Reider makes case to cement himself as Hilltops starting QB

Saskatoon smashes Wildcats 50-2 on opening day

Trey Reider was firing strikes for the Hilltops on Sunday.

While it may be a cliché, Trey Reider knows all he can do is put his best effort forward in order to remain the starting quarterback of the Saskatoon Hilltops.

If Reider can keep stringing together performances like he had at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on Sunday, any questions about him being the Hilltops starting signal caller will fade away to the point of no longer being in existence.

In the Hilltops opening day game to start their 2023 CJFL regular season schedule, Reider completed 20-of-25 passes for 294 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions as the Hilltops hammered the visiting Edmonton Wildcats 50-2 before 1,201 spectators. After his final pass found offensive lineman Jeremy Funk for a six-yard completion for a touchdown on a gadget play from the jumbo set to give the Hilltops a 39-2 edge with 2:12 remaining in the third quarter, Reider gave way to the team’s reserve quarterbacks as the Saskatoon coaching staff got all the team’s backup into the contest.

Hilltops OC Shane Reider, left, talks to QB Trey Reider.

Brexton Elias took snaps right after Reider and Wil Ansell entered the contest at quarterback in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

“We finally started to figure it out, and everything started to click out there,” said Reider, who also carried the ball three times for 19 yards. “I just put it up, and my wide receivers made some good catches, and O-line stood up and just was great with lots of pocket time.”

With the Hilltops having dealt with uncertainty at quarterback each of the past two seasons, Reider wants to do his best to make sure he is the answer as the starting quarterback in 2023. Last year, Damon Dutton started the campaign as the Hilltops starting quarterback, but after he struggled for a stretch, Reider was inserted at the starting spot for the last three regular season games and both of the club’s post-season contests.

Trey Reider scrambles downfield for the Hilltops.

In 2021, Doug Fleming started the first three regular season games at quarterback for the Hilltops before he got benched after he struggled for a stretch. Dutton took over as the starting quarterback for the rest of that campaign starting with the team’s fourth regular season contest.

Fleming departed from the Hilltops following the 2021 campaign, and Dutton exhausted his CJFL eligibility with the completion of the 2022 season. Reider said he focuses on what he has to do to become a better quarterback and added Dutton was a big positive influence in helping him out.

“Damon (Dutton) taught me a lot last year, and we were always competing for the spot,” said Reider, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 175 pounds. “Now that he is gone, I am just working as hard I can every day in practice to make sure it (uncertainty at the starting quarterback spot) doesn’t happen.”

Trey Reider (#3) calls out signals for the Hilltops. 

During regular season action in 2022, Reider completed 63-of-95 passes for 756 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing three interceptions. Last year, Reider said he had a tendency to get locked on veteran receivers. In 2023, the fourth-year signal caller said he has gotten better at throwing to all the Hilltops pass catchers.

“With the younger guys, I just have more of a confidence level, and I just feel better in the pocket,” said Reider, whose father, Shane, is the Hilltops offensive coordinator. “As an older guy, now I have to take control, so it is a lot better now.”

Trey Reider completed 20-of-25 passes for 294 yards on Sunday.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant was pleased to see Reider have a big first game like he did on Sunday to start the campaign. With Hilltops star running back Boston Davidsen having surpassed 1,000 yard rushing in the 2022 regular season, Sargeant figured the Wildcats would try to key on the run first.

“The way they were playing, we knew Boston (Davidsen) is a marquee guy in the league,” said Sargeant. “They certainly came in and wanted to jam the line of scrimmage.

“Coach (Shane) Reider and his staff did a heck of a job of calling the right plays at the right time. Hey, Trey hit his marks. When he does that, it is amazing what we do and how we’re going to do it.

Part of the crowd of 1,201 spectators that saw the Hilltops play on Sunday.

“I’m very proud of everybody today.”

Going forward, Sargeant said the Hilltops coaches will be working on helping Reider consistently have performances game after game like he had on Sunday. The sideline boss really liked what his signal caller did early in the game on a 12-yard scramble run.

“I felt Trey’s best play of the game was none of these throws,” said Sargeant. “We had a certain play call.

Noah Flaman secures a 13-yard TD catch for the Hilltops.

“He looked, and he didn’t trust it and took off for 12 yards. That is the evolution of a quarterback, and that is what we are challenging on. That is what we keep practicing so hard and filming so hard.

“As I said, he was the leader of that offence today. Any time you put 50 points on then you are leading it pretty well.”

As for Sunday’s game, the Hilltops took a 1-0 lead, when kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas’s opening kickoff went into the Edmonton end zone for a rouge. After defensive back Justin Adamko came up with an interception for the Hilltops, Abel-Douglas booted a 42-yard field at the 2:49 mark of the first quarter to push the Hilltops lead out to 4-0.

Boston Davidsen ran in two touchdowns for the Hilltops.

With 5:14 remaining in the first quarter, Reider hit third-year receiver Noah Flaman with a 13-yard touchdown toss to give the Hilltops an 11-0 advantage. On the final play of the opening quarter, Davidsen scored on a one-yard plunge to push the Hilltops edge out to 18-0.

In the second quarter, Reider hit receiver Drake Douglas with a four-yard touchdown toss to put the Hilltops up 25-0 at halftime. Douglas finished the contest leading all receivers with nine catches for 171 yards to go with his major score.

“Drake Douglas was so good,” said Reider. “He just got open for me, and I just threw it deep to him.

“It was good to get that going.”

A bad shotgun snap by Hilltops centre Matthew Noble resulted in Davidsen downing the ball in his own end zone for a safety for the Wildcats and slightly trimmed the Saskatoon’s lead to 25-2 just 30 seconds into the third quarter.

Drake Douglas caught nine passes for 171 yards and a TD.

Davidsen later scored on another one-yard plunge leading up to Funk’s touchdown catch to give the Hilltops a hefty 39-2 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The Hilltops rounded out the game’s scoring in the fourth quarter with a 60-yard punt single by middle linebacker/punter, Matt Wist, a 40-yard field goal from second-year kicker Ryden Gratton and 33-yard touchdown run by rookie running back Xavier Sabo.

“For a young team, the thing we challenged on that was we want to see great energy and great excitement and enthusiasm,” said Sargeant. “We saw that today.

“We were physical. The coaches did a great job of getting this group ready, and they were on point. Any time you win 50-2 you are doing a lot of things right.

“Offence and defence and special teams complimented one another. It was just a great team win, and we need this.”

Ben Marce returns a fumble recovery for the Hilltops.

Davidsen led the Hilltops with 74 yards rushing on 16 carries to go with his two touchdowns.

Defensively, Wist had three total tackles and an interception for the Hilltops. Defensive lineman Johnathon Stevens had a sack for the host side, while fellow defensive lineman Ben Marce had a fumble recovery for Saskatoon.

Quarterback Caleb Taylor completed 12-of-21 passes for the Wildcats for 96 yards, while throwing two interceptions. Running back David Lezama led the Wildcats with 67 yards rushing on 10 carries.

Defensively, defensive back Tytan Johannesson led the Wildcats with 6.5 total tackles. Defensive linemen Lajaune Morgan and D’wayne Williams each shared a half sack.

Xavier Sabo (#32) reacts to scoring a TD for the Hilltops.

With the opening day game out of the way, the Hilltops now turn their attention to their next contest this coming Sunday, when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Rifles (1 p.m. local time, Maple Grove Park). Going into that contest, Reider said the key is for his Hilltops to keep sharpening up their game.

“I’d say we just worry about us this week at practice and just continue to throw hard,” said Reider. “Our wide receivers are going to make some plays for us next week.”

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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Funk solidifies middle of Hilltops defensive line

Jaxon Funk has been a rock at DT for the Hilltops.

Jaxon Funk is in the middle of the action when it comes to keeping the Saskatoon Hilltops defensive line strong.

The 22-year-old product of Hague, Sask., is in his fourth full season with the team and his first full campaign as a starter at defensive tackle. During his first full three seasons with the team from 2017 to 2019, Funk said he learned from his veteran teammates, who have since graduated from the program.

When it came time for Funk to start, he was ready to play full time.

“I had great leadership in front of me,” said Funk, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 280 pounds. “It started with Tom Schnitzler.

“He was a great captain and a great guy to learn from. My next biggest influence was obviously Jesse McNabb. He was a great inside player, and he taught me a lot.

“Obviously, all our coaches have been around for a long time. They know exactly what they are doing. They put me in great spots and taught me everything I know.”

Schnitzler was a star defensive end for the Hilltops who graduated following the 2017 season, and McNabb was a star defensive tackle with the Hilltops, who graduated after the 2019 campaign.

Funk has followed in their footsteps continuing the lineage of stellar players the Hilltops have had along their defensive line. Playing on a defensive tackle spot, Funk doesn’t receive a lot of glory.

His job is often to take on double teams in order to allow his teammates to tackle running backs or sack quarterbacks.

Jaxon Funk (#77) storms on to the field with the Hilltops.

Even with that unglamourous role, Funk collected 27 solo tackles 12 assisted tackles, two fumble recoveries and a half sack helping the Hilltops post a 6-2 record during the regular season. Funk personally finished 16^th overall in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference in defensive points.

“Jaxon Funk has had an unbelievable year for us,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “He has been a rock on our defence.

“He is probably the most consistent player we have. He does his job. He doesn’t get a lot of pats on the back.

“To have a noseguard in the top 16 in defensive points is absolutely incredible. He is a captain. He is a great leader.”

During the 2019 campaign, Funk was often rotated on to the defensive line for suspected running situations and kept off the field in obvious pass situations. The coaches worked that rotation to keep players fresh and playing to their strengths.

Now, Funk rarely leaves the field being a full-time starter. The Hague High School Panthers six-man football team graduate said he has had a tonne of help making plays from his teammates on the Hilltops defensive line.

Funk has formed a formidable duo inside with fellow defensive tackle Dylan McNutt, while defensive ends Daylen Hartz and Riece Kack have applied consistent pressure from the outside.

Jaxon Funk (#77) paired with his DT partner in Dylan McNutt (#51).

“We lost a lot of guys, but there have been a lot of guys who have stepped up and did their job,” said Funk. “It has been great.

“Obviously, the coaches are putting everyone in the right spots. It has been a good time.”

If he runs into situations where he is taking on constant double teams, Funk said the Hilltops linebackers coming in behind him have been outstanding making plays.

“I love knowing that if I take on a double team then we got guys behind me that are going to fill their roles,” said Funk. “Wisty (middle linebacker Matt Wist) has been doing a great job this year of filling in gaps.

“If I can get that double and if I end up on a single team, I just have to take advantage of that and try to make a play and do the best I can off that.”

Sargeant said Funk has a number of attributes that allow him to have success.

“Number one, he has worked real hard over the last couple of years to make himself bigger and strong,” said Sargeant. “He has got football IQ.

“He understands leverage and how to work against the O-line and the double teams. He is a player that gets double teamed a lot. He just had a knack for getting off blocks and staying alive and working towards the ball.

Jaxon Funk (#77) passes on kind words to a teammate.

“He is just always around the play. He makes us so much better.”

Before joining the Hilltops, Funk enjoyed playing the six-man game with the Panthers and then head coach Clay Kirby. The Hague Panthers six-man high school team gained notoriety being one of the feature teams in the 2007 “Season of Dreams” documentary about football in Saskatchewan.

Funk said a trio of Hilltops alums from Hague including Richard Zacharias and brothers Tyler and Shayne Dueck were big influences who convinced him to try out for the storied CJFL club.

“Richard Zacharias, who was a linebacker with the team and has helped out coaching recently, really showed me what the team was about,” said Funk. “(Zacharias) helped me get prepared for my rookie season and has been a great mentor ever since.”

Funk’s family became a football family after he first took up the sport in Grade 8. His older sister, Alyssa, has been a star at left tackle for the Saskatoon Valkyries of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League since 2015.

Younger brother, Jeremy, is in his first year with the Hilltops on the team’s practice roster.

Jaxon credits his parents in father, Lyle, and mother, Katrina, for being the biggest influences for helping him along in football.

“My parents are huge on sports,” said Jaxon Funk. “My dad never really played football, but he always wanted to, but Hague didn’t have a team at that point.

Jaxon Funk finished 16th in the PFC in defensive points.

“When I started, he learned everything about it and supported me as much as he could. I kind of started it in our family. My sister played with Valkyries and my younger brother is on the team now. It just turned into a really big football family.”

With the PFC having completed its regular season schedule, the Hilltops earned a bye to host a PFC semifinal contest due to finishing second in the conference standings. The Hilltops are scheduled to host that contest on Sunday, November 7 at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

They will play the team that has the best record that advances out of the two PFC quarter-final games that will be held on Sunday.

Due to the fact the 2020 CJFL campaign was lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world, Funk said there is extra excitement within his team as that first post-season contest draws near.

He said the businesslike approach to that contest mirrors what the Hilltops do in the regular season.

“It is just the same kind of atmosphere,” said Funk, who helped the Hilltops win CJFL titles in each of his first three seasons with the team. “You have to put your time in and practise hard.

“That will reflect how we play on the field. Obviously, we were all pretty excited to back into playoffs after last year not being able to play. You really appreciate the time we can have out here.

Jaxon Funk (#77) and the Hilltops have enjoyed playing after a year off.

“Everyone knows that they’ve got to step it up and have their best game of the year next Sunday and just keep it going.”

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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