Saskatoon faces Sun for CJFL title on Sunday
at SMF Field
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| The Hilltops go through reps at practice at SMF Field on Tuesday. |
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
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| The Huskies enjoy victory and the Rams contemplate a season-ending loss. |
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 4th 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
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| Crusaders AC Scott Hundseth, centre, raises the SHSAA 6A title trophy. |
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.
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