Hilltops set for last 2025 dance as Canadian Bowl hosts

Saskatoon faces Sun for CJFL title on Sunday at SMF Field

The Hilltops go through reps at practice at SMF Field on Tuesday.

They’ve gone through a journey that has been far from a straight line, but the Saskatoon Hilltops have arrived at their last dance for the 2025 CJFL season.

On Sunday, the PFC champion Hilltops (8-2 overall) host the BCFC champion Okanagan Sun (13-0 overall) in the CJFL Championship Game – the Canadian Bowl – at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Hilltops are in their second Canadian Bowl in the 2020s having won in 2023 with a perfect 12-0 record. The Sun, who are based in Kelowna, B.C., are in their third Canadian Bowl in the 2020s having won in 2022 with a perfect 14-0 mark and falling last year 37-22 to the host St. Clair Saints in Windsor, Ont.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, who has been part of 17 total CJFL title wins with Saskatoon as a player, assistant coach, and head coach, said his squad is in for a tough battle.

“They are the team that has been in the Canadian final more than any other team in this decade,” said Sargeant. “They’re coaching staff has a strong pedigree and a huge belief system.

“They do a great job of recruiting, and that is why they have all that skill on the field. We know that is what is in front of us. We know the work that is in front of us, and we’re committed to it right now.

“Right now, we’re not coming up for air. We’re just getting to work each and every minute we have. It is going to take all 40 players come Sunday to put us in a good spot.”

The Sun are led by veteran quarterback Liam Kroeger, who is in his second last season of CJFL eligibility. In the Sun’s 10 regular season outings, Kroeger has completed 190-of-281 passes for 2,860 yards and 26 touchdowns, while just throwing three interceptions. His passing yardage total led the BCFC.

JaQuintis Summers, who is 21-years-old, had a huge season playing on the team’s defensive line. In the club’s 10 regular season games, Summers piled up 22.5 total tackles, 13 quarterback sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Hilltops second- year defensive tackle Scott Adamko said his squad has their work cut out for them in facing the Sun.

“They’re a great team,” said Scott. “They’ve got lots of athleticism.

“It is just we’ve got to keep our game plans that the coach has given us and just execute.”

The Hilltops have a roster that arguably relies more on grit to win than any other year in the team’s recent past. With that noted, they still have some significant talent notably in running backs David Collins, Charles Sawi and Corbin Ebben.

Collins, who is a 22-year-old veteran who came up from St. Michael, Minn., has been golden in what will be his lone CJFL season. In the Hilltops eight regular season games, he carried the ball 126 times for 1,028 yards and 13 touchdowns. His touchdown total topped the PFC and his rushing total was second in the conference.

On defence, the Hilltops are led by veteran middle linebacker Isaac Michayluk. In the Hilltops eight regular season games, Michayluk piled up 32 solo defensive tackles, 22 defensive tackle assists, one solo special teams tackle, four special teams tackle assists, three pass knockdowns, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

The Hilltops have also had to battle through lots of adversity in 2025. They opened the regular season on August 10 getting stomped 31-11 against the Rifles in Winnipeg. During that time, multiple injuries popped up that seemed destined to crash Saskatoon’s season.

Later while playing at SMF Field on September 27, the Hilltops dropped a 24-21 heartbreaker to their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder. Saskatoon rebounded with two straight wins leading to the PFC final where they faced the Thunder, who were 8-1 overall at the time, at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

The Hilltops fell behind 24-9 with 10:51 to play in the fourth quarter. They roared all the way back to pull out a 30-27 overtime victory. Saskatoon capped that win with a walk off 24-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Griffin Sander to fifth-year receiver Isaiah Vallderruten.

That play and the win that came from it set up Sunday’s Canadian Bowl clash with the Sun.

“It has definitely had its ups and downs,” said fifth-year defensive tackle Ryan Adamko, who is Scott’s older brother. “The coaches have always had our backs.

“We got theirs. They’ve put us into the right spots. They’ve coached up beyond the expectation.”

Scott said the 2025 campaign has been special for the Hilltops due to everything they had to persevere through to get to the CJFL final.

“We had like so much adversity,” said Scott. “We lost Week 1, and then we lost to Regina at home.

“Then, we were down in the PFC final, and we came back. It is just a great group of guys. We just fought back.”

Ryan was a member of the Hilltops CJFL championship winner in 2023. He would like everyone on this year’s squad to experience winning the Canadian Bowl because of how much of a highlight that 2023 championship is for him.

“That is still real high up,” said Ryan. “That is something special.

“That team was just a very special team. All the boys were just so close-knit together. Everybody trusted everybody, and we just did what we were told to do.

“It all worked out.”

With the CJFL title game being played in Saskatoon, there was always a chance the weather could work out in the Hilltops favour as teams from British Columbia traditionally struggle in colder conditions. The cold isn’t expected to be that much of a factor as Environment Canada is calling for a high temperature of -2 C with sunny skies.

“I don’t get into the weather game to be honest,” said Sargeant. “The game is played between the lines.

“You were talking about all the talent and skill they have. They are very physical, and we are a pretty physical team. It is going to come down to who controls the line of scrimmage, who does a better job of getting the ball to the athletes and then who goes out and makes plays.

“We have to be strong with the ball, and we have to keep everything in front of us. We can’t let any of those guys get behind us. Then hey, let’s just go have some fun, enjoy the moment and get out there and play great Hilltop football.”

Huskies rally past Rams, take Hardy Cup 25-24

The Huskies enjoy victory and the Rams contemplate a season-ending loss.

A classic comeback delivered the Hardy Cup back to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team for the 22^nd time in team history.

On Saturday playing before 3,201 spectators at Griffiths Stadium, the Huskies found themselves trailing their provincial rivals the University of Regina Rams 24-9 after three quarters of the Canada West Conference Championship Game – the Hardy Cup. In the fourth quarter, the Huskies rolled off 16 consecutive points to pull out a 25-24 victory.

The rally started with 12:12 remaining in the fourth quarter when Huskies second-year quarterback Jake Farrell hit first-year receiver Liam Piccinin for a 20-yard touchdown pass to cut the Rams advantage to 24-16. The major capped a Huskies drive that covered 101 yards in seven plays.

With just under 6:50 remaining in the fourth quarter, Rams returner Kaleb Senz fumbled a punt return away that was recovered by second-year Huskies linebacker Jacob Goldstone at the Rams 19 yard-line.

On the very next play, Farrell connected with second-year Huskies receiver Mason Grabowski on a 19-yard touchdown pass. After a failed two-point convert attempt by receiver Dawson Lennea, the Rams continued to hold now a slim 24-22 lead.

The Huskies would keep coming. With about 25 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Huskies second-year kicker Lukas Scott hit a 25-yard field goal to give the host side a 25-24 lead.

The Rams attempted to pull even on a desperation final play of the fourth quarter. With the ball on the Huskies 47 yard-line, Rams fifth-year punter Isaac Wegner was asked to bring out his inner Jon Ryan and boot a punt single to force a tie and overtime.

Wegner’s punt came up four yards short of the end zone, and the ball was caught by Scott, who went down to end the game and deliver the Huskies to victory.

At one point, the Huskies looked like they were in serious trouble. With 3:17 remaining in the third quarter, Rams third-year defensive back Brandon Wong returned a fumble by Farrell 49 yards for a touchdown that gave the visitors their 24-9 advantage. That just set the stage for a dramatic Huskies comeback in the 4^th quarter.

The Huskies improved to 9-1 overall, while the Rams finished at 7-3 overall.

Both teams were also battling the injury bug. The Huskies were without the services of star starting fourth-year quarterback Anton Amundrud due to injury, and the Rams didn’t have star third-year running back Marshall Erichsen due to injury.

The story of the Hardy Cup was kind of similar to the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference final played on October 26 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. In that contest played before 1,413 spectators, the host Thunder led their provincial rivals the Saskatoon Hilltops 24-9 with 10:51 to play in the fourth quarter.

The Hilltops roared all the way back to pull out a 30-27 overtime victory. Saskatoon capped that win with a walk off 24-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Griffin Sander to fifth-year receiver Isaiah Vallderruten.

That play sent the Hilltops to the CJFL Championship Game – the Canadian Bowl. Saskatoon hosts the Okanagan Sun in the CJFL final on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

As for the Huskies, they will host the OUA champion Queen’s University Gaels (8-3 overall) in the Mitchell Bowl U Sports semifinal game this coming Saturday at 2:15 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium. In the U Sports semifinal to be played this coming Saturday, the AUS champion St. Mary’s University Huskies (9-1 overall) host the RSEQ champion Universite de Montreal Carabins (8-2 overall) at 1 p.m. local time at Huskies Stadium.

The winners of the semifinal bowls will collide in the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup – on Saturday, November 22 at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

Crusaders win for “Himey,” other notes

Crusaders AC Scott Hundseth, centre, raises the SHSAA 6A title trophy.

The drought is finally over for the Holy Cross High School Crusaders.

On Friday night at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Crusaders downed Regina’s Miller Comprehensive Catholic High School Marauders 21-16 in the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Associations 6A Championship Game. The win marked the first time since 1995 the Crusaders won a provincial title in football.

Between 1995 and this past Friday, the Crusaders advanced to a provincial championship game on 10 occasions and lost every one of those outings. The last loss was a 12-10 heartbreaker to the Marauders on November 11, 2023 at SMF Field. In that contest, a handoff mistake by the Crusaders resulted in the Marauders scoring the winning safety that broke a 10-10 tie score with 32.5 second to play in the fourth quarter.

On Friday, the Crusaders led the Marauders 7-3 at halftime and 14-3 after three quarters. Holy Cross went up 21-3 in the fourth quarter. The Marauders rallied with a pair of touchdowns that cut the Crusaders lead to 21-16 with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Crusaders recovered an onside kick after the Marauders second major and proceeded to run out the clock to win the game. In the process, they captured their seventh provincial championship in team history.

After being awarded the championship trophy, the Crusaders captains handed the trophy over to beloved assistant coach Scott “Himey” Hundseth. The captains wanted to ensure Hundseth was the first to raise the trophy, which he did to the excited delight of everyone on the Crusaders side.

Hundseth, who focuses on the defensive side of the ball, was the Crusaders head coach for nine of the previous 10 losses in the provincial final and remained on the Holy Cross coaching staff after retiring from his teaching position at the school in June of 2024. The alum of the CJFL’s storied and historic Saskatoon Hilltops and University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team in the U Sports ranks is a teacher/coach with the Institute of Saskatchewan Football, which is overseen by Saskatoon Minor Football.

A defensive end as a player, Hundseth was a star of the Hilltops 1985 CJFL championship team and the Huskies 1990 U Sports title winner.

Over his many decades as a football and basketball coach, Hundseth has had a huge positive impact on the lives of countless players he has coached. As one of the ultimate good guys in Saskatoon’s sports scene, it was a heartwarming moment when the Crusaders gave him the SHSAA’s 6A football championship trophy to raise.

• It was a happy Saturday night in the province of Saskatchewan. At Mosaic Stadium in Regina, the Saskatchewan Roughriders claimed a 24-21 thriller over the British Columbia Lions in the CFL’s West Division Final. The Roughriders will travel to Winnipeg to play in the CFL’s title contest – the Grey Cup – since last winning it at old Taylor Field in 2013. Saskatchewan will face the Montreal Alouettes in this year’s Grey Cup set for 5 p.m. local time at Princess Auto Stadium.
• On Friday, Saskatoon Hilltops right guard Jack Erlandson, running back David Collins and defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens were named CJFL first team all-Canadian all-stars. On Thursday, CJFL second team all-Canadian all-star nods went to Hilltops receiver Isaiah Vallderruten, middle linebacker Isaac Michayluk and cornerback Jace Mowles.
• On Friday, Okanagan Sun offensive lineman Kaiden Kerntopf, defensive back Tariq Brown and defensive linemen JaQuintis Summers and Jarveon Williams were named CJFL first team all-Canadian all-stars. On Thursday, CJFL second team all-Canadian all-star nods went to Sun offensive linemen Zach Barnard and Parker Kellington, receiver Jordayne Falconer, running back Gerren Hardisty, punter Grady Hay and place kicker Liam Attwood. Falconer also picked up a second team all-Canadian all-star award as a return specialist.
• On Saturday, Okanagan Sun place kicker Liam Attwood was named the CJFL’s Special Teams Player of the Year. During the Sun’s 10 regular season games, Attwood made 13-of-16 field goals with a long kick from 51 yards out. He also connected on 64-of-65 point after attempts. He scored the second most points in the BCFC at 103.

• On Saturday, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a feature on Going Yard Baseball Academy instructor Brody Boyenko and his tragedy to triumph WCBL season as an assistant coach with the Regina Red Sox. In the piece, Boyenko talks about what it was like to deal with the early season death of returning right-handed pitcher Jesse Lubiniecki, who passed away in a single vehicle rollover driving home to Regina. Boyenko went into how the team rallied around Lubiniecki’s memory to win the WCBL championship. The piece on Boyenko can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that is dominated by images of the championship chase from football season and is led by photos of the Toon Squad Female Flag Football League. 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.

-------

If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

CJFL coach of the year award long time coming for “Sarge”

Legendary Hilltops sideline boss last took honour in 2003

Tom Sargeant, centre, checks out action on the field. 

It felt like a much-deserved legacy moment for legendary Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant.

Last Friday, Sargeant was named the winner of the CJFL’s Gord Currie Coach of the Year award at the circuit’s Celebration of Excellence in Windsor, Ont. It marked the third time Sargeant was named the CJFL’s coach of the year with the previous two occasions coming way back in 2000 and 2003.

The third CJFL individual nod was a long time in coming for Sargeant. Since becoming the Hilltops head coach in early December of 1997, Sargeant has posted a 245-38-2 career record in both the regular season and post-season as the club’s top sideline boss. 

He has guided the Hilltops to 14 CJFL championships as head coach with the last coming in 2023.

He is the all-time leader in career head coaching victories for amateur post-secondary football in Canada. Glen Constantin, who is the legendary head coach of the Universite Laval Rouge et Or Football Team in U Sports, currently sits second on that list with 218 victories. Constantin has a 218-39 record in regular season and post-season play as Rouge et Or head coach including 10 Vanier Cup titles as U Sports champions.

Looking at the Hilltops record of success, one wonders how Sargeant didn’t have a CJFL coach of the year award win between 2003 and this year. That included a stretch where the Hilltops won three straight CJFL titles from 2010 to 2012 and six straight from 2014 to 2019.

The 2024 campaign was a different year. The differences went beyond the Hilltops posting an 8-0 record in regular season play to top the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference, winning a PFC semifinal 33-18 against the Edmonton Huskies before falling to their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder 24-19 in the PFC final.

om Sargeant overcame a significant health scare in the off-season

In an interview with Saskatoon StarPhoenix forever sports writer Darren Zary for a story published on September 14, Sargeant detailed that he had open heart, double-bypass surgery back in March of this year. Sargeant said he remembered one game late in the 2023 CJFL title winning campaign that he had a weird sensation in his chest.

After the Hilltops downed the Westshore Rebels 17-10 in the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl – at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C., on November 11, 2023 for their 23^rd CJFL championship, Sargeant went and saw his doctor. He failed a heart stress test and found out he had four blockages over 90 per cent. He could have had a heart attack at any time.

In his open heart, double-bypass surgery this past March, doctors took a vein out of his Sargeant’s left leg to reroute blood flow to his heart.

Following the medical procedure, Sargeant turned 59-years-old in May and retired as the principal of Walter Murray Collegiate at the conclusion of the school year in June. When the Hilltops opened training camp on July 28, Sargeant was the all ready to go.

The first thing you noticed was he had lost a considerable amount of weight from the end of the 2023 campaign, and he looked a lot healthier physically. Sargeant was able to keep the trimmer and physically healthier look for the rest of the campaign.

When others in the coaching profession in sports deal with a similar serious health scare, it is not uncommon to see those coaches retire once they went through their procedures or comeback for just one last farewell season. Fading off into the sunset to enjoy time with the family becomes the understandable preferred option.

Tom Sargeant, centre, was named the CJFL’s coach of the year.

Sargeant took a page out of the playbook of late CFL icon coach and manager Cal Murphy, who is best remembered for his time with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1983 to 1996 that included Grey Cup championship wins in 1984, 1988 and 1990. Murphy survived heart attacks in 1978 and 1985 and returned to coaching in the CFL both times.

In 1992, he underwent emergency heart bypass surgery that kept him alive before being saved by a last-second donor and successful heart transplant surgery. 

Murphy returned to the Blue Bombers after that medical ordeal. He remained working in football and was still a scout for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts at the time of his passing on February 18, 2012 at age 79.

While those that knew Murphy knew no matter what he was Blue Bombers “blue and gold” through and through, Sargeant is Hilltops “blue and gold” through and through. Before being the Hilltops head coach, he was a slotback for the team for four seasons in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1987 and served as an assistant coach from 1991 to 1997.

Sargeant was part of a CJFL championship winners as a player in 1985 and as an assistant coach in 1991 and 1996. If you knew “Sarge,” there was no way he was not going to return to the Hilltops sidelines as head coach in 2024.

While the Hilltops didn’t win a PFC title or a CJFL crown in 2024, the biggest victory looking at the overall big picture was that Sargeant returned to coach this season at all. On the health front, the possibility was there for things to not work out this way.

Tom Sargeant talks to his players during a timeout.

After the Hilltops were eliminated from the CJFL post-season, Sargeant was making his rounds scouting high school football games with members of his coaching staff. It appears 2024 won’t be a last hurrah.

With how passionately his wife, Kris, adult daughters, Macy and Abby, and grandson Jaylen are into the Hilltops, Sargeant has a strong backing at home to continue coaching the Hilltops for as long as he would like to coach the team. After all the years Sargeant put into the team, you have to think the Hilltops head coach position is his for however long he wants it.

Sargeant is more than deserving of his third nod as the CJFL’s coach of the year. No one could have thought after the Hilltops won the CJFL title in 2023 that the fact Sargeant made it back to the sidelines would be the ultimate victory of all.

Guardians end Saskatoon’s 6A high school title jinx

Samuel LaFreniere had a monster season for the Guardians.

In what seemed like big relief for all of high school football in Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association’s 6A title jinx for “the Bridge City” is over.

Last Saturday, Saskatoon’s St. Joseph High School Guardians faced the host Campbell Collegiate Tartans in the SHSAA’s 6A title game at Mosaic Stadium. The Guardians left no doubt about the final outcome rolling to a 52-14 victory.

With the win, the Guardians ended a drought of 15 years of Saskatoon teams not winning the SHSAA’s 6A provincial championship in football. Before the Guardians victory last Saturday, the last Saskatoon school to claim that distinction was the Aden Bowman Collegiate Bears back in 2009, when they downed Regina’s Winston Knoll Collegiate Wolverines 20-19. At that time, the 6A level was known as 4A until the levels of high school football were reclassified in Saskatchewan following the 2018-19 school year.

The Guardians won their only other provincial title way back in 2003. They had a season to remember in 2024 that included a trilogy of exciting games against their top rivals in Saskatoon in the Holy Cross High School Crusaders in Saskatoon Secondary Schools Athletic Directorate play.

On October 4, the Guardians dropped a heartbreaker to the Crusaders 29-28. On October 17, the two sides closed their respective regular season schedules against each other. The Guardians led 35-34 going into the fourth quarter and ultimately fell 48-35.

The two sides met for the Saskatoon city title on November 1 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. They played an all-time classic with the Guardians coming out on top 38-34.

The battles between the Guardians and Crusaders were highlighted by duels between Guardians Grade 11 running back Samuel LaFreniere and Crusaders Grade 12 tailback Aulain Penner. That city title clash may have been their greatest showdown.

LaFreniere ran the ball 25 times for 305 yards and four touchdowns. Penner carried the ball 29 times for 305 yards and three major scores. They had a cool “bro” embrace with each other following that contest.

Following that contest, the Guardians advanced to the SHSAA’s 6A title game where they downed the Tartans. St. Joseph finished the 2024 campaign with an 8-2 overall record including play in the regular season and post-season.

LaFreniere was the Guardians biggest star. While end of year individual football statistics haven’t been released, odds are high LaFreniere surpassed 1,300 yards rushing in the Guardians seven regular season games and 2,000 yards rushing in the squad’s 10 contests overall.

The 2024 Guardians ended a provincial title drought that seemed to take on a life of its own for Saskatoon. They will always have a soft spot in the collective hearts of Saskatoon’s football community for being the team from the city that finally captured the SHSAA’s 6A championship once again.

Saints end OFC’s CJFL title drought, other notes

The St. Clair Saints pulled off one of the biggest shockers in the history of the CJFL and restored respect to the circuit’s Ontario Football Conference in the process.

Last Saturday at Acumen Stadium in Windsor, Ont., the host Saints upset the British Columbia Football Conference champion Okanagan Sun 37-22 in the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl – before 2,750 spectators. The Sun led 15-6 at halftime and were up 22-9 at one point in the third quarter.

The Saints closed things out scoring the game’s final 28 points with two majors in the third quarter and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull out the 15-point win. Their victory marked the first time a team from the OFC won a CJFL title since 1999.

Back in 1999, the Saints, when they were known as the Windsor AKO Fratmen, beat the Sun 32-29 at Windsor Stadium for the OFC’s previous CJFL title win.

The St. Clair College Student Athletic Association bought the Fratmen in February of 2020. The club played as the St. Clair Fratmen in 2021 and took on the St. Clair Saints name before the start of the 2022 campaign.

In the CJFL title clash this past Saturday, Saints quarterback Maurice Sodja had a monster outting being named the offensive player of the game. He completed 15-of-25 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception. Sodja carried the ball 25 times for 122 yards and three touchdowns.

Saints receiver Cameron St. Kitts-Park also had a big game catching six passes for 137 yards. He took home honours as the special teams player of the game.

On top of his receiving skills, St. Kitts-Park punted the ball eight times for 273 yards or an average of 34.1 yards per kick. He returned two kickoffs for 45 yards and ran for eight yards on a fake punt.

Sun linebacker Jacob Bond was the defensive player of the game recording six solo defensive tackles, three defensive tackle assists, three special teams tackles, one forced fumble and one interception.

The Saints finished the 2024 campaign posting an 11-0 overall record. The Sun posted a 13-1 overall mark.

Last year, the Saints made it to a CJFL semifinal contest and were thumped 43-0 by the host Saskatoon Hilltops at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Hilltops advanced onward to claim the Canadian Bowl as CJFL champions for a 23^rd time in team history.

For a large number of years, it was common for OFC champions to lose in the fashion the Saints did when they started playing out of conference opponents. When the Saints got drubbed by the Hilltops in the 2023 CJFL semifinal encounter, they obviously took a lot of lessons out of that contest.

Just over a year later, they come out as a sound winner in a CJFL title game played on home turf. Heading into the Canadian Bowl clash between the Saints and Sun, it was almost a foregone conclusion that the Sun would win.

On top of ending the OFC’s CJFL title drought, the Saints gained back a measure of respect for their conference. In the process, the CJFL was the biggest winner as you can say the teams that win their conference have a real shot at capturing the Canadian Bowl.

• The Saskatoon Hilltops had six players named CJFL first team all-Canadian all-stars for the 2024 campaign. They include quarterback Trey Reider, receiver Drake Douglas, running back Corbin Ebben, right tackle Cody Shumanski, defensive end Kai Kukurudza and safety Dalton Urban. The Hilltops had three players named CJFL second team all-Canadian all-stars for 2024. They included defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens, middle linebacker Isaac Michayluk and punter Teijon Abel-Douglas.
• Last Friday, Regina Thunder middle linebacker Stephen Smith was named the winner of the Larry Wruck Most Outstanding Defensive Player for the CJFL. In the Thunder’s eight regular season games, Smith recorded 34 solo defensive tackles, 20 defensive tackle assists, 2.5 tackles for a loss, two pass knockdowns and one interception.
• Nathan Reiter of Prince Albert Daily Herald put together a great story on Prince Albert’s Carlton Comprehensive High School Crusaders Football Team winning their first ever provincial title. They claimed the SHSAA’s 5A championship last Saturday with a 35-34 victory over Saskatoon’s Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Reiter’s piece 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.

-------

If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Crusaders provincial title win to be iconic sports moment in P.A.

Zane Litzenberger reacts to his winning TD catch for the Crusaders.

In Prince Albert, the 2024 Carlton Comprehensive High School Crusaders Football Team will walk together forever.

On Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Crusaders claimed their first ever provincial title in thrilling fashion. Taking on Saskatoon’s Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints in the Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association’s 5A championship game, the Crusaders found themselves trailing 34-29 late in the fourth quarter.

With 72 seconds remaining in the contest, Crusaders star quarterback Sullivan Smith-Windsor hit standout receiver Zane Litzenberger on a five-yard slant pass for a touchdown. The Crusaders proceeded to attempt and failed to get a two-point convert, but they held a 35-34 advantage.

Sullivan Smith-Windsor sets to throw the winning TD.

That lead would hold up to be the game’s final score as the Saints were not able to drive into field goal range in the time that remained on the clock and eventually turned the ball over on downs. That allowed the Crusaders to end the encounter with two kneel downs to finalize the 35-34 victory.

Since opening in 1975, Carlton appeared in three provincial title games all at the then 3A level, but fell each time in 1984, 1991 and 1995. Saturday’s thrilling win allowed the Crusaders to finish the 2024 campaign with an 8-0 record including action in the regular season and post-season.

Actually, the City of Prince Albert had been undergoing a prolonged drought when it came to winning a provincial title in high school football. Until Saturday’s win by the Crusaders, Prince Albert’s last provincial title in high school football came way back in 1971, when star running back Tom Chad and the St. Mary High School Marauders claimed the then 3A championship.

Fans from Prince Albert cheer on the Crusaders.

Back in 1971, the Marauders playing in front of a home crowd thumped Moose Jaw’s Albert E. Peacock Collegiate Tornadoes 61-27 in the provincial title game held at the field next to what was then known as Prince Albert Collegiate Institute. The Marauders piled up 506 yards rushing as a team in that contest.

The Crusaders of 2024 will go down as the most exciting high school football team to come out of Prince Albert. From 2022 to 2024, the Crusaders became best known for their passing attack that allowed them to push the ball downfield. Smith-Windsor, who has been the team’s starter through that whole stretch, has looked like a CFL quarterback when he is playing his best.

The Crusaders begin celebrating their provincial title win.

As a Grade 12 senior, Saturday’s provincial final was Smith-Windsor’s final game of his high school career. He wrapped that part of his football life up with his greatest performance ever.

Smith-Windsor completed 28-of-30 passes for 424 yards and four touchdowns, while throwing one interception. He also ran the ball four times for 19 yards and one touchdown.

To add more to the performance, Smith-Windsor booted a 61-yard punt single with 6:54 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Crusaders a 29-28 lead at that point in the contest.

Litzenberger was heroic in Saturday’s game. The sure-handed Grade 11 pass catcher hauled in 14 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Late in the game, he was hobbled by a minor leg injury, but still managed to catch the winning touchdown while hampered physically.

The Crusaders raise the provincial championship trophy.

In Prince Albert, Smith-Windsor and Litzenberger will be immortalized combining on a play that will be iconic in the lore of the northern Saskatchewan city’s sports history. The game and season will also become iconic in Prince Albert.

About 1,000 supporters from Prince Albert made their way to Saskatoon to be part of the sizable crowd at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. They brought out the loud noise to support their Crusaders and mimicked a scene often seen on the WHL’s hockey front when the Prince Albert Raiders visit the SaskTel Centre to take on the Saskatoon Blades.

The Crusaders celebrate their provincial title win with their supporters.

After the post-game trophy presentations, the Prince Albert faithful rushed on to the field to celebrate with the Crusaders. The mood was jovial over the following 90 minutes as the team and their supporters took numerous pictures and soaked in the moment.

The victory was made more meaningful due to the fact the Crusaders beat a foe that had built a storied run in recent years. Since 2015, the Saints had won four provincial titles under head coach Donnie Davidsen with the last coming in 2022 with an 18-15 triumph over the Weyburn Comprehensive School Eagles at SMF Field.

In Saturday’s clash with the Crusaders, the Saints played strong piling up 475 yards of total offence coming off 209 yards rushing and 266 yards passing. Quarterback Kyren Houmphanh completed 19-of-29 passes for 266 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Rylan Morrison (#10) grinds out tough yards for the Crusaders.

Receiver Josh Gutek hauled in seven passes for 108 yards and one touchdown. Running back Jack Boeschler ran the ball 14 times for 114 yards and two major scores. Tailback Wyatt LaRoche ran the ball 19 times for 91 yards and one touchdown and caught three passes for 25 yards.

The Saints basically needed to make two more plays and they would have had a fifth provincial title with Davidsen guiding the team as head coach.

Instead, Crusaders head coach Lindsay Strachan, who has been coaching with the program for 18 years, got to celebrate his first provincial football title as a sideline boss. The Crusaders players and supporters were as excited for Strachan as anyone else on the field on Saturday.

Crusaders HC Lindsay Strachan checks out his clipboard.

The back-and-fourth contest saw the Saints account for the only points in the first quarter going up 7-0 on a one-yard touchdown run by Boeschler. Early in a high-scoring second quarter, Smith-Windsor hit receiver Jordan Stene with a 15-yard touchdown pass to event the score at 7-7.

The Saints would go back in front 14-7 on a 13-yard touchdown toss from Houmphanh to Race Marcinkiw. A short time later, the Crusaders evened the score at 14-14, when Smith-Windsor connected with receiver Colm Phillips on a 35-yard touchdown toss.

With less than a minute to play in the second quarter, Boeschler ran home his second major score of the contest with this one coming from two yards out to put the Saints up 21-14.

Kyren Houmphanh passed for 266 yards for the Saints.

Working with a small amount of time remaining before halftime, the Carlton offence quickly got downfield. On the last play before halftime, Smith-Windsor scored on a one-yard run to even the score at 21-21.

The Saints started the third quarter with a clock eating drive that culminated with Houmphanh hitting Gutek with an 11-yard touchdown pass to put the host side up 28-21. With 3:48 remaining in the third quarter, Smith-Windsor zipped a 25-yard touchdown pass to Litzenberger to even the score at 28-28.

Smith-Windsor proceeded to record his punt single to give the Crusaders their first lead in the contest. That affected some of the decisions down the stretch.

With 2:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Saints jumped in front 34-29 on a three-yard touchdown run by LaRoche. The Saskatoon squad elected to go for a two-point conversion in order to get a seven-point advantage, but the conversion attempt was not successful.

Wyatt LaRoche scores a fourth quarter TD for the Saints.

That set the stage for Smith-Windsor to throw his winning touchdown pass to Litzenberger.

Also in the win, the Crusaders got a solid performance from running back Rylan Morrison, which allowed the Prince Albert side to pick up some key first downs. Morrison carried the ball nine times for 66 yards, and he caught three passes for 38 yards.

Now as the years go by in Prince Albert, you can be sure the 2024 Crusaders will achieve a mythical status like the 1971 Marauders did. Folks will look back at the 2024 Crusaders and say they were special.

Over time, it might seem like everyone in town saw Smith-Windsor work his magic on the football field. They will remember Litzenberger as being able to catch everything that was thrown his way.

Zane Litzenberger (#11) caught 14 passes for 206 yards.

Prince Albert will always proudly be recognized as a hockey town rightfully earning the nickname of “Hockey Town North” for loyal supporting the Raiders, the Prince Albert Mintos under-18 AAA team and the Prince Albert Northern Bears under-18 AAA female squad. With that noted, people in Prince Albert always have room in their collective hearts to support hard-working athletes pursuing all sorts of sports.

As a province, football is viewed as Saskatchewan’s game thanks to the impact of the CFL’s Roughriders, who have existed since 1910. On Saturday, Prince Albert got celebrate they had high school football’s best at the 5A level in the Crusaders.

The Crusaders bask in their first provincial championship win.

In “Hockey Town North,” the 2024 football Crusaders will always be remembered, and they will be viewed as one of the city’s iconic teams.

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

-------

If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Shumanski returns to game, solidifies Hilltops O-line

Saskatoon downs Thunder 29-15 in Regina to improve to 4-0

Cody Shumanski anchors at right tackle for the Hilltops. 

When it came to playing football, Cody Shumanski almost had that door locked shut.

The Hafford, Sask., product is thankful legendary Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant was persistent in getting that door opened back up again. Shumanski graduated from Hafford Central School in June of 2020 when the shutdowns due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were in strong force.

The young offensive lineman practiced with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team in 2020 and played for them in 2021, when they advanced to the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup. The Huskies fell 27-21 in that contest to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec.

With the Huskies loaded with veteran players on the offensive line, Shumanski decided to go into the working world in farming and agriculture, which is his passion away from the game. While sitting out the 2022 season, Sargeant got in touch with Shumanski on a number of occasions and talked him into coming out for the Hilltops.

“I heard that it was a good team to play for, and I’ve always heard good reviews about them,” said Shumanski. “I didn’t mind I was here.

“I didn’t really get much playing time at Huskies there, so I came over here.”

Shumanski started right away at right tackle and helped the Hilltops post a 12-0 record and win their 23^rd CJFL title in team history in 2023. 

Cody Shumanski clears the way on a running play.

The Hilltops captured the Canadian Bowl to become CJFL champions downing the Westshore Rebels 17-10 at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C., on November 11 of that year. Along the way, Shumanski was named a first team CJFL all-Canadian.

On Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, the Hilltops downed their provincial rivals in the Regina Thunder 29-15 to improve to 4-0 in the 2024 campaign. The Thunder fell to 3-1 with the setback.

Looking at how everything has played out, Shumanski is thankful that he decided to join the Hilltops.

“I think it is just a big brotherhood,” said Shumanski, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 300 pounds. “We’re all one family, get along and have some fun together.

“I love playing football. Getting to play with these guys, it is good. I’m glad I came back.”

After Shumanski elected to leave the Huskies, Sargeant thought his roster would be given a boost, if the athletic O-lineman joined his venerable squad. The sideline boss didn’t realize how deep the young player’s attachment to the agricultural world went.

“It wasn’t easy getting Cody (Shumanski) back,” said Sargeant. “We sort of went back and forth for a while, and he wasn’t too interested.

“Once we got him in here and he started putting on the helmet and shoulder pads on and started doing some skills and drills with us in the off-season, it is like, ‘Hey, I think I want to do this.’ We couldn’t have been more happy. He walked right in and became our right tackle, and we were better for it.”

Cody Shumanski came to the Hilltops after a year away from football

Shumanski developed his athletic ability during his high school years. During the spring, he played the 12-a-side game with Saskatoon Minor Football’s North Sask Academy program and with Football Saskatchewan’s provincial program during the summer.

During the fall, Shumanski suited up for the Hafford Central School Vikings six-a-side team. In the six-a-side game, Shumanski got to be an eligible receiver from his offensive lineman spot and helped the Vikings win the 1A six-a-side Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association provincial title in 2018.

Sargeant knew the Hilltops were getting a special talent when Shumanski joined the team.

“Cody’s been, hey, an all-Canadian came in right away and earned the respect of his teammates with just how hard he plays and how hard he works,” said Sargeant. “He is a no-nonsense guy.

“He lines up and plays physical football, and as I said, he is a great Hilltop. He is a great guy, and we love being around him. For a big man, he has a great movement pattern.

“He is very physical, understands his assignments, and as I said, he is the leader of the offensive line. He is one of the top players in the PFC, and we need him to continue (to be one of the PFC’s best).”

On Shumanski’s Hudl account that shares videos for recruiters to check out when he was in high school, he was listed as being a tight end. Shumanski tried to keep things low key about his pass catching abilities until his position listing on his Hudl account was brought out.

Cody Shumanski, left, takes part in a TD celebration.

“Six man, I did catch quite a bit of touchdowns,” said Shumanski, who is 22-years-old. “I can’t remember how many I had in my last year there, but I think it was roughly around nine or so.”

Currently, Shumanski is playing through his final campaign of CJFL eligibility. Odds are high he will get some opportunities to continue playing football after the 2024 campaign wraps up. 

With that noted, he is uncertain where life will take him once the current season concludes.

“I guess we’ll see if anyone talks to me,” said Shumanski. “Other than that, I’ll probably just go back to farming.”

Sargeant is well aware the pull to get back into farming in a big way is there for Shumanski. 

If Shumanski decides to continue playing football beyond his time with the Hilltops, Sargeant believes the O-lineman star can have a lengthy career in the game.

“As I said, he is a high-end player,” said Sargeant. “He is an all-Canadian, so that tells you he is one of the top best five O-linemen in Canada in junior football right now.

“From what we’ve seen, the sky is the limit for him. It just comes down to what he wants to do.”

In Saturday’s clash with the Thunder, the Hilltops jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. They held a 13-8 edge at halftime, stretched their advantage to 20-8 in the third quarter before sealing the contest away in the fourth quarter.

Cody Shumanski is playing his final CJFL season.

The Hilltops got field goals from 29 and 24 yards out from kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas. Star quarterback Trey Reider ran in a major score from five yards out. He hit star receiver Drake Douglas with a 47-yard touchdown pass and second-year pass catcher Datiel Fountaine with a 31-yard touchdown toss.

Saskatoon also got two points from a conceded safety by the Thunder.

Thunder kicker Shawn Green hit field goals from 44 and 19 yards out. The Thunder also tackled Hilltops power running back Corbin Ebben in his own end zone for a safety. Thunder star quarterback Carter Moberg hit receiver Zak Woidyla for an eight-yard touchdown toss for a major score.

The Hilltops return to action when they host the Winnipeg Rifles on Sunday, September 15 at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

Clark to appear at End Zone Scholarship Dinner

Dan Clark calls signals for the Roughriders in 2019.

Dan Clark will be the special guest at the Annual Hilltops End Zone Scholarship Dinner set for September 28.

Clark was a star centre for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2009 to 2022. He was on the Roughriders practice roster in 2009 and 2010 and was on the main roster from 2011 to 2022 appearing in 131 games. During his years on the Roughriders practice roster, Clark was playing for the CJFL’s Regina Thunder.

Clark gained fame catching an eight-yard touchdown pass from legendary Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant in a 37-0 romp over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a game played at historic Taylor Field on July 21, 2013. Following that contest, Clark and the Roughriders would later win the Grey Cup with a 45-23 victory over the Tigers-Cats on November 24, 2013 at Taylor Field.

In 2019, Clark was the unanimous selection as the Saskatchewan Roughriders Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. He was also named a CFL all-star.

The Annual Hilltops End Zone Scholarship Dinner will be held in the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building located at the south end of Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The doors for the dinner will open at 4:15 p.m. and dinner will be served at 5 p.m.

The presenting sponsors of the event are TCU Financial and SaskTel. It is hosted in conjunction with the Hilltops community partners in the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation. The official beverage sponsor is the Crossmount Cider Company.

All proceeds of the event go towards the Saskatoon Hilltop Scholarship Fund.

Single tickets for the event are $100, and a table of eight goes for $725. Ticket purchases include admission to that night’s CJFL regular season contest between the Hilltops and the Regina Thunder set for 7 p.m. at SMF Field. Tickets for the End Zone Dinner can be purchased 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.

-------

If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in. 

Sudden interest surge shows how sport can link community

Supporters come out of closet for football title games

The Hilltops charge out to the SMF Field turf on Oct. 29.

The phenomenon of “sudden interest” has likely been around in the sports world since there has been a sports world.

Even with that being a trend that seemingly repeats itself, it still always comes as a surprise when it happens. When it does happen, it shows how sports can link a community.

In Saskatoon over the past four weeks, the “sudden interest” phenomenon repeated itself in the football scene for the CJFL’s storied Saskatoon Hilltops along with the Aden Bowman Collegiate Bears and the Holy Cross High School Crusaders in the high school football scene. “Sudden interest” perked up as all three teams took part in championship games on November 11 on Remembrance Day, which fell on a Saturday.

The Hilltops were playing in the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl – against the Westshore Rebels at Starlight Stadium in Langley, B.C., which is a suburb of Victoria.

The Bears traveled to Weyburn to take on the Weyburn Comprehensive School Eagles in the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association 5A provincial championship game at Darold Kot Field.

The Crusaders stayed home to host Regina’s Miller Comprehensive Catholic High School Marauders in the SHSAA’s 6A provincial title contest at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

Bears receiver Brady Blackburn, right, sprints past a defender.

As the time approached for those three squads to play in their respective title games, a flood of messages from well wishers came their way. A lot of the positive messages for the teams came could be seen in the comments section of posts make on the Facebook page for the Gordie Howe Sports Complex.

It seemed a lot of the people passing on good luck messages followed the teams only casually, but stronger connections from the past were hinted at. The connections could have included being former players, coaches or staffers of those squads, or you could have had family members on those teams.

Some of the people were more engaged fans at one point in time of their lives maybe in childhood, or in the case of the Bears and Crusaders, when they were students at those respective schools. No matter where the link came from, it turned out to be a positive link.

The Hilltops, Bears and Crusaders have existed for decades and all have their own storied histories. The current Hilltops in their modern day era were formed in 1947.  Aden Bowman Collegiate opened in 1958, and Holy Cross High School opened in 1963.

Due to being in existence for a lengthy span of time, it shouldn’t come as a surprise people will reconnect with these squads, when they make an appearance in a championship game. People who are reconnecting with these teams aren’t able to follow them on an avid basis, because life has a tendency in the current day to keep people busy.

Some of the people passing on “good luck” messages to the Hilltops wanted to know if the CJFL championship game was going to be on national television. Those folks have been so involved in their own lives they didn’t realize how much the media - especially the sports media - has been cut in Canada, which meant the CJFL title game would not be on television.

Elias Flory slings a touchdown pass for the Crusaders.

Those asking about the game being on television had to settle for the CJFL’s online broadcast, which was really good.

For the Bears and Crusaders, people did ask if their championship games were going to be streamed online. Unfortunately as far as I could find, there were no online streams of those contests, and they weren’t picked up by the community channels of SaskTel or Access 7.

People didn’t realize the majority of the sports world in Canada depends on volunteers. In the United States, there is a much larger chance paid professionals will make those broadcasts happen.

Ultimately, it was cool to see these teams get their surges of “sudden interest” even for a short time.

The “sudden interest” phenomenon was seen in Saskatchewan in the professional football world in recent days as former Saskatchewan Roughriders star quarterback Cody Fajardo was playing in the Grey Cup in Hamilton, Ont., on Sunday against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Alouettes prevailed 28-24 in the CFL title clash at Tim Hortons Field with Fajardo executing a game-winning scoring drive that ran seven plays and covered 83 yards.

He concluded the drive throwing the winning touchdown pass from 19 yards out to Canadian receiver Tyson Philpot with 13 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Following the Alouettes win, Roughriders fans poured out congratulations messages for Fajardo on various social media networks.

Cody Fajardo raises the Grey Cup.

The Hilltops would see congratulations messages too. On Nov. 11, they downed the Rebels 17-10 to capture the Canadian Bowl and their 23^rd CJFL championship in team history.

The Bears fell 35-15 in their 5A provincial championship game to the Eagles. The Crusaders dropped a 12-10 heartbreaker to the Marauders, who won the 6A provincial title for a third straight year.

It was a great thing that these “sudden interest” moments materialized in Saskatoon. If these moments continue to happen in the future, it would be a welcomed thing.

U.S. road trip was good one for Raiders

The Raiders bang their sticks on the boards prior to a faceoff.

One of the toughest challenges in the WHL is to make a road trip through the U.S. Division.

For the Prince Albert Raiders, their jaunt through the U.S. Division was one that saw them make strides forward. In total, the Raiders played seven games on the trip make a stop in Lethbridge to face the Hurricanes on November 8 before venturing into the United States.

The Raiders took the clash with the Hurricanes 4-2 to get some good vibes going. The Raiders posted a 4-2-0-1 record on the trip to allow their overall regular season mark to sit at 13-10-0-2.

On the jaunt, the Raiders downed the Chiefs in Spokane 3-2 on November 10 before falling to the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash., 5-4 on Remembrance Day. The Raiders proceeded to down the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-2 in Kent, Wash., on November 14 before dropping a 4-3 decision to the Silvertips in Everett one night later.

The biggest moment of the trip came this past Friday, when the Raiders slipped past the Winterhawks in Portland 2-1. It is huge challenge for any visiting squad to pull off a win in Portland.

Raiders netminder Max Hildebrand stole the show in that contest making 42 saves in the win. Oli Chenier and import left-winger Krzysztof Macias potted single for the Raiders.

The trip ended this past Sunday with a 4-3 loss after a tiebreaking shootout to the Wild in Wenatchee.

Now the Raiders get to enjoy being back at the Art Hauser Centre for a couple of nights. This coming Saturday, they host the Moose Jaw Warriors at 7 p.m. on a night the #16 jersey of Raiders all-time great centre Dan Hodgson will be retired.

This coming Sunday, the Raiders host the Brandon Wheat Kings at 6 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.

I wrote a column in the Prince Albert Daily Herald talking about how the Raiders would get a significant test on the U.S. Division trip. That piece that ran on November 15 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.

-------

If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Saskatoon’s 6A high school football title curse hits biggest heartbreak in latest loss

The Crusaders lost the 6A provincial title on this safety.

Saskatoon’s 6A football title curse added one of the toughest “did that just happen” moments.

Last Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High School Crusaders were facing Regina’s Miller Comprehensive Catholic High School Marauders in the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s 6A provincial football championship game. The Marauders entered the Remembrance Day contest have won the 6A title the previous two years.

With the teams locked in a 10-10 tie inside the final 40 seconds of the fourth quarter, the Crusaders were scrimmaging on a first down from their own one yard line. At that point, disaster struck for Holy Cross.

Elias Flory had a strong Grade 12 season for the Crusaders.

A handoff between Crusaders quarterback Elias Flory and running back Aulain Penner was mishandled. Penner dived on the loose ball in the end zone, and he was downed there for a safety that gave the Marauders a 12-10 lead with 32.5 seconds remaining in the game.

That 12-10 score held up as the final outcome as the Marauders claimed a third straight 6A provincial football championship.

The loss by Holy Cross meant that another year was added on to the drought of when a Saskatoon team last won the 6A title. The last Saskatoon school to claim that distinction was the Aden Bowman Collegiate Bears back in 2009, when they downed Regina’s Winston Knoll Collegiate Wolverines 20-19. At that time, the 6A level was known as 4A until the levels of high school football were reclassified in Saskatchewan following the 2018-19 school year.

The loss last Saturday felt disheartening for the Crusaders and their supporters. After the winning safety happened, it seemed like everyone supporting Holy Cross and those who were checking out the contest as neutral observers had a moment where they were all collectively staring out on to the field in disbelief of what happened.

Aulain Penner (#26) makes tonnes of big plays for Holy Cross.

The Marauders and their supporters started whooping it up. They seemed to be overjoyed on the stroke of good fortune that happened to go their way.

In sports, curses become curses because they seem like the appropriate way describe unusual trends like the inability of a Saskatoon team to win the 6A high school football title since the Bears victory in 2009. A lot of great teams from Saskatoon have played in the 6A title game over that time and have continued to come up empty handed.

Holy Cross has unfortunately been the team that has felt the most heartbreak in that drought. Saturday marked the ninth time during the drought the Crusaders made the 6A championship game only to come out on the losing end.

Actually, Holy Cross’s last provincial title win in football came way back in 1995. The Crusaders have lost all 10 of their provincial championship game appearances since their last title triumph.

Brady Vindevoghel threw for 188 yards for the Marauders.

For the Crusaders, Saturday’s game goes down as one of those lessons where you win as a team and lose as a team. You could go through all sorts of moments in that contest to find spots where the Crusaders could have made a play where that safety wouldn’t have been a factor in the final outcome.

The Crusaders were at their one-yard line due to the fact Marauders quarterback and punter Brady Vindevoghel made a coffin corner punt that went out at the one yard line. Crusaders returner Talon Coquet maybe could have fielded the ball as it rolled out of bounds, because Holy Cross needed to run out the game clock to get to overtime at point in the afternoon’s proceedings.

Flory and Penner both had outstanding seasons for the Crusaders. Both are great ambassadors for their school and the community.

In the game, Flory, who is in Grade 12, completed 19-of-29 passes for 236 yards and one touchdown. When he was playing at his highest level during the season, Flory emulated retired CFL all-time great Damon Allen.

Tanner Donovel caught six passes for 110 yards and a TD.

Flory is the son of University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team head coach and three time Grey Cup champion with the Montreal Alouettes in Scott Flory, who is in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. With that noted, young Elias has played well enough he should have the chance to play post-secondary somewhere next season. He is making his own name locally in the game.

Penner is in Grade 11 at Holy Cross, and he has already made tonnes of electrifying plays to easily fill a few highlight reel films. He is one of the most exciting players in high school football in Saskatchewan, and it will be fun to see him play his Grade 12 season at Holy Cross.

The Marauders came in with a defensive game plan to key on Penner, which saw Penner carry the ball 21 times for 79 yards.

For a time, it didn’t seem like there would be drama at the end of the game. In the first half, the Marauders took a 10-0 on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Vindevoghel to star receiver Tanner Donovel and a field goal. Vindevoghel completed 12-of-19 passes for 188 yards and the one touchdown pass, and Donovel caught six passes for 110 yards including his major score.

Britton Tabler caught 11 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown.

The Crusaders were battling hard as the Marauders slowly built their lead. One wondered if the Marauders were just that one step better and would close out a solid win at a steady pace. At halftime, the Marauders supporters were jacked up, and the Crusaders faithful had fallen into silence.

Holy Cross got some traction in the second half with a field goal to trim the Marauders lead to 10-3.

With 2:39 remaining in the fourth quarter, Flory hit Crusaders receiver Britton Tabler with an eight-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 10-10. Tabler finished the contest with 11 catches for 148 yards to go with his major score.

When Tabler scored, the Crusaders faithful in the stands came to life in a big way. It felt at that point in time that this would be Holy Cross’s day.

On the ensuing Marauders series, it appeared Holy Cross got a defensive stop with the Marauders facing a third down situation from their own 34. The visitors ran a fake punt run off a direct snap to get a first down.

The Marauders lift the 6A SHSAA championship trophy.

That allowed the Marauders to flip the field position and pin the Crusaders at their one after later punting on a third-and-long situation.

When the Marauders got the ball at their own 35 after Holy Cross gave up a safety, the Crusaders still had a chance to make a defensive stop and get the ball back holding two timeouts. Vindevoghel hit Donovel for a 52-yard completion, which allowed the Marauders to run out the clock to obtain victory.

Marauders head coach Jason Duczek and his squad got to celebrate a memorable season that resulted in a third straight 6A title. The post-season road included a thrilling 27-20 win over the Dr. Martin LeBoldus Catholic High School Golden Suns in the Regina Intercollegiate Football League’s Schwann Conference title game on November 3 at Mosaic Stadium.

Crusaders head coach Scott Hundseth and his team had to cope with falling in the provincial final in a tough and unforeseen way. As the Crusaders have always done, you can expect they will get up and fight again in 2024.

The Marauders enjoy the spoils of winning three straight 6A titles.

For now, Saskatoon’s 6A high school football title drought continues. Saskatoon team’s will try hard to end it, but one wonders when good fortune will shine on a Saskatoon side to cause this curse to come to an end.

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

-------

If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.