Experience powers Ebben in Hilltops backfield

Corbin Ebben runs for a TD on August 17.

Personal success will never outshine team success for Corbin Ebben.

In 2024, Ebben entered his third CJFL season with the storied and historic Saskatoon Hilltops and took on the role as the full-time starter at running back. During the regular season, Ebben topped the Prairie Football Conference with 964 yards rushing coming on 157 carries and scoring six touchdowns. He also caught 16 passes for 184 yards and four major scores.

Thanks to those efforts, Ebben took home honours as a PFC all-star and a second team CJFL all-Canadian all-star. He played a huge role in helping the Hilltops post an 8-0 record.

Ebben’s statistics and honours didn’t take away the sting of not going all the way in the post-season. The Hilltops fell in the CJFL’s Prairie Conference Final 24-19 to their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

“That is the worst loss I’ve ever had playing football,” said Ebben. “We’re just going to build off that.

“We’re never going to forget that feeling. We’re going to use that for sure this year to help us build up to not letting that happen again.”

In 2025, Ebben headed into his fourth year with the Hilltops and the second season as the team’s starting running back. He said the experience from last season helps going into this season as he has a better understanding of the all-around aspects when it comes to playing the position.

“What is different this year is definitely going to be just confidence overall,” said Ebben, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 205 pounds. “Last year being my first year as a starter and just having that under my belt and being able to just build off of last year, it was big.

Corbin Ebben runs tough on the inside for the Hilltops.

“The goal is always the same to get to the Canadian Bowl, which we fell short last year, but I believe that we could build up to that this year.”

Going into the 2025 campaign, the Hilltops are looking to Ebben to play an even greater role in their success. They graduated a significant number of key players from last season including nine who aged out of CJFL eligibility including star quarterback Trey Reider, star receiver Drake Douglas and star right tackle Cody Shumanski.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said his team expects a lot out of Ebben on the field and to bring intangibles to the team away from the field that were brought by the players who graduated.

“Number one, he has got a leadership role, and number two, the expectations of ours have been set real high with the great year he had last year,” said Sargeant “We need to double down, and he needs to come out and play even better, faster, and he is going to get more opportunities through our offence.

“He is going to be vital to us having success offensively.”

One of the ways the Hilltops will be looking to get more out of Ebben is expanding his role in the passing game. 

In the PFC final loss to the Thunder in 2024, Ebben showcased how adept he was in the receiving game catching 10 passes for 114 yards and scoring one touchdown.

Corbin Ebben (#34) runs against the Thunder on Sept. 28, 2024.

“That is one of my traits I believe is just being versatile and not being just a running back,” said Ebben. “I like just taking routes out of the backfield and doing whatever they need me to do really just to get open and get that ball, which I mean is just something I love doing.

“I like running. I like catching.”

Sargeant said the Hilltops plan to take better advantage of the athletic aspects Ebben brings to the game, which will include getting him the ball more in the passing game.

“He is multidimensional,” said Sargeant. “We feel he is our top receiver.

“We feel he is a special running back. A lot of our designs are all around him getting the football. It is what it is, and it is our job to make sure that happens.

“Everything is predicated by how well the offensive line plays. As long as the line plays well, then all of a sudden other things open up in throwing and running and all of that. Corbin (Ebben) will be a massive piece in both the pass and run game.”

In their past, the Hilltops have had running backs that didn’t just exclusively carry the ball but could make catches out of the backfield. Logan Fischer, who played running back from 2013 to 2017, was one of the Hilltops best versatile running backs in recent history.

He played with the Hilltops on four straight CJFL championship wins from 2014 to 2017 with the 38-24 victory over the Okanagan Sun in the Canadian Bowl played on November 7, 2015 being his signature game. In that contest, Fischer carried the ball 23 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns and caught seven passes for 107 yards.

Fischer was pretty much the last player the Hilltops had who was known for collecting over 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in one game. It is an accomplishment Ebben hasn’t been able to do.

Corbin Ebben (#34) charges downfield in last year’s PFC semi.

“That would be pretty cool,” said Ebben. “I really hope I can do something like that.

“As long as we win, then that is all I really care about.”

Ebben is also at the point he is realizing how quick his CJFL career is going by. Being a fourth year player this season, the 21-year-old said he actually does feel like he is one of the older guys on the team.

“It is pretty crazy,” said Ebben, who is a graduate of the Delisle Composite High School Rebels nine-a-side football program. “It felt like just yesterday I walked in these doors for the first time, and now, it is year four for me.

“It flies by pretty quick.”

He added it has been an adjustment to not have Reider as the team’s signal caller, but he has faith in the current quarterbacks on the Hilltops roster.

“It is different,” said Ebben. “Trey (Reider) was an unbelievable quarterback.

“I absolutely loved lining up beside him. At the same time, I believe we got some really good quarterbacks here. I mean we got some super versatile guys that are ready to go.”

As the Hilltops season goes along, Ebben said the goal of the team is the same as it has always been. The team wants to help the players who are playing out their final respective seasons of CJFL eligibility to depart as CJFL champions.

“It is always about the fifth years here,” said Ebben, who was injured in the team’s second game in 2025 and is working to make a return. “That is made very clear, and that is what we try to do for those guys.

Corbin Ebben (#5) wants to push the Hilltops to another CJFL title.

“For what they have given, we owe it to them every play to give everything that we’ve got.”

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Hilltops get nods in CJFL Top 50

Storied Saskatoon squad opens regular season on Sunday

Charles Sawi was rated second on the CJFL Top 50 list.

Tom Sargeant is about team first, but he will always be up for his players receiving any individual recognition.

Heading into the 2023 CJFL regular season, the Hilltops had five players crack into the CJFL’s annual Top 50 players to watch list heading into the campaign. Running back and kick returner Charles Sawi was rated second, defensive end Riece Kack placed eighth, running back Boston Davidsen was listed 22^nd, middle linebacker Matt Wist cracked in at 26^th and defensive back Joe Yausie was rated 38^th.

The Hilltops, who were rated third in the CJFL’s pre-season power rankings, open their regular season schedule on Sunday when they host the Edmonton Wildcats at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

Sawi cracking the list in the second spot was head turning considering he is entering his second campaign in the CJFL, and he is still 18-years-old.

“It is certainly a recognition of the type of playmaker that he is,” said Sargeant, who is the Hilltops legendary head coach. “At the end of the day, it is still a small sample size, because he really didn’t get a lot of touches.

“Certainly, Boston (Davidsen) is still our feature running back and the guy that we’re going to put a lot of emphasis in. Charles will get some of his reps there, and he’ll get some reps in other places as well. We have a pretty good core offence.

Riece Kack (#47) was rated eighth on the CJFL Top 50 list.

“We’ll move him around a little bit and try and showcase what his skill set is and see if he can earn that number being number two.”

The CJFL has produced Top 50 players lists at the start of each season since 2016. Sawi joins select company as only three other Hilltops players have been rated either first or second on the Top 50 lists that have come out.

 The first time the circuit ever did such a list in 2016, Hilltops linebacker Cole Benkic was rated first. 

One year later, Hilltops running back Logan Fischer cracked the Top 50 list in the second position. In 2018, Hilltops quarterback Jordan Walls was ranked first on the Top 50 list.

Benkic, Fischer and Walls were all in their respective final campaigns of CJFL eligibility when they reached those lofty ratings on the Top 50 list.

Last season, Sawi won the CJFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. He became the first member of the Hilltops to be named a rookie of the year for the entire CJFL since that honour was first handed out in 1998.

In 2022, Sawi, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 185 pounds, played through his rookie campaign in the CJFL at just 17 years of age and made some of the season’s most electrifying plays on offence and special teams. During the regular season, Sawi carried the ball 30 times for 342 yards and scored two touchdowns.

Boston Davidsen was rated 22nd on the CJFL Top 50 list.

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.

Sargeant, who is the all-time leader in career amateur post-secondary head coaching wins in Canadian football at 224 victories, said the splash plays Sawi made in 2022 picked up a lot of attention.

“First things first, he is so exciting on special teams, and that is where he made the majority of his name,” said Sargeant. “He runs pitch well, and he has a few things that really feature well into our offence.

“He is going to be our punt returner and kick returner. He is going to get into that offence way more than he was last year. Coach (Shane) Reider and the offensive staff have to keep figuring out how to get him in space, because once you get him in space, boy, he is tough to tackle out there.”

While Sawi captured the CJFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, Davidsen had an outstanding campaign in his own right. 

In the Hilltops eight regular season contests, Davidsen, who is entering his final season of CJFL eligibility, carried the ball 149 times for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns.

With Davidsen slated as the Hilltops top running back, Sargeant has his own set of expectations for Sawi in 2023.

Matt Wist was rated 26th on the CJFL Top 50 list.

“We just want him to be a solid, competitive player that fits in well with our offence, and at the end of the day, that is reliable,” said Sargeant. “We can rely on him consistently.

“He is accountable to himself and to his teammates. If he can do those things, then they usually turn into big things with the blue and gold.”

On August 3, the Hilltops fell 32-1 to the Hilltops Alumni Team in the annual Hilltops Alumni Game at Ron Atchison Field. The Hilltops enter the 2023 regular season with a young and inexperienced team playing out of a resetting Prairie Football Conference.

Sargeant said there is a bit of a different vibe going into Sunday’s game with the Wildcats compared to how the Hilltops started any of their other campaigns in recent memory.

“It is way different, because we have so many new starters in here,” said Sargeant. “Certainly, we saw that last week against the alumni that youth and the lack of experience.

“Hopefully, through that performance and that game, the coaches are coaching it up and coaching hard that they’re going to be ready to play against their peers in the Edmonton Wildcats, a foe we’ve gone against for years. They have a new coaching staff and a new regime. There is a lot of uncertainty.

Joe Yausie (#9) was rated 38th on the CJFL Top 50 list.

“At the end of the day, we’re just focusing on ourselves and making sure that we get out here, and we perform up to our standards and attack the goals that we’ve set. At the end of the day, let’s see where it takes us.”

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Price faced gritty beginnings before becoming Hilltops star

Ex-receiver remembers paying dues before making big plays

Jason Price makes a 70-yard TD catch in 2017.

Jason Price is remembered as a big play receiver for the Saskatoon Hilltops, but the big plays didn’t come when he first joined the team.

From 2014 to 2019, the Hilltops won six straight CJFL championships, and Price played on the first five of those title winners during his five years with the team. His last CJFL play came on November 17, 2018 when the Hilltops took a knee to conclude a 58-21 victory over the Langley Rams at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl.

Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant ensured the team’s eight fifth-year players including Price were on the field for that final play. With that moment, Price graduated from the team with an ultimate moment and special memory.

He was on the field as part of a group of eight teammates becoming the first players to play on five straight CJFL championship winning teams.

Way back as a rookie in 2014, Price had just graduated high school from Saskatoon’s Walter Murray Collegiate having been a member of the Marauders football team. During that first season with the Hilltops, Price’s main focus was just hanging in with the team.

“The whole rookie season is a lot of anxiety and like trying to do your part but not get in the way kind of thing,” said Price. “Obviously, I wasn’t really playing at that time.

“I’d just be on the sidelines.”

Price remembers being awestruck by his veteran teammates in 2014. He saw quarterback Jared Andreychuk, who was in his third season at that time, as an incredible leader.

Jason Price makes a 32-yard TD catch in 2016.

He saw a receiving corps that was deep where everyone could make plays. The veteran receivers included fourth year players Evan Turkington, Evan Kopchynski and Chad Braun along with third year players Preston Njaa, Tyson Sawatzky and Ryan Turple. Second year receiver Davis Mitchell was also finding his way on to the field to make clutch plays.

Price knew he wasn’t going to see the field very much. He didn’t say much that season and just working on getting better and doing his best to be part of the team.

Price remembers that season going by like a blur. When it came time for the Hilltops to travel to Langley, B.C., to face the Rams in the Canadian Bowl in 2014, Price wasn’t part of the travel roster that made that jaunt. The Hilltops would win that contest 39-14, and help the Saskatoon side bury the disappointment of falling in the 2013 PFC final to the Regina Thunder, who won the CJFL title that year.

 While he wasn’t with the Hilltops in person for that CJFL title win in Langley, Price got to be part of a moment that made him first feel truly linked to the Hilltops, where he saw the team as family.

“I remember they invited all of the players (who remained in Saskatoon) to the clubhouse to watch them play in that championship game on the screen,” said Price. “I remember a lot of nerves but also just a lot of cheering.

“It was definitely huge just as an end to my rookie season to be invited to like the clubhouse and feel a part of the team even though you’re not there. Even though you are not in Langley with the team, you’re still with the team in the clubhouse cheering on the guys that are there. After they won it, I remember like everybody watching it on the field and seeing everybody celebrate and everybody cheering like crazy in the clubhouse.

Jason Price, right, makes a 22-yard TD catch in 2016.

“It was a just a rush of excitement, obviously, from what had happened the year before to that year was huge.”

The Hilltops didn’t graduate any receivers following the 2014 campaign, but they were set to start graduating a number of veterans at that position starting with Turkington, Kopchynski and Braun at the end of the 2015 season. In 2015, Price found himself getting more reps at practice and the veterans taking a bigger role in helping mentor him.

“I just remember kind of feeling a little more comfortable,” said Price, who stood 6-feet tall and weighed 200 pounds. “Those guys when they are not in and you are kind of getting your second team reps I remember always coming back and getting some advice from Chad Braun or Evan Turkington.

“Those guys were kind of always around. They understood that they were fifth years, and they were the leaders. They also understood the traditions that come and the next generation that is coming through and really helped kind of build and help you get to that next level.

“It just says a lot about the leadership group we had in those years.”

After the Hilltops downed the Okanagan Sun 38-24 in the 2015 Canadian Bowl played at SMF Field, Price found himself hitting the field as a starter in his third campaign in 2016.

Jason Price makes 38-yard TD catch in Regina in 2017.

“I was nervous at the start,” said Price. “It was my first time starting, and the game still feels fast.

“I remember not doing well the first few games personally and then kind of fell into my own and kind of got an understanding with Jared (Andreychuk) and got an understanding with the rest of the team.”

With Andreychuk playing in his fifth and final season, Price had a breakout campaign hauling in 28 passes for 763 yards and seven touchdowns during the Hilltops nine-game regular season that year. Price’s receiving yardage and touchdown reception totals were career highs.

On November 12, 2016, the Hilltops traveled to Langford, B.C., where they downed the Westshore Rebels 37-25 in the Canadian Bowl. Price caught Andreychuk’s final career touchdown toss hauling in a 47-yard pass to account for the Hilltops final major of that game.

“Looking back on it, that was an amazing season, and I loved it,” said Price.

In 2017, Price had a solid season catching 19 passes for 446 yards and five touchdowns in eight regular season games. Quarterback Jordan Walls, who was in his fourth year with the Hilltops and first year as a starter in 2017, had a strong campaign, but the Hilltops ground game might have been the highlight spot offensively.

Jason Price makes a TD catch at SMF Field in 2017.

The Hilltops were rich in talent at the running back position that season as the trio of Logan Fischer, Adam Machart and Josh Ewanchyna all saw significant playing time, while Colin Stumborg consistently made big plays from his fullback spot. Rookie tailback Ben Abrook saw playing time, and he would be a key player on the team in 2018 and 2019.

Price thought a key point in the 2017 campaign came when the Hilltops dropped a 29-26 decision to the Thunder in their fourth regular season game. That was Saskatoon’s only loss that season, but Price believes that setback helped sharpen the team’s focus for the rest of that campaign.

With the Hilltops having won the last three straight CJFL titles, Price thought maybe the vibe on the storied team had gotten a little too relaxed.

“When you take a loss like that, it puts things into perspective and kind of gets you to have to refocus on things,” said Price. “I think that loss was pretty big to help us kind of refocus and just kind of don’t think about the past.

“You kind of just better yourself as the Hilltop group every day. You take it one week at a time, and eventually, you will get there. Obviously, we were led by another group of great leaders.

“I think that was big for the rest of the season, because sometimes you do need to kind of get put back in your place.”

Jason Price, right, makes a catch in Regina in 2018.

The Hilltops concluded the 2017 campaign traveling to Windsor, Ont., and downing the host AKO Fratmen 56-11 in the Canadian Bowl. With that victory, the Hilltops became the first team to win four straight CJFL titles.

Price believes the run of consecutive championships came because the Hilltops were good at concentrating on the notion that each season was its own campaign with its own story.

“Every year is kind of new,” said Price. “Every year you have a different team, a different group of starters.

“I think we kind of did a good job kind of staying focused year to year. There was something new every year, and we were not worried about what was happening in the past or what could happen in the future. We just kind of took it one game at a time.

“Obviously with repeat championships, there comes a little bit of pressure to pull through and do the same thing.”

In Price’s final season, the Hilltops had statistically one of their most dominant campaigns posting a perfect 11-0 record. They trailed on the scoreboard for a total of 81 seconds for the whole season.

Price had a strong personal campaign catching 31 passes for 709 yards and scoring four touchdowns in eight regular season games. He was named a PFC all-star and a CJFL all-Canadian all-star.

The sure handed pass catcher often just played two-and-a-half quarters per game as the Hilltops were usually holding big leads and cycling backups to get game experience at that point.

Jason Price makes an 81-yard touchdown catch in 2018.

“Reflecting back on that season, I think we all just had the most fun not necessarily because we were winning, but because we were such a developed team at that point,” said Price. “We were such a brotherhood.

“We always talk about the Hilltops brotherhood. It was just like that was our family. We just had the most fun with our family kind of thing.”

In the Canadian Bowl win over the Rams in 2018, Price caught three passes for a team high 75 yards. The biggest memory came in being one of the team’s eight fifth-year players that was on the field for the final knee down snap.

That group included Walls, receiver Adam Ewanchyna, right tackle Kirk Simonsen, defensive end Connor Guillet and linebackers Cody Peters, who was the CJFL’s defensive player of the year in 2018, Bobby Ehman and Adam Benkic. All eight of those players had each played five complete seasons with the Hilltops first taking the field with the team in 2014.

“For that to be your year and know that you’ve done it and those final seconds are ticking off the clock there, and you’re out there with all the guys that you’ve gone through five years of practising every day, games, putting your body on the line for those guys, and you get to celebrate with them after that final whistle, that was something special that is for sure,” said Price.

For Price, he looks back at all points of his five career with the Hilltops being memorable from the time he was an anxious rookie trying to do his best to be part of the team to being a fifth year star veteran at the end. 

Jason Price and the Hilltops celebrate a Canadian Bowl win in 2018.

The good things that came Price’s way came from the fact he ultimately just focused on working hard and getting better in his first year campaign.

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Hilltops family celebration and reunion highlighted 2015 Canadian Bowl

The Hilltops celebrate their Canadian Bowl win in 2015.

The celebration was on for the Saskatoon Hilltops alums 75 minutes before kickoff of the 2015 Canadian Bowl.

On arriving at the Saskatoon Minor Football Field parking lot on November 7, 2015, a festive atmosphere was in the air. The Hilltops alums were out everywhere sporting their trademark team blue jackets from their playing days.

It should be noted they weren’t prematurely celebrating a Hilltops victory in the CJFL title game that was about to be played.

They were gathering in fellowship to celebrate and relive the memories they collected during their playing days. It seemed like Hilltops alums had arrived from various generations of the team’s modern era that began in 1947.

Hilltops alums flocked to the 2015 Canadian Bowl.

The Hilltops were the defending CJFL champions and were entering the 2015 Canadian Bowl with a 9-1 overall record to face the undefeated 12-0 Okanagan Sun from Kelowna, B.C.

It felt like there was a special tingly feeling in the air that the game and day were going to be great ones.

As a side bonus, the weather was 5 C and sunny, which was unseasonably warm for that time of year.

I encountered Cory Wolfe later that afternoon.

Wolfe covered five Hilltops CJFL championship wins for the Saskatoon StarPhoenix with the last being a 34-23 victory over the Vancouver Island Raiders in 2010 in Saskatoon. Wolfe said the 2015 Canadian Bowl game was a lot warmer than any of the CJFL title contests he had ever covered.

Tailgating was going full out at the 2015 Canadian Bowl.

The pleasant weather added to the upbeat nature of the day.

Inside the stadium, the festive atmosphere continued including a stage that was set up beside the field featuring a live musical act.

On the field, Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant and his players were focused as they went through pre-game warm-ups. The focus continued throughout the game.

When the Hilltops were introduced at pre-game, they had to get a rush from the thunderous ovation they received from the crowd. The statistics sheet for that game stated 2,567 spectators attended that Canadian Bowl, but is seemed like the attendance was larger than that.

Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant focuses on game action.

Looking in the stands on either the west or east sides of the venue, you couldn’t find an empty seat. Spectators seemed shoehorned into the park’s old stands configuration, and many fans elected to sit on the hills at that venue.

The 2015 Hilltops team was a close-knit unit that was loaded with veterans. They had playmakers all over the place including star quarterback Jared Andreychuk and outside linebacker Cole Benkic, who was named the CJFL’s most outstanding defensive player that season.

The Hilltops main calling cards were their outstanding offensive and defensive lines.

The offensive line featured Tyler Hoath at right tackle, Drayke Unger at right guard, Jordan Hydomako at centre, Nathan Heide at left guard and Terry Thesen at left tackle. They made up one of the arguably the best offensive lines the Hilltops ever had.

Jared Andreychuk (#5) threw for 369 yards for the Hilltops.

The defensive line included Tom Schnitzler and Blake Herman at the ends and Tyrell Hering and Matt Kozun at the tackle positions. They made up arguably one of the best defensive lines the Hilltops ever had.

It was common in games for the Hilltops linebackers and defensive backs to drop into coverage assignments only to watch the defensive line squash any opposing offensive play before it could get going.

While the Hilltops were loaded, the Sun were a formidable opponent. The B.C. side took the turf at SMF Field locked arm in arm with a quiet and strong resolve.

The 2015 Canadian Bowl would be a showcase of junior football in Canada at its best.

The Hilltops defence pressures Sun QB Cam Bedore (#7).

After the Hilltops surged out to an early 10-0 lead that included a 45-yard field goal from Brett Thorarinsson, the Sun battled back and jumped in front 14-10 early in the second quarter.

A rushing touchdown by star running back Logan Fischer put the Hilltops back out in front 17-14, and it looked like that would be the score at halftime.

The Sun proceeded to come through with a big play before the halftime break. Sun linebacker Layne Hull blocked a punt and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown with 4.5 seconds remaining before halftime to give the B.C. side a 20-17 edge.

Hull would be named the game’s most outstanding defensive player.

The Hilltops weren’t shaken by that big play that had them trailing on the scoreboard at halftime. They still had the quiet confidence that they would make the plays to come out on top.

Logan Fischer (#21) piled up the yards for the Hilltops.

In the third quarter, the Sun lead grew slightly to 21-17 thanks to a rouge from a punt single.

With over four minutes to play in the third, Andreychuk hit skilled slotback Evan Kopchynski with a 75-yard touchdown strike that had the Hilltops faithful rocking and rolling. The celebration was short-lived as an offside penalty negated the score.

Two plays later, Andreychuk connected with speedy slotback Tyson Sawatzky for a 73-yard touchdown strike. There were no flags this time and the noise at SMF Field might have hit record levels as the Hilltops went ahead 24-21.

Fischer ran in his second touchdown of the game before the third quarter ended to increase the Hilltops edge to 31-21.

The Hilltops Cheer Team entertains the SMF Field crowd.

The Sun tightened things up in the fourth quarter when kicker Thomas Huber hit a 40-yard field goal to cut the Hilltops lead to 31-24.

With under two-and-a-minutes to play in the fourth, the Sun got the ball back, but they were back up at their own one yard-line. Still, they were 109 yards away from sending the contest to overtime.

The Sun drive went to the Okanagan 33 before the Hilltops defensive line flexed its muscle and laid the hammer down forcing a turnover on downs.

Andreychuk proceeded to hit playmaking slotback Evan Turkington with a 33-yard touchdown strike to put the Hilltops up by the game’s final score of 38-24. The scored was Turkington’s second touchdown catch of the game.

Blake Adams (#54) celebrates one of his two quarterback sacks.

While the game was a battle, the Hilltops and their family and faithful were able to soak in a championship moment as the final minute of the fourth quarter ticked down with the host side leading by two touchdowns.

The Sun players kept their effort up as well, but you could visibly tell they were sensing the finality of what was to come.

They would finish the 2015 campaign at 12-1, and the Hilltops would improve to 10-1 and repeat as CJFL champions. The win that day marked the 18^th time the Hilltops won the CJFL title.

Since that time, the Hilltops have gone on to win the next four straight CJFL crowns to extend their current consecutive title run to six straight and improve their overall CJFL title count to 22.

Tyson Sawatzky celebrates his 73-yard TD catch.

After the CJFL title game on November 7, 2015 came to an end, the Hilltops stormed the field in celebration.

This was the second season I had covered the team as I began writing about them halfway through the 2014 campaign after relocating to Saskatoon from Medicine Hat, Alta.

After the 2015 CJFL title win, my biggest memory was hugging Sargeant after the game and hearing him say, “Thank you for everything you have done for us!”

At the time, I was still unsure if I could cover sports on my own platforms outside of the mainstream media, so Sargeant’s words at that point in time meant a tonne to me. It gave me the reassurance that I could be taken seriously doing my own thing covering sports.

Hilltops LB Quinn Pierce makes a tackle.

With that noted, I didn’t go into the day looking for that special personal nod. I had a feeling I was going to soak in a special day for the Hilltops, and I really enjoyed being around that team like I still do to this day.

Fischer was named the game’s most outstanding offensive player breaking the 100-yard barrier in rushing and receiving. He carried the ball 23 times for 102 yards and caught seven passes for 107 yards.

He had the biggest smile, when he accepted the trophy as the game’s most outstanding offensive player.

Andreychuk completed 18-of-23 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns to go with one interception. Sawatzky caught four passes for 132 yards to go with his long TD catch.

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant gets the ice bucket shower post-game.

Adams had two sacks, while Kozun and Hermann had one-and-a-half sacks each.

Sun quarterback Cam Bedore completed 25-of-43 passes for 350 yards and one touchdown. Kyle Kawamoto caught eight passes for 159 yards for the Sun, while Kyle Patchell hauled in nine passes for 110 yards and one touchdown for the visitors as well.

The Hilltops returned to their old longtime clubhouse for a celebration that ran well into the night.

Hilltops safety Austin Thorarinson (#17) raised the Canadian Bowl.

On that Canadian Bowl winning game day, it felt like all the links anyone had with that venerable team were renewed.

The Hilltops family celebration and reunion that November 7^th day in 2015 was well deserved.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. The original game story from the Hilltops 2015 Canadian Bowl victory can be found by clicking right here. The season wrap up column for the Hilltops 2015 campaign can be found by clicking right here.

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Hilltops greats Filteau and Kozun perfect fit for CJFL all-decade team on defence

Justin Filteau in action with the Hilltops in 2014. 

    The Saskatoon Hilltops only needed two selections to overfill the quality of the CJFL’s all-decade team on defence.

    The CJFL has been determining its all-decade team via a fan vote over the last four weeks for the period of years from 2010 to 2019. The Hilltops won three straight CJFL title capturing the Canadian Bowl from 2010 to 2012 and the last six straight championships starting in 2014.

    On Saturday, the offensive members of the all-decade team were announced via the CJFL’s Instagram account, and five Hilltops were selected including quarterback Jared Andreychuk, running backs Logan Fischer and Andre Lalonde and offensive linemen Kirk Simonsen and Mason Ochs.

    On Sunday, the defensive members of the all-decade team were announced via the CJFL’s Instagram account. They included two of the best that ever donned Hilltops jerseys in the late Justin Filteau at linebacker and defensive tackle Matt Kozun.

    Filteau played for the Hilltops from 2010 to 2014 and was a member of three straight CJFL championship wins from 2010 to 2012 and in his final season in 2014. He picked up 43 per cent of the fan votes, which was tops among all linebackers.

    Following his time with the Hilltops, Filteau played for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team in the U Sports ranks from 2015 to 2017.

Justin Filteau (#45) enjoys the Hilltops PFC title win in 2014.

    In 2017, he joined the coaching staff of the Saskatoon Valkyries, who are a powerhouse squad in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, as a linebackers coach. He was coaching the team’s defensive line last season before tragically passing away in a plane crash at age 26 before the Valkyries final regular season game.

    The Valkyries went on to win the WWCFL title dedicating the rest of their season to him finishing their 2019 campaign with a perfect 9-0 record.

    Filteau coached minor football at different levels and with the Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints.

    He was born and raised in Moose Jaw and became a high school football star at A.E. Peacock Collegiate. Filteau joined the Hilltops after graduating from high school.

    Standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing 214 pounds, Filteau didn’t look like a linebacker. When he hit the field, you realized quickly looks were deceiving. He was the underdog who made it.

    During his five seasons with the Hilltops, Filteau’s best campaign might have been during his final season in 2014. After the Hilltops got out to an uncharacteristic 1-2 start losing twice to their provincial rivals in the Regina Thunder, Filteau played a big role in rallying the team off the field to help his teammates get into a better head space mentally.

Justin Filteau, left, works as a Valkyries assistant coach in 2019.

    The Hilltops proceeded to win their final eight games of that campaign between the regular season and playoffs to capture the Canadian Bowl as CJFL champions.

    Filteau was honoured as a CJFL all-Canadian all-star on defence registering 37 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one pass knockdown in the Hilltops eight regular season games.

    Last season, the Hilltops coaches did a great job of teaching their current generation of players how much Filteau meant to the provincial football scene. The Hilltops posted a 12-0 overall record in the 2019 campaign winning a sixth straight Canadian Bowl and posting a second straight perfect season.

    One person that was fully aware of Filteau’s impact on the provincial football scene before the 2019 CJFL season started was Hilltops fifth-year middle linebacker Jadyn Pingue. As a rookie in 2015, Pingue began wearing the old #45 jersey Filteau wore and at the moment is the only Hilltops player to wear #45 after Filteau.

    Pingue brought up the suggestion that maybe #45 should be retired by the team. The coaches asked Pingue to continue wearing #45 as one way to keep Filteau’s memory alive.

    In a fitting tribute to Filteau, Pingue went on to have an individual season that saw him win the award as the CJFL’s most outstanding defensive player in 2019.

Matt Kozun (#53) enters Saskatoon Minor Football Field in 2015.

    While Filteau turned heads at linebacker, Kozun was a force on the defensive line for five seasons with the Hilltops from 2011 to 2015 coming straight to the club from Bishop James Mahoney High School. Kozun picked up 46 per cent of the fan votes, which led all defensive players.

    He was a member of four CJFL championship teams with the Hilltops in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015.

    Kozun, who stood 6-foot-6 and weighed 280 pounds, was a gifted athlete and played on the team’s short-yardage package on offence as a tight end. He had a touchdown reception in the 2015 PFC final that the Hilltops claimed with a 38-16 victory over the Calgary Colts.

    Kozun’s best two seasons with the Hilltops were his final two campaigns with the team. In the Hilltops 2014 CJFL championship season, Kozun was named an all-Canadian all-star after piling up 15 sacks, seven tackles, five tackle assists, two pass knockdowns and one fumble recovery in eight regular season games.

    He was named an all-Canadian all-star again in the Hilltops 2015 CJFL championship campaign. In eight regular season games, Kozun recorded nine tackles, five tackle assists, 2.5 sacks, two pass knockdowns and one forced fumble.

Hilltops DT Matt Kozun (#53) chases down a Winnipeg Rifles QB in 2015.

    Kozun was a member of a freakishly good starting defensive line in 2015 that included fifth-year defensive tackle Blake Adams, third-year rush end Tom Schnitzler and third-year boundary end Blake Hermann.

    That foursome on the Hilltops defensive line could crush opposing team’s offensive units all by themselves.

    Following his time with the Hilltops, Kozun joined the Huskies for two seasons before his playing days came to an end.

    During their time with the Hilltops, Filteau and Kozun left their marks as two of the team’s all-time greats, and their legacies with the squad continue to live on long after they last played for the venerable and storied club.

    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 opening day implosion disappointing but just one game

The Huskies will be looking to clean up mistakes in practice.

    Well that bubble burst quickly.

    The pundits and the Canada West Conference coaches had the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team tabbed as a powerhouse going into their regular season opener Friday against the U of Manitoba Bisons in Winnipeg, Man.

    In the initial U Sports Top 10 rankings released on Tuesday, the Huskies, who are the defending Canada West champions, were rated fourth, and they were the highest ranked team from Canada West.

    In the Canada West football pre-season coaches poll released on Wednesday, the U of Calgary Dinos were rated first, the Huskies second, the Bisons third, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds fourth, the U of Alberta Golden Bears fifth and the U of Regina Rams sixth.

    The initial high expectations for the Huskies came crashing down to earth. Before 1,001 spectators at IG Field in Winnipeg, the Bisons claimed a 43-19 landslide victory.

    The Huskies beat themselves almost as much as the Bisons contributed to their own cause. 

Adam Machart (#20) had 93 yards rushing for the Huskies on Friday.

    U of S turned the ball over seven times including three fumbles, two interceptions and twice on downs.

    U of M didn’t have a single giveaway.

    In the second quarter, one interception and two fumbles by the Huskies were turned into 17 points by the Bisons, who held a 27-9 edge at halftime.
    From that point, the Huskies faced an uphill battle on the scoreboard, and they could never get one of those serious momentum surges that Canada West football contests are known for to get back in the game.

    The turnovers took away from the fact the Huskies were able to move the ball on offence and hold ground on defence.

    Making his first career regular season start, Huskies quarterback Mason Nyhus connected on 27-of-39 passes for 313 yards and one touchdown to go with his one interception.

    The Huskies ground game piled up 174 yards rushing. Starting running back Adam Machart ran the ball 13 times for 93 yards, and running back Josh Ewanchyna posted 66 yards rushing on eight carries scoring one touchdown.

    Ewanchyna would have had a bigger night had two monster long runs not been negated by holding penalties.

    Defensively, the Huskies held the Bisons to 359 yards of total offence with 163 yards coming through the air and 196 yards on the ground.

Mason Nyhus threw for 315 yards for the Huskies on Friday.

    Defensive end Nicholas Dheilly, defensive tackle Evan Machibroda and defensive back Nelson Lokombo all had sacks for the Huskies.

    Despite facing field position situations that favoured the Bisons offence, the Huskies defence forced their foes to attempt five field goals, which were all made by Bisons kicker Matt Riley.

    Still, Bisons starting quarterback Des Catellier was efficient for his squad completing 14-of-19 passes for 163 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
    The 196 yards rushing the Bisons piled up on the ground was also noticeable. The bulk of those yards came from their talented running back stable in Michael Ritchott, Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette and Logan Fischer, who all had star careers in the Canadian Junior Football League.

    With all that said, one wonders what the score would have been had the Huskies not turned over the ball. They were able to execute large parts of their game plan, but seven turnovers will always foil those plans.

    In football, it is always known that crazy and unpredictable things can happen on opening day.

    On Friday in Edmonton, Alta., the visiting Dinos led the Golden Bears 30-13 at halftime in the regular season opener for both those squads. The Dinos lead shrunk to 33-31 in the fourth quarter.

    U of C was up 34-31, when Dinos defensive back Deane Leonard intercepted Golden Bears quarterback Brad Launhardt and returned the ball 62 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game to seal a 41-31 victory.

Head coach Scott Flory, right, will look for his Huskies to bounce back.

    If the Huskies were going to have an outing where they turned the ball over seven times, it is best to get it out of the way in Week 1. There is still a lot of time to recover.

    All the Huskies can do is focus on their next game, which is their homecoming game this coming Friday at 7 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium against the Thunderbirds.

    The Huskies can still repeat and better their special season in 2018. They were reminded the can still be humbled if their focus slips like they were in the opening loss to the Bisons.

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

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Hilltops claim record fourth straight CJFL title, hit new heights of competitive greatness

The Hilltops enjoy a fourth straight CJFL title. (Photo courtesy Bonnie Bitz)

    The Saskatoon Hilltops are an uncommon football team.

    In the Canadian Junior Football League, they continue to accomplish things that have never been done before.

    On Saturday in Windsor, Ont., the venerable Hilltops continued to add their list of unique experiences. They rolled into Alumni Field at the University of Windsor and proceeded to dismantle the host Windsor AKO Fratmen 56-11 in the CJFL title the game – the Canadian Bowl.

    The Hilltops, who finished the 2017 campaign with an 11-1 overall record, became the first team in the history of the CJFL to win four straight league championships. The circuit’s national championship game dates back to 1908.

    On top of that accomplishment, the Hilltops became the first team to win seven CJFL titles over an eight year span, and they have now won a total of 20 CJFL championships. Their first national championship came way back in 1953, when they downed the AKO Fratmen 34-6 before 7,200 spectators at Griffiths Stadium on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan.

    Since Tom Sargeant became head coach in 1998, the Hilltops have won 11 of their 20 CJFL championships. Their seemingly endless dynasty under Sargeant seemed destined to continue on Saturday in Windsor as the host AKO Fratmen ultimately finished 9-2 overall this season.

    On the game’s second play from scrimmage, the AKO Fratmen had the ball on offence, and the centre’s shotgun snap sailed over the head of quarterback Brandon Reaume.

    Hilltops fifth-year star defensive end Tom Schnitzler recovered the ball at the Windsor one yard line. On the ensuing play, Hilltops star big game fifth-year running back Logan Fischer powered into the end zone for a touchdown to give Saskatoon a 7-0 lead.

    Saskatoon forced 10 turnovers in Saturday’s contest and converted those takeaways into 35 points. With Jeff Yausie as defensive coordinator, the Hilltops have cemented a reputation of taking the ball away and those takeaways always seem to result in points causing the score to snowball in favour of the blue and gold.

Hilltops defensive lineman Tom Schnitzler lifts the Canadian Bowl.

    Usually, the Hilltops can produce a lopsided game in their favour off of four turnovers. If they get 10 turnovers, the outcome is academic.

    Before the first quarter expired the Hilltops lead grew to 16-0 thanks to a conceded safety by the AKO Fratmen and a one-yard touchdown run from running back Joshua Ewanchyna.

    Near the start of the second quarter, Sargeant showed off how great he was as a play caller taking over the offensive coordinator role this season from Sheldon Ball, who departed from the club for work and family reasons. With the Hilltops facing a third-and-eight from the Windsor 32, Sargeant called a quarterback draw showing he can throw curveball plays at the opposition like Ball once did.

    The play was executed perfectly and signal caller Jordan Walls sprinted 32 yards for another major to put the Hilltops up 23-0.

    At that point, the AKO Fratmen started to push back. With around 11 minutes to play in the second quarter, Reaume hit receiver Devon Woods for an eight-yard touchdown toss to cap a long scoring drive to cut Saskatoon’s lead to 23-7.

    Just when it seemed like the hosts were building momentum, the Hilltops stomped out the uprising. Hilltops fifth-year defensive back Luke Melnyk made an interception. The ensuing offensive series for the visitors was capped by a 10 yard sweep touchdown run by Ewanchyna to put the Hilltops up 30-7.

    Inside of the final two minutes of the second quarter, Hilltops linebacker Adam Benkic recovered an AKO Fratmen fumble at the Windsor 37. The Hilltops quickly drove downfield on a short touchdown drive that was capped when Walls hit Turple with a 16-yard scoring strike to expand Saskatoon’s advantage to 37-7 with 34.7 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Hilltops DB Luke Melnyk picks up defensive player of the game honours.

    Driving into the wind early in the third quarter, the Hilltops lead shrank to 37-9 after they conceded a safety. When it seemed the AKO Fratmen might get going, they were stuffed on a third-and-one gamble at their own 54.

    The Hilltops quickly drove down on another scoring drive that was capped on a touchdown catch from Schnitzler. The defensive standout lined up as a tight end on short yardage offence near the goal-line and hauled in a three-yard touchdown toss on a short slant route to give the Hilltops a 44-9 lead.  

    Saskatoon conceded another safety before the third quarter ended but still held an insurmountable 44-11 edge.

    An interception by fifth-year middle linebacker Cameron Schnitzler set up the Hilltops final major of the game. On the ensuing offensive series, Walls hit Turple with an eight-yard scoring pass to increase the Hilltops lead to 51-11.

    The Fratmen conceded a safety and second-year receiver Rylan Kleiter booted a 37-yard field goal to round out the 56-11 final in favour of the visitors.

    The 56 points the Toppers put up on the scoreboard was the second highest total ever for a CJFL title game. The Hilltops hold the record for most points scored in a CJFL title game when they blasted the Victoria Rebels 59-0 in the 2003 Canadian Bowl in Chilliwack, B.C.

    In Saturday’s win over the AKO Fratmen, Walls completed 11-of-18 passes for 192 yards and three touchdown passes to pick up offensive player of the game honours. As a team, the Hilltops ran the ball 37 times for 188 yards. Fischer, who was playing his final game of his storied Hilltops career, ran the ball 14 times for 80 yards and one touchdown.

Hilltops veterans enjoy the Canadian Bowl.

    Melynk was named the defensive play of the game for his two key interceptions. Defensive ends Riley Pickett and Tom Schnitzler each had a sack.

    Reaume completed 12-of-24 passes for 197 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Windsor running back D’Angelo Knox ran the ball seven times for 37 yards and caught two passes for 104 yards.

    AKO Fratmen linebacker Quinten Earhart had nine tackles and a sack.

    After the final seconds ticked away, the Hilltops walked off the field with the Canadian Bowl and their 13^th consecutive playoff win. During their run of four straight CJFL championship victories, the Hilltops run could have been derailed.

    The Prairie Football Conference semifinal and final contests in each of the past two years could have been lost, if a couple of plays were changed. In those tight games, the Hilltops character and resiliency always rose up to allow them to make the two to three key swing players that are needed to win tight games.

    Against the AKO Fratmen on Saturday, the Hilltops showed how well they can roll, when they are firing on all cylinders forcing their opponent to play without making a mistake.

    Sargeant got to lay claim to his 14^th CJFL championship ring with the team including 11 rings from his time as head coach, two as an assistant coach and his first as a player won back in 1985.

    He will admit it takes everyone pulling in the same direction, constantly striving to improve and bonding as a family to create the success the Hilltops have had. As a result, the Hilltops keep achieving new feats of competitive greatness no team in the CJFL has ever done before.

CANADIAN BOWL CHAMPIONS!! The Saskatoon Hilltops Win our twentieth national championship with a 56-11 win over the Windsor AKO Fratmen. #fourpeat pic.twitter.com/bffxavnwpL

— Saskatoon Hilltops (@SaskHilltops) November 11, 2017

    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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