Huskies good and feeling alright as Hardy Cup champs

U of S repeats as Canada West Conference title winners

The Huskies raise the Hardy Cup as Canada West champs.

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

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

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

Kicker David Solie is pictured with some family members.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Huskies celebrate winning the Hardy Cup.

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

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

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Nyhus is “the face” of Huskie Athletics at U of S

Fifth-year QB candidate for Hec Crighton Trophy

Mason Nyhus warms up for the 2021 Canada West final.

Mason Nyhus is achieving a rarity for a Canadian university sports athlete these days – he is becoming well known.

Nyhus is the fifth-year star quarterback for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team, and since seemingly Week 2 of the U Sports regular season, the 24-year-old’s name has been mentioned as a candidate for the Hec Crighton Trophy, which is given to the U Sports football player of the year.

In the Huskies 5-0 start, Nyhus, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 215 pounds, has been impressive playing out his final season of U Sports eligibility. He has completed 126-of-186 passes for 1,729 yards and 11 touchdowns, while throwing just one interception.

Nyhus is “the face” of Huskie Athletics, and in today’s media cut era in Canada that is a major accomplishment.

There was time it used to be common knowledge to know who the starting quarterback of the Huskies was in the city of Saskatoon, and often the Huskies starting quarterback was decently known on the national stage. That was true of the Huskies three Vanier Cup quarterbacks in David Earl in 1990, Brent Schneider in 1996 and Ryan Reid in 1998.

When Earl, Schneider and Reid played, the number of people working in the sports media industry in Canada was about five to seven times larger than it is today.

In the last 12 years, it can be argued that Nyhus is the first athlete the Huskies have had over that time frame that can be viewed as the face of the overall athletics program. The Huskies have actually had tonnes of great athletes over that period of time, but they never seemed to gain a huge face of notoriety.

Mason Nyhus rolls out of the pocket for the Huskies.

Some of those athletes include Derek Hulak from the Huskies Men’s Hockey Team, Dalyce Emmerson of the Huskies Women’s Basketball Team, Kaitlin Willoughby from the Huskies Women’s Hockey Team, Libby Epoch of the Huskies Women’s Basketball Team, Tyler Chow from the Huskies Football Team and Michelle Harrison of the Huskies Women’s Track and Field Team.

It should be noted that Willoughby was a celebrity in her hometown of Prince Albert as her supporters from that centre often inflated page views for any stories that were done about her.

Arguably, the most famous Huskies athlete since 2010 might have been Huskies Men’s Hockey Team heart and soul gritty forward Cody Smuk, who everyone was pulling for as he battled cancer before passing away in June of 2015.

From the start of this season, Nyhus has been the name you associate with the Huskies, but even that hasn’t always been that way.

In 2016, Nyhus arrived on campus from the Riffel High School Royals football team as the gem of the final recruiting class brought in by now retired Huskies head coach and Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Brian Towriss. He was hyped as the signal caller that could potential take the Huskies, who haven’t won the Vanier Cup as U Sports champions since 1998, all the way one day.

Playing behind veterans Kyle Siemens and Drew Burko, Nyhus was a red-shirt in his first campaign. He was the team’s backup quarterback in 2017 and 2018, when the Huskies won their first Hardy Cup as Canada West Conference Champions since 2006.

Mason Nyhus (#8) stays composed under pressure.

Due to his athletic ability, Nyhus attended the CFL training camp of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018 and the Calgary Stampeders in 2019 under the Canadian quarterback internship program. He had two CFL training camps under his belt before getting his first start with the Huskies.

In his third year of eligibility in 2019, Nyhus had a strong season in his first campaign as a starter quarterbacking the Huskies to a second place finish in Canada West with a 5-3 mark. The Huskies fell in the Canada West final to the eventual Vanier Cup champion University of Calgary Dinos 29-4 in Calgary.

During that season, Nyhus was often the Huskies version of legendary NFL gunslinger Brett Favre. Nyhus was arguable the Huskies most exciting player that could deliver win, but he would also try to force some plays that weren’t there.

Nyhus and the Huskies weren’t able to hit the field in 2020 as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic took hold in the world causing the Canada West season and all U Sports nationals to be canceled for the 2020-21 campaign.

That led to a 2021 season where Nyhus and the Huskies football team etched a place on the national scene. In an abbreviated six game regular season, Nyhus quarterbacked the Huskies to a first place finish in the Canada West Conference with a 5-1 record.

He was named the all-star quarterback in Canada West completing 109-of-187 passes for 1,653 yards and 16 touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions.

Mason Nyhus sets to make a throw from the pocket.

During that season, Nyhus was often the Huskies version of “the goat” Tom Brady. Nyhus was poised and efficient, and he possessed a swagger where you felt the Huskies were going to win game in and game out no matter what happened on the field.

The tutelage of current Huskies head coach Scott Flory showed through on the field.

In the Hardy Cup hosted at Griffiths Stadium, Nyhus and the Huskies bombed the University of Manitoba Bisons 45-17.

The Huskies followed that win up taking a 14-10 thrilling finish in the Uteck Bowl over the Universite de Montreal Carabins at The CEPSUM in Montreal, Quebec. In that contest, star running back Adam Machart made an electrifying 13-yard touchdown run to with the game with five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. That play became an all-time storied moment in the history of the Huskies program.

The Huskies advanced to the Vanier Cup for the first time since 2006 to take on the University of Western Ontario Mustangs at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec. The London, Ont., based Mustangs took that contest 27-21.

Nyhus completed 28-of-40 passes in that contest for 303 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

By the end of that 2021 playoff run, Machart and then fifth-year utility player Colton Klassen had become household names for the Huskies too. Both became known players on the national stage along with Nyhus.

Mason Nyhus has the Huskies out to a 5-0 start this season.

The profile of those players was helped due to the U Sports semifinal bowl games being streamed on CBC’s online platforms and the Vanier Cup being showed on CBC’s main television station nationally.

If it hadn’t been for graduation, Klassen could have been a household name known nationally for the Huskies in 2022.

Machart was eligible to return for one more U Sports season. He announced his retirement from the game this past April 28 and opted out of the CFL Draft held in early May.

Machart moved to Kelowna, B.C., after the Huskies season ended in December of 2021 and became heavily involved with a family-run supplement store in that centre. As a result of that development and still being healthy with no major injuries, Machart elected to focus on that part of his life.

That left Nyhus as the big returning name for the Huskies in 2022. So far during the U Sports season, it has been common to hear some CFL fans state they would like to see Nyhus, who is also a four time U Sports academic all-Canadian, throwing passes professionally in Canada.

With their 2021 playoff run, the Huskies were able to capture the attention of people that wouldn’t normally follow U Sports football or U Sports in general. When someone mention’s University of Saskatchewan Huskies, Mason Nyhus’s name is the first that comes to mind.

Mason Nyhus has passed for 1,729 yards in five games in 2022.

While one can lament it took until Nyhus’s final U Sports season for him to become “the face” of Huskie Athletics, this might be the time to take the glass half full approach.

The Huskies have a star and marketable athlete in Nyhus, who still has three more regular season games to play including two at home. 

The next game will be a rivalry tilt against the 4-1 University of Regina Rams to be held Saturday, October 15 at 1 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium to determine top spot in the Canada West Conference.

Following the regular season, Nyhus could potentially play in four post-season contests including two games at home. On top of that, he is a great role model for younger players.

Nyhus is the type of player that the office staff with Huskie Athletics could conduct a Hec Crighton Trophy type hype campaign similar to campaigns seen in the top level of NCAA football for the Heisman Trophy, which is award to the most valuable player in U.S. college football.

There is still time to enjoy seeing Nyhus throwing passes for the Huskies, so it would be advisable for any type of sports followers to go out and see him play while they still can. 

Mason Nyhus and the Huskies celebrate a Hardy Cup win in 2021.

Unfortunately for players like Nyhus, it seems like their time with teams like the Huskies flies by way too fast.

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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Great culture powers 2021 return for football Huskies

Memorable campaign culminates in Vanier Cup appearance

The Huskies won the Hardy Cup as Canada West champions.

Everybody wanted to be there.

That in a nutshell was the intangible that allowed the U Sports football season to go for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. 

Of course, you can nitpick and drop names of players that didn’t return to the Huskies after a season off in 2020. The Canada West Conference season was cancelled and no U Sports nationals were held in 2020-21 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

When it game to the Huskies, the bottom line is a significant number of veterans felt so attached to the program that they were going to help the team return to the field no matter what happened.

In September and October of 2020, the Huskies held regular practices even though they weren’t going to play a meaningful game that year. They wanted to be prepared for the next season whenever it might come.

The Dogs took advantage of expanded practice regulations and staged workouts through the summer hoping they would get the chance to step on the field for game action in September.

When the Huskies gathered for training camp back on Sept. 1, there were no guarantees the football season would be seen to its conclusion.

They ultimately did see the football portion of the U Sports season to its end falling 27-21 to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs in the Vanier Cup championship game at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec, before 5,840 spectators last Saturday.

The 2021 campaign was a memorable one just from the fact the Huskies advanced to the U Sports title game for the first time since 2006. The icing on the cake would have been a victory in the Vanier Cup, which is something the Huskies last achieved back in 1998.

Adam Machart had a forever memorable run for the Huskies.

The Huskies don’t get to the Vanier Cup unless they had a large group of people that still wanted to be with the team, when the squad was grinding through those practice sessions in 2020 and the workouts the team staged this past summer.

On top of that, the players spend countless hours on their own individual workout sessions away from team activities to ensure they had the physical conditioning to play the next season whenever it game.

You don’t do all those things unless you truly enjoy being a part of that team and being part of the Huskies is a huge positive thing in your life.

Basically, the culture and atmosphere on the Huskies was so good that those who were apart of the program wanted to come back to it even if it meant jumping hurdles of unforeseen world events that came their way.

The Huskies had seven players return to play their fifth and final seasons of U Sports eligibility in Colton Klassen, Clovis Lumeka, Kyle Newton, Carter Dahl, Finley Easton, Nick Summach and Yol Piok, who were all played out their fifth and final seasons of eligibility.

Klassen came back from a gruesome dislocated right ankle near the end of the first quarter in a 22-9 victory over the University of Alberta Golden Bears back in October 26, 2019.

Piok became a mental health advocate after coming forward with his own story of his battles with mental health.

Ultimately, all seven of those players brought special aspects that helped the team in 2021.

A whole host of other key veterans returned including Mason Nyhus, Adam Machart, Connor Berglof, Noah Zerr, Riley Pickett, Nathan Cherry, Jonathan Leggett, Tom Whiting, Charlie Ringland and David Solie. All the returning players played a part in making the Huskies motor along.

Colton Klassen had a great final season with the Huskies.

Head coach Scott Flory and pretty much his entire coaching staff came back. Flory deservedly received the coach of the year nod for the Canada West Conference.

The Huskies again received outstanding contributions from defensive coordinator Warren Muzika and special team coordinator Jerry Friesen. The rest of the assistant coaches performed at a top level and that added to the atmosphere that kept the players connected to the team.

Support staff like team manager Andrea Eccleston, assistant equipment manager Jay Starecki and hydrologist Tom Benson were again outstanding in thankless roles behind the scenes. They’re always positive and always seem to be having good days.

Also behind the scenes, the parents group has been super valuable as a support system for the players and team, especially when an emotional pick up is needed. Candice Klassen, who is Colton Klassen’s mom, did unbelievable amounts of work with the parents group over the years, and she was huge in making Huskies football feel like family.

It shouldn’t be noted lots of newcomers were key contributors on and off the field.

On the field, the Huskies made news when middle linebacker Nick Wiebe transferred from the University of Oregon Ducks of the NCAA Division I ranks to the Huskies. 

While the Huskies are deep at linebacker, Wiebe’s addition still increased the talent level at that position with his addition.

First year players in running back Ryker Frank and outside linebacker Lane Novak were already making big plays and the impacts they could potentially have on the Huskies program in years to come can be huge.

Clovis Lumeka suited up for a solid five seasons for the Huskies.

The Huskies had a totally new group of student trainers from the last time they took the field in 2019, and the new group including Madison Corrin, Jon Gough, Ashlyn Taillon, Rourke Wunder-Buhr and Joshua Sauverwald did stellar working helping players persevere through injuries.

Still when the games started to happen, the Huskies had to wonder where they would stack up with everyone as rosters of the various Canada West teams were shuffled.

After beating the University of Manitoba Bisons 31-14 in an exhibition game on Sept. 18 at Griffiths Stadium, the Huskies opened the regular season on Sept. 25 falling 34-20 in Calgary to the University of Calgary Dinos.

The Dinos won the Vanier Cup in 2019, so there had to be some uncertainty of just how good could the 2021 campaign could be.

The Dinos ultimately missed the playoffs posting a 2-4 record in a regular season that was shortened from eight games to six games for each team.

The Huskies proceeded to win eight straight games finishing first in the Canada West Conference and advancing to the Vanier Cup. They beat the Dinos 31-23 on Nov. 6 at Griffiths Stadium to close the regular season.

In the post-season, the Huskies captured the Hardy Cup winning the Canada West Championship game with a 45-17 victory over the Bisons on Nov. 20 at Griffiths Stadium.

The Huskies followed that win up taking a 14-10 thrilling finish in the Uteck Bowl over the Universite de Montreal Carabins at The CEPSUM in Montreal, Quebec on Nov. 27.

The Huskies linebackers are pictured with the Hardy Cup.

Machart’s electrifying 13-yard touchdown run to win the game with five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter became an all-time storied moments in the history of the Huskies program.

That set the stage for the Vanier Cup title clash with the Mustangs. On a frozen turf at Stade Telus – Universite Laval, the Huskies came up a handful of plays short in a 27-21 setback that was really well played by both sides given the conditions.

All involved with the Huskies football team gave the squad a dream return in 2021. They all would have to agree that the journey to get to this point was worth it.

Hilltops grads Ochs and Chisholm join Rams

Mason Ochs in action for the Hilltops this past season.

On Saturday, the University of Regina Rams head coach Mark McConkey announced they signed two important keys from the Saskatoon Hilltops offensive line, who just graduated from venerable CJFL club.

Left tackle Mason Ochs and right tackle Jonathan Chisholm have committed to joining the Rams for the 2022 U Sports season. Both just finished up playing their fifth and final seasons with the Hilltops help Saskatoon win CJFL titles in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Included in those title wins was an 11-0 perfect season in 2018 and a 12-0 perfect season in 2019.

Ochs departs the Hilltops as one of the team’s all-time greats. He was both a PFC all-star and a CJFL all-Canadian all-star in the last four straight CJFL seasons.

Jonathan Chisholm in action for the Hilltops this past season.

The graduate of Saskatoon’s Tommy Douglas Collegiate Tigers football team was named the PFC’s most outstanding offensive lineman for this past season.

Chisholm became a starter on the Hilltops offensive line at the start of the 2019 campaign. The graduate of Swift Current Comprehensive High School Colts suffered a knee injury in the Hilltops second regular season game this past season but returned to the lineup in the team second last regular season game.

On Oct. 24, Chisholm caught a touchdown pass on a trick play as the Hilltops beat the Rifles in Winnipeg 32-17 to close their regular season.

Ochs and Chisholm helped the Hilltops win the PFC title for a seventh consecutive season before the club’s season came to an end with a 17-14 CJFL semifinal loss to the Rams in Langley, B.C.

Langley Rams capture first Canadian Bowl in 37-0 route

The #CJFL champion @LangleyRams for 2021 pic.twitter.com/hgnvltb5b9

— CJFL News (@CJFLnews) December 4, 2021

The Langley Rams proved to be too much for London Beefeaters to handle in the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl.

Last Saturday at Western Alumni Stadium in London, Ont., the Rams flattened the Beefeaters 37-0 to capture their first CJFL title in team history. The Beefeaters were only able to gain 20 yards of net offence for the contest.

The Rams piled up a Canadian Bowl record 10 sacks in the contest with defensive lineman Tyler Eckert collecting 3.5 sacks, which was also a Canadian Bowl record. He was named the defensive player of the game.

In the first quarter, Rams kicker Tato Ferreyro Araya hit field goals from 17 and 18 yards out to give Langley a 6-0 lead.

The Beefeaters conceded four safeties in the second quarter to extend the Rams lead to 14-0.

At the start of the third quarter, the Beefeaters conceded another safety to allow the Rams to assume a 16-0 edge.

Before the third quarter ended, Rams receiver Daniel Kubongo returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown to increase the Rams advantage to 23-0.

In the fourth quarter, Rams quarterback Micheal Calvert connected with receiver Mario Johnson for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Running back Derek Best rounded out the scoring for Langley with an eight-yard touchdown run.

Calvert was named the offensive player of the game completing 12-of-25 passes for 144 yards and one touchdown, while throwing two interceptions.

Kubongo claimed special teams player of the game honours returning two punts for 108 yards to go with his one touchdown.

The Rams concluded the 2021 campaign with an 11-1 overall record including a 7-1 mark in regular season play.

The Beefeaters closed out the season with an 8-3 overall record that included a 6-2 mark in regular season play.

Since 2017, teams from the Ontario Football Conference, which the Beefeaters play out of, have posted an 0-4 record in CJFL semifinal and championship games having dropped each of those contests by 25 or more points.

Thunder’s MacAulay named CJFL coach of the year

Scott MacAulay was named the CJFL’s coach of the year.

Head coach Scott MacAulay captured a major CJFL award after leading his Regina Thunder to their best regular season in team history.

MacAulay guided the Thunder to their first ever first place finish in PFC regular season standings and their first undefeated record in regular season play with an 8-0 mark. For those accomplishments, MacAulay was named the winner of the CJFL’s Gord Currie Coach of the Year Award last Wednesday.

MacAulay took over as head coach of the Thunder in 2013 and guided the club to its first ever CJFL championship that season.

He became the first Thunder head coach to capture CJFL coach of the year hours since Randy Shaw back in 2002.

In 2021, the Thunder’s run of success came to a halt in the PFC final, when they fell to their provincial rivals the Saskatoon Hilltops 29-9 on Nov. 14 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

The CJFL announced its major award winners over its website all last week in the lead up to last Saturday’s Canadian Bowl, where the Langley Rams blanked the London Beefeaters 37-0 in London, Ont., to become CJFL champions.

On Friday, Okanagan Sun running back Malcolm Miller claimed the Peter Dalla Riva Offensive Player of the Year award.

Calgary Colts linebacker Austin Daisy captured the Larry Wruck Defensive Player of the Year award on Thursday.

The CJFL’s Rookie of the Year award went to Langley Rams receiver Daniel Kubongo last Tuesday.

Rounding out the CJFL awards, Valley Huskers receiver Mateo Tuioti was the CJFL Past Commissioners Award for community service, BCFC president Tyler McLaren claimed honours as the CJFL’s Stewart MacDonald Executive of the Year, and CJFL Life Member Awards went to Ed and Terry Plant of Edmonton and OFC president Darren Cocchetto.

Schnitzler versus Neufeld in Grey Cup

Tom Schnitzler in action for the Hilltops in 2015.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders aren’t in the Grey Cup, but there will be a Saskatchewan flavor in the CFL’s championship game.

The Grey Cup is set for this coming Sunday at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, when the host Tiger-Cats (10-6 overall) face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (12-3 overall). The Tiger-Cats features defensive lineman Tom Schnitzler and the Bombers roster contains veteran right guard Patrick Neufeld.

Schnitzler, who is a Saskatoon product, played defensive end for the CJFL’s storied Saskatoon Hilltops from 2013 to 2017. He helped the Hilltops win CJFL championships in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Following his time with the Hilltops, Schnitzler played two seasons in the U Sports ranks on the defensive line for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds Football team. The 26-year-old is playing in his rookie season with the Tiger-Cats having dressed in three regular season games and both of the Tiger-Cats post-season contests.

Neufeld, who is a Regina product, played four seasons in the U Sports ranks with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies from 2006 to 2010. He is in his 10^th full season in the CFL beginning his career with the Roughriders before a trade on Oct. 10, 2013 brought him to the Bombers.

Neufeld helped the Bombers win the Grey Cup in 2019. The 32-year-old played in 13 out of the 14 regular season games and the one post-season contest the Bombers needed to play to advance to the Grey Cup.

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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Hardy turned into party for Huskies and their fans

U of S wins 20^th Canada West football title in program history

The Huskies celebrate winning the Hardy Cup.

A home win hadn’t felt this good for a long time for all involved with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team.

On Saturday, the Huskies romped to a 45-17 victory over the Manitoba Bisons to capture the Hardy Cup to become Canada West Conference champions for the 20^th time in program history. A vocal, raucous, engaged and supportive crowd of 2,500 turned out at the Huskies long time storied home in Griffiths Stadium to revel and soak in the conference title win.

The win allowed the Huskies to capture the Canada West title for the second time in the past three seasons.

Adam Machart, right, tears upfield for the Huskies on a run.

With U Sports electing not to host any nationals and the Canada West season getting canceled in the 2020-21 campaign due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world, the Huskies previous Canada West Championship win came on November 10, 2018, when they traveled to Calgary, Alta., and thumped the host University of Calgary Dinos 43-18.

However, it has been an even longer time since the Huskies and their faithful were able to enjoy a home conference championship win. 

Before Saturday, the last time the Huskies won the Canada West title at home came way back on November 12, 2005 when the Huskies downed the University of Alberta Golden Bears 30-17.

The fans at Griffiths Stadium cheer on the Huskies.

The 2,811 in attendance at Griffiths Stadium that day likely didn’t know 16 years would pass before the Huskies won the Canada West crown at home again. Back in 2005, the Huskies were carrying expectations to win the Hardy Cup and even the Vanier Cup as U Sports champions year in and year out.

In 2005, that Canada West title win was a primer to a heavyweight battle that was to come in the Huskies next home game, when they hosted the Universite Laval Rouge et Or in the U Sports semifinal Mitchell Bowl.

QB Jackson Tachinski had a rushing TD for the Bisons.

On November 19, 2005 in one of the all-time greatest games played at Griffiths Stadium and a U Sports all-time classic, the Huskies slipped past the Rouge et Or 29-27 before 5,147 spectators.

The Huskies advanced on to face the Wilfred Laurier University Golden Hawks in the Vanier Cup that was played on November 26, 2005 at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton, Ont., in a battle of undefeated 11-0 teams.

U of S fell in heartbreaking fashion 24-23, when Golden Hawks kicker Brian Devlin nailed a game-winning field goal from 32 yards out with 19 seconds to play in the contest.

Even with that end result in the Vanier Cup noted, the Huskies 2005 victory over the Rouge et Or in the Mitchell Bowl was the team’s biggest win at Griffiths Stadium until this season’s Huskies squad claimed the Hardy Cup on their fabled home field.

Michael Ritchott had a 53-yard TD run for the Bisons.

Add in the fact the Huskies weren’t able to take the field in 2020-21, the Dogs and their fans had every reason to feel elated and joyful over the win against the Bisons. The celebration was well deserved.

After winning the Canada West title in 2018, the Huskies fell in the Mitchell Bowl 47-24 to the host University of Western Ontario Mustangs in London, Ont.

Coming back in 2019, belief was high amongst the Huskies that they would win the Hardy Cup again and advance even further in the post-season. They faced the Dinos again in the Canada West final in Calgary, but fell this time 29-4.

The Dinos advanced on to win the Vanier Cup.

Riley Pickett celebrates making a sack for the Huskies.

Still, optimism was high surrounding the Huskies that the best was yet to come, and 2019 was a learning experience with the squad having to deal with some untimely key injuries. One of those injuries was an especially gruesome dislocated right ankle injury to star utility player Colton Klassen in the squad’s last game of the regular season.

When the 2020 football campaign was lost for the Huskies, one had to wonder who would be back in 2021 and what would the actual season look like?

Despite the questions and uncertainty, a number of key players returned to the team. All 10 Huskies players that were named Canada West all-stars for the 2021 campaign were returnees.

That included Klassen, quarterback Mason Nyhus, running back Adam Machart, receiver Sam Baker, centre Connor Berglof, right tackle Nick Summach, left tackle Noah Zerr, punter David Solie, and defensive ends Riley Pickett and Nathan Cherry.

Mason Nyhus threw two TD passes for the Huskies.

Solie handles all the Huskies place kicking duties along with the punting duties.

Credit goes to head coach Scott Flory for ensuring the strong culture that existed with legendary retired head coach Brian Towriss continued in the Huskies program in the current day to create an environment that players still wanted to comeback even with unprecedented uncertainties.

In a shortened six-game regular season, the Huskies topped the Canada West standings with a 5-1 record. They downed the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 39-17 in a Canada West semifinal on November 13 to set up Saturday’s clash with the Bisons.

The Bisons finished second in the Canada West regular season with a 4-2 record and fought through lots of adversity themselves to get to the Canada West title game.

Adam Machart scores his first TD on a 10-yard reception.

They had to deal with more strict restrictions Manitoba had in place to battle the COVID-19 pandemic that created a later start on when they could get together as a team. Receivers coach Scott Naujoks passed away from cancer in late September and star fifth-year quarterback Des Catellier was lost to a campaign ending ankle injury in the Bisons first game of the regular season.

First year quarterback Jackson Tachinski took Catellier’s place as the starter.

Under veteran head coach Brian Dobie, the Bisons have traditionally found ways to play good with emotion.

They stormed out to a 16-0 lead in the first quarter on Saturday. Tachinski scored a touchdown on a one-yard quarterback sneak, the Huskies had to concede a safety due to a bad punt snap, and Bisons running back Michael Ritchott ripped off an electrifying 53-yard touchdown run in the image of Willard Reaves, who was the star running back of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 1980s.

Sam Baker fends off a defender after making a catch.

Defensive back Arjay Shelley made a long return after an interception to set up Tachinski’s major.

Huskies supporters had to wonder if a Bisons upset was in the cards.

With just over five minutes to play in the first quarter, Pickett sacked Tachinski down at the Bisons one-yard line to force U of M to conceded a safety. While that only cut the Bisons lead to 16-2, Pickett’s play provided the traction moment to get the Huskies going.

That safety started a run that saw the Huskies score 38 points to take a 38-16 lead at the 6:45 mark of the fourth quarter.

In the second quarter, Machart hauled in a 10-yard touchdown catch from Nyhus and Solie booted a 44-yard field goal to trim the Bisons lead to 16-12 at halftime.

Lane Novak, left, returns an interception for the Huskies.

The Huskies took the lead for good, when Machart ran home a major score from three yards out to give the hosts a 19-16 advantage at the 4:01 mark of the third quarter. Machart added a four-yard touchdown run before the third quarter ended to increase the Huskies advantage to 26-16.

U of S started the fourth quarter forcing the Bisons to concede a safety, scoring a major on a 17-yard touchdown toss from Nyhus to Klassen and Solie hitting a field goal from 26 yards out to take a 38-16 lead.

The Bisons interrupted the scoring run with a long punt single from kicker Cole Sabourin to cut the Huskies advantage to 38-17.

Huskies rookie running back Ryker Frank concluded the game’s scoring with 50-yard sprint up the middle touchdown run.

Colton Klassen, right, celebrates his 17-yard TD reception.

Machart had a huge day carrying the ball 20 times for 223 yards and two touchdowns, while catching two passes for 28 yards and a major score. Frank almost broke the 100-yard mark in rushing carrying the ball seven times for 97 yards to go with his major score.

Nyhus completed 20-of-31 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing one interception.

Cherry and linebacker Seth Hundeby had sacks for the Huskies. Linebacker Lane Novak, defensive backs Nixen Voll and Cam Skinner each had single interceptions for U of S.

The Bisons, who finished the campaign with a 5-3 overall record, were limited to 288 yards of total offence as a team for the contest.

The Griffiths Stadium faithful salutes the Huskies at game’s end.

When the Huskies were pouring on the points, the crowd at Griffiths Stadium cheered louder than it had all season. The park had quite the atmosphere, and at the final gun, all on the Huskies side were enjoying the day.

After the trophy presentation, the Huskies players celebrated with their families, who came on to the field. Many pictures were taken on camera phones as the moment was soaked in on the field for a lengthy stretch of time.

Now, the Huskies will hit the road to Montreal, Quebec, to face the Universite de Montreal Carabins (9-1 overall) in the U Sports semifinal Uteck Bowl this coming Saturday.

Clovis Lumeka, left, and Adam Machart, centre, receive the Hardy Cup.

The Carabins will be well rested as they knocked off the Rouge et Or 28-19 in Dunsmore Cup on November 14 to become champions of the Reseau du Sport Etudiant du Quebec.

With that noted, the Huskies win Saturday over the Bisons to capture the Hardy Cup at home was a big moment for the team, especially in recent history.

It might spring the Huskies, who are 7-1 overall, to bigger moments and wins over the next two weekends even with the rest and home field advantage the Carabins will have.

The Huskies raise the Hardy Cup as Canada West champs.

Still with what the Huskies have already been able to accomplish, they’ve shown the team is back on track successfully navigating the unprecedented hurdles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The celebrations and good vibes that took place at Griffiths Stadium were a fitting memory to create.

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

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Huskies’ Hardy Cup dreams fall 29-4 in Calgary

Josiah Joseph, left, ran in two touchdowns for the Dinos.

    Chalk this one up as a learning experience for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team.

    One turning point was likely the moment that did in the Huskies in the Canada West Championship game – the Hardy Cup – on Saturday in Calgary, Alta.

    The Huskies, who came into the game as the defending Hardy Cup champions, found themselves behind the host University of Calgary Dinos 4-1 with one second remaining in the first half. The visitors faced a third and goal from the Dinos two yard line.

    In what had been a haphazard first half that included both sides committing key turnovers, the Huskies could have hit a chip shot field goal and gone in at halftime even up at 4-4 despite all the miscues.

    Instead, the Huskies elected to gamble and go for a touchdown and the lead. Quarterback Mason Nyhus threw a pass into the end zone attended for receiver Sam Baker but the pass fell incomplete as a penalty flag flew.

Mason Nyhus passed for 240 yards on Saturday for the Huskies.

    It appeared the Dinos were going to be called for pass interference. The officials picked up the flag saying Nyhus’s pass wasn’t catchable causing the Huskies to head into the dressing room down 4-1.

    From that point, it felt like the Huskies were trying to chase the contest for the whole second half.

    Thanks to being behind, the Huskies elected to receive the second half kickoff as the spectre of snowy conditions hung over the game. The Dinos elected to get the wind advantage for the fourth quarter, but before that frame came around, the host side’s offence found traction.

    With 9:40 remaining in the fourth quarter, Dinos star quarterback Adam Sinagra hit second-year receiver Tyson Philpot with a 30-yard touchdown pass to complete a 96-yard scoring drive giving the host an 11-1 advantage.

    Sinagra was injured on that scoring play, but it felt like the Huskies were sinking in quick sand.

    Dinos standout kicker Niko DiFonte kicked a single on the ensuing kickoff to put the Dinos up 12-1.

Jesse Kuntz caught six passes for 125 yards for the Huskies.

    From there, the Dinos sailed off to a 29-4 victory before 1,263 spectators at McMahon Stadium. The Dinos were appearing in the Hardy Cup for the 12^th straight year and were claiming the conference title for the ninth time over that span of time.

    U of C will keep pursuing an elusive U Sports title that keeps escaping its grasp gunning to make the Vanier Cup and win it. The Dinos last won the Vanier Cup back in 1995.

    The Dinos, who improved to 8-2 overall, will first host a U Sports semifinal in the Mitchell Bowl on Saturday, November 16, against the Ontario University Athletics champion University of McMaster Marauders (8-2 overall).

    The Marauders captured the OUA title on Saturday traveling to London, Ont., and upsetting the host University of Western Ontario Mustangs 29-15. The Mustangs were undefeated heading into Saturday’s action, but finished the 2019 U Sports campaign with a 9-1 overall mark.

    In Canada West, the Huskies finished with a 6-4 overall record that included posting a 5-3 mark during the regular season.

Adam Machart ran the ball 16 times for 112 yards on Saturday.

    During the Canada West title game, the Huskies found themselves behind the eight ball due to their own errors.

    They exited the first quarter trailing the Dinos 2-0 after conceding a safety, when kicker/punter David Solie had to boot the ball through his own end zone after a bad snap.

    With 10:07 remaining in the second quarter, the Huskies had to concede another safety to fall back 4-0, when Nyhus had to boot the ball through the end zone after an errant shotgun snap on offence.

    The Huskies got on the scoreboard with 5:20 remaining on the second quarter on a missed field goal single from 29-yards out by Solie, who was kicking into the wind. The single cut the Dinos edge to 4-1.

    That set the stage for the dramatics right before halftime. At halftime, the Huskies had outgained the Dinos in gross offence 235 to 192.

    After the Dinos assumed their 12-1 lead, Solie hit a field goal from 28-yards out with 4:07 remaining in the third quarter to cut the U of C edge to 12-4. That was as close as the Huskies would get.

Adam Sinagra, left, threw the Dinos only TD pass on Saturday.

    Dinos backup quarterback Josiah Joseph ran in a touchdown from a yard out on the first play of the fourth quarter to put the hosts up 19-4.

    DiFonte hit a field goal from 37 yards out and Joseph ran in another major from a yard out with seven seconds remaining in the frame to round out the scoring for the Dinos.

    Nyhus completed 18-of-29 passes for 240 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Calgary product Jesse Kuntz led the Huskies in receiving hauling in six passes for 125 yards.

    Star running back Adam Machart carried the ball 16 times for 112 yards to top the Huskies in rushing. He also caught seven passes for 43 yards.

    Sinagra connected on 11-of-17 passes for 197 yards for one touchdown and one interception. He ran the ball six times for 50 yards.

    Joseph hit on 9-of-10 passes for 95 yards and ran the ball eight times for 26 yards to go with his two scores on the ground.

Ben Whiting had nine total tackles for the Huskies.

    Jalen Philpot topped the Dinos in receiving catching six passes for 91 yards. First-year running back Robinson Rodrigues carried the ball 18 times for 92 yards to lead the Dinos in rushing.

    Fifth-year linebacker Ben Whiting led the Huskies with nine total tackles and one sack. Star rookie linebacker Ramsey Derbas was second on the team with seven tackles.

    Defensive end Nicholas Dheilly had a sack and an interception, while defensive end Nathan Cherry had a single sack.

    Linebacker Grant McDonald led the Dinos with 11 total tackles, and he had one sack. Max Baatar and Tyrese Best had single sacks for the Dinos, while Charlie Moore had an interception.

    Saturday’s post-season loss brought an end to the careers of Huskies fifth-year players in Whiting, Payton Hall, Eric Thakurdeen, Evan Machibroda, Andrew Serke and Tanner Secord.

    A year ago, those six helped the Huskies win their first playoff game since 2009 and Canada West title since 2006. The Huskies downed the Dinos 43-18 in last year’s Canada West championship game in Calgary.

Robinson Rodrigues carried the ball 18 times for 92 yards for the Dinos.

    U of S proceeded to fall in the Mitchell Bowl 47-24 to the Mustangs in London, Ont., bringing the Dogs run in 2018 post-season to an end.

    The Huskies had lost eight straight U Sports post-season games heading into the 2018 playoffs. That included missing the playoffs entirely in 2017.

    During the 2018 and 2019 campaigns, the Huskies have won three post-season games.

At the moment, the Dinos are still the team that have a habit of consistently winning conference titles and making long post-season runs.

    The Huskies are a step closer to becoming a squad that could potentially makes those runs on a consistent basis.

The Huskies saw their 2019 campaign end against the Dinos on Saturday.

    While Saturday’s loss in the Hardy Cup is tough to take and provided some learning experiences, the Huskies are still miles ahead of where they were just a short time ago.

    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.