Hilltops rainy night win over Thunder had throwback feel

The Hilltops charge on to SMF Field on Saturday.

It felt like the only things missing between the latest clash between the Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder were leather helmets and mud.

On Saturday, the provincial rivals battled each other in a CJFL regular season contest that was played in a constant rain at Saskatoon Minor Football Field where the Hilltops would prevail 19-10. It is actually quite rare to see a football game played in a steady rain from start to finish these days.

Most of those who were at Saturday’s game had to think back in their memories as to when they last witnessed or were part of such a contest. In Canada, it is more common for teams to play games in the snow and cold late in the season as opposed to a constant rain at any point in a campaign.

Saturday’s rain didn’t come down in heavy buckets. With that noted, the constant steady rain did affect the game. It appeared it was going to let up late in the third quarter only to regain the steady intensity it had for most of the contest.

Due to the elements, neither side had a banner day on offence. The Hilltops collected 288 yards of total offence coming off 152 yards rushing and 136 yards passing. The Thunder had 317 total yards of offence coming off 115 yards rushing and 202 yards passing.

Hilltops star power running back Boston Davidsen had a strong outing carrying the ball 33 times for 131 yards. Thunder star receiver Isaiah Woodley had a good night too hauling in 10 passes for 107 yards.

The west side stands at SMF Field on Saturday.

Overall, Saturday’s game had a throwback feel to it. There was a time the elements were a welcomed factor to be adjusted to in football games.

On top of testing a team’s skill on offence and defence, a team’s toughness and resolve was tested by how everyone on the squad dealt with different weather conditions. Those conditions often forced teams to alter strategy.

A couple of times on Saturday, the Hilltops elected to not gamble on a third-and-one situation offensively after crossing into Regina’s side of the field. Hilltops linebacker Matt Wist was having a good night punting, and the Hilltops brain trust led by legendary head coach Tom Sargeant elected to punt.

The Hilltops managed to pin the Thunder inside their own 10 yard line on those two occasions. As the rain came down, it seemed like a daunting task for teams to drive the length of the field, when they were pinned inside their own 10 yard line.

Both teams tried to do some different things in the running game with jet sweep type plays only to be dropped for losses.

Making long passes seemed to be an impossible task in the rain. Still, Hilltops quarterback Trey Reider was able to hit receiver Noah Flaman with a 36 yard pass and connect with pass catcher Drake Douglas on a 40-yard completion.

Matthew Noble (#54) fires snap back to Trey Reider (#3).

Thunder quarterback Ethan Hugg was able to hook up with Woodley on a 37 yard passing play.

One of the saving graces when it came to scoring came from the fact that an artificial field turf field was installed at SMF Field before the start of the 2014 campaign. Thanks to playing on field turf, Hilltops kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas was able to find secure footing to make 5-of-6 field goal attempts to allow the host side to pull out the win.

Many in Saskatoon remember what the old grass field was like at SMF Field when it was known as Gordie Howe Bowl before the field turf was installed. Had Saturday’s rain occurred on the old grass field that existed at that facility, both teams would have been playing in a mud pit.

There were times the mud pit got so bad that CJFL and high school games had to be moved from that facility to Griffiths Stadium on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan.

In the old mud pit that used to occur, it is likely Abel-Douglas wouldn’t have had the day he had making field goals due to bad footing.

The Thunder scored the only touchdown on Saturday thanks to a one-yard plunge by star running back Ryland Leichert with 3:23 remaining in the second quarter. Leichert’s score at the time trimmed an 8-0 Hilltops lead to 8-7.

Thunder RB Sadik Sadik, left, is caught by a Hilltops defender.

The different in the contest came down to the turnover battle, which the Hilltops claimed 5-1. The Hilltops got a pair of interceptions from defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens, fumble recoveries from defensive back Jace Mowles and defensive end Ben Marce and a turnover on downs. 

The Thunder got an interception from defensive back Elijah Norris.

Those turnovers were big in allowing the Hilltops to improve to 7-0 to lock up first place in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference, while the Thunder fell to 5-2.

Another throwback “prairie tough” site was seeing a healthy crowd of 1,584 spectators turn out Saturday’s contest. 

Before the game, the Hilltops held their End Zone Dinner to raise funds for the team’s scholarship program, and that brought a few extra fans. The Thunder came with a healthy contingent of followers.

While those at the End Zone Dinner could look down from the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building upon the field from the south end zone, most of the spectators took in the contest from the stands. They showed the football crowds in Canada can still be hearty bunch outside of those who support the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

In the social media age, it has become common for fans to bail out on bad weather football games, and adverse weather can be as mild as 5 C and sunny with no wind.

The Hilltops mark their victory on Saturday.

Saturday’s clash been the Hilltops and Thunder was a throwback clash that had an all-around cool feel to it. It was a regular season encounter that all those at SMF Field that night will never forget.

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Hilltops pumped for big time bout with Thunder

First place PFC battle a test to see where Saskatoon stands

Boston Davidsen leads the PFC with 458 yards rushing.

The Saskatoon Hilltops will never have a problem getting up for rivalry week, especially when first place is on the line too.

On Saturday, the Hilltops travel to Regina to take on their provincial rivals in the Thunder (7 p.m., Mosaic Stadium). Both teams sport identical 3-0 records heading into their first CJFL regular season clash of the 2023 campaign and are tied for first in the Prairie Football Conference.

The Hilltops have outscored their opponents 149-20 over three games, while the Thunder have beaten their three foes this season by a combined score of 134-55.

“We’re excited,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “They’re 3-0, and we’re 3-0.

“It is two good football teams. Something is going to happen. We both want to be in first place by the end of Saturday night.

“That is why we are out here grinding, coaching hard and practicing hard. As I’ve said, they’ve gotten off to a good start, and so have we. We’re excited for what is in front of us.”

After the 2020 CJFL season was lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world, the Thunder are 5-1 against the Hilltops in the regular season and playoffs when the CJFL resumed play in 2021. The Hilltops lone victory in that stretch came on November 14, 2021, when they downed the Thunder 29-9 in that year’s PFC final played at Mosaic Stadium.

The Thunder won all three encounters between the two sides in 2022. The last win came on October 30, 2022, when the Thunders downed the Hilltops 39-21 in the PFC final.

Ryland Leichert has 373 yards rushing this season.

Hilltops emerging star receiver Drake Douglas said a big game vibe has been going around the team at practice this week. A graduate of Regina’s Balfour Collegiate Bears Football Team, Douglas got to play for Team South in Team South versus Team North all-star encounters put together by Football Saskatchewan.

He said the Saskatoon versus Regina rivalry mirrors those Team North versus Team South contests, so there is extra excitement and focus on the Hilltops side this week as they prepare to face the Thunder.

“I think the boys are definitely locked in,” said Douglas. “We know that this week is a little different than the other weeks.

“We have the two top teams in the division definitely. Regardless, Regina versus Saskatoon has always been a rivalry even since I played U16 South playing the North. It has always been a rivalry.

“I think everybody is locked in. We’re all excited for it.”

During the off-season, both squads had significant turnover. As a result, the top performers on both teams see some familiar names come to the surface, while players stepping into new and bigger roles are making noise too.

Star fifth year power running back Boston Davidsen is a familiar name that is having another stellar season for the Hilltops. Davidsen has carried the ball 49 times for 458 yards and three touchdowns, and his rushing yardage total tops the PFC.

Douglas leads the PFC in receptions at 18 and piled up 254 receiving yards to go with one receiving touchdown. Quarterback Trey Reider has completed 45-of-68 passes for 716 yards and eight touchdowns, while throwing one interception. The Hilltops signal caller’s completion percentage of 66.2 per cent is first in the PFC.

Drake Douglas, right, muscles his way past two defenders.

Hilltops defensive ends Riece Kack and Kai Kukurudza have 4.5 and three quarterback sacks respectively. Matt Wist, Wade Keating, Justin Adamko, Andy Scrivens, Dalton Urban and Denym Mantyka all have single interceptions for Saskatoon this season.

For the Thunder, they have a pair of familiar veteran star players piling up big statistics once again in running back Ryland Leichert and receiver Isaiah Woodley. Leichert has carried the ball 51 times for 373 yards and two touchdowns.

Woodley, who was a second team CJFL all-Canadian all-star in 2022, has caught 14 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns, and his receiving yardage total leads the PFC.

“They are high end football players,” said Sargeant about Leichert and Woodley. “You know what you are going to get out of them game in and game out.

“You know that with Regina they’re going to get a lot of touches. I think 30 per cent of their throws have gone to Woodley and Leichert has had over 50 carries. They are high end football players and productive football players, and their schemes centre around them.

“We have to be on point. We have to know where they are at all times, and we have to have good game plans to defend them. We’re excited for that chess match that is in front of us.”

Quarterback Carter Moberg, who is a first-year starter and more of a fresh face for the Thunder, has completed 51-of-91 passes for 1,025 yards and 10 touchdowns while throwing two interceptions this season. His passing yard and touchdown pass totals sit first in the PFC.

Isaiah Woodley lead the PFC with 383 receiving yards. 

Regina Thunder linebacker Stephen Smith leads the PFC with 48 defensive points coming on 14 solo defensive tackles, 13 defensive tackle assists, one solo special teams tackle, one quarterback sack and one blocked kick. 

He is following up on a strong 2022 campaign where he was named a second team CJFL all-Canadian all-star.

Along with the hype, Douglas gets extra pumped to go back and play in Regina, because it was his old stomping grounds. 

After finishing his final high school season in 2019, Douglas originally committed to joining the Thunder on June 1, 2020, when most of society was facing various government imposed restrictions.

After those restrictions had been in place for a lengthy stretch leaving uncertainly when most sports would get going in Canada, Douglas actually hung up the cleats and left football to move to Saskatoon for a work opportunity. He resurrected his playing career joining the Hilltops part way through the 2022 campaign.

Douglas said it is special for him to play in Mosaic Stadium.

“It is exciting,” said Douglas. “A lot of my family is going to be there.

“I’ll see some familiar faces there. Even when I look across the line of scrimmage, I see some faces that I played with before, and I’ve played against in high school. It is definitely exciting.

The Hilltops aim to be celebrating a win on Saturday.

“It always fun when you get to play in Mosaic Stadium. I remember doing that for the first time in high school, and now it is just surreal playing in there. It is just a whole different thing.”

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Hilltops, Thunder PFC final – A must watch game

Teams to showcase some of CJFL’s best players

The Thunder and Hilltops will square off in the PFC final.

For the casual football or sports fan in Saskatchewan, a PFC final between the Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder is easy to get into.

On the simple to understand but always compelling front, the two teams are natural provincial rivals who are facing off for a conference title in the CJFL playoffs for the second year in a row. The Hilltops took last year’s encounter 29-9 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

After that victory, the Hilltops fell 17-14 in a CJFL semifinal to the BCFC champion Rams at McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C. The Rams advanced on to win the Canadian Bowl to become CJFL champions.

When the Hilltops and Thunder go at it in this year’s PFC final set for Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium, there will be a little more on the line. The PFC champion hosts the Canadian Bowl this year, so the winner of the PFC final advances to host the CJFL championship game on November 12.

The followers of both the Hilltops and Thunder are aware of the team’s successful histories in recent years. The Hilltops won three straight CJFL titles from 2010 to 2012 and six straight CJFL championships from 2014 to 2019.

Konner Johnson is the Hilltops big play weak side linebacker.

The run of consecutive CJFL crowns for Saskatoon was interrupted by the Thunder in 2013.

This season, the Thunder once again enter the PFC final with a perfect 9-0 record. The Hilltops placed second in the conference with a 5-3 regular season record and enter the PFC final with a 6-3 overall mark.

Statistics on paper would say the Thunder are the favourites. The observation is backed by the fact the Thunder won both regular season meetings between the two sides. The last encounter saw the Thunder post a 23-7 victory at Mosaic Stadium on September 17, where they were the better team that day on offence, defence and special teams posting a complete solid win.

Of course in rivalry games, anything can happen, and records and statistics often get thrown out of the window. Of course, both sides have prime time players to watch.

One of the best to watch on the Hilltops side is star weak side linebacker Konner Johnson, who was named the PFC’s most outstanding defensive player of the year, most outstanding linebacker and conference all-star. The Melfort, Sask., product just makes plays.

During his team’s eight regular season games, Johnson posted 31 solo defensive tackles, 13 defensive tackle assists, four special teams solo tackles, two special teams tackle assists, two quarterback sacks, five pass knockdowns and four interceptions. Johnson plays in the image of the cerebral Jack Ham, who was the greatest outside linebacker in the history of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers.

Carter Shewchuk is having a stellar season for the Thunder.

On the Thunder side, their most exciting player is arguably defensive back Justin Mckerracher. Mckerracher topped the PFC with five interceptions to go along with 16 defensive solo tackles, seven defensive tackle assists, one special teams solo tackle, six pass knockdowns and one fumble recovery.

Mckerracher is such a threat when it comes to making interceptions that opposing teams game plan to stay away from his area of the field. He returned one of his interceptions this season for a touchdown, and he has the ability to emulate NFL defensive back all-time great Deion Sanders every time the ball is thrown his way.

On offence, the Hilltops have always been known for their ground game. Star power running back Boston Davidsen had an outstanding 2022 regular season carrying the ball 149 times for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns.

Charles Sawi, who is a 17-year-old rookie running back, has made some of the Hilltops most exciting plays this season being named the PFC’s rookie of the year and the conference’s all-rookie team. During the regular season, he carried the ball 30 times for 342 yards and scored two touchdowns.

On special teams, Sawi returned seven kickoffs for 168 yards and one touchdown, and five missed field goals for 271 yards that included a 125 yard return for a touchdown.

Offensively for the Thunder, veteran quarterback Carter Shewchuk is the biggest star. For the second straight season, Shewchuk was named the PFC’s most outstanding quarterback and conference all-star at quarterback.

Charles Sawi is making splash plays for the Hilltops as a rookie.

During the Thunder’s eight regular season games, Shewchuk completed 157-of-250 passes for 2,351 yards and 18 touchdowns, while throwing eight interceptions.

The Thunder are loaded with talent at receiver and running back, but Shewchuk’s most explosive playmaker is arguably receiver Isaiah Woodley, who was named a PFC all-star. Woodley has loads of speed to burn having caught 34 passes for 593 yards and five touchdowns.

Both sides are also blessed with elite level coaching. Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant holds the record for most wins in Canadian amateur post-secondary football at 224, and he has been the Hilltops head coach since December of 1997.

Thunder head coach Scott MacAulay was named the PFC’s coach of the year each of the past two seasons, and he captured that honour at the CJFL level last year too. MacAulay took over the Thunder head coaching role in the off-season before the 2013 campaign.

Both coaching staffs will likely have some plays in the bag they haven’t used but will be waiting to be used in this game.

On the weather front, Environment Canada is predicting a mix of sun and cloud with a temperature of 9 C for game time on Sunday. Those are balmy conditions for this time of year in Saskatchewan, which means both clubs will be able to use their entire playbooks.

Isaiah Woodley is the Thunder’s speedy, big play receiver.

There is hope the pleasant conditions on Sunday will be the perfect ingredient to attract casual ticket buyers. For the past eight years, fans in Canada seem to stay away from going to outdoor football games when it gets a touch cold even at the temperature of 1 C, which isn’t even that cold.

The only exceptions seem to be fans of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and supporters of Quebec’s U Sports football teams, who still attend contests in frigid conditions.

With that noted, you can expect the Hilltops and Thunder to put on a football showcase at Mosaic Stadium. In Canada’s current media cut era, please do spread word about this game.

If you are not in the stadium for this year’s PFC final, you will be missing out.

Thunder sweep PFC player of the week awards

Eric Maximuik, right, was the PFC’s special teams player of the week.

The Regina Thunder swept the PFC’s player of the week awards this week.

On Wednesday, Thunder players took the PFC’s offensive, defensive and special teams player of the week awards after the team’s 23-14 PFC semifinal victory over the Winnipeg Rifles this past Sunday in frigid conditions at Leibel Field in Regina.

Thunder running back Ryland Leichert was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week. Leichert carried the ball 52 times for 390 yards. Leichert’s 52 carries are a record for a CJFL post-season game surpassing the old mark of 44 carries set by Hilltops running back Ben Abrook on October 27, 2019, when Saskatoon downed the Edmonton Huskies 30-14 in that year’s PFC final.

Defensive end Reece McCormick took honours as the PFC’s defensive player of the week. McCormick had four quarterback sacks and a fumble recovery in the win over the Rifles.

With the four sacks McCormick was one sack away from equaling the record for most sacks in a CJFL post-season contest. Roger Rourke of the Richmond Raiders of the then BCJFL had five sacks in a post-season game on October 12, 1985 for the CJFL record.

Finally, Thunder kicker Eric Maximuik took honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week. In the win over the Rifles, Maximuik made all three of his field goal attempts coming from 35, 18 and 19 yards out.

Maximuik made both his converts. In the punting department, Maximuik kicked the ball seven times for 225 yards for an average of 32.1 yards per kick. He also kicked off three times for 122 yards for an average of 40.7 yards per kick.

McCormick and Maximuik accounted for three of the 13 PFC all-star selections the Thunder picked up this season. McCormick was an all-star on the defensive line, while Maximuik earned all-star selections as both a place kicker and punter.

The Thunder’s other PFC all-stars on defence included Reed Rabbetz on the defensive line, Stephen Smith at linebacker and defensive backs Justin Mckerracher and Adam King.

The Thunder’s PFC all-stars on offence included quarterback Carter Shewchuk, offensive linemen Riley Schick and Connor Klassen and receivers Isaac Foord, Rylan Sokul and Isaiah Woodley.

Thunder offensive lineman Ben Schmidt and defensive back Cooper Filazek were named to the PFC’s all-rookie team.

The Thunder also took home five of the PFC’s major awards with Shewchuk being named the most outstanding quarterback, Klassen the most outstanding offensive lineman, Foord the most outstanding receiver, McCormick the most outstanding defensive lineman and Maximuik as the most outstanding special teams player.

Thunder head coach Scott MacAulay was named the PFC’s coach of the year.

No conference awards for 1,000-yard rusher Davidsen

Hilltops RB Boston Davidsen was shutout of awards from the PFC.

Saskatoon Hilltops star power running back Boston Davidsen was the recipient of the top snub, when the PFC handed out its major awards and all-stars.

The 21-year-old led the PFC in rushing carrying the ball 149 times for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns in eight regular season games. Davidsen was the only player in the PFC to reach the 1,000-yard plateau in rushing yards.

Despite the lofty numbers Davidsen put up, he didn’t receive any awards. He should have been at least one of the PFC’s two all-star running backs.

To be fair, Edmonton Huskies star running back Alex Gayle earned full marks for the PFC awards haul he had. He finished second in the PFC in rushing with 150 carries for 923 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 18 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season.

Davidsen wasn’t the same threat making catches out of the backfield hauling in three passes for 20 yards during the regular season.

Gayle was named the PFC’s most valuable player, most outstanding offensive player and most outstanding running back as well as a PFC all-star.

While Gayle was deserving of all his big honours, Davidsen should have still been a conference all-star.

WWCFL champion Valkyries hand out awards

Jaime Lammerding won the Valkyries Green and White award.

The WWCFL champion Saskatoon Valkyries handed out their team awards on October 15 in the main banquet hall at the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building with established stars taking the three big honours.

Quarterback Alex Eyolfson was named the Valkyries offensive MVP. The 25-year-old had a career campaign putting up numerous big games. If she hadn’t before, Eyolfson cemented herself was one of Canada’s best quarterback in the female game.

Defensive end Danaye Holynski was named the Valkyries defensive MVP. Holynski has the gifts of both power and speed. She is able to sack the quarterback, make devastating hits and even run down receivers in the passing game.

Holynski made plays all over the field this past season for the Valkyries.

The Valkyries Green and White award for dedication to the team and the overall women’s game went to defensive tackle Jaime Lammerding. Lammerding is an original member of the Valkyries joining the team in their inaugural season in 2011, and she served as president of the WWCFL.

She retired as a player following the completion of the 2022 WWCFL campaign, which was a winning one. The Valkyries posted a perfect 7-0 record in 2022 taking the WWCFL title game 36-6 against the Manitoba Fearless on June 25 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

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Thunder snatch victory away from Hilltops

Regina pulls out 29-21 OT win in miraculous fashion

Ryland Leichert (#32) scores the OT winning TD for the Thunder.

The Regina Thunder pulled a game that was seemingly lost out of the fire leaving the Saskatoon Hilltops to wonder what might have been.

On Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops saw a 21-14 advantage disappear right before the end of the fourth quarter as the Thunder scored to force overtime and proceeded to pull out the CJFL regular season clash in the extra session 29-21 before 1,477 spectators.

Thunder star running back Ryland Leichert ran home the winning touchdown from 15 yards out in overtime, and Regina star quarterback Carter Shewchuk hit star receiver Isaac Foord with a pass for a two-point convert to round out the final outcome.

Ryland Leichert (#32) had 139 yards rushing for the Thunder.

“Shoutout to the O-linemen,” said Leichert. “They had great blocks.

“They made a hole for me. I just hit it. A lot of that goes to them.

“It just feels good to get the win.”

With less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Hilltops defensive back Dylan Cook recovered a Thunder fumble to set Saskatoon up with an offensive possession just inside Regina’s side of midfield. The host Hilltops led the Thunder 21-14 and were looking to run out the clock.

The Hilltops offence went two and out. After a punt by Saskatoon kicker Connor Green, the Thunder had the ball with just over a minute to play deep in their end with no timeouts.

Carter Shewchuk threw for 319 yards for the Thunder.

Very quickly, Shewchuk connected on a number of intermediate routes to move the ball downfield. The visitors would then find themselves facing a third-and-eight situation from the Saskatoon 31 yard line.

Shewchuk proceed to throw a duck pass that seemed destined to fall incomplete on the Saskatoon five yard line on the right side of the field. Thunder star receiver Isaiah Woodley, who was running a go route down the right sideline, broke to the middle, and he hauled in the underthrown and wobbly pass.

Woodley then zipped in to the end zone for the touchdown that evened the score at 21-21 with 16.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and ultimately forced overtime.

Isaiah Woodley celebrates his late fourth quarter TD catch.

In overtime, the CJFL plays CFL shootout rules, where offences scrimmage from the opposing 35 yard line attempting to drive the short distance for a score and teams have to go for two-point conversions after major scores. The Hilltops got the first possession in overtime and got down to the Regina six yard line after quarterback Damon Dutton hit Lachlan Horsley with a 29-yard pass.

The Hilltops drive stalled and a third down gamble pass to Horsley in the end zone fell incomplete.

That set the stage for Leichert to put up the winning points on the Thunder’s ensuing possession.

“We got a little too high,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, whose team will face the Thunder again this coming Saturday at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. “We still struggle in moments and situations, and that seems to be the flavor of this team right now.

Hilltops R Lachlan Horsley, left, had nine catches for 122 yards.

“At the end of the day, that falls directly on me. Preparation is half the battle. At the end of the day, we didn’t close the game, which has been a theme.

“Regina wanted it more than we did at the end. That was pretty simple. Good for Regina, and we’ll see them next week.”

The Hilltops opened the game’s scoring in the first quarter going up 3-0 with a 12-yard field goal from Green. Just 61 seconds into the second quarter, the Thunder evened things up at 3-3 with a 32-yard field goal from star kicker Eric Maximuik.

At the 5:06 mark of the second quarter, Dutton hit Hilltops backup running back Tanner Szakacs with a nine-yard touchdown pass to give the hosts a 10-3 advantage heading into halftime.

Charles Sawi, left, returns a missed field goal 125 yards for a TD.

Green booted the second half kickoff into the Thunder end zone, where it was downed for a single point to increase the Hilltops lead to 11-3. 

At the 5:30 mark of the third quarter, Green hit a 39-yard field goal to increase the Hilltops advantage to 14-3.

With 1:40 remaining in the third quarter, Thunder running back Keane Szabo dove into the Saskatoon end zone from a yard out for a touchdown. Following Szabo’s major score, Shewchuk hit Leichert with a five yard pass for a two-point conversion that trimmed Saskatoon’s lead to 14-11.

Boston Davidsen (#24) had 128 yards rushing for the Hilltops.

Early in the fourth quarter, Maximuik attempted a 45 yard field goal to pull the Thunder even on the scoreboard. His kick sailed wide, and Hilltops 17-year-old rookie running back Charles Sawi ran the ball back 125 yards the other way for a touchdown to give Saskatoon a 21-11 edge.

With 6:21 remaining in the fourth quarter, Maximuik connected on a field goal from 31 yards out that cut the Hilltops lead to 21-14. That set the stage for the dramatics inside the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime.

“It didn’t end the way we want it to,” said Hilltops defensive end Daylen Hartz, who had a sack and three total tackles on Saturday. “The fun thing is that we get to play them again next week too.”

The Hilltops celebrate an interception from Konner Johnson.

Hartz said the Hilltops missed a lot of opportunities in key situations that would have helped them win the game. The veteran, who is in his final season of CJFL eligibility, said his will continue to work on getting better in practice to cash in on those missed opportunities.

“There were a lot of things everyone could have done a bit better,” said Hartz. “That is what this next week is for.

“A chip on the shoulder helps with working a bit harder, and I think we’re definitely going to be working a bit harder this week.”

During Saturday’s game, Dutton completed 19-of-32 passes for 221 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception. Horsley caught nine passes for 122 yards to lead the Hilltops in receiving.

Damon Dutton (#19) threw for 268 yards for the Hilltops.

Star power running back Boston Davidsen led the Hilltops on the ground carrying the ball 24 times for 128 yards.

Shewchuk completed 27-of-42 passes for 328 yards and one touchdown, while throwing two interceptions for the Thunder. Foord led the Thunder in receiving with eight catches for 127 yards.

Leichert paced the Thunder’s ground game carrying the ball 19 times for 91 yards to go with his game-winning major score. He said Saturday’s win improved his team’s confidence about pulling out games in desperate situations.

“I think that just goes to show our confidence and our effort,” said Leichert. “That is how we play all season.

“There is not going to be a game where it is not over. We’re going to be playing hard until the whistle blows. That is our mentality.”

Isaac Foord (#8) had eight catches for 127 yards for the Thunder.

Defensively, Hilltops star outside linebacker Konner Johnson had eight total tackles, two pass knockdowns and an interception. Defensive end Riece Kack had eight total tackles and one sack for the Hilltops, while defensive back Justin Adamko had an interception.

Thunder defensive back Adam King led his team with nine total tackles. Linebacker Kenten Effa had 7.5 total tackles and a sack for the Thunder, while defensive back Justin McKerracher had four total tackles and an interception for the Regina side.

Regina remained undefeated with the win improving to 4-0, while the Hilltops fell to 2-2 having lost two straight.

The Thunder celebrate their game-winning score on Saturday.

“At the end of the day, we have to get back to drawing board, and we have to figure out how to become more effective as a football team in all three phases,” said Sargeant. “At the end of the day, third and eight the defence could have won the game right there too.

“We didn’t. They made more plays. They were a better football team tonight.”

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McLean carries on Hilltops’ great tailback tradition

Saskatoon drops 30-27 heartbreaker in Regina

Carter McLean has piled up the rushing yards for the Hilltops.

Saskatoon Hilltops running back Carter McLean learned to cash on opportunities in adversity.

After spending his first couple of seasons as the change-of-pace tailback, McLean was slated to step into the starter’s role for the 2020 campaign. Unfortunately, the 2020 CJFL campaign was cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world.

The Hilltops were able to practice for six weeks in September and October of 2020. McLean focused on making the best out of the repetitions he was given in those practices and believed it was great to get together with the rest of the team despite not having any games.

“It was tough obviously,” said McLean. “It was good to get out here for at least a couple of practices and hang out with the team and the boys and everything like that.

“It was good to reconnect with them for sure. I’m sure it bonded us more as a team. We’re closer more than ever.”

In 2021, the CJFL took flight again with regular season play, and McLean, who is a graduate of Saskatoon’s Evan Hardy Collegiate Souls football team, took on the starting running back role with the Hilltops.

On Saturday at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, McLean had an 18-yard touchdown run for the Hilltops in the first quarter. In what would be an all-time CJFL classic, the Thunder ultimately prevailed over their provincial rivals 30-27 in the regular season encounter.

With 74 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the Hilltops holding a 27-23 lead, backup Thunder quarterback Zenon Orobko, who was in for the injured Carter Shewchuk, hit receiver Isaiah Woodley on a 36-yard touchdown pass to put the Thunder up 29-27.

Carter McLean runs the ball for the Hilltops in 2019.

Thunder kicker Eric Maximuik hit the upright on the convert attempt but sailed the ensuing kickoff through the end zone for a single point to increase the Thunder advantage to 30-27.

The Hilltops offence proceeded to drive deep into Thunder territory, but Hilltops starting quarterback Damon Dutton was intercepted in the end zone by Justin McKerracher with seven seconds remaining in the contest to preserve the three-point win for Regina.

The victory allowed the Thunder to remain undefeated improving to 4-0, while the Hilltops fell to 2-2. Regina swept the two-game season series with Saskatoon 2-0 for the first time since 2014.

Going into this weekend’s action, McLean sat second in the Prairie Football Conference in rushing piling up 343 yards on 66 carries and scoring two touchdowns. He also caught three passes for another 20 yards.

After there was no season in 2020, McLean enjoyed suiting up for regular season games again in 2021.

“It has been so much fun playing again,” said McLean, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 180 pounds. “It is great to be back out here again.

“It is a lot better than sitting at home for sure and just being quarantined at home. It is nice getting out here with the guys and just having some fun and playing the sport that we all love.”

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant is happy to have McLean back in the fold. During their first three games, the Hilltops offence had a lot of inconsistent play, but Sargeant said McLean’s efforts have been at a top level.

“Carter has been one of the players on offence that has played up to the standard and performed well,” said Sargeant. “We haven’t always blocked well and teams are cramming in and jumping in to stop the run.

“Carter has been a tough, durable and physical running back. He is only going to get better with more opportunity and more reps, so we’re certainly happy with him and pleased with how he is performing.”

Carter McLean has worked to get better at practice.

McLean’s first forays into the sport included playing at recess and the lunch hour in elementary school. He showed enough interest in the sport that his parents put him in flag football before signing him up for tackle football in Grade 5.

The standout runner credits his father, Darcy McLean, for being the biggest influence in helping him out in the sport.

“My dad (Darcy McLean) has been a huge inspiration for me, and he has also been a big support guy for sure,” said Carter McLean. “He is always pushing me to play my best and always be physical and always be active for sure.

“From a very young age, he has been like that, and I really appreciate that from him.”

Growing up playing the game, McLean enjoyed the friendships he made through the sport and how it felt like teammates became family members.

During his high school years, McLean got the feeling that playing football at the post-secondary level was a possibility. He was looking for a fit that would help him continue to grow his love for the game.

“Right after some Nor-Sask (North Sask Academy) Camps and Nor-Sask (North Sask Academy) teams and things like that, I decided like this is the sport I want to be in,” said McLean. “This is the sport I want to focus on mainly.

“I play a little bit of basketball on the side. Football has always been my main focus. I’m thrilled to play this sport.

“‘Sarge’ (Sargeant) came and talked to me during high school in Grade 12. Just watching Hilltops too, it is such a great culture to be around. I just thought I wanted to become a Hilltop after high school.”

With the Hilltops, McLean found the family feeling he was looking for. During his first two seasons, McLean was pumped to learn from veteran teammates Josh Ewanchyna and Ben Abrook.

Carter McLean had gotten better at hitting holes inside.

During the 2018 regular season, Ewanchyna piled up 1,007 yards rushing in the regular season in his final campaign with the Hilltops. Abrook had a stellar final season with the Hilltops in 2019 compiling 1,215 yards rushing in the regular season.

Both Ewanchyna and Abrook play in the U Sports ranks with Ewanchyna suiting up for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and Abrook dressing for the University of Calgary Dinos.

McLean said he was more of a shifty running back in high school and learned how to hit the holes on inside runs better and with more purpose and power observing Ewanchyna and Abrook.

“Watching Josh and Ben play, it was amazing,” said McLean. “Those two guys have great talent for the sport.

“I’m really excited for Ben playing in Calgary and Josh playing at U of S. I’m really excited for those guys. They are great guys and great people to be around, so I’m really excited for them.

“I got a lot of learning points from them for sure.”

Going back to their first season in 1947, the Hilltops have had a lineage of great running backs. Sargeant said McLean continues that lineage and has been well coached by running backs coach and another former Hilltops star running back in Andre Lalonde.

 “Carter (McLean) is a great kid,” said Sargeant. “He does everything right.

“He wants to be great. He had a great off-season. He showed up bigger, stronger and faster.

“He is reaping some of the rewards. He is one of the guys that we have to get the ball more to, and we’re going to do that.”

Carter McLean is one of the CJFL’s top running backs.

Going forward, McLean said the Hilltops are focused on improving each day in order to become a team that wins the CJFL title once again.

Before the 2020 campaign was lost due the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hilltops had won six straight CJFL championships, and McLean believes the focus that existed in his first two seasons in 2018 and 2019 is there.

With that said, the 21-year-old said everyone with the Hilltops is relishing in how special it is to play another football season again.

“We’re cherishing every moment we have out here on this field,” said McLean. “We have to pretty much, so that we can continue playing and hanging out with everyone and having fun playing this sport.”

Saturday’s game was a back-and-forth contest that saw the Hilltops lead 7-3 after the first quarter, and the Thunder held a 16-14 advantage at halftime and 23-20 edge after the third quarter expired.

At the 2:54 mark of the fourth quarter, Dutton hit speedy receiver Ethan Godson with a 38-yard touchdown pass to put the Hilltops in front 27-23. That set the stage for the dramatics inside of the final two minutes of the contest.

The Hilltops also got a two-yard touchdown run from backup running back Jordan Tabin in the contest. Hilltops kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas field goals from 16 and 26 yards to round out the scoring for the visitors.

The Thunder had a two-yard touchdown run from running back Brayden Long, and Shewchuk hit receiver Rylan Sokul on a 32-yard scoring toss for a major score.

Maximuik hit field goals from 41, 35 and 34 yards out to round out the scoring for Regina.

With Saturday’s setback, the Hilltops saw their 31-game road winning streak including action in the CJFL regular season and post-season come to an end. It is believed the Hilltops road winning streak is a CJFL record.

Carter McLean and the Hilltops have high hopes for 2021.

Before Saturday’s outing, the last time the Hilltops lost on the road was way back on August 17, 2014 when they dropped a 19-16 overtime decision to the Thunder in Regina at Taylor Field.

The Hilltops return to action on Sunday, September 26 when they host the Winnipeg Rifles at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Thunder travel to Sherwood Park, Alta., on Sunday, September 26 to take on the Edmonton Wildcats at 1 p.m. at Emerald Hills Regional Park.

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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