Hilltops romp over Rifles, take PFC semifinal 60-26

Charles Sawi (#18) jets home on a 27-yard touchdown run.

The Saskatoon Hilltops put on a running display that would have made the NFL’s famed 1972 Miami Dolphins proud.

On Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops piled up 380 yards rushing as a team and romped over the visiting Winnipeg Rifles 60-26 in a PFC semifinal contest. Saskatoon jumped out to a 21-7 lead in the first quarter, improved their advantage to 29-12 at halftime and cruised to victory from there before a crowd of 528 spectators, who weren’t scared away by sporadic windy conditions and overcast skies.

For Hilltops fifth-year right tackle Victoire Bikulo, he couldn’t think of a better way to get his final run through the CJFL Playoffs started.

The Hilltops offensive line opened the way for 380 yards rushing.

“It felt amazing,” said Bikulo, who wasn’t able to dress for any post-season games due to a leg injury in 2023 when the Hilltops won their last CJFL championship. “I’ve been waiting for this for about three years.

“It felt pretty great. I am happy to be out here.”

The win allowed the Hilltops, who improved to 7-2 overall, to advance to the PFC final, while the Rifles finished out at 4-5 overall. For the fifth straight year, the PFC final will be contested between the Hilltops and their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder.

David Collins had 16 carries for 207 yards and two touchdowns.

The Thunder thumped the Edmonton Huskies 49-10 in the other PFC semifinal on Sunday that was played at Leibel Field in Regina to improve to 8-1 overall, while the Huskies finished out at 3-6 overall. Regina will host the PFC final this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.

In the four previous meetings, the Hilltops picked up wins in 2021 and 2023, while the Thunder claimed victory in 2022 and 2024. For Bikulo, the Thunder are the only foe he has seen in the PFC final during his career with the Hilltops.

“We kind of always expect it to be them,” said Bikulo. “It is great to always play them, because they bring a lot of adversity, a lot of animosity and a lot of great energy that we kind of go against.

Corbin Ebben ran the ball six times for 24 yards and two TDs.

“It is pretty good there. They got a great team going on over there. They have a good running game, and we have a good one as well.

“I’m pretty sure we’ll be running the ball a lot, and it will be very interesting to see what their defence does this time. It will be fun. It will be interesting, and it is definitely something to look out for, for sure.”

In the win over the Rifles, the Hilltops relied on their stellar running back trio of David Collins, Charles Sawi and Corbin Ebben similar to how the 1972 Super Bowl winning 17-0 Dolphins relied on their ball carrying trio of Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick.

Collins ran the ball 16 times for 207 yards and two touchdowns, and he caught one pass for 21 yards. Sawi ran the ball three times for 104 yards and two touchdowns, and he returned three punts for 54 yards. Ebben ran the ball six times for 24 yards and two touchdowns, and he caught two passes for 17 yards.

Rifles receiver Cole Davies holds on to this catch for a 79-yard gain.

Bikulo said it was pretty advantageous to be able to block for that trio.

“It is unbelievable,” said Bikulo. “Once you have those three guys in the backfield, it messes up a lot of defences.

“You throw Corbin (Ebben) out at wideout. You throw Charles (Sawi) out there. You throw any of them out there it kind of throws away their defence and really helps us hone in on our ground game.

“We can really do a lot of things out of those formations. We can make a lot of things work, because we have those three guys in our offence in the backfield. You have Brex (Brexton Elias) back there who can throw it anywhere really, and it gets pretty dangerous and pretty awesome.”

Kaiden Banfield ran the ball 24 times for 123 yards and two TDs.

Elias got into the running parade too carrying the ball four times for 37 yards and one touchdown. Due to the fact the running game was rolling, Elias only completed 3-of-5 passes for 40 yards and no interceptions before giving way to backup Griffin Sander with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter with the Hilltops holding a 50-18 advantage.

Sander completed 8-of-9 passes for 87 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions before third stringer Charlie Molder entered the contest late in the fourth quarter.

The Hilltops also benefited from outstanding play from their starting offensive line in left tackle Davin Johnson, left guard Simon Clark, centre Matt Elash, right guard Jack Erlandson and Bikulo. Erlandson and Elash were announced as PFC all-stars before the start of Sunday’s games.

Riley Element had 338 yards passing for the Rifles.

“We have two all-stars there,” said Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant. “We feel we could have maybe one or two more.

“We’re a team that loves the offensive line. We coach into that and the defensive line. Today, we won the line of scrimmage, and that was the difference in the football game.

“We challenged those players that is what it was going to be, and they answered the bell. That is why we’re moving on to the PFC final next week.”

The Hilltops jumped out to a 14-0 lead early in the first quarter thanks to a five-yard rushing major by Ebben and a 16-yard touchdown run by Elias. The Rifles answered with a one-yard touchdown plunge by star 22-year-old running back Kaiden Banfield to cut the Hilltops lead to 14-7. Collins proceeded to break off a 56-yard touchdown run to push Saskatoon’s advantage out to 21-7.

The Hilltops defence deflects a Rifles pass into the air.

Right before the end of the first quarter, the Rifles elected to gamble on a third and goal situation from the Hilltops two yard line. Rifles star quarterback Riley Element threw a pass to star receiver Jarome Penner in the end zone. Penner stretched out attempting to make a diving catch where the ball hit his hands but he couldn’t haul it in.

The Hilltops would concede a safety due to the bad field position early in the second quarter to cut their own lead to 21-9. Saskatoon would proceed to get a 49-yard punt single from Molder and a 27-yard rushing major from Sawi on a reverse to allow the hosts to have a 29-9 lead.

Johnson, who is in his fourth year with the Hilltops, said it is fun to be able to block for Collins, Sawi and Ebben.

Nate Gallant had two interceptions for the Hilltops.

“It is nice having those three guys,” said Johnson. “They each have their own style, and they each can make big plays.

“As long as we stay or just catch someone and make sure that we’re getting a body on someone, they will make a big play out of it.”

Before the second quarter ended, Rifles kicker Gabriel Yaipen hit a 30-yard field goal to shave the Hilltops lead to 29-12.

The Hilltops started the third quarter rolling off 21 unanswered points to push their advantage out to 50-12. Sawi ripped off an 80-yard rushing touchdown on another reverse, Collins ran home a score from 55 yards out, and Ebben added a nine-yard rushing touchdown.

Winnipeg replied with Element connecting with Penner on a 30-yard touchdown pass. After a failed two-point conversion, the Hilltops lead sat at 50-18.

Brexton Elias jets to the end zone on a 16-yard TD run.

Right before the third quarter came to an end, Sander hit fifth-year receiver David Boyd Jr. with a 29-yard touchdown pass to push the Hilltops advantage out to 57-18.

In the fourth quarter, Hilltops kicker Ryden Gratton hit a 35-yard field goal to make his team’s lead sit at 60-18.

Banfield ran home a major from two yards out for the Rifles. After another failed two-point conversion attempt, Saskatoon’s lead sat at 60-24. The Hilltops would concede a safety late in the fourth quarter to round out the 60-26 final score in their favour.

When the game ended, Johnson admitted the Hilltops offensive line does take pride in helping the squad put up a big rushing yardage total.

The Hilltop Cheerleaders perform at halftime on Sunday.

“It is always exciting,” said Johnson. “It shows that everybody is working hard, (and) everybody is coming together.

“We’re making good blocks. The running backs, they’re always doing their job. They are making good runs.

“It is good to see.”

The Rifles did put up some good offensive numbers in defeat. Element completed 24-of-45 passes for 338 yards and one touchdown, while throwing two interceptions. He also had one carry for 12 yards.

Hilltops RT Victoire Bikulo blocks out a Rifles defensive lineman.

Penner caught eight passes for 119 yards to go with his major through the air. Receiver Cole Davies hauled in seven passes for 116 yards including a monster 79-yard reception that set up Winnipeg’s first major.

Banfield ran the ball 24 times for 123 yards to go with his two majors along the ground. He also hauled in one pass for three yards.

Hilltops second-year safety Nate Gallant led his squad with 6.5 total tackles and two interceptions. He almost had a third interception on Sunday too. Defensive end Noah Chelsom had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for Saskatoon.

The Hilltops were without the services of fifth-year defensive tackle Nahom Menghestab and receiver/safety Isaiah Vallderruten due to injury.

Jarome Penner caught eight passes for 119 yards and one TD.

Middle linebacker Derek Gumieny recorded 6.5 total tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for the Rifles. Outside linebacker Kyler Banfield and defensive back Gage Richey each had 6.5 total tackles for Winnipeg. Defensive end Brock Beauchemin had one quarterback sack for the visitors.

“For three quarters, that is as good as we played all year,” said Sargeant. “The coaches did a great job of defining and setting what the game plans need to be, and the players did a heck of a job executing it.

“For 45 minutes, I was very happy with who and what we are, and then hey, our young guys got in and got to see that is a good football team there. You just have to look at the stats and see what they’ve accomplished this year. We need to be on point.

Charles Sawi (#18) rockets downfield on an 80-yard TD run.

“We got to jump to that early lead, and then boom, they came right back and hit us with a big shot up the middle. We learned a lot about ourselves. As a coach, I was very proud of the effort that I saw on this field today.”

Now, the Hilltops turn their attention towards the Thunder. The provincial rivals split their two head-to-head encounters in the regular season. Johnson expects the PFC final to be a physical contest and wasn’t surprised the Saskatoon versus Regina matchup materialized.

“That is what we expect when we come into the season,” said Johnson. “We know it is going to be them.

Griffin Sander completed 8-of-9 passes for 87 yards and one TD.

“They are a tough team. We’ve just got to be tougher, and it really comes down to the little things.”

NOTES – On Saturday, the Okanagan Sun downed visiting the Westshore Rebels 45-26 in the BCFC final at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna, B.C. The Sun improved to 12-0 overall, while the Rebels finished out an 8-4 overall.

Also on Saturday, the defending CJFL champion St. Clair Saints blanked the visiting London Beefeaters 54-0 in the OFC title game at Acumen Stadium in Windsor, Ont. The Saints improved to 10-0 overall, while the Beefeaters finished out at 7-3.

This coming Saturday, the Sun host the Saints in a CJFL national semifinal set for 1 p.m. local time at the Apple Bowl. The winner of that contest will travel to Saskatchewan to face the winner of the PFC final between the Hilltops and Thunder on November 9 in the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl.

David Boyd Jr. (#82) celebrates a 29-yard TD reception.

The CJFL announced the PFC all-stars before Sunday’s game. That announcement 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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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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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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Hilltops first true rival was a team from Winnipeg

There was a time when the Saskatoon Hilltops biggest rival wasn’t from Saskatchewan.

The current modern version of the Hilltops are best known for their rivalries with squads from Saskatchewan’s capital city in Regina. They had a big rivalry with the Rams before they joined the U Sports ranks in 1999, and Hilltops rivalry with the Rams’s CJFL successors in the Thunder followed, starting with the birth of the Thunder in 2000.

When the Hilltops began play in 1947 and following through to 1961, their biggest rival was the Winnipeg Rods. That rivalry occurred in an era where there were a lot more teams in the CJFL across Canada than the 20 that exist in the current day. The Rods junior team disbanded before the start of the 1990 CJFL campaign.

Way back in 1947, the Hilltops were playing their inaugural campaign in what was then known as the Saskatchewan Junior Rugby Football Union. They topped the league regular season standings with a 5-1 record and slipped past the Regina Bombers 12-11 in the Saskatchewan championship final.

Following that win, the Hilltop advanced on to a Western Canada Semifinal series to take on the already established Rods, who won the Winnipeg Junior Rugby Football League. The Rods swept a two-game total points series by scores of 22-18 and 34-10. That set the grounds for numerous big games that would follow between the two sides.

A year later, the two sides again met in a Western Canada Semifinal two-game total points series. This time the Hilltops swept the series by scores of 21-7 and 12-6. The Hilltops would advance to their first appearance in the CJFL championship game falling to the Hamilton Wildcats.

In 1949, Saskatoon would eliminate the Rods from the CJFL post-season in another Western Canada Semifinal.

The rivalry between the Hilltops and Rods would take a new form in 1953 when they played out of the same conference in the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League. Over a nine-year period starting in 1953, the Hilltops and Rods would combine to win six CJFL titles and one of those two clubs was at least in the CJFL championship game over the stretch.

Saskatoon claimed the CJFL crown in 1953, 1958 and 1959, while the Rods reached the CJFL mountaintop in 1955, 1956 and 1961. Also during that nine-year period, the Hilltops fell in the 1960 CJFL title game, while the Rods came up short in the CJFL championships games in 1954 and 1957.

In 1956, the Rods downed the Hilltops 21-7 in Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League semifinal on their way to claiming a second straight CJFL title. In 1957, the two sides went at it in the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League final that was contested in a two-game total points series. The Rods swept the series by scores of 40-34 and 32-6.

Rods moved to what was then known as the City of St. James in 1959. St. James would be eventually officially amalgamated into the City of Winnipeg on January 1, 1972.

The St. James Rods and the Hilltops went at it in the 1961 Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League final that was contested in a two-game total points series. The Rods swept the series by scores of 22-20 and 29-7 to end Saskatoon’s three-year reign as conference champions.

In 1962, the two sides wrote an epilogue to their rivalry meeting again in the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League final again contested in a two-game total points series. The Rods swept the set by scores of 34-11 and 29-0. Those would be the final post-season meetings between the Hilltops and Rods.

The Rods had one last great season in 1963 topping the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League regular season standings with an 8-0 record and would fall in the Western Canada Championship game 14-10 to the defending and eventual CJFL champion Edmonton Huskies.

Starting in 1964, the Rods often finished in the basement of whatever conference they were in be it the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League or starting in 1976 the Manitoba Junior Football League until the folding of their junior team.

The Rams, who were formed in 1954, began their rise and won their first Manitoba-Saskatchewan Junior Football League title in 1964 getting past the Hilltops in the conference final. The legendary Gord Currie became the Rams head coach in 1965, and rivalry between the Rams and Hilltops took full flight from that point onward to really usher in the traditional Regina versus Saskatoon rivalry at the junior level.

In 2025, the storied Hilltops opened the current CJFL campaign dropping a surprising 31-11 regular season decision to the host Rifles at Maple Grove Rugby Park in Winnipeg on August 10. The Hilltops (1-1) and Rifles (2-0) are set to battle on Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Depending what happens in that contest, it could potentially start the rise of a new true rivalry between Saskatoon and Winnipeg in junior football.

Of course, any potential true rivalry between the Hilltops and Rifles has a long way to go before it hits the heights of the one the Hilltops had with the Rods. Unfortunately, the rivalry the Hilltops and Rods had from 1947 to 1961 is fading into just being part of Canada’s recorded history as about only nine per cent of the country’s current population was alive to have a recollection of that period of time.

In the history of the CJFL, it can’t be understated how special the rivalry between the Hilltops and Rods between 1947 and 1961 truly was.

Thunder rumble on the ground

The Regina Thunder have picked up where they left off last season forming an identity of a team that likes to pound the ball on the ground.

On August 10, the Thunder opened their CJFL regular season schedule downing the host Huskies 31-16 at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton. In that contest, the Thunder piled up 501 yards of total offence including 371 yards along the ground.

Last Sunday, the Thunder hammered the Colts 46-21 at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary. Regina had 475 yards of total offence in that game including 308 yards rushing.

Thunder 20-year-old running back Peter Boersch leads the Prairie Football Conference in rushing yards piling up 530 yards on 55 carries and scoring two touchdowns in Regina’s two contests. He has a huge lead over Saskatoon Hilltops running back David Collins, who sits second in the PFC with 218 yards rushing.

At the end of last season, the Thunder started to form the identity of their road grader style offence. In winning their final regular season game against the Calgary Colts, a PFC semifinal against the Colts and the PFC final against the Saskatoon Hilltops, the Thunder rushed for a staggering 1,072 yards as a team. They didn’t finish below 300 yards rushing in any of those contests.

In a CJFL semifinal played at Leibel Field in Regina, the Thunder saw their 2024 campaign come to an end falling 28-14 to the Okanagan Sun, who are based out of Kelowna, B.C. The Regina side still collected 204 yards rushing as a team in that contest.

For a lot of their history beginning with their birth in 2000, the Thunder’s offence tried to mimic the style of their U Sports counterparts in the University of Regina Rams, who were the Thunder’s CJFL predecessors in the Saskatchewan capital. While the Thunder still ran the ball, they often preferred to attack through the air.

At the moment, it appears the Thunder’s “ground and pound era” isn’t just a passing fad. It looks like it is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Fans will be fans

There are CJFL fans out there who love to hate the Hilltops.

When it comes to the CJFL, fans are allowed to dislike teams.

On August 10, the storied Saskatoon Hilltops, who have won 23 CJFL championships, opened their regular season dropping a 31-11 decision to the host Rifles at Maple Grove Rugby Park. Comments appeared on a couple of independent Instagram accounts that posted the score of that contest sharing glee that the Hilltops had lost and congratulated the Rifles winning.

On the main CJFL Instagram account, there were still 18 comments listed in the post that showed the score of that clash between the Rifles and Hilltops as of Friday night. Most of the comments congratulated the Rifles on the win, and there were a number of video memes that showed shock. One comment stated, “Dang about time!!!”

It should be noted that when the CJFL posts scores on its Instagram account there usually might be just one comment made here in the early part of the campaign.

As for what was written regarding the Rifles win over the Hilltops, any comments that showed happiness in the fact the Hilltops lost didn’t go over the line and were tasteful. The comments also show the fans are engaged with the circuit, and that is a huge good thing.

During my travels in Saskatchewan and Alberta over the past year, I have encountered a growing number of folks that say the CFL, CJFL and football in U Sports suck and the NCAA is where it is at as far as football goes. A lot of those folks admitted they took trips last season to see NCAA Division I games featuring various powerhouse teams like the University of Alabama Crimson Tide, the Ohio State University Buckeyes, the University of Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

On top of seeing games, people making journeys to those contests want to take part in various fan traditions that happen around those contests like the Yellow Jackets “Enter Sandman” entrance or Crimson Tide fans reveling in “Dixieland Delight.” Those various traditions are things you don’t see at football contests in Canada.

The folks that prefer the NCAA game are still by far in the minority of the people that I know, but it is a trend that I think should be concerning that I am finding a growing number of people like NCAA football over the CFL, CJFL and U Sports football.

Since the end of the 2024 NCAA football season, the politics between Canada and the United States has changed with Donald Trump officially taking on the role of President of the United States sparking a trade war between the United States and Canada. A large number of Canadians are nixing trips to the United States, and it will be interesting to see if those cancelled trips include voyages to NCAA football games.

Back to the social media comments regarding the Hilltops, any social media dislike that has come the Hilltops way has been in good taste, and you have to love it when fans get passionate about the CJFL. No matter what sports league it is, fans are always going to be fans.

PFC player of the week nods spread out, other notes

Shawn Green (#7) is the PFC’s special teams player of the week.

This week’s PFC player of the week awards went to three players on three different teams.

In the honours that were announced on Wednesday, Winnipeg Rifles quarterback Riley Element was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week. Last Sunday, Element completed 15-of-26 passes for 304 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions powering the Rifles to a 43-24 victory over the Edmonton Wildcats at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta.

Edmonton Huskies middle linebacker Kaige Houle was dubbed the PFC’s defensive player of the week for his efforts in his squads 46-6 loss to the host Saskatoon Hilltops last Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Houle had 8.5 total tackles and one interception.

Regina Thunder kicker Shawn Green claimed honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week helping his squad down the host Colts 46-21 at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary. Green connected on 5-of-6 field goal attempts and all three of his one-point converts.

He also punted the ball five times for 184 yards for an average of 36.8 yards per kick. He also scored one point off a rouge.

Green also kicked off five times for 277 yards for an average of 55.4 yards per kick.

• Zion Brown of the Calgary Colts leads the PFC in receiving yards. He has caught nine passes for 167 yards and one touchdown.
• Winnipeg Rifles quarterback Riley Element tops the PFC in passing yards. He has completed 31-of-55 passes for 519 yards and four touchdowns, while throwing three interceptions.
• Last Saturday, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a story on the Carnduff Southeast Steelers winning a third straight Canadian women’s softball championship. The latest win came at Bob Van Impe Stadium. The piece can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that is anchored by images from the Saskatoon Cubs winning their seventh 18U AAA Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League title in team history with the latest championship coming at Cairns Field. The photo roundup also contains photos from baseball, football, softball and track and field. 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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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.