Taylor cemented in Hilltops lore with Canadian Bowl pick

Zaden Taylor is a team captain for the Hilltops.

Zaden Taylor already has a moment that ensures he will forever be part of the Saskatoon Hilltops storied lore.

During last year’s CJFL Championship Game played on November 9 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Hilltops kicker Ryden Gratton booted a 37-yard field goal with 28.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to put the host Saskatoon side up 21-18 over the Okanagan Sun. On the ensuing Sun drive, Taylor, who has built a playmaking reputation at outside linebacker, intercepted Sun quarterback Liam Kroeger to seal the 21-18 victory for the Hilltops and allow them to raise the Canadian Bowl winning their 24^th CJFL title.

“I just remember getting swarmed by my teammates and that amazing feeling,” said Taylor. “To have something that incredible happen and a memory like that happen and get to celebrate with my teammates literally right beside me as it happened, it was pretty surreal.

“It is hard not to overplay it in my head.”

When the Sun got the ball at that point in the game, they needed to gain yards in chunks in order to get in range for a game tying field goal. Taylor remembers things were happening at a frantic pace on the play when the opportunity presented itself for him to make his interception that closed out victory.

“That one I believe it was more of a broken play, because I remember covering into the like hook/curl a little deeper,” said Taylor, who stands 6-feet and weighs 215 pounds. “I remember feeling the receiver that was trying to like hook around me was completely covered.

“I saw it was their main receiver. He kind of cut on it. It looked to be like he was either coming from an out or he skied across the field, and I saw (Liam) Kroeger’s eyes just all over him.

“I just break on the ball and try to make a play on it.”

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant has seen many team members over the decades make countless big plays dating back to when he first joined the club as a receiver way back in 1983. With Taylor’s game-clinching interception occurring right in front of the Hilltops bench, Sargeant said that moment was forever burned into his memory.

“It sealed the victory to our 24^th national championship,” said Sargeant, who has guided the Hilltops to 15 CJFL title wins as head coach to go along with two victories as a assistant coach and his first coming in 1985 as a player. “I’ll never forget that moment when he made that play and ran over and gave me the football.

“Right then and there, we knew we were taking these to celebrate a great team victory. Zaden’s been a kid that since he walked in on the first day he has been very important to us. He started as a defensive back, and then because of his football IQ and his playmaking ability and toughness, we moved him to linebacker to the “sam” position.

“He has been patrolling that greatly for the last couple of years and done a tremendous job. He is a team captain now, and as I said, he is very important to our defensive success and team success.”

Taylor joined the Hilltops for their 12-0 CJFL championship season in 2023 from the Delisle Composite High School Rebels nine-a-side football program. At that time, he was the rookie looking to capitalize on every repetition that came his way.

Zaden Taylor unloads a big hit on a Regina Thunder receiver last season.

This season, Taylor is now a grizzled fourth-year veteran and a defensive captain. The 21-year-old is living the days he envisioned getting here when he was a rookie.

“It is pretty cool to be on the other end of it,” said Taylor, who had 25 total tackles, one quarterback sack and four pass knockdowns in the Hilltops eight regular season games in 2025. “I remember as a rookie watching those older guys play hoping I’d be there one day.

“Now that I’m here, it is as cool as I thought it would be. To start for a team as prestigious as the Hilltops is pretty surreal, and it is awesome.”

Taylor’s football journey began when he was a youngster playing in Saskatoon Minor Football’s flag program, when his family lived in Saskatoon. He got a taste of tackle football playing in the Kinsmen Football League.

By the time Taylor entered high school, his family had moved out to Asquith, which is a town located about 55 kilometres straight west of Saskatoon. While going to Lord Asquith School, Taylor was allowed to play with the Rebels due to the fact his school didn’t have a tackle football program.

As a result, Taylor was traveling by car 30 minutes from Asquith to Delisle almost daily for football practices and games during the high school season. During his high school days, Taylor said he found at that time he really enjoyed the physicality of the game.

“I played hockey a lot as a kid, and I was always a big physical player,” said Taylor, who played linebacker and a little bit of running back for the Rebels. “Football kind of brings more physicality into a sport.

“I just kind of enjoyed it from there. Hitting heads is fun.”

The Rebels have built their own strong history having four provincial titles starting in 2002. With that squad, Taylor gained an experience of football being family.

“The camaraderie of that team is really fun,” said Taylor. “You get to know the guys a lot, because we did a lot of summer practices together – just like captains-led practices and all that.

“It was a winning culture out there. There was a lot of winning to do out there and a lot of fun to have after the wins.”

When his high school days concluded, Taylor’s former Rebels teammate in current Hilltops star running back Corbin Ebben just finished his first season with the venerable CJFL club. Taylor’s then current Rebels teammate in offensive lineman Tobin Kirkness was going to Hilltops winter workouts, so defensive standout decided to give that experience a chance.

Zaden Taylor has built a playmaking reputation at outside linebacker.

“I had nothing else going on after high school,” said Taylor, who was teammates with Kirkness on the Hilltops in 2023 and 2024. “I said, “Why not, and I’ll give it a try.”

“It turns out I really enjoyed it even further being around guys that were around my skill level to way better than me. It was a lot of fun to learn from those guys.”

When Taylor joined the Hilltops, Sargeant said it was noticeable how much the Rebels grad was improving each week, each month and ultimately each year. The Hilltops coaches were devising ways to get Taylor more involved on the defensive side of the game.

“He (Taylor) has got great instincts,” said Sargeant. “Sometimes, we put him on a blitz opportunity to impact the game.

“He is one of those playmakers that knows how to get to the ball, and when he gets there, he does something real productive. He is a high-end player, and we’re very fortunate that he is a big part of our success game in and game out.”

Now that Taylor is in his fourth year, Sargeant said the coaches are looking forward to how the skilled linebacker will run with the role of being a team leader.

“Well number one, we’re here to defend a national championship,” said Sargeant. “We’re here to get the 25^th national championship for our tradition, for our fifth-year players and for the city of Saskatoon.

“We’re embracing everything that comes our way. We know it is not going to be easy. We know the spotlight is on us, so we’ve got to take it on.

“I need my best players, my leaders, people like Zaden, players like Zaden, they’ve got to be the best players and the best leaders. If we do that, then we’ve got a chance to be playing in the biggest, best games, and that is what it is all about.”

Taylor said a big turning point last season came when the Hilltops fell in their regular season opener 31-11 to the Rifles in Winnipeg on August 10, 2025 at Maple Grove Rugby Park. He said the veterans led by example from that point onwards to winning the CJFL title.

“It was a tough start to the season,” said Taylor. “We lose to Winnipeg.

“We had I think our third string quarterback in at the time. We didn’t know what was going to happen going into that game, but I do believe we were overconfident in it anyway. From there, the coaches really got on us, and I think that was the biggest momentum changer.

“When you see all the older guys working as hard as they are after a loss like that, it just motivates the entire team to get better, and that is just exactly what happened.”

Taylor said he wants to carry on what he learned from his former veteran teammates who have graduated from the historic squad. When his Hilltops days wrap up, Taylor would like to continue playing the sport, but for now, he wants to fully live in the moment playing for the blue and gold.

Zaden Taylor (#8) enjoys getting a sack last season.

“If an opportunity arises after my fifth year, I’d definitely give it a lot of consideration,” said Taylor. “For right now, the focus is finishing my years off here with the Hilltops and hopefully getting two more championships.”

This piece first appeared in the Saskatoon Hilltops game program on August 23, 2026.

Adamko brothers soak in CJFL title win with Hilltops

Ryan Adamko (#65) and Scott Adamko (#35) are pictured in a great moment.  

SASKATOON, Sask. – The reality was better than the dream for brothers Ryan and Scott Adamko when it came to winning the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl.

On Sunday, the Adamko brothers suited up to play on the defensive line for the storied Saskatoon Hilltops as they battled the Okanagan Sun for the CJFL title at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Sun star quarterback Liam Kroeger ran home an 18-yard touchdown with 1:33 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 18-18.

On the ensuing series, Hilltops kicker Ryden Gratton booted a 37-yard field goal with 28.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to put the host side up 21-18. The Sun’s last ditch effort to even the score or go ahead was ended on an interception by Hilltops strong side linebacker Zaden Taylor that cemented the 21-18 score as the final outcome in favour of Saskatoon.

The Hilltops completed the 2025 campaign with a 9-2 overall record, while the Canadian Bowl was the only loss for the Sun in posting a 13-1 overall mark. The win was the Hilltops 24^th CJFL title in team history, and it was a perfect cap for Ryan as his CJFL eligibility came to an end at the conclusion of the Canadian Bowl.

This story of mine appeared in the Prince Albert Daily Herald. To read the full article, feel free to click right here.

Instant classic – Hilltops edge Sun 21-18, take Canadian Bowl

Saskatoon wins 24^th CJFL championship in team history

The Hilltops raise the Canadian Bowl as champions of the CJFL.

It was an instant classic that showcased the grit of the 2025 edition of the Saskatoon Hilltops.

On Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltop battled an extremely tough Okanagan Sun squad from Kelowna, B.C., in the CJFL Championship Game – the Canadian Bowl. With the Hilltops holding an 18-11 lead, Sun star quarterback Liam Kroeger ran home a touchdown from 18 yards out to even the score at 18-18 with 1:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. Kroeger’s touchdown jaunt capped an impressive 108-yard scoring drive by the Okanagan side.

The Hilltops didn’t back down. They got a solid return on the ensuing kickoff from fourth-year star running back Charles Sawi. Fifth-year star running back David Collins picked up some hard yards running up the middle.

The Hilltops graduating players are pictured with the Canadian Bowl.

After a quick mid-length drive, the Hilltops found themselves in range for a 37 yard field goal. Fourth-year kicker Ryden Gratton nailed the boot with 28.6 seconds remaining on the clock.

On the ensuing Sun drive, third-year strong side linebacker Zaden Taylor intercepted Kroeger to seal the 21-18 victory for Saskatoon before 1,903 spectators. The win gives the Hilltops their 24^th CJFL title in team history.

“It feels outstanding,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, whose team finished with a 9-2 overall record. “You know what?

Charles Sawi, left, and Johnathon Stevens enjoy Sunday’s win.

“This has been us all year. Nothing was easy, and look how battle tested we were at the end. Everyone stayed together, played together (and there was) a lot of trust.

“The coaches coached it hard. There were two great teams on the field today, great representation for the CJFL, but at the end of the day, the Hilltop tradition shines through again today.”

The Hilltops and Sun have met a total of four times in the CJFL final with the Hilltops claiming victory in three of those encounters

Sunday’s setback was the only loss for a strong BCFC champion Sun squad that finished with a 13-1 overall mark. Okanagan was rated second in the final CJFL Top 10 Power Rankings released on October 10. The Hilltops were rated fourth in those same rankings.

Liam Kroeger runs in an equalizing TD for the Sun.

The PFC champion Hilltops received big performances from three of their best players allowing the Saskatoon side to sweep all three player of the game awards. Graduating star running back David Collins was the offensive player of the game running the ball 26 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns. He also had one catch for six yards.

Fourth-year star running back Charles Sawi took special teams player of the game honours. He returned six punts for 47 yards, one kickoff for 19 yards and one missed field goal for 20 yards.

Hilltops graduating star middle linebacker Isaac Michayluk was given the nod as the defensive player of the game recording nine solo defensive tackles and two defensive tackle assists.

David Collins picks up big yards to set up the Hilltops winning field goal.

For Collins who came up from St. Michael, Minn., to join the Hilltops, his one and only season with the storied and historic club will be something he takes with him for the rest of his life. He was elated to cap the campaign off with a CJFL title win.

“It feels amazing,” said Collins. “I’ve never been on this side of things.

“For me to actually be on the winning side of things, it feels like an honour to be a Hilltop. This will probably be something I tell my great grandkids about when I grow up. Coming to Canada for a year with little to no expectations and leaving with a national championship, it just feels amazing.”

Ryden Gratton boots a 37-yard winning field goal for the Hilltops.

The Sun had some big gamers too. Kroeger completed 26-of-44 passes for 296 yards, and he ran the ball six times for 54 yards and his major score. He did have two interceptions, and both those picks came in the fourth quarter due to big plays by the Hilltops.

Early in the fourth quarter, Kroeger was intercepted by Hilltops defensive end Huntur Johnson on the Saskatoon 10 yard line. Johnson jumped up at the line of scrimmage and batted the ball into his own hands, and he made a 20-yard return after that defensive snag. That interception preserved the Hilltops 18-11 advantage at that time.

The Hilltops faithful cheer on their team at SMF Field.

Of course, Taylor had the second interception sealing the win for the host side in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter.

Skilled Sun receiver Vincent Chuoi had five catches for a game high 86 yards. Star Sun running back Gerren Hardisty carried the ball 17 times for 71 yards.

Sun linebacker Phil Palmarin and defensive back Tariq Brown each had a team high six total tackles. Okanagan defensive back Riley Easton came down with one interception.

Vincent Chuoi (#7) caught five passes for 86 yards for the Sun.

Michayluk said the Sun gave his Hilltops side a lot to handle.

“They won the B.C. league for a good reason,” said Michayluk. “They are a really good team.

“They are physical. They have lots of athletes. They have a very balanced attack.

“Their defence is stellar. (We have) a lot of respect for Okanagan there. They put up a big challenge.”

Early in the first quarter, the Sun had the first chance to go ahead on the scoreboard, but star kicker Liam Atwood missed on a 40-yard field goal attempt that was run out of the end zone by Sawi. Late in the first quarter, the Sun conceded a safety and the Hilltops a short time later also conceded a safety causing the two squads to exit the opening 15 minutes locked in a 2-2 tie. The safeties were given up due to bad field position.

The Hilltop Cheer Team hits their finishing pose at halftime.

The Hilltops started the contest with fifth-year signal caller Brexton Elias at quarterback, and he completed 2-of-3 passes for 25 yards. 

Late in the first quarter, the Hilltops elected to go with fourth-year quarterback and former University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team reserve quarterback Griffin Sander for most of the rest of the contest. 

Sander completed 11-of-18 passes for 104 yards, while throwing one interception.

Isaac Michayluk had nine solo defensive tackles for the Hilltops.

In the second quarter, the Hilltops surged ahead 16-2 with Collins running in major scores from seven and 23 yards out respectively. He credited the Hilltops always formidable offensive line for allowing him to get the big scoring runs in the second quarter.

“The O-line was doing great,” said Collins. “I was able to pick my holes and just finish through from there.

“I kept the ball secured high and tight and just did the rest with my feet.”

Before the second quarter ended, the Hilltops would concede another safety due to bad field position trimming their advantage to 16-4 heading into halftime.

Gerren Hardisty ran the ball 17 times for 71 yards for the Sun.

The Sun offence caught fire after getting the ball for the opening drive of the third quarter. The visitors drove down to the Hilltops one yard line. 

At that point, Okanagan short-yardage quarterback Marcus Christos dove in for a one-yard major score to cut Saskatoon’s lead to 16-11.

With 3:58 remaining in the third quarter, the Sun had to concede their second safety of the contest due to bad field position to push the Hilltops lead out to 18-11. 

That set the stage for the dramatics in the fourth quarter.

Hilltops defensive tackles and brothers Scott and Ryan Adamko said they both felt an adrenaline rush when Taylor made his interception in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to cement the win.

Charles Sawi had 86 total return yards on special teams.

“I still can’t believe it to be honest,” said Scott, who is in his second year with the Hilltops. “That is just such a huge play at the time.”

“That is just when the switch flipped and the realization hit,” said Ryan, who played the final game of his CJFL eligibility on Sunday. “This is it.

“We did it.”

Michayluk got to cherish the fact he graduates from the Hilltops with a second CJFL championship having helped the venerable squad with the Canadian Bowl in 2023 with a 12-0 record.

“I’m kind of speechless,” said Michayluk. “Not many people get to play the Canadian Bowl on home turf, so that is super special.

The Hilltops being celebrating their CJFL championship win.

“It is fantastic to go out with a “Ship.” That is awesome, glory to God.”

With Sunday’s win, Sargeant enjoyed his 18^th CJFL championship with the Hilltops. Sargeant has won 15 of those titles as a head coach, two as an assistant coach and his first came as a receiver in 1985.

He felt Sunday’s Canadian Bowl mirrored the regular season for his team. He enjoyed how his players in 2025 rose to the occasion to persevere like they did, which allowed the club to win a 24^th CJFL title.

“There are so many plays,” said Sargeant. “You never know which one it is going to be and when it is going to be.

The Hilltops enjoy the spoils of a 24th CJFL title victory.

“As I said, this team just all year just had a great belief and a will power, and they always just found ways. I couldn’t be more proud of them and the coaching staff and the organization. Son of a gun, our 24^th national championship.

“That is pretty good.”

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Hilltops best Colts and weather, finish second in PFC

Collins surpasses 1,000 yards rushing in regular season finale

Ryan Adamko (#65) looks for a play call in snowy conditions.

Would you like rain gear or snowshoes?

That seemed to be the question facing both the Saskatoon Hilltops and Calgary Colts as they closed their respective CJFL regular season schedules playing each other on Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. As far as the natural elements went, it rained through the entire first half and turned into snow early in the third quarter.

The snow continued to fall through to the end of the contest. Throughout the game, sporadic winds would come into play creating another challenge for both clubs.

When the fourth quarter came to an end, the Hilltops claimed a 31-6 victory. With the win, the Hilltops improve to 6-2 and finish second in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference.

David Collins, left, walks to the field with his mom Sadia VaPond.

“You know what, (it was) a little sloppy today,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “We were matching the conditions at times.”

The loss was a fourth straight one for the Colts eliminating them from CJFL post-season contention as they finish with a 2-6 mark. They conclude having an identical record with the Edmonton Wildcats.

The Wildcats and Colts split their two head-to-head regular season meetings, but the Wildcats finish fifth in the PFC due to outscoring the Colts 50-38 in those two contests. That caused Calgary to settle out in the basement of the conference.

David Collins reaches the end zone after a 65-yard TD run.

The Wildcats were eliminated from CJFL post-season contention on Sunday when they traveled to Regina and were wiped out by the host Thunder 56-3 at Leibel Field. The Thunder finished first in the PFC with a 7-1 mark.

In the clash between the Hilltops and Colts, those on both sides will probably remember the havoc the weather played on the afternoon’s festivities, which saw the Hilltops honour their graduating players pre-game. Saskatoon’s graduating players made a walk to the field with their parents, and that walk has been a Hilltops tradition for decades.

Both the Hilltops and Colts combined for 16 turnovers. The Colts turned the ball over 10 times including twice on interceptions, four times via fumbles and four times on downs. The Hilltops gave the ball away six times including once by an interception, three times via fumbles and twice on downs.

David Collins finished the regular season with 1,028 yards rushing.

The teams were playing competitively and with fairly decent intensity until the 3:53 mark of the third quarter. With the Hilltops holding a 21-0 lead, one of the Colts players got injured on the field of play. The teams had to go through a wait of about 30 minutes before an ambulance arrived to tend to the injured Colts player.

The Colts and the officials returned to the dressing room, while the Hilltops remained on the field and went through some exercises to remain warm. When it was time to resume play, the Colts went through a short warm up when they came out of their dressing room.

After the action resumed, the competitive play for both sides took a drop. By the time play got going again, the rain turned to snow and the intensity drop persisted through to the end of the contest.

Ryan Adamko (#65) celebrates recovering a fumble.

“It is definitely one for the books,” said Hilltops fifth-year defensive tackle Ryan Adamko. “At that break (where the injured Colts player was tended to), we just tried to keep ourselves warm out here moving.

“We were keeping our boys trying to not lock up. I am happy with the way it ended, but now, we have to look forward and get ready for next week.”

The Hilltops came out of the gates on fire. Just 1:54 into the first quarter, star running back David Collins broke off a 65-yard touchdown run to give the host side a 7-0 lead.

A short time later, Collins surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the season marking the 11-time in team history a Hilltops player has hit the 1,000-yard barrier for rushing in one regular season. After getting past 1,000 yards rushing, Collins ran in a major score from three yards out at the 10:25 mark of the first quarter to push the Hilltops advantage out to 14-0.

Charles Sawi (#18) ran the ball nine times for 51 yards and two TDs.

On the day, Collins ran the ball 12 times for 119 yards to go with his two major scores. On the season, the St. Michael, Minnesota, product carried the ball 126 times for 1,028 yards and 13 touchdowns.

“It is nice to see D.C., David Collins, get that thousand yards,” said Sargeant. “You know, we blocked well, and you know, it wasn’t a good day for throwing.

“Defence was on point and played real well. Special teams were a little loose. We just seemed to be struggling a little bit.

“At the end of the day, we’re 6-2. We know we’re in second place, and we’ve got work to do.”

Some of the Hilltops hearty supporters watch their team.

Just past the midway point of the second quarter, fourth-year star running back Charles Sawi ran home a touchdown from two yards out to give the Hilltops a 21-0 lead heading into halftime.

After the injury stoppage early in the third quarter, the Hilltops increased their lead to 24-0 on the final play of that frame thanks to a 22-yard field goal from place kicker Ryden Gratton. Saskatoon’s field goal special teams unit struggled in the adverse conditions as Gratton made 1-of-4 field goal attempts in the contest.

Members of the Hilltop Cheerleaders battle the elements.

At the 3:31 mark of the fourth quarter, Sawi ran home a major score from five yards out to make the Hilltops advantage stand at 30-0 after a one-point conversion try was unsuccessful. On the ensuing play, Gratton scored a rouge off an 85-yard kickoff to make Saskatoon’s lead sit at 31-0.

It appeared the Hilltops were going to hold on to the shutout, but that changed late in the fourth quarter. At that point, Colts middle linebacker Davin Bajema intercepted Hilltops back-up quarterback Charlie Molder and returned the ball 50 yards deep into the Saskatoon end.

Colts reserve quarterback Jan Djoumessi concluded a short drive with a three-yard touchdown run with 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. Calgary wasn’t able to add a two-point convert causing the 31-6 score in favour of the Hilltops to settle out as the final outcome of the contest.

Colts QB Noah Makkreel (#13) is taken down by the Hilltops defence.

While the Colts got the late score to break up the shutout bid, Adamko was pleased with how things went defensively for his team.

“Defence, it seemed like all the boys were clicking,” said Adamko, who had one solo defensive tackle, two defensive tackle assists and one fumble recovery in the win. “Everyone knew what they were doing, and we all just did our jobs.

“It all worked out in our favour.”

Hilltops starting quarterback Brexton Elias completed 3-of-9 passes for 18 yards before being pulled at halftime as the Saskatoon coaches elected to get everyone on their roster into the game. Colts starter Noah Makkreel completed 9-of-16 passes for 87 yards before being pulled.

Colton Zimmer makes a special team tackle for the Hilltops.

Sawi ran the ball nine times for 51 yards including his two rushing majors.

The Hilltops had 235 yards rushing and 53 yards passing as a team, while the Colts had 64 yards rushing and 89 yards passing.

Rudolph Osborne topped the Hilltops with 5.5 total tackles to go with one pass knockdown. Defensive end Anthony Roepe had one quarterback sack for Hilltops.

Cornerback Aiden Rosa and middle linebacker Maddox Huynh each had one interception for Saskatoon. Long snapper Colton Zimmer and defensive ends Huntur Johnson and Noah Chelson each had one fumble recovery for the ’Toppers.

The Hilltops huddle up as the snow falls.

Colts middle linebacker Sean Gunnip led his club with nine total tackles to go with one quarterback sack and one fumble recovery. Defensive end Jordan Southern also had a fumble recovery for Calgary.

With the regular season now in the rearview mirror, Adamko is looking towards going on his final post-season run with the storied and historic Hilltops.

“It is surreal to think five years have already been gone by,” said Adamko. “I am excited to go through it and keep on playing.”

Also on Sunday at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton, the visiting Winnipeg Rifles trailed the host Huskies 11-0 after the first quarter, but roared to a 47-11 victory. The win was a second straight one for the Rifles, who finished third in the PFC with a 4-4 mark. Huskies finish fourth in the PFC with a 3-5 record.

Hilltops QB Griffin Sander eludes a Colts tackler.

The Hilltops will host the Rifles in one PFC semifinal set for this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at SMF Field. The Thunder host the Huskies in the other PFC semifinal set for this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field.

Way back on August 10, the Hilltops and Rifles opened their respective regular season schedules playing each other in Winnipeg, and the host Rifles claimed a 31-11 win. They met again on August 24 at SMF Field, and the Hilltops romped to a 42-15 victory.

“They showed us what we were about early in the year, and that loss was something that moved us forward,” said Sargeant. “I think ultimately in the long run we played well in the second game.

Hilltops players keep warm on their bench area on Sunday.

“Now, it is sort of let’s rally up, and hey, game three. Let’s see what happens.”

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Hilltops get redemption in romp over Rifles at SMF Field

Saskatoon storms over Winnipeg 42-15

Charles Sawi (#18) celebrates his second of three TDs for the Hilltops.

The Saskatoon Hilltops turned their regular season opener into a distant memory.

In that contest played on August 10 at Maple Grove Rugby Park in Winnipeg, the host Rifles thumped the visiting Hilltops 31-11. That encounter was the first CJFL regular season contest of the 2025 campaign for both clubs.

On Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, those same squads met once again, and the result on the field was vastly different. The Hilltops stormed out to a 25-0 lead at halftime and rolled to a 42-15 victory.

With that result in the books, both teams sit with identical 2-1 records on the campaign. The Hilltops also hold the standings tiebreaker between the two sides claiming a 53-46 advantage in total points scored in the head-to-head matchups between the two sides.

David Collins ran the ball 33 times for 262 yards and two TDs.

“That was obviously in the plan,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “That is what we talked about, and they came out and executed.

“We didn’t play great, but boy, we played hard. That is a good football team on the other side, but son of a gun, the kids were on point. The coaches did a great job all week, and hey, we showed great strides from last week to this week.

“This was a great team win, and we needed it.”

How both teams played over their respective first two games was reflected in the CJFL Power Rankings that were released on Thursday. In those rankings, the Rifles were rated fifth, while the Hilltops were placed seventh.

Jace Mowles makes his second of two interceptions on Sunday.

In the Hilltops convincing win on Sunday, they relied on their veteran players. David Collins, who is a 22-year-old running back playing his first season with the Hilltops, had a monster game carrying the ball 33 times for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Collins came to the Hilltops having last played for the Central Lakes College Raiders in Brainerd, Minn., in the 2023 campaign.

Long-time explosive playmaking running back Charles Sawi, who is in his fourth season with the team, collected a staggering 368 all-purpose yards. Sawi ran the ball seven times for 93 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 88 yards.

On special teams, he returned eight punts for 99 yards and two kickoffs for 67 yards. Sawi also ran back a missed field goal for 21 yards.

Charles Sawi had 340 all-purpose yards for the Hilltops.

On defence, Hilltops fifth-year star defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens recorded two sacks and two defensive tackles. Fifth-year cornerback Jace Mowles hauled in a pair of interceptions, knocked down three passes and made one solo defensive tackle. Fifth-year defensive tackle Nahom Menghestab, who frequently takes on double team blocks, had two-and-a-half total tackles and one quarterback sack.

With the Hilltops set to go in a bye week following Sunday’s game, Sawi said his team had to head into the break on a high note.

“We had to take the moment,” said Sawi. “We had to go into the bye week with a win.

“We really wanted to find out where we are as a team, and as of right now, we’re winners.”

Sawi added it was also important for the Hilltops to win by a big enough spread to earn the head-to-head standings tiebreaker with the Rifles.

The fans at SMF Field cheer on the Hilltops.

“It was very big for us,” said Sawi. “It was very big.

“As everybody saw, we really wanted it, so we executed it.”

The Hilltops opened the contest needing two plays on the game’s first offensive drive to score a touchdown. Hilltops quarterback Hayden McMahon hit Sawi with a pass and run play that went 52 yards to the Winnipeg 24 yard line. Collins ran in a major score on the next play to give the Hilltops a 7-0 lead.

With 1:17 remaining in the first quarter, Hilltops punter Gino Frassetto kicked a 46-yard punt single to give the Hilltops an 8-0 advantage.

Riley Element put up 342 yards passing for the Rifles.

Early in the second quarter, Mowles made his second of two interceptions in the contest. On the ensuing Hilltops possession, Collins ran home a touchdown from 40-yards out to push the host side’s lead out to 15-0.

Sawi proceeded to run in a major score from 15 yards out, and Hilltops kicker Ryden Gratton hit a field goal from 31 yards out to give Saskatoon a 25-0 advantage.

Mowles was pleased he could help the Hilltops efforts with a pair of interceptions.

“I just wanted to get that ball, and ‘Sarge’ (Sargeant) has been on me for the last two weeks,” said Mowles. “I had to execute.

Kaiden Banfield had one rushing TD and one receiving TD.

“It felt relieving. ‘Turk’ (defensive backs coach Brent Turkington) has been on the sidelines, and he has been really helping out a lot. He has been putting us in great positions.”

In the second half, the Rifles put up a battle in an effort to not give up the advantage of having the head-to-head standings tiebreaker. Just three minutes into the third quarter, Rifles quarterback Riley Element hit star running back Kaiden Banfield with a 43-yard pass and run touchdown to cut the Hilltops lead to 25-7. The Hilltops needed to win the contest by 21 or more points to pick up the head-to-head standings tiebreaker with the Rifles.

The Hilltops proceeded to run off an offensive scoring run in the fourth quarter. At the 7:13 mark of the fourth quarter, Gratton hit an 18-yard field goal to push the Hilltops lead out to 28-7.

Isaiah Vallderruten (#3) makes an interception for the Hilltops.

Hilltops safety Isaiah Vallderruten proceeded to get an interception on the Rifles next series. The ensuing Hilltops offensive series was capped by a five-yard touchdown run by Sawi to make Saskatoon’s advantage sit at 35-7. Sawi proceeded to add a 48-yard rushing touchdown to give the Hilltops a 42-7 lead.

Winnipeg would give Saskatoon a bit of a scare in holding on to the standings tiebreaker. Banfield ran in a major from 10 yards out with 48.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Element proceeded to hit slotback Miles Blatherwick for the two-point convert to cut the Saskatoon lead to 42-15. The Rifles weren’t able to get any closer.

“We needed this to happen, because there are bigger games in front of us,” said Sargeant. “Now, this keeps us right on the path that we want to be in and controlling destiny and all of those things.

The Hilltops Cheerleaders perform at halftime of Sunday’s game.

“At the end of the day, I am very happy and pleased with everything that I saw, and I know we can just be so much better.”

McMahon completed 10-of-18 passes for 173 yards, while throwing one interception for the Hilltops. Receiver David Boyd Jr. caught four passes for 64 yards for Saskatoon.

Element completed 25-of-38 passes for 342 yards and one touchdown, while throwing three interceptions for the Rifles. Banfield led the Rifles with 15 carries for 55 yards and one touchdown. He also had six catches for a game high 92 receiving yards and one major score.

Johnathon Stevens had a pair of sacks for the Hilltops.

Outside linebacker Rudolph Osborne led the Hilltops with six total tackles. Hilltops sophomore defensive back Ryan Valentino made a game-high five solo tackles on special teams.

Outside linebacker Cohen Mccluskey led the Rifles with 12 total tackles to go with one quarterback sack. Defensive back Gage Richey had an interception for Winnipeg.

The Hilltops are now off until Saturday, September 6 when they travel to Regina to face their provincial rival and defending Prairie Football Conference champions in the 3-0 Thunder (7 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).

“The last two games are something we can hang our hat on,” said Sargeant. “Getting into the bye week, there is nothing better than feeling good about a bye week knowing that we went out there and each game we’ve played better.

The Hilltops players mingle with family and friends after Sunday’s game.

“As long as (two) weeks ago was ground zero which I think it was, man, this team is only going to get better and better. Hey, we’ll find out truly who we are in two weeks down in Regina. I can’t wait.”

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 focus on football, not online haters

Saskatoon romps to 46-6 win in home opener

Isaac Michayluk runs back an interception for the Hilltops on Sunday.

Let the haters be who they are going to be.

The Saskatoon Hilltops are just focusing on football.

On Sunday, August 10, the Hilltops opened the CJFL regular season getting hammered 31-11 by the host Rifles at Maple Grove Rugby Park in Winnipeg, Man. The lopsided road loss in Winnipeg was a shocker for the storied Hilltops.

Outside of games against their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder, the Hilltops rarely drop contests to other Prairie Football Conference foes outside of falling 19-16 to the Rifles in Winnipeg on August 28, 2022.

Hayden McMahon picked up his first win as CJFL starting QB.

After the loss to the Rifles on August 10, there were social media accounts on Instagram that run updates and opinions on the CJFL posted the score of that contest. Those accounts are run independently from the CJFL. 

The comments section of those posts saw people share their glee that the Hilltops had lost in convincing fashion and stated their dislike for the Saskatoon club. A similar development happened when the score first appeared on the CJFL main Instagram account.

From the comments, the dislike came from the fact the Hilltops have had a successful history that has included winning 23 CJFL championships.

On Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops righted the ship for one afternoon in their home opener romping over the Edmonton Huskies 46-6 dropping the Alberta side to 0-2. The Hilltops improved to 1-1 and will host the Rifles (2-0) this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at SMF Field.

David Collins led the Hilltops with 157 yards rushing on Sunday.

As for the social media comments that proclaimed happiness over the fact the Hilltops lost bad to the Rifles, the Hilltops themselves elected to block out the noise. Hilltops third-year quarterback Hayden McMahon started his first career CJFL game in Sunday’s win over the Huskies.

Slotted in as the third stringer at the start of the campaign on the team’s depth chart, McMahon found himself taking on the starting spot after fifth-year starter Brexton Elias and second-year backup Charlie Molder went down with injuries that are expected to keep them off the field for a longer term.

McMahon said he followed social media accounts that produce content on the CJFL. After the loss to the Rifles, he said the comments he saw were usually negative things that were said about professional athletes after they lose. It resulted in McMahon taking a new approach to his relationship with social media.

HC Tom Sargeant works the sidelines for the Hilltops.

“You know what, I give it to the professional athletes in the world,” said McMahon expressing empathy for those in pro-sports. “After that game in Winnipeg, I made the decision to delete everything off my phone that had anything to do with the team and the CJFL just so I didn’t have that negative feedback.

“I didn’t want to read anything. I just wanted to have a clean slate going into the week. It was very beneficial for me to get that off my phone and not read those bad comments.”

For Hilltops star middle linebacker Isaac Michayluk, he said it was easy for him to avoid seeing posts or reading comments on social media.

Part of the crowd of 856 spectators that came to see Hilltops.

“Personally, I have a flip phone,” said Michayluk. “I don’t have social media.

“I live under a rock a bit. That is good. I just keep my focus on the task at hand and what it needs to be.”

When it comes to anything that is posted on social media, Michayluk said he hears about it second hand, and that information goes in one ear and out the other.

“I try not to focus on that,” said Michayluk. “If you focus on that, then you get distracted from the task at hand which is working for now.

Two Hilltops offensive linemen engage on a double team block. 

“We’ve got Winnipeg coming in here next week, so that is the task at hand. If we focus on all that social media stuff, we get distracted. We’ve got to focus up and get that mindset right.”

McMahon and Michayluk follow the lead of their legendary head coach Tom Sargeant when it comes to dealing with social media. Sargeant doesn’t follow anything on social media unless there is something his wife, Kris, shows him. As far as negative Instagram comments went following the loss to the Rifles, Sargeant was oblivious to what was said.

“I could care less no offence,” said Sargeant. “I don’t do a lot of reading.

Members of the Hilltop Cheerleaders perform on Sunday.

“I do a lot of coaching. We worry about us, and we don’t worry about anybody else. That is the Hilltop way.”

Sargeant said he doesn’t spend time reflecting on why people would write the comments that they do on social media. He concerns himself with what the Hilltops have to do that day to become a better football team.

“We’re very insular,” said Sargeant. “We just focus on us.

“I have a lot of work to do. This football team had a better performance today. You weren’t there last week, and it was just awful.

Charles Sawi ran the ball 12 times for 77 yards for the Hilltops.

“We have taken a few steps forward, but we got a long ways to go, if we’re going to be the team (to beat). Hey, we have Winnipeg coming in who absolutely laid it to us last week. We’re not resting.”

Looking in from the outside, McMahon said it was unfortunate negative comments come the Hilltops way, but he believes the players, who range in age from 18 to 22, grow up quickly by making responsible decisions on how to deal with comments. During his high school days, McMahon played six-a-side football with the Biggar Central School Blazers in Biggar, Sask., and he said one of his coaches advised to ignore the noise and listen to the message the coaches were delivering.

McMahon said he always has that advice in his head, and that is how he goes ahead with approaching social media. He believes the Hilltops have been really good at not worrying about what is said on social media.

Isaiah Vallderruten secures a 29-yard TD catch for the Hilltops.

“We’ve got really good leaders on this team,” said McMahon. “Our fifth years do a really good job and often a lot of times the phones don’t come out.

“We’re boys, and we have fun in the locker room. Whatever happens outside of the football field, we have no control on. All we can do is bring our best on the football field and play between the lines and the whistles and have a lot of fun.”

The Hilltops had a fair amount of fun on Sunday sending a crowd of 856 spectators that came out to SMF Field home happy. They jumped out to a 12-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a safety conceded by the Huskies, a 34-yard field goal from kicker Ryden Gratton and a 12-yard touchdown run by star running back Corbin Ebben. Ebben left the game early in the second quarter due to injury to which he will undergo further evaluations.

Huskies receiver Dustin Campbell is hit by a Hilltops DB.

Edmonton got on the scoreboard in the second quarter with a 23-yard missed field goal single from kicker Boaz Comeau.

Saskatoon responded with a pair of touchdowns from 22-year-old running back David Collins, who scored on runs from 75 yards and one yard out to hold a 26-1 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Hilltops pushed their lead out to 36-1. McMahon hit receiver Isaiah Vallderruten with a 29-yard touchdown pass, and Gratton booted a field goal from 33 yards out.

Second-year running back Brody Komarnicki ran in a major from four yards out and Gratton hit a 30-yard field goal to make the Hilltops lead stand at 46-1.

Aiden Rosa (#26) steals an interception for the Hilltops.

The Huskies closed out the game’s scoring with a 38-yard field goal from Comeau and a conceded safety by the Hilltops as time expired.

McMahon completed 7-of-15 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception for the Hilltops. Collins topped the Hilltops with 157 yards rushing on 11 carries to go with his two major scores. 

Charles Sawi ran the ball 12 times for 77 yards for Saskatoon. Vallderruten caught three passes for 57 yards to go with his touchdown reception.

Jackson Harnett started at quarterback for the Huskies completing 10-of-15 passes for 95 yards. Wesley Neitz played a sizable chunk of the contest in relief connecting on 9-of-15 passes for 77 yards, while throwing two interceptions. Receiver William Campbell led the Huskies with seven receptions for 64 yards.

Ryden Gratton boots a 33-yard field goal for the Hilltops.

Michayluk led the Hilltops with seven total tackles, and he intercepted one pass. Second-year defensive back Aiden Rosa also came up with an interception for the Hilltops, while star defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens had a fumble recovery.

Middle linebacker Kaige Houle led the Huskies with 8.5 total tackles and had one interception. Defensive back Juven St. Hilaire had an interception for the Huskies. Linebacker Mateo Muir had a fumble recovery for Edmonton.

“At the end of the day, we’re certainly happy with the result,” said Sargeant. “It has been a tough week, and it is nice to see the players respond.

The Hilltops celebrate a TD from Brody Komarnicki (#20).

“We’ve been hard, we’re coaching hard, and we expect them to play hard. It wasn’t an easy day to play, and we have a lot of respect for the Edmonton Huskies. They have a lot of tradition, and we knew it was going to be a physical game.

“For me, the best thing I saw is how our offensive line stepped up today, and they just absolutely controlled the line of scrimmage and made life easier. It was nice to see Hayden McMahon execute the game plan and find the right guys and the defence was on point. We did well enough to win the game, and I am very thankful for that.”

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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