sides having posted an 18-15 victory in the lone head-to-head meeting with the Thunder back on September 6 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. If the Hilltops straight out win in the upcoming game on Saturday, they will lock up first place in the PFC.

If the Thunder win by four or more points on Saturday, they will lock up first place in the PFC. If the Thunder win by three or fewer points, they will still need to down the visiting Edmonton Wildcats on Sunday, October 12 a 1 p.m. at Leibel Field to clinch first place.

The team that finishes first in the PFC will have home field advantage through the entire CJFL playoffs, because the PFC champion will host the CJFL championship game – The Canadian Bowl.

“It is always a good match whenever we play each other, obviously,” said Stevens, who is the Hilltops star fifth-year defensive tackle. “There is quite a bit on the line there.

“We’re just going to go out there and do the best we can. We respect them. They are a great team.

“We believe in ourselves as well, and you have to, if you’re going to try to win. I would love to win against them. Every win is a good one.”

The Hilltops head into Saturday’s encounter having won their last five straight. Last Sunday, they downed the host Edmonton Wildcats 52-26 at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. Saskatoon led that contest 52-9 before Edmonton scored 17 straight points late in the fourth quarter to make the final outcome look more respectable.

The Thunder have won their last two straight. Last Sunday at Maple Grove Rugby Park in Winnipeg, Man., the Thunder escaped with a 41-40 victory over the host Rifles. The Rifles scored a touchdown with 28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to pull within 41-40 and were unsuccessful in going for a two-point convert to claim the win.

“Obviously, we got pretty good momentum and pretty good energy,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “As a head football coach, things that are sort of bothering me are our discipline seems to crop up here and there and doesn’t put us in great spots.

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant stands for the national anthem on Aug. 24.

“Then, we have some lapses of mental discipline of just having players in the right spots at the right time. That is on us as coaches. We got to keep grinding.

“My line to the team right now is do better longer, stay with us longer and be more committed longer. We live in such a different age, but you know when you get between these lines you should just be talking football and that is it and that is all.”

The first encounter of the season between the Hilltops and Thunder saw both teams play the contest with a game management style of approach. Saskatoon ultimately claimed victory on a one-yard touchdown run by running back David Collins with 2:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Stevens believes Saturday’s encounter will be a game where both teams could potentially open up their playbooks a little more.

“That was a few weeks ago, and obviously we’ve got film on them, and they have film on us,” said Stevens, who has three quarterback sacks and 13 total tackles so far this season for the Hilltops. “We’re just going to watch the film, and we’ve got to be ready in any game if they’re going to try to take risks or if they’re going to do anything that is an attack there.

“I know they had good plays during that game, and I know we had good plays during that game. It could change any given Sunday, in this case Saturday.”

Sargeant believes all parts of his Hilltops club will look much better on Saturday compared to the first encounter with the Thunder.

“I guarantee you we’re going to coach better than what we did the first game against them,” said Sargeant. “I guarantee you my players are going to be playing better than how they played last time.

“It just comes down to what is Regina going to bring? What are they going to do different? How will they look?

“We haven’t seen them in three weeks. We’ve all played different teams, and as I said, we’re excited to get them at our place Saturday night and get under the lights and son of a gun, that is going to be a lot of fun.”

Sargeant said he believes the rivalry between the Hilltops and Thunder is still as heated as it has ever been. The sideline boss said it comes from the fact a lot of the players see each other at events like the Senior Bowl, which is the high school football all-star game put on by Football Saskatchewan for Grade 12 players right before they graduate from high school.

David Collins has been a key player for the Hilltops this season.

The veteran coach added the rivalry between the Hilltops and Thunder shares some common traits with the U Sports football rivalry between the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and the University of Regina Rams.

“It is no different than with Huskies and Rams anytime proximity is a big part of a rivalry,” said Sargeant. “That is what we have.

“They (the Thunder) are the team that is closest to us. Every year they line up, they want to beat us, and every year we line up we want to beat them. We know if we do that it has a tendency to lead us to bigger and better games.

“That is what is at stake this weekend. We’re hungry for the opportunity. I just want my team to play better and show up and handle all the excitement and all the adversity and see if we’re ready for prime time.”

Thrilling game results in PFC players of the week nods

The Regina Thunder and Winnipeg Rifles staged one of the wildest games of the season, and it comes as no surprise two PFC player of the week awards come out of that clash.

Last Sunday at Maple Grove Rugby Park in Winnipeg, Man., the Thunder and Rifles engaged in a shootout, which saw Regina emerge with a 41-40 victory. Players from this contest claimed the awards for the PFC’s offensive player of the week and the PFC’s special teams player of the week.

The offensive player of the week nod went to Rifles receiver Jarome Penner. Penner hauled in 15 passes for 221 yards and one touchdown in the heartbreaking setback. His 15 catches are the second most ever for a PFC regular season contest and are tied for the second most for a CJFL regular season game.

Saskatoon Hilltops all-time great Andrew Busby holds the record for most catches in a CJFL regular season contest and by extension PFC regular season clash. He hauled in 19 passes for the Hilltops on August 20, 2006.

Thunder kick returner and defensive back Jackson Ashman claimed honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week. In the heart pounding win over the Rifles, Ashman returned the opening kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown.

He returned two kickoffs for 123 yards and ran a punt back for 12 yards. Ashman emulated his father and Thunder assistant coach Chris Ashman, who was a dangerous returner for the Regina Rams in the late 1990s and early 2000s including play in both the CJFL and U Sports as the University of Regina Rams.

Calgary Colts defensive back Quinn Feodoroff was tabbed as the PFC’s defensive player of the week for his efforts in his squad’s 41-30 setback to the visiting Edmonton Huskies last Sunday at Shouldice Athletic Park. Feodoroff recorded seven solo defensive tackles, three defensive tackle assists, two interceptions and one fumble recovery.

Big upcoming Sunday in PFC

Riley Element sets to throw a pass for the Rifles.

This coming Sunday will be a big one when it comes to deciding the final two playoff berths in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference.

The Winnipeg Rifles, Edmonton Wildcats, Calgary Colts and Edmonton Huskies all have identical 2-4 records and are tied for third through sixth in the conference. The top four teams in the PFC qualify for the post-season, so only two of those four squads will be left standing when the regular season concludes.

On Sunday, the Rifles host the Wildcats at 2 p.m. local time at Maple Grove Rugby Park, while the Huskies host the Colts at 1 p.m. local time at Jasper Place Bowl.

The final week of the PFC regular season sees all six of the conference’s teams go at it on Sunday, October 12. The Huskies will host the Rifles at Jasper Place Bowl at 1 p.m. local time. The Saskatoon Hilltops host the Colts at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, and the Regina Thunder host the Wildcats at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field.

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Hilltops are getting healthy, preparing for Wildcats

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant, left, talks with Charles Sawi, centre.

When it comes to injuries, legendary Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant hopes the storm has passed over his Saskatoon Hilltops.

On Sunday, the Hilltops head on the road to face the Edmonton Wildcats at 1 p.m. at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. Heading into their sixth regular season contest, the Hilltops might be the most healthy they’ve been at any part of the campaign.

Before the 2025 CJFL campaign began, the Hilltops lost starting star 22-year-old safety Dalton Urban for the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, when Urban was playing a CFL pre-season game for the Saskatchewan Roughriders on May 30 at Mosaic Stadium. Urban has been on the Hilltops sidelines helping out the team’s defence with coaching tips.

The Hilltops are still without backup quarterback Charlie Molder, who was hurt in the team’s first regular season contest, when the Hilltops fell 31-11 to the Rifles in Winnipeg on August 10.

During the season, starting quarterback Brexton Elias, star running back Corbin Ebben, star middle linebacker Isaac Michayluk and fifth-year receiver David Boyd Jr. all missed time due to injury and returned to action with the team.

Sargeant would love the development of the returnees to be a sign that the worst of the injury woes are behind his club.

“I sure hope so,” said Sargeant. “I’ve also learned you have to embrace adversity.

“It is always the next man up. We had a lot of players step up and perform their roles. David Boyd Jr. didn’t play the first two games because of injury.

“It allowed other people to show up. All you’re doing is you are building depth, you’re building that veteran presence and that confidence within everyone’s game.”

Since returning from injury, Elias has given the Hilltops their most poised play from the quarterback position. The 22-year-old missed his team’s first two regular season games and dressed as the fourth string quarterback in the third contest.

Brexton Elias (#6) has brought poise to the QB position.

He made his first start of the campaign and played the role of game manager in an 18-15 win over Thunder at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on September 6. In that contest, Elias completed 14-of-25 passes for 188 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Hilltops opened things up more in the passing game in Elias’s second start this past Sunday, when Saskatoon crushed the Colts 51-3 at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary. Elias completed 15-of-22 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

During his first four seasons with the Hilltops, Elias was a backup quarterback, and he was slotted in as the team’s starter after star Trey Reider exhausted his CJFL eligibility following the completion of the 2024 campaign. Elias is focusing on constant improvement as the campaign moves on.

“Every day I am trying to get better with these guys,” said Elias. “Week by week, I am trying to focus on the team that we’re playing on Sunday and just preparing for them every week.”

Sargeant said Elias is taking steps forward every time he gets into game action.

“We’re excited to get on the bus and play the Edmonton Wildcats this weekend and see him grow his game and let his personality keep taking over on this offence and becoming more impactful,” said Sargeant. “Each game that he plays, it makes us better.”

Sunday’s game is another big one for the Hilltops, who have a 4-1 record after winning their last four straight and were rated third in the CJFL’s Top 10 Power Rankings released on Thursday. They hold first place in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference over the 4-1 Thunder due to posting a head-to-head victory in the lone meeting to date between the two sides.

The contest is a big one for the Wildcats, who are in a heated race for third and fourth place in the PFC and the conference’s final two post-season berths. At 2-3, the Wildcats, Winnipeg Rifles and Calgary Colts are all tied for third to fifth in the conference. The Edmonton Huskies sit in the basement of the conference standings but are still in the mix at 1-4.

Sargeant wants to see his team continue to take steps forward in their upcoming clash with the Wildcats.

“We played our best game of the year against the Calgary Colts on Sunday,” said Sargeant. “We’re looking to improve that and enjoy the next contest against the Edmonton Wildcats.

“As long as my fifth years keep playing hard and being the best players on the field, the blue and gold are going to be in good shape.”

Mix of four nab PFC players of the week nods

Four different players picked up nods as PFC players of the week on Wednesday.

Regina Thunder running back Peter Boersch and Edmonton Huskies quarterback Wesley Neitz were both claimed honours as the offensive player of the week.

Boersch had another big game last Sunday when the Thunder downed the visiting Winnipeg Rifles 25-12 at Leibel Field. He carried the ball 24 times for 181 yards and caught one pass for 30 yards. On the season, Boersch leads the PFC in carries (124) and rushing yards (967).

Neitz had a huge outing last Sunday as his Huskies fell 33-20 to the visiting Edmonton Wildcats at Jasper Place Bowl. In that contest, Neitz completed 27-of-43 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions.

Thunder defensive back Cooper Filazek was named the defensive player of the week for his efforts in his team’s win over the Rifles. Filazek made six defensive solo tackles, three defensive tackle assists, one pass knockdown and two interceptions.

Wildcats receiver Mekhi Tyrell was tabbed as the special teams player of the week. In his club’s win over the Huskies, Tyrell returned two punts for 84 yards, which included running one punt back for an 80-yard touchdown. He returned one kickoff for 28 yards and caught one pass for six yards.

Johnson to speak at End Zone Dinner

Evan Johnson in action for the Roughriders on July 15, 2023.

One of the CFL’s all-time steady veterans on the offensive line is coming to the Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner.

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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Menghestab earned status as Hilltops favourite

Saskatoon crushes Colts in Calgary 51-3

Nahom Menghestab reacts to getting a sack on August 24.

Nahom Menghestab is the Saskatoon Hilltops player everyone wants to hang out with.

As physical as he can play on the field from his nose tackle position on the defensive line, the 22-year-old has an easy to approach feel good vibe away from the game. He can flash a smile, and it feels like everything in the world at that point in time is as it should be.

“He is easy going,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “He can relate to anyone.

“With just how hard and aggressive he plays on the field, he is the opposite off the field. He is just very laid back. He has just sort of got a smile on his face and is just happy to be in the place and happy to be here, which makes me happy to be here.

“It is just one of those realities.”

Often, it catches Menghestab off guard when it materializes how much his teammates love him. On the field, a lot of the respect that comes his way is due to the fact he frequently attracts double teams to free up his teammates to make plays.

During the 42-15 victory over the Winnipeg Rifles on August 24 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Menghestab was reminded that his teammates care about him a tonne. When he got a quarterback sack late in the fourth quarter of that contest, all the Hilltops players on the field exploded with excitement and the Hilltops sidelines jumped into full jubilation.

The pumped up reaction by his teammates caught Menghestab off guard.

“I don’t even realize that,” said Menghestab. “I think I just made so many friends, and I always make sure we make it like a good brotherhood around this team.

Nahom Menghestab is playing out his final CJFL season.

“I’m happy they got hyped up with that sack. I definitely was and everyone was just telling me like we were all turned up and everything. I was like, “I appreciate you boys.””

The sack celebration by the team was one of the highlights for Menghestab in his fifth and final campaign with the team. Another came on September 6 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina against the host Thunder. On that night, Menghestab knocked down a pass attempt from Thunder quarterback Adam Mosher with 1:24 left in the quarter on a third down gamble that ultimately allowed the Hilltops to turn an 18-15 lead into an 18-15 victory.

More good memories were made by Menghestab and the entire Hilltops team on Sunday. They traveled to Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary and crushed the host Colts 51-3 in a CJFL regular season contest. Saskatoon jumped out to a 20-3 lead at halftime and cruised from there.

With the victory, the Hilltops push their winning streak out to four games improving to 4-1, while the Colts fall to 2-3. The Hilltops finish a stretch of playing three straight games on the road traveling to Sherwood Park, Alta., this coming Sunday to face the host Edmonton Wildcats (2-3) at 1 p.m. at Emerald Hills Regional Park.

Menghestab wants every moment in his final campaign to be cherished.

“I think it is just realizing how fast everything went by,” said Menghestab, who stands 6-feet and weighs 300 pounds. “My first year, I was enjoying it and everything.

“In the second year, I got hurt and missed my season. I had the rest of the three years, and it is just coming to my last year CJFL is amazing, but it goes by so fast. I make sure everyone knows that to enjoy it.”

Sargeant said Menghestab is a great Hilltops success story. The sideline boss remembers when Menghestab came to the Hilltops as an 18-year-old graduate of the St. Joseph High School Guardians Football Team in 2021 that the defensive tackle had a lot of potential to grow in a lot of different ways.

Nahom Menghestab (#69) is lined up next to Johnathon Stevens.

From that beginning, Menghestab became a starter on the Hilltops defensive line in his third year in 2023, when Saskatoon went 12-0 overall to win a 23^rd CJFL championship. Sargeant said it has been great to see Menghestab become a dominant run stopper and sort of like a team favourite.

“He is such a nice guy and wants to do well and wants to be respected by his teammates,” said Sargeant. “More importantly, I think he has gained respect of the league now.

“He is absolutely one of our top run defenders. Him and John Stevens inside the A and B gapers make the game so difficult for the opposition.”

Sargeant said Menghestab is big time appreciated by the team’s coaches for his relentless work taking on double teams and filling the role that sees others make plays and pile up statistics. With that said, Sargeant added Menghestab is finding ways to make plays.

“He has got the toughest job,” said Sargeant. “He is drawing double teams all the time.

“Not only is he taking two guys on to free up our linebackers to allow them to run to the ball, he is doing all the dirty work. What makes him so unique is he has got an unreal ability to get off those blocks and make plays. (In the win over the Rifles), he got a big sack and you know he is always getting eight to 10 defensive points, which as a nose, you don’t see that in the rest of the league.

“He is a very unique talent, and I’m sure glad he is on our team and just how he goes about business. He is in the film room leading guys and asking questions. He is always growing.”

Nahom Menghestab (#69) is skilled at getting past blockers.

Menghestab has never shied away from the contact side of the game. He has always enjoyed that aspect of the sport from when he started playing in the Kinsmen Football League in Saskatoon in Grade 5. He is always up for the challenge of facing a double team, which is something he has been dealing with since his high school days.

“I’ve definitely got used to it because of Joe’s and everything,” said Menghestab. “I was always played as a nose (tackle).

“I think just with (defensive line) coach “Fish” (Dave Fisher), coach “Sarge” (Tom Sargeant) and (defensive coordinator) coach Jeff (Yausie) telling me like it is a selfless job (helps). You have to be helping your linebackers not getting touched. I think it is that feeling knowing that I have that as something on my shoulders that gives me strength to do it.

“I do have those times where I do want to take that one guy and just get it. I definitely am happy that my linebackers can get that chance to get that tackle.”

Looking back on his entire football career, Menghestab said he has fond memories playing high school football with the Guardians. He still believes the team could have done great things in his Grade 12 year, which was nixed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world. Still, that didn’t take away from the memories he already made.

“When I was playing at St. Joe’s, there were amazing players there,” said Menghestab. “We had Trey Reider.

“We had a crazy running back in Kayden Miller and Nathan Jule and Chase Tataryn. Our team was really good and stacked. It is just with the coach and everything it was like a new feel, a new vibe.

“I wish we still had that year in Grade 12 to dominate again, but Grade 11 definitely made an impact in that. I’m glad to have Dalton (Urban) and some of the guys here from Joe’s to play with.”

Nahom Menghestab is living in the moment with the Hilltops.

As the 2025 campaign goes forward, Menghestab is all about staying in the moment. 

He believes that is the best way to go about enjoying his final season with the team.

“I’m definitely trying to make sure I go game by game like every week,” said Menghestab. “I try not to go overhead and think about the future and all that.

“It is something where I do want to win it all, because it is the last year with me and Johnny (Stevens) and Ryan Adamko. Those guys were with me since first year. It is just trying to win that “ship” one more time.”

Johnson to speak at End Zone Dinner

Evan Johnson in action for the Roughriders on July 15, 2023.

One of the CFL’s all-time steady veterans on the offensive line is coming to the Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner.

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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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.