Hilltops hold off Rifles, advance to host PFC Final

Saskatoon will battle Regina in conference championship game

QB Jordan Walls jets to a game-clinching first down.

    Jordan Walls just wanted to make one play and get on to the next round of the Canadian Junior Football League playoffs.

    The fourth-year quarterback of the Saskatoon Hilltops helped his team take a 28-7 fourth-quarter lead on the visiting Winnipeg Rifles in a Prairie Junior Conference semifinal match on Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Walls watched the Rifles score two touchdowns to cut the Hilltops edge to 28-21 with 47.4 seconds to play in the fourth quarter.

    After the Hilltops recovered an onside kick following Winnipeg’s second major of the fourth quarter, the Toppers faced a second and long situation. Walls faked a handoff to running back Adam Machart and bootlegged wide to the left side of the field, gained the necessary yardage for a first down and went down in bounds to ensure the clock didn’t stop.

    With the Rifles depleted of timeouts, the Hilltops kneeled down on the ball twice to run out the clock and preserve a 28-21 victory for their 10 straight CJFL playoff win. Walls was pumped to make the game-clinching play when his team needed it the most.

Joshua Ewanchyna returns the opening kickoff for a Hilltops TD.

    “It was big,” said Walls. “I think anyone on our team wanted to get that ball.

    “I was glad that Sarge (Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant) gave me the opportunity. I just had to go out and make a play, and our O-line blocked it well.

    “Mac (Machart) sold the fake really well, and our receivers had great blocking. It was pretty easy for me to get that edge, and just get the first down and get down.”

    The win allows the Hilltops, who have won the last three straight CJFL championships, to advance to the PFC Final to face their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder. The Thunder slipped past the Huskies in Edmonton 24-21 to claim the other PFC semifinal match on Sunday.

    Before the Hilltops could worry about playing for another conference championship, they had to take care of business with the Rifles, and their hands were full doing just that. Walls said Sunday’s clash at SMF Field had a playoff intensity to it.

    “The atmosphere was great,” said Walls. “They came in and they played a heck of a game.

Cole Chowen jumps up high to haul in a TD catch for the Rifles.

    “They kept it tight for the whole game. The atmosphere was good around here. Our energy was a little bit down, and we need to work on that coming into next week.”

    The Hilltops did storm out of the gate. Kick returner Joshua Ewanchyna took the game’s opening kickoff and ran it back 91 yards down the right sideline for a Saskatoon touchdown. Before the first quarter ended, safety/kicker James Vause nailed a 35-yard field goal to give the Hilltops a 10-0 lead.

    As the Hilltops built their lead, they had to earn their yards offensively against a motivated Winnipeg side. With 6:33 to play in the second quarter, Rifles quarterback Jonathan Remple threw a high pass to receiver Cole Chowen. Chowen outjumped Hilltops defensive back Luke Melnyk for the ball to pull down a four-yard touchdown reception to cut the Hilltops edge to 10-7.

    Sargeant expected the Rifles, who were 4-4 during the regular season, to come out with a lot of energy, and he thought his players didn’t match the intensity of the Winnipeg side at times.

The Rifles defence gang tackles Hilltops RB Logan Fischer.

    “That is as good as they’ve played all year,” said Sargeant. “In the playoffs, you are going to get the team’s Sunday best.

    “They had nothing to lose, and they had everything to gain. They played like that, and we played tight. We are playing like we are scared to win.

    “If you are like that, it is only going to get worse. It is not going to get better.”

    The Hilltops slowly appeared to gain control of the contest from that point.
    With 52 seconds to play in the second quarter, Walls hit star receiver Sam Mike on a 14-yard pass and run touchdown toss, and Mike finished the play by diving into the end zone to give the hosts a 17-7 edge.

Sam Mike dives into the end zone for a Hilltops touchdown.

    Mike topped all receivers hauling in nine passes for 101 yards to go with his major score.

    Near the midway point of the third quarter, Machart plunged in from a yard out to put the Hilltops up 24-7. Vause hit a 12-yard field goal with 12.8 seconds to play in the third quarter and rouge from a 42 yard missed field goal early in the fourth quarter to give the Hilltops a 28-7 lead.

    Machart carried the ball 19 times for 105 yards to go with his major for the Hilltops, while star fifth-year running back Logan Fischer piled up 108 yards on 13 carries.

    The Rifles didn’t go away despite facing a massive deficit. With 2:56 remaining in the fourth quarter, Remple hit Griffin Shillingford with a 10-yard touchdown toss to cut the Hilltops lead to 28-14.

RB Adam Machart piled up 105 yards rushing for the Hilltops.

    After forcing the Hilltops to go two-and-out on their next offensive series, the Rifles put together another long and quickly executed drive ending with Remple hitting Chowen with a 19-yard touchdown toss with 47.4 seconds to play to further cut the Hilltops advantage to 28-21.

    That set the scene for the Hilltops to recover a Rifles onside kick attempt and run out the clock. Remple completed 20-of-35 passes for 239 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, and he ran the ball eight times for 36 yards.

    Sargeant said his Hilltops, who improved to 8-1 overall, were lucky to walk away with a win on Sunday and need to be better overall in the PFC Final against the Thunder.

Hilltops safety James Vause (#24) knocks down a Rifles pass.

    “At the end of the day, this is game nine, so you’d think we would come out and play our best game of the year, and we didn’t do that,” said Sargeant. “Obviously, our practice week was not proper.

    “The tempo wasn’t what it needed to be. As a coach, I am going to have to make some adjustments and make sure we just have a better week of practice. In football, you play once a week.

    “We’ll come out and play better than what we did today, because this ain’t good enough. If we play like that again next week you know what, that will be it. No one is going to feel sorry for the Saskatoon Hilltops, so we better man up and figure it out.”

    The Thunder improved to 6-3 overall with their win in Edmonton over the Huskies, who finished with a 7-2 overall mark.

QB Jonathan Remple nearly powered the Rifles to an upset win.

    The PFC Final between the Hilltops and Thunder will be held this coming Sunday at SMF Field at 3 p.m.

    The Hilltops and Thunder split their two regular season encounters. Last year, the Hilltops eliminated the Thunder from the playoffs with a 25-24 victory in a PFC semifinal clash at SMF Field.

    The two sides last met in a PFC Final back in 2013, when the Thunder claimed a 21-16 victory at Griffiths Stadium on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan.

    Walls, who completed 13-of-24 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown against the Rifles, is expecting another epic playoff encounter when the Hilltops and Thunder meet again.

    “It is going to be intense,” said Walls. “I think you look at the last two games we’ve played them, and they’ve been intense.

The Hilltops celebrate their PFC semifinal victory over the Rifles.

    “The stakes are high now. We want to get back to where we want to be, and they want to stop us. They are going to come in here and have a few things, and we’re going to have a few things for them as well.”

    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 and Thunder show off CJFL at its best

Thunder RB Jonathan Thebaud (#30) and the Hilltops defence collide.

    On Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder put on a show that was made for TV.

    For anyone that has seen these two clubs go at it over the years, that observation shouldn’t come as a shock. When the Hilltops and Thunder meet, spectators get to see the Canadian Junior Football League at its best.

    In their latest clash, the Hilltops led the Thunder 20-6 at halftime only for the Thunder to rally and pull out a heart stopping 29-26 victory. It was a reversal of script from the six previous encounters between these two teams, where the Hilltops came up victorious on each occasion. Four of those Saskatoon victories came by four or fewer points.

    While Saturday’s result was a tough one for the Hilltops and their fans to stomach, the end result doesn’t take away from the fact they took part in an outstanding game, which helps sell the CJFL.

QB Jordan Walls (#19) was on fire for the Hilltops.

    In Canada’s media cut age, circuits like the CJFL always have to embrace opportunities when they can sell themselves.

    The same can be said for the four head-to-head games the Hilltops claimed by four or fewer points in their previous six clashes with the Thunder. In those contests, the Thunder and their fans came away disappointed, but the fact the Hilltops won doesn’t take away from the fact the two clubs played an outstanding game on each of those occasions.

    Looking back at Saturday’s encounter, both teams will lament the fact they didn’t score more points, when the opportunities presented themselves. When the coaching staffs on both sides review video from that game, they will see the missed opportunities.

Thunder QB Sawyer Buettner, left, evades the Hilltops’ rush.

    On the statistical front, two spots showed how outstanding the game was.

    First comes from quarterback play, and the star signal callers for both teams had strong nights. Hilltops starter Jordan Walls completed 27-of-41 passes for 351 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Thunder starter Sawyer Buettner proved to be a touch better on the night completing 33-of-40 passes for 374 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

    The second statistical area that shows how outstanding the game was came on the turnover front. The Hilltops manufactured two takeaways, while the Thunder had one. Both sides did a sound job of looking after the ball.

    Both sides had missed plays, but in the overall view of a game, those missed plays really only stood out due to how well the rest of the game was played.

    Saturday’s contest had all sorts of turning points that could have really swung the fortunes to one side or the other.

Receiver Ryan Turple escapes upfield for the Hilltops.

    In the first quarter, the Hilltops had two long drives that ended in short field goals and gave the host side a 6-0 lead. The Hilltops could have had a touchdown in the first of those two series had receiver Jason Price been able to hold on to a perfectly placed pass in the end zone.

    With the Hilltops up 20-6, the Thunder had two long drives early in the third quarter that resulted in no points being scored due to turnovers. The first was a costly fumble by running back Ethan Hautz right before the goal-line of the Saskatoon end zone, and the second was an interception by Hilltops defensive lineman Tom Schnitzler.

    Hilltops kicker James Vause was wide on a 29-yard field goal attempt early in the fourth quarter, and the Thunder ran the ball out of the end zone to prevent any points from being scored.

Receiver Isaac Foord jets downfield on a punt return for the Thunder.

    Still, the last three minutes turned out to be the huge climax. After the Thunder had taken a 21-20 lead, Walls found star receiver Sam Mike on a seven-yard touchdown pass to put the hosts up 26-21 with 2:47 to play. The Hilltops misfired on a pass for a two-point conversion.

    The Thunder proceeded to drive 80 yards in two-minute drill style that saw Buettner hit receiver Lee Brown from eight yards out for what turned out to be the game’s winning touchdown. Regina added a two-point conversion to lead 29-26.

    Still, 60 seconds remained on the clock and the Hilltops had both of their timeouts. That is like an eternity in the Canadian game.

    The Hilltops started on their own 30 yard line and drove to the Regina 20 yard line. The hosts had a first down situation with nine seconds to play and one timeout to use.

The Thunder and Hilltops get set in a short yardage situation.

    There was more than enough time to take a shot at the end zone before trying a potential game-tying field goal.

    Unfortunately for the Hilltops, the intermediate sideline throw that was intended for Mike was intercepted by Thunder defensive back Tyrel Latoski at his own five yard line. Saskatoon had run that exact play a few times in the game, and on this occasion, Latoski saw what was coming and he undercut Wall’s pass for the game-sealing turnover.

    If Saturday’s match was a CFL game involving the Saskatchewan Roughriders, there would have been all sorts of talking points.

The Thunder defence gets to Hilltops RB Joshua Ewanchyna.

    The fact the contest was an exciting CJFL game makes it a hidden gem.

    Will it mark a turning point for the rest of the season? Only time will tell.

    Going forward, the Hilltops and Thunder are currently tied with the Winnipeg Rifles for second in the Prairie Football Conference at 3-1. The Edmonton Huskies lead the way at 4-0.

    The Hilltops, who are the three-time defending CJFL champions, took the regular season series with the Thunder, who won the 2013 CJFL title, outscoring their provincial rivals 63-49 in two regular season meetings. Saskatoon took the first encounter 37-20 in Regina on Aug. 12.

    The CJFL was arguably the big winner with a showcase game. In Canada’s amateur sports scene, that is something that is always priceless.

Media watch an interesting game

Huskies head coach Scott Flory participates in a media scrum.

    With the start of the winter sports season, I have found that my head is on a swivel when head out to cover local sporting events.

    When I was in Regina back on May 14 covering the Seattle Thunderbirds winning the WHL title with a 4-3 overtime victory over the host Pats, I still have the air of finality imprinted on my mind from the media members in attendance while interacting in the media and scouts lounge an hour before that contest. Since the conclusion of that game, a number of my friends saw their time in the mainstream media and media overall come to an end.

    Due to the media cuts in Canada, I have found myself watching for differences on the media front compared to the previous campaign.

    On Friday night, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team hosted their home opener, and they romped over the University of Alberta Golden Bears 43-17 before 8,009 spectators in U Sports action.

    When I went on the sidelines to shoot pictures of that game, I felt like I was working a Saskatchewan Roughriders CFL game due to all the cameras that were circling the field. That caught me by surprise.

    It is also seemed like the majority of those cameras were shooting pictures or video for Huskie Athletics and the U of Saskatchewan. The one videographer I saw wore a jacket signalling he was part of a Huskies film crew.

    The Huskies also had an actual game program with a pair of stories, which was something you didn’t see a year ago.

    The cameras didn’t translate to interviews post game. Intent on writing a column, I didn’t do any post-game interviews. I did look in on the post-game scrums and saw three microphones from mainstream outlets and a Huskies staff filming video.

    For Saturday’s CJFL clash between the Hilltops and Thunder, I was one of only three people shooting photos for the entire game. I saw two other shooters arrive for part of the contest before leaving. When the game concluded, there were only four reporters, including myself, on the field doing interviews.

    The Hilltops also have different content in their game programs for each home contest this season.

    A year ago at both events, it seemed like there were more reporters at each game doing interviews. With that said, the media presence was there. It will be interesting to see what media personnel presence will be like when the Saskatoon Blades open their WHL regular season schedule.

    As for my own front, I will mirror what I wrote in a column back in May. My goal is to ensure that whatever I do cover it will be something I am passionate about.

    I find that when you do cover something you are not passionate about, the reader sees through it, and you do them a disservice.

    I just try to take things one day at a time and roll with the punches as they come.

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

Thunder finally get over Hilltops hump with comeback win

QB Sawyer Buettner throws the winning TD pass for the Thunder.

    Sawyer Buettner was pumped and relieved his Regina Thunder were finally the last team standing in a clash against the Saskatoon Hilltops.

    Trailing the Hilltops 26-21 with just under 2:47 to play in the fourth quarter of a Canadian Junior Football League clash Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Thunder found themselves set up on their own 30 yard line.

    Regina had lost its last six straight encounters with Saskatoon including action in the regular season and playoffs. 

    Four of those losses came by four-or-fewer points, where the venerable Hilltops, who have won the last three straight CJFL titles, always found a way to make two more plays than the Thunder to pull out victory.

    This time, the script was different. 

    Buettner, who is the Thunder’s star quarterback, drove his team 80-yards in two-minute drill style, and the march culminated with the signal caller hitting receiver Lee Brown with an eight-yard touchdown pass.

Receiver Lee Brown cradles the winning touchdown catch for the Thunder.

    After Brown’s catch, Buettner proceeded to hook up with receiver Levi Paul on a short five-yard pass for a two-point conversion to put the Thunder up 29-26 with 60 seconds to play.

    The Hilltops proceeded to march deep into Regina territory with their final possession, but Thunder defensive back Tyrel Latoski snuffed out the drive making an interception at his own five yard line with two seconds to play to ensure the 29-26 score held up as the final in Regina’s favour. The last time the Thunder prevailed over the Hilltops was back on Sept. 6, 2014 by a 26-25 final at SMF Field.

    “It was nice to finish the game off,” said Buettner. “It is kind of a relief to prove to ourselves that we can do it against a great team like the Hilltops, so it was good.”

Receiver Sam Mike (#4) celebrates a score to put the Hilltops up 26-21.

    The 20-year-old Moose Jaw, Sask., product added it had been some time since he helped win a game with a two-minute drill type drive.

    “I haven’t had one of those since high school,” said Buettner. “It was fun.

    “I told the (offence) we want to be great, when we have the last drive. I told the guys like I was proud of them no matter what happened.

    “We battled all the way back. It was just nice to score a touchdown there and win it.”

    Saturday’s game had a number of different swings. Right before the Thunder went on their game-winning scoring drive, the Hilltops had erased a slim 21-20 deficit, when quarterback Jordan Walls found veteran receiver Sam Mike with a short seven-yard touchdown pass to put the host side up 26-21. Saskatoon failed to score on a two-point conversion try after Mike’s major.

Hilltops QB Jordan Walls threw for 351 yards in a setback.

    In the first quarter, the Hilltops tried to do their best to run away with the contest early. Saskatoon put together two long drives that ended in respective 20 and 25 yard field goals from safety/kicker James Vause, which gave the hosts a 6-0 edge.

    On the final play of the opening frame, Hilltops fullback Colin Stumborg muscled his way in from a yard out for a major score to put the Hilltops up 13-0.

    In the second quarter, Thunder kicker Eric Maximuik hit field goals from 29 and 35 yards out to cut the Hilltops lead to 13-6. With nine seconds to play in the first half, the Hilltops pushed out to a 20-6 lead, when Walls hit receiver Ryan Turple with a 13-yard scoring strike.

    The Thunder offence began to really hit stride in the second half but started out having trouble finding the end zone. On Regina’s first series of the second half, Thunder running back Ethan Hautz fumbled the ball away right before the Hilltops goal-line and Saskatoon defensive back Luke Melnyk recovered the ball in his own end zone to turn away the scoring threat.

RB Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette (#31) ripped off a long touchdown run.

    Regina’s next series was stopped thanks to an interception by Hilltops defensive lineman Tom Schnitzler deep in Saskatoon’s end of the field.

    With nine seconds to play in the third quarter, the Thunder finally found the end zone, when Buettner hit receiver Isaac Foord with an 11-yard scoring toss to cut Saskatoon’s lead to 20-13. Maximuik’s ensuing kickoff went 85 yards through the Saskatoon end zone for a single to further cut the Hilltops edge to 20-14.

    Around the midway point of the fourth quarter, the Thunder took their first lead of the contest, when star running back Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette burst 45 yards downfield for a major to put Regina in front 21-20. That set the stage for the dramatics in the contest’s final three minutes.

    “It (Saturday’s win) is a big one for us,” said Thunder head coach Scott MacAulay. “We haven’t had too much success against these guys in the last couple of years.

    “To be able to come up here into their own house and come out with this win, it is a big deal for our team. I think it is going to bring us a lot closer.”

The Hilltops defence forces a fumble near their goal-line.

    Buettner was pleased his side was able to overcome some re-occurring difficulties that helped the Hilltops build a six game head-to-head winning streak against the Thunder.

    “We’ve had issues with this team before of driving down and kicking field goals and turning over the ball, which we did today,” said Buettner. “When it counted, we drove down and we scored touchdowns when we needed to.

    “We came up big when it counted.”

    Buettner completed 33-of-40 passes for 374 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the win for the Thunder. Walls connected on 27-of-41 passes for 351 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the loss for the Hilltops.

The Thunder celebrate their comeback win over the Hilltops.

    Saturday’s result creates a logjam at the top of the Prairie Football Conference standings. The Edmonton Huskies sit alone in first place at 4-0, while the Hilltops, Thunder and Winnipeg Rifles are all tied for second to fourth with identical 3-1 marks.

    The Calgary Colts sit fifth at 1-3, while the Edmonton Wildcats are last at 0-4. The top four clubs in the conference make the post-season.

    Having defeated the Thunder 37-20 back on Aug. 12 in Regina, the Hilltops hold the head-to-head standings tiebreaker against the Thunder outscoring their provincial rivals 63-49 in the teams’ two regular season meetings.

    The Hilltops return to action on Sept. 17, when they travel to Calgary to face the Colts. The Thunder return home to face the Rifles on Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. at new Mosaic Stadium.

Kinsmen Football League celebrates 50^th season

KFL players were part of the halftime festivities at the Hilltops game.

    The players of Saskatoon’s Kinsmen Football League took centre stage during a halftime ceremony of the CJFL contest between the Hilltops and Thunder.

    To celebrate the league’s 50^th anniversary season, the teams from the amateur league were introduced to the crowd at SMF Field. It is estimated that around 450 players will suit up as part of the Kinsmen Football League this season.

    The league contains two age groups for players. The peewee age group is for players 11 and 12-year-olds. Peewee league games are played under Canadian nine-man rules.

    The league also contains a bantam age group for player 13 and 14-years-old. Bantam league games are contested under Canadian 12-man rules.

    A total of 41 players on the Hilltops current roster got their start playing in the Kinsmen Football League, which held its first season way back in 1968.

Thunder player with rare chronic pain condition needs funds

    A GoFundMe campaign was started on Thursday to help a Regina Thunder player, who is suffering a rare chronic pain condition.

    In 2015, Jarrett Seck was playing his third season of Canadian Junior Football League eligibility as a 20-year-old linebacker for the Thunder. He was also attending the University of Regina to become a physiotherapist.

    Seck was injured in a game in September of 2015 causing pain in his left leg. The pain never went away, and in December of 2016, he was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

    CRPS is believe to be caused by damage or malfunction of the peripheral and central nervous systems. The cause is not definitively known and there is no cure.

    Seck is forced to lay in bed all day. Having exhausted all treatments locally, the family is seeking treatments outside of Regina and Canada, and the expense is expected to be $81,000.

    Those looking to donate to help Seck can do so by clicking here.

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

Storied Hilltops are always worth supporting

Running back Adam Machart powers upfield for the Hilltops.

    You have to love Saskatoon Hilltops game day.

    Since 1947, the Hilltops have been a huge source of pride for “the Bridge City.” They have had a run of success that is unmatched anyway capturing 19 Canadian Junior Football League championships in their history.

    They have always prided themselves in winning the right way. Besides succeeding on the field, they want their players to graduate from the program as first rate people, who are very community minded.

    Playing in their 71^st season of existence, the Hilltops have again fielded a team of first-rate individuals who are worth getting behind. They have opened the 2017 campaign winning their first two regular season games, which were both on the road.

    They already made one really cool memory opening the campaign on Aug. 12 downing the host Thunder in Regina 37-20 in the first game both sides played at new Mosaic Stadium. About 800 to 900 fans from Saskatoon followed the Toppers down to “the Queen City,” and the players appreciated the site of their supporters.

    When the contest finished, the players and coaches met the fans, who lined the front row of the facility’s West side, to pass on appreciation and enjoy that moment.

    Another cool memory was made when the Hilltops traveled to Winnipeg last Sunday to blank the host Rifles 44-0. The long trips to the Manitoba capital always provide a great chance to bond.

Ryan Turple gains yards after the catch for the Hilltops.

    Tonight, the blue and gold open their home regular season schedule hosting the Ottawa Sooners (0-2) of the Ontario Football Conference at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Hilltops are still that good old neighbour that brings a smile to your face, and when they succeed, you feel extremely proud of them.

    As always, there are always tonnes of cool storylines to watch with the Hilltops. One is watching fourth-year quarterback Jordan Walls take over the starting reins from Jared Andreychuk, who graduated after winning a third straight CJFL title as the top signal caller.

    Walls, who is a graduate from Saskatoon’s Tommy Douglas Collegiate, was more than prepared to take on this opportunity. He has been stellar in his first two career starts completing 35-of-57 passes for 475 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.

    Fifth-year star running back Logan Fischer entered his final season with the Hilltops after participating in this year’s training camp of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders. He has already piled up 251 yards rushing on 40 carries and scored three touchdowns.

    Third-year running back Adam Machart is earning a bigger role with the offence as each game passes. He has carried the ball 31 times for 171 yards and scored one touchdown.

    At receiver, veterans Sam Mike, Ryan Turple and Jason Price continue to make big plays. Joe Trumpy and Adam Ewanchyna are striving to get increasingly in the mix.

Hilltops QB Jordan Walls fires a pass downfield.

    The offensive line is filled with newcomers to starting spots, but it is steadied with Patrick Arno calling the signals starting at centre for a second straight campaign. Fourth-year veteran Kirk Simonsen anchors the unit at right tackle.

    Defensive lineman Tom Schnitzler came into his final season with the team after spending time on the Roughriders practice roster. He might possibly earn a longer CFL look in the future.

    Cameron Schnitzler, Cody Peters, Riley Pickett and Adam Benkic have been lights out at linebacker. Defensive backs Leif Larson and Logan Kelsey-Stern both have interceptions in the early going and safety James Vause has been the model of consistency on the field and class off the field.

    You also wonder what other roles Rylan Kleiter will take on in addition to his receiving and kicking duties. 

    Besides performing those duties admirably, he stars and wins lots of trophies on the ice curling, when he isn’t on the football field.

    Of course on the sidelines, everyone loves watching the passion and fire of head coach Tom Sargeant.

    The Hilltops always symbolize Saskatoon at its best. If you find are wavering about going to tonight’s game, just get out to SMF field. 

    You will likely see something special.

Back in the Express with Dmytryshyn

Duane Dmytryshyn’s names is on the CFL’s diversity T-shirt.

    I was back in the pages of the Saskatoon Express this week with a little bit of a different story with Duane Dmytryshyn, who is the receivers coach with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team.

    Dmytryshyn, who played slotback in the CFL from 1993 to 2000 with the Calgary Stampeders, Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders, was surprised and proud to have his name included on a T-shirt the league put out to stand for diversity and inclusion. Dmytryshyn’s background is Ukrainian.

    The Huskies opened their 2017 campaign dropping an exhibition tilt 22-10 on Friday night in Hamilton, Ont., against the host McMaster University Marauders.

    Fourth-year starting quarterback Kyle Siemens completed 11-of-19 passes for 113 yards and one interception in two quarters of work. Backup Mason Nyhus, who was a redshirt last season, completed 12-of-25 passes for 143 yards and three interceptions.

    Running back Colton Klassen ran the ball 11 times for 115 yards for the Huskies.

    The Huskies open the regular season on Sept. 1, when they travel to Winnipeg to face the U of Manitoba Bisons.

    The Express story on Dmytryshyn can be found 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.

New Hilltops starting QB a student of the game

Walls groomed and ready to lead defending CJFL champs

Jordan Walls will lead the Hilltops as starting QB in 2017.

    Jordan Walls is pumped he will finally get the chance to apply what he has learned.

    For the last three seasons, Walls was the understudy to Saskatoon Hilltops starting quarterback Jared Andreychuk and watched Andreychuk build a legacy in the Canadian Junior Football League. Andreychuk led the Hilltops to three straight CJFL championships over the past three campaigns and posted a perfect 9-0 record in the post-season as a starting quarterback.

    Coming out of Saskatoon’s Tommy Douglas Collegiate, Walls was aware players don’t normally step in and become the starting quarterback with the Hilltops. He knew he could eventually be the starter one day, if he could learn and show what he learned in the chances he received in practices and games.

Jordan Walls drops back to pass.

    Walls admitted he had a pretty good role model to watch playing behind Andreychuk and was keenly watching the veteran signal caller in all situations.

    “He (Andreychuk) was always calm,” said Walls. “He never got too excited. He never got too down.

    “He handled himself in pressure moments very well. He just knew how to handle it and how to make the big time throws.

    “I think when you watch from the sideline you learn to see the game from a different view. You get to learn behind Jared (Andreychuk), which was good for me and good for my development. To have the reins now, I am excited to go.”

    At the Hilltops Alumni Game last season, Walls started that contest and gave a glimpse of what he could do. He threw the ball well all over the field and using his eyes to move defensive backs to get receivers open.

    It took a great play by defensive back Joel Lipinski, who is a former member of the University of Regina Rams and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, to get an interception off Walls. After Walls was pulled, the Alumni team stormed to a 41-10 victory.

    During the regular season in 2016, Walls completed 24 of 31 attempts for 245 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions stepping on the field during mop up duty.

    At the Hilltops Alumni Game on Thursday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Walls showed solid command of the offence playing the first half, which the Alumni team won 16-14. The 21-year-old signal caller throws the ball with some good authority despite being smaller in stature standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 155 points.

Jordan Walls throws downfield on the run.

    Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said his team is pumped to have Walls leading the offence and his teammates rally around him.

    “We are excited,” said Sargeant. “Jordan is the guy. He has done everything that we’ve asked him to do.

    “He can make all the throws and all the reads, so now it is just game experience. He just got to keep playing. We have got to get him good situations and good calls.

    “He has to trust the calls. He has to trust himself, and he has to make the plays.”

    Sargeant said there are still some fine tuning things the coaching staff needs to help Walls out with. The veteran sideline boss is confident good things will result as constant improvement is made.

    “He (Walls) has a real strong arm and is accurate,” said Sargeant. “Our job is just to give him a better understanding of what he needs to do and how he needs to do it.
    “When that takes place, you’re going to see this offence blossom, and we anticipate making a lot of plays this year.”

    Walls, by his own admission, said he is working on his vision on the field.

Jordan Walls fires a pass downfield from the pocket.

    “It is getting there,” said Walls. “Obviously, we have a lot of talented players on this offence, and they get open and they find the holes.

    “You get a guy like (running back) Logan Fischer or (receiver) Sam Mike, they make your job pretty easy.”

    Before joining the Hilltops for his fourth season, Walls saw the game of football in a different light, when he became the offensive coordinator of the powerhouse Saskatoon Valkyries of the Western Women’s Canadian Football League this past spring. He was also the club’s quarterbacks coach. Walls was entrusted with helping groom the Valkyries talented and personable sophomore quarterback Alex Eyolfson.

    With the Valkyries having an elite program guided by head coach Pat Barry and defensive coordinator Jeff Yausie, who is the Hilltops defensive coordinator, Walls found a lot of what he learned in his coaching role could be transferred over to the field guiding the Hilltops as quarterback.

Jordan Walls calls signals at the goal-line.

    “You see it from a different point,” said Walls. “You get to coach with great coaches.

    “Jeff Yausie and Pat Barry, those guys have been around for ages coaching, so to sit down in the meeting rooms with them and kind of hear what they have to say really helped with understanding situations and what defences are trying to do here and there. That helped a lot.”

    Walls is looking forward to getting the regular season going. The Hilltops open the regular campaign traveling to Regina on Saturday, Aug. 12 for a 7 p.m. clash with their provincial rivals the Thunder. That contest will mark the first time both squads play at new Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

    The Hilltops are also on a quest to become the first team to win four straight championships in the history of the CJFL dating back to 1908. Saskatoon won three straight CJFL titles on two other occasions from 2002 to 2004 and 2010 to 2012, which means this will mark the third time the Hilltops will try to win four league championships in a row.

Jordan Walls (#19) is protected by running back Adam Machart (#20).

    As the season progresses, Walls said the key for his team will be to focus on the present as opposed to worrying about keeping the Canadian Bowl - the CJFL championship trophy - in Saskatoon.

    “It is daunting I guess when you start to look at the big picture of it,” said Walls. “Obviously, no one has ever done it, and we’ve had a few chances in the past to do it as the Hilltops.

    “I think you have to take it game by game and week by week and slowly work your way towards it. They are not going to be handing out the Canadian Bowl next week, so we know that and we have to stay patient.”

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

Déjà vu for Hilltops at old Mosaic Stadium

Saskatoon posts second straight comeback win in Regina

Tailback Joshua Ewanchyna scores the Hilltops winning TD

    REGINA - The Saskatoon Hilltops last old Mosaic moment was a déjà vu one in the comeback department.
    On Saturday night at old Mosaic Stadium, the venerable Hilltops fell behind the host Regina Thunder 26-16 with 2:21 to play in the fourth quarter, when Thunder backup quarterback Brock Sich scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak. The Toppers were down, but not out in the Canadian Junior Football League clash.

    The visitors rallied with two touchdowns to pull out a 30-26 victory before 2,301 spectators. First, quarterback Jared Andreychuk hit receiver Sam Mike on an 18-yard touchdown toss with 1:37 to play to cut the Thunder lead to 26-23.

    After forcing the Thunder to go two-and-out on their ensuing series, the Hilltops drove down to the Regina one with the aid of three big Thunder penalties. From the one, Hilltops running back Joshua Ewanchyna ran in the winning score with 48 seconds to play.

Jared Andreychuk led another Hilltops rally.

    “It was unreal,” said Andreychuk. “We got down a little bit late.

    “Our spirits were down a little bit, but we had a shot, and we took advantage of it. We got into hurry up offence, and you don’t have to think about things. You just do it.

    “They started playing cover three (zone defence) in the fourth, and we took advantage of that, and we made some things happen.”

    The final Thunder series ended quickly. On their first play after the returning the Hilltops kickoff, Thunder starting quarterback Sawyer Buettner was intercepted by linebacker Cody Peters to seal the Saskatoon victory.

    Andreychuk had a huge night completing 21-of-43 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns. Besides Mike’s fourth quarter catch, Andreychuk hit running back Logan Fischer for a six-yard scoring throw in the second quarter and Mike for a 14-yard scoring connection in the third quarter.

    The fifth-year signal contributions grew in importance after Fischer left the game with a lower body injury shortly before halftime.

    “We had to put the ball in Jared’s hands, and he embraced that,” said Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “The receivers stepped up.

    “Our passing game is getting better and better. We are ready for bigger and better things. You win these games that is character.”

Linebacker Cody Peters makes an interception for the Hilltops.

    Saskatoon’s victory at old Mosaic almost mirrored their trip to the historic facility last season. Just over a year ago on Sept. 12, 2015, the Hilltops trailed the Thunder 25-10 heading into the fourth quarter but rallied for a 26-25 victory. Andreychuk hit slotback Evan Turkington with the winning touchdown pass with 75 seconds to play in that contest, and linebacker Cole Benkic sealed the win with an interception after the Hilltops went ahead late.

    “I had déjà vu a couple of times in that game,” said Andreychuk. “Definitely that back shoulder throw to Sam (Mike) in the third quarter kind of got that going a little bit.

    “It kind of reminded me of Turk (Turkington) last year at the end of the game. It was just a fun one.”

    Buettner connected on 29-of-50 passes for 319 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss for the Thunder on Saturday. Receiver Kristopher Calcutt made an acrobatic 10-yard reception in the third quarter to account for the Thunder’s major through the air.

    The teams entered the fourth quarter locked in a 16-16 tie. Early in the fourth quarter, Thunder kicker James Reid booted a 21-yard field goal to give the hosts a 19-16 lead to set the stage for the dramatics in the final three minutes of the game.

Sawyer Buettner fires a pass downfield for the Thunder.

    Reid also hit field goals from 38, 30 and 17 yards out in the contest to round out the home side’s scoring. The Hilltops scoring was rounded out by a conceded safety by the Thunder and a long punt single by Des Vessey. The Hilltops failed to convert one of their convert attempts due to a botched snap.

    Since falling 36-21 to the Calgary Colts at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on Aug. 28, the Hilltops have won their last four straight games to improve to 6-1.

    “From the Calgary game until now, we are a totally different team,” said Sargeant. “I have a proud coaching staff.

    “They have a belief in how we do business, and the players always respond and do what we need them to do.

    “What I am so proud about is we stay the process, we believe in each other, we coach hard and they play hard and good results happen.”

Hilltops DL Dillon Buckle closes in on a Thunder ball carrier.

    With two games left on their regular season schedule, the Hilltops are ensured of at least a second place finish in the Prairie Football Conference, and they will host a first round playoff match. The Colts lead the conference standings with a 6-0 mark.

    The Thunder fall to 3-4 to sit fourth in the PFC.

    The Hilltops return to action on Oct. 9, when they host the Edmonton Wildcats at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Thunder will host the Colts at 1 p.m. at old Mosaic Stadium also on Oct. 9.

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