Hilltops’ Stevens no stranger to long playoff runs

DT won 6-man football high school title in Eatonia

Johnathon Stevens springs into action at DT for the Hilltops.

Long playoff runs in football seem to fit Johnathon Stevens just fine.

The Saskatoon Hilltops star defensive tackle said he has been blessed to play with some great guys, great coaches and great communities in his football career. Currently, Stevens is doing his best to help the Hilltops in their drive towards a CJFL championship in his third year with the club.

After having won the PFC final 21-13 over the visiting Regina Thunder last Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops (10-0) now host the OFC champion St. Clair Saints (10-0) for Windsor this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Stevens was part of the Hilltops team that won the PFC title in 2021 only to fall 17-14 on the road to host Langley Rams in a CJFL semifinal. The Rams moved on to win the Canadian Bowl as CJFL champions that year.

Before joining the Hilltops, Stevens was a member of the storied Eaton School Spartans 6-man football team in Eatonia, Sask. During his Grade 11 year in the 2019 fall football season, Stevens helped the Spartans capture the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s then 1A 6-Man Football championship with a 63-48 victory over Kerrobert.

Stevens said the join of winning that provincial title was one of his most memorable moments in the game.

“It was awesome,” said Stevens, who played D-line, O-line and was a kicker for the Spartans. “It was great, because the whole community, all of Eatonia and people who were from Eatonia who don’t live there anymore and still have roots there, they came down to support us.

“It felt like the whole town was a family at that moment, and everyone was just so proud of everybody for doing that. It is pretty special, because small towns, that is kind of all we have.”

Johnathon Stevens was named a PFC all-star this season.

After graduating from Eaton School, Stevens found another group of guys he enjoys playing with in the Hilltops. With this season’s Hilltops, Stevens was named a PFC all-star on the defensive line having collected 20 solo defensive tackles, four defensive tackle assists, three quarterback sacks, one pass knockdown, two forced fumbles and two interceptions.

He was part of a Hilltops defensive until that saw the team give up just 51 points in eight regular season games, which was the team’s lowest total for points allowed in the regular season dating back to 1949. Stevens enjoys the chemistry the current Hilltops have had and is pumped to be part of the team’s current post-season run.

“It is awesome,” said Stevens, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 275 pounds. “I couldn’t have asked for a better group of guys and a better group of coaches there to do this with.

“It just kind of happens. We just come together, and it just feels great. That is all I can really way about it.”

Stevens isn’t the first player the Hilltops have found at the Eaton School Spartans program in Eatonia that has come to the venerable CJFL squad and found success. 

Defensive back Cam Cooke and running back Chad Nunweiler are a couple of notable standouts that came from the Spartans to the Hilltops and helped the stories Saskatoon club win three straight CJFL titles in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Johnathon Stevens, left, takes down a Winnipeg Rifles RB.

When it came time to decide where he was going to play football after high school, Stevens said he knew about the history Cooke and Nunweiler had with the Hilltops. Stevens added his main reason to play for the ’Toppers was a simple one.

“They were close to home,” said Stevens. “That was really it.

“They were the closest place I could quickly come back to Eatonia if I ever needed to feel at home again. That was the main reason why I came to Saskatoon.”

On top of that, Stevens has a sizeable contingent of family and friend drive out from Eatonia to Saskatoon to see his home games. Eatonia is about a two-and-a-half hour drive southwest of Saskatoon.

Stevens has found a home with the Hilltops. He has enjoyed learning the 12-man game and making the adjustments from playing the six-man game.

“It is a very different game there,” said Stevens. “Six-man it is very athletic game.

“When you face O-linemen there, they’re not usually as big as the 12-man guys. I’d say the biggest change is just getting used to stopping the run, because in six-man it was throw, throw, throw and then the occasional run. Just getting physical was probably the biggest change coming here.”

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant has enjoyed coaching Stevens since he came to the storied CJFL team. The sideline boss said the young defensive tackle, who will turn 20-years-old in late December, has grown into an all-star level player.

Johnathon Stevens won a high school 6-man title in Eatonia.

“John coming out of Eatonia has just been exceptional,” said Sargeant. “To see his growth and development from day one when he walked in here until now as a third year player as an all-star, he has just been a great run stopper.

“He has really added a pass rush game. He is just with it. He can sniff out plays.

“He’s that D-lineman that can read the screens, and that is how he has ended up with a couple of interceptions. He is just always around the ball and is always playing with such a positive attitude and great energy. He is just a great guy to coach.”

Sargeant was the Hilltops head coach when Cooke and Nunweiler played for the team. The long time coach has always been impressed with how athletic the players are that come in from the 6-man teams in the small Saskatchewan towns.

“Six and nine man players are good football players,” said Sargeant. “John had to play O-line and D-line.

“You have to play in a lot of space, and you see it here. He is just natural there, very athletic for his frame. He just has a lot of love to play the game.

“We’re so happy to have John on our team. A third year guy, he has a bright future ahead too. We believe he can be more impactful than he is right now.”

At the moment, Stevens is locked into the present. As the Hilltops are just two wins away from a CJFL title, Stevens wants his team to finish off the campaign by winning it all.

Johnathon Stevens (#57 blue) is pictured with the Hilltops D-linemen.

Be it back in 6-man with Spartans or the CJFL with the Hilltops, Stevens said the post-season has a do or die feel to it. He wants to see what the feeling would be like to go all the way with the Hilltops in the CJFL.

“We’d obviously love to finish the year with a win and go undefeated,” said Stevens. “That would be awesome.

“It is always the end goal. When you want to play football, you always want to win, because if you don’t, you’re not in the right sport.”

Davidsen, Wist take player of the week nods

Boston Davidsen was named a PFC’s offensive player of the week.

Boston Davidsen and Matthew Wist had monster games in the PFC final for the Saskatoon Hilltops resulting in PFC player of the week honours.

On Wednesday, Davidsen was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week, while Wist was tabbed as the PFC’s defensive player of the week. The nods came from the work both players put in during the Hilltops 21-13 PFC final win over the visiting Regina Thunder this past Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

In that contest, Davidsen, who is the Hilltops star power running back, carried the ball 21 times for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He also hauled in one pass for two yards.

Wist, who is the Hilltops star middle linebacker, recorded nine solo defensive tackles and eight defensive tackle assists in that victory.

Thunder defensive back Tristan Bergquist claimed honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week for his work in kick coverage in his team’s loss in the PFC final. He collected three special teams solo tackles in that contest.

Rebels and Sun go at it for BCFC title

Te Jessie in a CJFL promo graphic.

The class of the British Columbia Football Conference will battle for the conference championship and the right to host the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl.

The Westshore Rebels topped the BCFC regular season standings with a 10-0 record and are 11-0 overall. The Okanagan Sun, who are the defending CJFL champions, finished second in the BCFC regular season standings with an 8-1 mark and are 9-1 overall.

Those two clubs will battle for the Cullen Cup to become BCFC champions when the Rebels host the Sun on Saturday at Starlight Stadium in Langford, which is a suburb of Victoria, B.C., at 3 p.m. local time. The winner will host the CJFL championship game on Saturday, November 11 against the winner of the CJFL semifinal between the PFC champion Saskatoon Hilltops and OFC champion St. Clair Saints.

The CJFL semifinal between the Hilltops and the visiting Saints is set for Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field at 1 p.m. local time. Both squads enter that contest with 10-0 overall records.

The Rebels and Sun met back on August 26 at Starlight Stadium, where the Rebels romped to a 52-23 victory. The Sun entered that contest having battled disruptions to their schedule the previous two weeks due to forest fires near their home centre of Kelowna, B.C.

Rebels quarterback Te Jessie had an outstanding regular season completing 150-of-212 passes for 2,453 yards and 41 touchdowns, while throwing seven interceptions. Jessie had a quarterback rating of 135.1, and his 41 touchdown passes are a new record for CJFL regular season play.

A graduate of the St. Paul’s High School Crusaders Football Team in Winnipeg, Man., Jessie topped the CJFL’s annual Top 50 players to watch list heading into the 2023 campaign.

Running back Aidan Wiberg was the Sun’s top offensive player. During the regular season, Wiberg carried the ball 114 times for 836 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught eight passes for 78 yards.

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Hilltops set for new look Rifles in first road outing

Winnipeg goes away from air heavy attack used in 2022

The Hilltops defence put the clamps on the Wildcats.

The Winnipeg air show has turned into the ground and pound game.

When the Saskatoon Hilltops take the field against the Winnipeg Rifles, they will see a much different Manitoba-based squad on the offensive side of the ball from a year ago, if statistics from the first week of the CJFL’s regular season action in the PFC is any indication. The two squads, who won their respective regular season openers, go at it on Sunday at East Side Eagles Field in Winnipeg at 1 p.m. local time.

The Hilltops opened their regular season schedule this past Sunday hammering the Edmonton Wildcats 50-2 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Rifles traveled to Edmonton this past Sunday, and they grinded out a 20-15 victory over the host Huskies at the Jasper Place Bowl.

In 2022, the Rifles posted a 4-4 regular season record relying on the arm of starting quarterback Bryson McNeil. During the regular season, McNeil finished second in the PFC with 2,269 passing yards but was injured in his club’s final regular season contest and unavailable for their PFC semifinal loss to the Thunder in Regina. McNeil exhausted his CJFL eligibility with the conclusion of the 2022 campaign.

When the Rifles downed the Huskies this past Sunday, they ran the ball 40 times and threw it 24 times. The Rifles piled up 177 yards rushing and 164 yards passing. Running back Kaiden Banfield led the way carrying the ball 30 times for 151 yards.

Ben Marce runs back a fumble recovery for the Hilltops.

Rifles quarterback Thomas Hubbard, who is in his fourth year of CJFL eligibility, completed 16-of-24 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception.

“They definitely flipped the script from last year,” said Hilltops star middle linebacker Matthew Wist. “They were definitely a pass first team when they played against us (in 2022).

“This year by the looks of it they are going to like to run the ball more. We’ll get prepared with that for this week. We’ll just keep our heads down and keep moving forward.”

In 2022, the Hilltops downed the Rifles 19-10 on August 14 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, and the Rifles claimed a 19-16 triumph on August 28 at East Side Eagles Field. It is believed that victory by the Rifles marked the first time they had beaten the Hilltops since 2005.

The Hilltops had a solid day on defence this past Sunday against the Wildcats. They held the Wildcats to 155 yards rushing and 96 yards passing as a team.

Saskatoon’s defence had a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery. The Wildcats two points game courtesy a conceded safety by the Hilltops offence after a bad shotgun snap.

Tom Sargeant, who is the Hilltops legendary head coach, believes his team has good read on what their Winnipeg foes will be like in 2023.

Justin Adamko drops into coverage for the Hilltops.

“At the end of the day, they are going to run and play act (action pass),” said Sargeant. “Hey, I think that plays into our strengths.

“With the personnel we have and the talent we have, I think we’re very good at run defending. Hey, some of our pass defence film we sent out shows that boy you don’t want to throw the ball in certain areas, because boy, our guys are playing physical right now.”

The trip to Winnipeg is the Hilltops longest in conference road jaunt usually requiring about a 10-hour bus ride. Wist said the road journey to Winnipeg is always a learning experience for the club’s younger players.

“For those younger guys, it is always a nice eye-opener,” said Wist. “We have some fun on the trip too, so it is good just to get some team bonding in.

“It is also a business trip, so we have to keep our heads on our shoulders and know what our task is at hand.”

Like previous years, the Hilltops travel the day before the game and will depart for the Manitoba capital early Saturday morning. As has become a tradition, the Hilltops will stop in Moosomin to hold a walk-thru practice.

“It is nice little break,” said Wist. “We get off the bus and get loosened up.

The Hilltops aim to continue their inspired play on Sunday.

“We have a nice little quick walk thru – a little bit of fun. Then we go get some lunch, and then we are back on the road to Winnipeg.”

With both the Hilltops and Rifles having 1-0 records, their head-to-head encounter this coming Sunday is a big game in the early part of the schedule. While the Hilltops usually come out on the winning side in their trips to Winnipeg, Sargeant admitted his squad always seems to end up in a tough battle in the Manitoba capital.

“For whatever the reason, we don’t get off that bus in Winnipeg and play good football,” said Sargeant. “They keep talking about how that is a legacy win for them last year, so we have to own that.

“We have to build on some of the great things we saw (against the Wildcats). I have to take a hungry team. I have to get them refocused and redirected on the task at hand and performing and coming out and playing better.”

Hilltops’ Reider named a PFC player of the week, other notes

Trey Reider is the offensive player of the week for the PFC.

A big opening day earned Saskatoon Hilltops starting quarterback Trey Reider a PFC weekly award.

On Wednesday, Reider was named the offensive player of the week for the PFC for his performance in the Hilltops 50-2 victory over the Edmonton Wildcats at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. In that contest, Reider completed 20-of-25 passes for 294 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Reider became the Hilltops starting quarterback in their sixth regular season contest in 2022. During regular season action in 2022, Reider completed 63-of-95 passes for 756 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing three interceptions. The graduate of the St. Joseph High School Guardians Football Team is playing out his fourth year of CJFL eligibility.

Calgary Colts linebacker Andrew McKay was the PFC’s defensive player of the week. McKay had five solo defensive tackles, five defensive tackle assists and one quarterback sack as the Colts fell 36-20 this past Sunday to the visiting Regina Thunder at Hellard Field in Calgary.

Winnipeg Rifles kick returner Roy Tambal Musa captured honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week. In the Rifles 20-15 victory this past Sunday over the host Huskies at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton, Tambal Musa returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. He also returned four punts for 34 yards.

• When the Hilltops down the Wildcats 50-2 this past Sunday, it marked the second time Saskatoon scored 50 or more points in a game since the start of the 2021 campaign. The other time the Hilltops scored 50 or more points in that span of time came on October 16, 2022, when they dumped the host Wildcats 64-7 at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta.
• After one week of regular season play, Hilltops receiver Drake Douglas leads the PFC in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (171).
• Regina Thunder third year star running back Ryland Leichart started the 2023 campaign on a hot note. In the Thunder’s 36-20 victory over the host Colts at Hellard Field in Calgary, Leichart carried the ball 21 times for 171 yards and one touchdown. He also had a 19-yard touchdown catch in the victory.
• On August 9, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a piece on Savannah Sutherland, who won the 400-metre women’s hurdle championship at the NCAA Track and Field Championships held this past June at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. That win concluded Sutherland’s second season with the University of Michigan Wolverines Women’s Track and Field Team. The Borden, Sask., product has huge potential to compete in a future Summer Olympic Games. The piece on Sutherland can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that mainly focuses on the post-season chase on the diamonds heating up at the Complex. That post can be found by clicking right here.

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

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