Hilltops walk with Elias

Saskatoon picks up 52-26 road win over Wildcats

Fifth-year captain Brexton Elias has settled in as the Hilltops starting QB.

For a time, it seemed like fate was going to prevent Brexton Elias from ever starting at quarterback for the Saskatoon Hilltops.

The 22-year-old spent his first four seasons as a backup signal caller for the storied CJFL club including the past two seasons as the number two guy behind star starter Trey Reider. After Reider’s graduation from the squad following the completion of the 2024 campaign, Elias was tabbed as the starter at quarterback going into his fifth and final season with the team.

The injury bug proceeded to bite, and Elias was scratched for the Hilltops first two regular season contests. He dressed as the fourth string quarterback in the third game for the venerable CJFL side.

On September 6, Elias finally made his elusive first start for the Hilltops in a clash against their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder at Mosaic Stadium. Elias completed 14-of-25 passes for 188 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in an 18-15 win, which included him guiding the squad on a late fourth quarter touchdown drive that resulted in the game-winning points.

“That was a special moment just to finally get into the game and start a game for this team,” said Elias. “I’ve been working for years on this to finally be able to get in there with the boys and fight for a win felt really good.”

Elias has now won his first three starts helping the Hilltops to improve to 5-1. On Sunday, the Hilltops traveled to Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta., and downed the host Edmonton Wildcats 52-26 in a CJFL regular season clash.

The Hilltops led 23-9 at halftime and went up 52-9 at one point in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats closed out the contest scoring 17 straight points to round out the final outcome.

With the win, the Hilltops have now won five straight to improve to 5-1. Out in Winnipeg on Sunday, the visiting Regina Thunder also improved to 5-1 outgunning the host Rifles 41-40 in a wild classic type Canadian game. Also on Sunday, the visiting Edmonton Huskies got past the host Colts in Calgary 41-30.

The Hilltops sit first in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference thanks to their head-to-head win over the Thunder. The Hilltops and Thunder are guaranteed to finish in the top two positions in the PFC, which means they will both host PFC semifinal contests. They go head-to-head on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in a contest that has a high probability of deciding first in the conference.

The Wildcats, Colts, Huskies and Rifles are all 2-4 and are tied for third through to sixth in the conference standings. Only two of those clubs will ultimately make the post-season.

Joining the Hilltops after graduating from the Marion M. Graham Falcons Football Team, Elias went on a four-year journey with the Hilltops where his focus was on being a good contributor in the team’s quarterback room leading up to his time in becoming a starter.

Brexton Elias was a Hilltops backup QB for four seasons.

“It has been a long process,” said Elias, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 190 pounds. “Just for me, it has been a mental game for the last four years just learning everything.

“I had a great guy to learn under in Trey Reider. He was a great QB. It was awesome to be able to watch him play and learn everything that he did well.

“It has been a mental game for the last four years.”

With all the work Elias has put in since joining the team, legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said he was super excited when the veteran signal caller got to start.

“I am proud of his patience and how hard he has worked to get to this spot,” said Sargeant. “We’re going to keep developing this offence catering to his skill set.

“He did a great job of moving the chains and getting the ball to the right people.”

Sargeant added that all the years of study and work Elias committed to in the quarterback room are paying off now.

“He is a student of the game,” said Sargeant. “He puts the time in.

“He pays attention to detail, and it has paid off. He struggled with that injury at the beginning of the year. It was very frustrating for all of us, but he kept his cool and kept learning and kept growing.

“Now that he is getting live snaps, he has been more than up to the challenge. He has been very, very effective in moving the chains for us.”

Elias’s first start included him moving the ball like a game manager. Against the Thunder, Elias showed poise, and he ensured he took care of the football.

“It felt like that was the plan,” said Elias. “Our O-line is awesome, the running backs are awesome, our receivers are awesome, so my goal was just to get in there, don’t make mistakes and let my playmakers make plays.”

In his second start against the Calgary Colts on September 14 at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary, the Hilltops opened the playbook a little more for Elias. He completed 15-of-22 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions before giving way to backup Griffin Sander in a 51-3 romp.

“Against the Colts, we were able to throw the ball a lot,” said Elias. “My O-line protected me well.

Brexton Elias brings poise to the quarterback position.

“I haven’t been sacked yet this year. My O-line is doing an awesome job, and it felt good to get the arm going a bit.”

While he has been working well from the passing pocket, Elias believes he can be a bit more dynamic from the quarterback position when the time calls for it.

“I’m able to get out of the pocket and run around a little bit,” said Elias. “I haven’t had to do that much, because my O-line’s been awesome.

“I can play from the pocket, but I can also get out and run around, if I need to.”

Elias also took initiative when it came to joining the Hilltops. He sent Sargeant a text message asking about becoming one of the team’s quarterbacks.

Sargeant invited Elias to come tryout, and that started the signal caller on his long journey to becoming the team’s starter. Over the years, Elias earned an appreciation for how special the culture is with the team.

“I love the family bond that all these guys have together,” said Elias. “We spend a lot of time together.

“All these guys, they’re awesome, and the coaching staff, we come together well over the season.”

When the Hilltops went into the off-season following the 2024 campaign, Elias was well aware he would get the chance to guide the team’s fortunes on the field offensively.

“In the off-season, “Sarge” told me that I was the guy coming into the season, so I was obviously mentally and physically preparing to take that role this season,” said Elias. “The coaches, we worked over the winter a little bit.

“I was getting reps as the main guy, so I’m feeling good.”

When Elias was forced to miss time at the start of the season due to injury, Sargeant said the coaches were not going to deviate from their plan to allow the veteran, who is a team captain, to be the starter.

“We’re such an open book,” said Sargeant. “Communication was always on.

“He was always in the film room. He was with us every step of the way. He just couldn’t play.

Brexton Elias plans to cherish his time with the Hilltops.

“Last year, he got in enough meaningful opportunities and was able to play enough that he is ready for these moments now.”

As the campaign moves on, Elias has it stored in the back of his head that he is playing out his final season of CJFL eligibility. Out of the Hilltops 16 players who are playing out their final campaign, Elias spent his entire career with 10 players out of that group as members wearing the blue and gold. He focuses on staying in the moment as each day goes on and doesn’t dwell on the inevitable end that is coming.

“I don’t even want to think about that,” said Elias. “I’ve grown my last five years with all these guys.

“They’re awesome, awesome buddies of mine, and I don’t even want to think about moving on from this. I want to enjoy every moment of this last year.”

Johnson to speak at End Zone Dinner

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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Flaman morphs into “TD Noah” for Hilltops

Saskatoon improves to 5-0, locks up CJFL playoff berth

Noah Flaman has six TD catches for the Hilltops this season.

The end zone has become Noah Flaman’s zone.

In his first four games with the Saskatoon Hilltops this season, Flaman has caught 12 passes with six of those catches going for touchdowns. Those efforts saw “TD Noah” jump to the top of the Prairie Football Conference for touchdown catches.

Coming into his third year with the Hilltops in 2023, Flaman figured he would have extra opportunities to make plays. The 20-year-old said he has had success because everyone around him on offence is playing well.

“We lost six guys last year just in our receiving group,” said Flaman. “We had a lot of spots to fill.

“The message was next man up. We have lots of young guys, but we felt like we had the talent, we had the work ethic, and we do. We’re a young team, but we’re going to come out and we’re going to fight.”

On Sunday, the Hilltops didn’t need Flaman to catch any touchdowns as they improved to 5-0 wiping out the Edmonton Wildcats 52-7 in a CJFL regular season clash at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. The Wildcats fell to 0-5 with Sunday’s result.

Star power running back Boston Davidsen ran for two touchdowns for the Hilltops, while Charles Sawi had a major on the ground. Trystan Ginther, Evan Ward and Drake Douglas all had touchdown catches for Saskatoon. Teijon Abel-Douglas hit a pair of field goals for the ’Toppers in the win.

Combined with the fact the Regina Thunder downed the Rifles in Winnipeg 23-11, the Hilltops officially clinched a berth in the CJFL playoffs. If the Hilltops beat the Huskies (3-2) this coming Sunday at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton, the Saskatoon side will lock up the right to host a Prairie Football Conference semifinal game to open the post-season.

Noah Flaman makes one of his six TD catches this season on Aug. 13.

So far this season, Flaman said one of biggest memories will be hauling in three touchdowns to help the Hilltops down the Thunder 36-6 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on September 9. In that contest, Flaman finished with four catches for 84 yards to go with his three major scores.

“It was cool,” said Flaman, who stands 6-feet and weighs 170 pounds. “Playing in Mosaic (Stadium) is always awesome.

“Coach (offensive coordinator Shane Reider) is calling good plays and (quarterback) Trey (Reider) putting the ball in good spots makes my job easy. It was good to get a good team win.”

Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant said Flaman has found a comfort zone with the red zone. The sideline boss said the veteran receiver has been getting good looks when the team is in the red zone which has allowed the sure handed pass catcher to haul in multiple touchdown grabs during the club’s first four games.

“He’s a red zone threat,” said Sargeant. “When we get in red zone situations and a team thinks we are running the ball, we know we are going to get zero one.

“Noah and Trey (Reider) have such a good chemistry together that they know what each other is doing and it has resulted in some might nice touchdowns plays. We know that teams are going to creep up and play a little bit more man-to-man. Noah is a man beater.

“He has a multitude of different patterns that make a big difference. We just make sure that we take advantage of what is in front of us. Coach (Shane Reider) makes some good play calls, and they execute it, so it is fun to watch.”

Noah Flaman caught three TDs against the Thunder on Sept. 9.

Flaman said he got into football early in life when his father, Cory, enrolled him in flag football. The pass catcher’s love for the game grew, and he ended up suiting up for the Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High Crusaders Football Team guided by long time head coach Scott Hundseth, who is a Hilltops alumnus.

“The Holy Cross tradition of excellence, there has always been a good team there,” said Flaman. “The coaching staff is awesome.

“There are lots of great players. Mitch Hillis is a physio here. He was a great receiver there.

“I look up to a lot of those guys. Just the tradition, you kind of see that here. It started at Holy Cross and then seeing the winning here just flew right in.”

When it came to joining the Hilltops, Flaman said it meant a lot when Hilltops receivers coach Barclay Schlosser called his place asking if he wanted to play. Flaman felt he really hit things off well with Schlosser.

The talented receiver also met a lot of players from across Saskatoon playing for Saskatoon Minor Football’s North Sask Academy program. A number of those friends were electing to join the Hilltops, which added to Flaman’s decision to stay home.

“I met a good group of guys here, and that really kept me home,” said Flaman. “You meet all these guys through high school and all the camps.

“That played a huge decision. It is a great group of guys and being home. It is a great team, and there is lots of winning.”

During his first two seasons with the Hilltops, Flaman said he learned a lot watching veteran receiver Dillan Heintz, who was playing his final two campaigns of CJFL eligibility, go about his craft. Flaman said Heintz did so many little things well and was awestruck by how well Heintz could block.

Noah Flaman can haul in those challenging catches.

“Being a receiver who doesn’t really like to block coming into this team, seeing him (Heintz) go out and work his butt off and feeling that throughout the whole team I think really just motivates everyone and pushes everyone else,” said Flaman. “Being a young guy and then trying to replicate that this year has been something I’m trying to work on.

“I think as a group we’re going to get more physical and kick butt throughout the rest of the year.”

As a sophomore receiver in 2022, Sargeant said Flaman started to come into his own and elevated up the Hilltops depth chart.

“Last year, we had a real deep receiving corps,” said Sargeant. “Noah worked his way into that mix and became very, very productive.

“During the off-season and with him and Trey, they’ve been together these three years. It was neat to see how they developed it together. Now, it is just a real natural feel with the way they play.

“Noah, he had a real good off-season. He trained real hard, and we’re benefitting with his results.”

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Flaman said the Hilltops are just living in the moment taking things day by day. With that said, he said the team is trying to build up to another gear as post-season play draws near.

“We’re really excited,” said Flaman. “We have lots of young guys, so we feel like we can make it through the whole season healthy.

“That next day, one day mentality, take it one day at a time. It is not all going to be there at once. Once we do get further in the season, we have to tighten up and lock down, because that is when it starts to get cold, it starts to get tough.

Noah Flaman and the Hilltops look to have more end zone visits.

“We have to focus up and play hard for the guy next to you.”

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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