Hilltops claim record fourth straight CJFL title, hit new heights of competitive greatness

The Hilltops enjoy a fourth straight CJFL title. (Photo courtesy Bonnie Bitz)

    The Saskatoon Hilltops are an uncommon football team.

    In the Canadian Junior Football League, they continue to accomplish things that have never been done before.

    On Saturday in Windsor, Ont., the venerable Hilltops continued to add their list of unique experiences. They rolled into Alumni Field at the University of Windsor and proceeded to dismantle the host Windsor AKO Fratmen 56-11 in the CJFL title the game – the Canadian Bowl.

    The Hilltops, who finished the 2017 campaign with an 11-1 overall record, became the first team in the history of the CJFL to win four straight league championships. The circuit’s national championship game dates back to 1908.

    On top of that accomplishment, the Hilltops became the first team to win seven CJFL titles over an eight year span, and they have now won a total of 20 CJFL championships. Their first national championship came way back in 1953, when they downed the AKO Fratmen 34-6 before 7,200 spectators at Griffiths Stadium on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan.

    Since Tom Sargeant became head coach in 1998, the Hilltops have won 11 of their 20 CJFL championships. Their seemingly endless dynasty under Sargeant seemed destined to continue on Saturday in Windsor as the host AKO Fratmen ultimately finished 9-2 overall this season.

    On the game’s second play from scrimmage, the AKO Fratmen had the ball on offence, and the centre’s shotgun snap sailed over the head of quarterback Brandon Reaume.

    Hilltops fifth-year star defensive end Tom Schnitzler recovered the ball at the Windsor one yard line. On the ensuing play, Hilltops star big game fifth-year running back Logan Fischer powered into the end zone for a touchdown to give Saskatoon a 7-0 lead.

    Saskatoon forced 10 turnovers in Saturday’s contest and converted those takeaways into 35 points. With Jeff Yausie as defensive coordinator, the Hilltops have cemented a reputation of taking the ball away and those takeaways always seem to result in points causing the score to snowball in favour of the blue and gold.

Hilltops defensive lineman Tom Schnitzler lifts the Canadian Bowl.

    Usually, the Hilltops can produce a lopsided game in their favour off of four turnovers. If they get 10 turnovers, the outcome is academic.

    Before the first quarter expired the Hilltops lead grew to 16-0 thanks to a conceded safety by the AKO Fratmen and a one-yard touchdown run from running back Joshua Ewanchyna.

    Near the start of the second quarter, Sargeant showed off how great he was as a play caller taking over the offensive coordinator role this season from Sheldon Ball, who departed from the club for work and family reasons. With the Hilltops facing a third-and-eight from the Windsor 32, Sargeant called a quarterback draw showing he can throw curveball plays at the opposition like Ball once did.

    The play was executed perfectly and signal caller Jordan Walls sprinted 32 yards for another major to put the Hilltops up 23-0.

    At that point, the AKO Fratmen started to push back. With around 11 minutes to play in the second quarter, Reaume hit receiver Devon Woods for an eight-yard touchdown toss to cap a long scoring drive to cut Saskatoon’s lead to 23-7.

    Just when it seemed like the hosts were building momentum, the Hilltops stomped out the uprising. Hilltops fifth-year defensive back Luke Melnyk made an interception. The ensuing offensive series for the visitors was capped by a 10 yard sweep touchdown run by Ewanchyna to put the Hilltops up 30-7.

    Inside of the final two minutes of the second quarter, Hilltops linebacker Adam Benkic recovered an AKO Fratmen fumble at the Windsor 37. The Hilltops quickly drove downfield on a short touchdown drive that was capped when Walls hit Turple with a 16-yard scoring strike to expand Saskatoon’s advantage to 37-7 with 34.7 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Hilltops DB Luke Melnyk picks up defensive player of the game honours.

    Driving into the wind early in the third quarter, the Hilltops lead shrank to 37-9 after they conceded a safety. When it seemed the AKO Fratmen might get going, they were stuffed on a third-and-one gamble at their own 54.

    The Hilltops quickly drove down on another scoring drive that was capped on a touchdown catch from Schnitzler. The defensive standout lined up as a tight end on short yardage offence near the goal-line and hauled in a three-yard touchdown toss on a short slant route to give the Hilltops a 44-9 lead.  

    Saskatoon conceded another safety before the third quarter ended but still held an insurmountable 44-11 edge.

    An interception by fifth-year middle linebacker Cameron Schnitzler set up the Hilltops final major of the game. On the ensuing offensive series, Walls hit Turple with an eight-yard scoring pass to increase the Hilltops lead to 51-11.

    The Fratmen conceded a safety and second-year receiver Rylan Kleiter booted a 37-yard field goal to round out the 56-11 final in favour of the visitors.

    The 56 points the Toppers put up on the scoreboard was the second highest total ever for a CJFL title game. The Hilltops hold the record for most points scored in a CJFL title game when they blasted the Victoria Rebels 59-0 in the 2003 Canadian Bowl in Chilliwack, B.C.

    In Saturday’s win over the AKO Fratmen, Walls completed 11-of-18 passes for 192 yards and three touchdown passes to pick up offensive player of the game honours. As a team, the Hilltops ran the ball 37 times for 188 yards. Fischer, who was playing his final game of his storied Hilltops career, ran the ball 14 times for 80 yards and one touchdown.

Hilltops veterans enjoy the Canadian Bowl.

    Melynk was named the defensive play of the game for his two key interceptions. Defensive ends Riley Pickett and Tom Schnitzler each had a sack.

    Reaume completed 12-of-24 passes for 197 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Windsor running back D’Angelo Knox ran the ball seven times for 37 yards and caught two passes for 104 yards.

    AKO Fratmen linebacker Quinten Earhart had nine tackles and a sack.

    After the final seconds ticked away, the Hilltops walked off the field with the Canadian Bowl and their 13^th consecutive playoff win. During their run of four straight CJFL championship victories, the Hilltops run could have been derailed.

    The Prairie Football Conference semifinal and final contests in each of the past two years could have been lost, if a couple of plays were changed. In those tight games, the Hilltops character and resiliency always rose up to allow them to make the two to three key swing players that are needed to win tight games.

    Against the AKO Fratmen on Saturday, the Hilltops showed how well they can roll, when they are firing on all cylinders forcing their opponent to play without making a mistake.

    Sargeant got to lay claim to his 14^th CJFL championship ring with the team including 11 rings from his time as head coach, two as an assistant coach and his first as a player won back in 1985.

    He will admit it takes everyone pulling in the same direction, constantly striving to improve and bonding as a family to create the success the Hilltops have had. As a result, the Hilltops keep achieving new feats of competitive greatness no team in the CJFL has ever done before.

CANADIAN BOWL CHAMPIONS!! The Saskatoon Hilltops Win our twentieth national championship with a 56-11 win over the Windsor AKO Fratmen. #fourpeat pic.twitter.com/bffxavnwpL

— Saskatoon Hilltops (@SaskHilltops) November 11, 2017

    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 hit high gear

Evan Kopchynski hauls in a TD catch for the Hilltops.

    A pre-kickoff wait only delayed the inevitable.

    Thanks to the stadium staff being a bit fast with pre-game cues, the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops and the visiting Winnipeg Rifles had to wait about 10 minutes before hitting the turf at Saskatoon Minor Football Field for their Canadian Junior Football League clash. The team introductions and the national anthem performed by country singer Lisa Moen were run with lightning fast speed. The Toppers mirrored that quick execution, when they hit the field.

    Bryant Sackney ran the opening kickoff back 100 yards to give the hosts a 7-0 lead. The speed and elusiveness displayed by Sackney on the run back was matched by the excitement Hilltops special teams coordinator Matt Yausie showed over the fact all his players on the wedge nailed their blocking assignments perfectly.

    The Hilltops proceeded to roll from there going up 21-0 shortly before the halfway point of the first quarter, 49-7 at halftime and cruised to a 65-9 romp in their regular season home opener.

    Just five minutes into the third quarter, Saskatoon started cycling in their backups. They entered the game eager to make plays as well like rookie running back Adam Machart, who scored a Barry Sanders like 46-yard touchdown run to account for the final major score put up by the home side.

    When the dust settled, the Hilltops put up exactly 400 yards of offence in a performance where they didn’t have either a 100-yard rusher or receiver. They only committed one turnover and gave up two quarterback sacks.

    Saskatoon’s defence held Winnipeg to 304 total yards, forced four turnovers and piled up eight sacks. Blake Hermann was a monster on a star-laden veteran defensive line hauling down Winnipeg signal callers on three different occasions.

Bryant Sackney returns the opening kickoff for a Hilltops major.

    The Hilltops were firing on all cylinders. Their offensive line blocked solidly and offensive coordinator Sheldon Ball mixed up the play calling extremely well as the football was distributed all over the field to different playmakers.

   Running back Logan Fischer, who had two impressive high hurdle jumps in the outing, ran in a three yard major and hauled in a 15-yard pass for another score. Receiver Evan Kopchynski snagged a 35-yard TD grab on a streak play catching a beautifully thrown ball by quarterback Jared Andreychuk. Tailback Des Vessey also contributed a scoring plunge from a yard out.

    Saskatoon’s defensive line was successful in getting pressure with a four-man rush, which also included crushing Winnipeg’s running game. As a result, defensive coordinator Jeff Yausie could have the linebackers and secondary doing all sorts of different things, which caused the Rifles to cough up the ball.

    Linebacker Cole Benkic returned an interception six yards for a major score, while rush end Tom Schnitzler returned a fumble nine yards for another defensive score. Both of those scores were punctuated by excited celebrations.

    The Hilltops special teams have been clicking on a higher level than they did a season ago now under the guidance of Matt Yausie, who is the club’s rookie special teams coordinator. In building a 3-0 record, the Toppers have been good for one big special teams play a game this season, and they have racked up a whole bunch of hidden yardage in the return game.

    Head coach Tom Sargeant has been the manager that has challenged his talented coaches to elevate their performances, which has resulted in the team executing at a higher and higher level each week.

Rush end Tom Schnitzler returns a fumble recovery for a Hilltops TD.

    Rifles starting quarterback Jamie Ybarra hit receiver Ian Lee for a nine-yard scoring strike in the first quarter, but the Winnipeg signal caller was knocked out of the game due to injury in the second quarter after that lone highlight. The visitors fell to 0-3.    

    Now the Hilltops head off to their biggest challenge to date with two much anticipated clashes against their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder, who also improved to 3-0 by bombing the Huskies in Edmonton 76-9.

    While the Hilltops won the CJFL title last year, they dropped both of their encounters with the Thunder.

    With first place in the Prairie Football Conference on the line, the two clubs meet this coming Saturday at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field and at 7 p.m. on Sept. 12 at Mosaic Stadium.

    Both of those matches have a high likelihood of becoming classic encounters.

Shirley a step closer to U-18 worlds

Sophie Shirley in action with the Saskatoon Stars.

    Sophie Shirley’s special summer might foreshadow an unforgettable winter.

    The 16-year-old Saskatoon product made Canada’s under-18 women’s hockey team which played in a three-game series against an under-18 squad from the United States from Aug. 20-23. Canada claimed two of those three contests, and Shirley had a goal in the red and white’s 5-2 victory that closed the three-game set on Aug. 23.

    Shirley was a third youngest player on the 23-member Canadian team. She has a strong chance of being on Canada’s roster for the under-18 worlds that will be held in St. Catharines, Ont., starting on Jan. 8 in the new year. It is common to have almost all the players from Canada’s under-18 team summer roster make the under-18 roster for worlds.

    As a 15-year-old sophomore last season with the Saskatoon Stars, Shirley had a spectacular campaign. She netted 22 goals and 17 assists helping the Stars post a 25-3 regular season record to allow Saskatoon to finish first in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League.

    Shirley was named the most valuable player of the SFMAAAHL and proceeded to pick up 12 goals and 12 assists in nine games, as the Stars won their first league title. At the Esso Cup national championship tournament held in April in Red Deer, Shirley was named the event’s MVP, and she led the tourney in scoring potting nine goals and seven assists.

    You have to anticipate she will be making highlights for years to come.

    If you have any comments about this blog post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. Check Twitter for more Hilltops game photos @Stankssports.

Saskatoon will always have a heart for the Hilltops

Logan Fischer runs the ball at the Hilltops spring camp scrimmage.

    Love for the Hilltops junior football club is alive and well in Saskatoon, and it feels like that might be something that never changes.
    As the population of the Bridge City and surrounding suburbs has ballooned to 300,000 due to an influx of at least 50,000 people over the last nine years, the Hilltops still have a loyal fan base. The supporters might not always be present for games at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, which was known as Gordie Howe Bowl for most of its life, but they are alert to what the team is up to.
    On Oct. 26 of last year, the Hilltops hosted another Prairie Football Conference title game and looked dynamic in disposing of the surging Calgary Colts 27-7. An appreciative crowd of 1,014 cheered the blue and gold to victory that day. While the Hilltops have played before much bigger crowds in their history, news of their win and the fact they advanced to another national final spread quickly over social media lines.
    Soon, the Hilltops were the talk of the town. A day after that victory, they hosted the Riderville North Quarterback Luncheon in conjunction with the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders at TCU Place. The event was packed, and it gave the Hilltops a warm kick off towards two weeks of preparation for the CJFL title game, the Canadian Bowl.
    The Toppers proceeded to travel to Langley, B.C., where they disposed of the host Rams 39-14 on Nov. 8. A healthy following of supporters made the trip to B.C. to witness the championship victory.

The Hilltops offensive and defensive lines battle in the trenches.

    On Sunday, the Hilltops hosted a Blue and Gold scrimmage game at Saskatoon Minor Football Field to conclude a three day spring camp. The scrimmage attracted a large gathering of supporters. The followers won't go away.
    The storied franchise has won 17 Canadian Junior Football League championships since the modern version of the club was formed back in 1947. The Hilltops actually appeared in their first national final in only their second season falling 14-10 to the host Hamilton Wildcats in the 1948 title game.
    Saskatoon would capture its first national title in 1953, when the Hilltops thumped the Windsor AKO Fratmen 34-6. Since that first win, the Hilltops have captured at least one national championship in every decade that followed. When Tom Sargeant became head coach in 1998, the Hilltops would go on to win eight of their national titles, including four in the last five years.
    Pretty much every generation that has grown up or moved to become part of the Saskatoon community has a memory of a Hilltops championship run. In a lot of ways, the Hilltops symbolize how the citizens of Saskatoon like to see themselves. The Hilltops work hard, carry themselves with respect, are disciplined and are tough.

Davis Mitchell hauls in a pass.

    The tough aspect is something Saskatoon citizens really love about the Toppers, who play their contests out of what is considered the tougher part of town in the city's west side. The reverence for that characteristic of the club is similar to the reverence citizens of Pittsburgh have for the blue-collar Steelers of the NFL.
    Saskatoon residents have enjoyed the fact the Hilltops have fielded tough as nails players like Ron Atchison and Larry Wruck in their distance past and Jorgen Hus and Graig Newman in recent years.
    They can also win with flare and style. Sheldon Ball called signals for an explosive and dynamic offence for the team as a quarterback in the 1990s. He has now been the team's offensive coordinator for about a decade, and the players he guides can put up points in a hurry.
    That was seen last year when starting quarterback Jared Andreychuk put up 300-yard passing games in the PFC final and the Canadian Bowl, when the Hilltops looked fairly smooth.
    During the 1980s and early 1990s, the once very healthy CJFL saw a number of franchises fold. It was once the premier league for amateur football in Canada, but it hasn't held that distinction for at least four decades.
    Over that time, the Hilltops have remained healthy. A hard working board of directors has ensured the team continued to be a first-class franchise.
    Going into the 2015, the Hilltops will return most of their players from the year before. Only four players exhausted their eligibility following the 2014 campaign, and a handful veterans will be displaced by incoming rookies.
    Optimism is high the Hilltops will have another exciting campaign. Their loyal following will be there, and hopefully, they can share news of the team's exploits to attract new followers. That will ensure the team will be engrained in the community's fabric for decades to come.

Huskies aim to erase recent disappointments

Mitch Hillis sprints downfield at the Huskies spring camp scrimmage.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team knows all they can do is worry about the present and not worry about the recent past.
    The Dogs concluded their spring camp with a Green and White scrimmage on Sunday, and they went through the weekend just focusing on the business at hand. The annual Dogs' Breakfast on Thursday morning opened the weekend's festivities as 25 new recruits were revealed to a crowd of about 2,000 at Prairieland Park.
    Most of the roster from the squad that went 6-2 during the 2014 regular season will return in 2015, and the returnees looked good. In the early going, the Huskies have to be considered a favourite to win the Canada West title.
    When thoughts turn to the post-season, expectations get tempered. U of S has lost its last six straight playoff contests and is 1-9 in its last 10 post-season games. They last won the Canada West title in 2006.
    The Huskies improved steadily during the course of last season and hosted their first playoff game since 2010. They took a 37-18 lead in the third quarter of a Canada West semifinal contest against the U of Manitoba Bisons, but the Bisons rallied for a 47-39 victory.
    The comeback came because the Bisons scored 14 points off a pair of interceptions including a pick-six, a major coming off a blocked punt, a field goal off a fumble and a safety caused by a bad long snap.
    During the spring camp, not much was said about the post-season implosion against the Bisons. The Huskies players and coaches just focused on getting better and getting the newcomers used to the team's systems.

Drew Burko unloads a pass at the Huskies spring camp scrimmage.

    Veteran quarterback Drew Burko, who is entering his fourth year of eligibility, looked good during his reps in the scrimmage. Second-year signal caller Kyle Siemens looked really good. The offence once again has a huge stable of standout running backs.
    The defence also came through with big stops, and it will be anchored by veterans like linebacker Dylan Kemp and defensive back Chris Friesen, who will both be entering their fifth and final years of eligibility. The biggest addition is linebacker Justin Filteau, who starred with CJFL's Hilltops.
    When main training camps rolls around August, the Huskies have to follow the old cliché in taking each week as it comes and also hope the injury bug is kind. When the post-season arrives, it is expected to be a wide open with regards who could win it all, because most of the other teams in Canada West have gone through big changes in the off-season.
    The Huskies continuity might give them a big edge.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. To see more pictures of the Hilltops and Huskies respective scrimmages, check out Twitter @StanksSports.

Cool things I saw in 2014

The Medicine Hat Tigers celebrate a goal in the 2014 WHL playoffs

            It still amazes me what all can happen in a year.

            As 2015 closes, a number of people are listing highlights from the year that was in 2014. For me, I wrapped up my time at the Medicine Hat News and made the move to Saskatoon for family reasons.

            Over the past year, I was able to witness a number of highlights. Actually, I can't believe how many different things I attended in so many different centres.

            It seemed like I was at everything from watching Olympic hockey with a big group, going to numerous WHL and CIS hockey games, hitting a number of CFL and CIS games, enjoying the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede and watching a talented music artist perform at home.

            Here is of a few of the highlights going from the start of the year to the end.

 

Watching gold medal win at the Buckle

You know you live in Canada, when you wake up at 5 a.m. on Sunday to watch Canada’s men’s hockey team win gold at the Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

After getting home from my Saturday work shift, I believe I slept two hours before waking up to watch the big hockey game. Turning on Facebook, I couldn’t believe how many other people were also up.

In the second intermission, I decided to motor down to the Buckle in the Hat to see the final period. The place was packed. Canada beat Sweden 3-0 in the final, and the place was rocking.

It was about 10 a.m., when I headed home for some real sleep. That was definitely a night I will never forget. Canada also swept the hockey gold at the Olympics with the women’s team also winning it all.

Huskies women’s hockey team win Canada West title

The Huskies celebrate celebrate a Canada West title

This was one of those unexpected highlights.

Thanks to having Sundays and Mondays off at the Medicine Hat News, I was able to make it to Game 3 of the Canada West Women’s Hockey Championship Series on March 2 at the Rutherford Rink in Saskatoon. I went because it was my only shot to see Huskies captain Cami Wooster play live with how busy my life was.

Following her and her team that season was great, because it was one of the few sports things I followed I didn’t cover. It got me back to just enjoying sports. Life was so busy in Medicine Hat, that there were actually times I didn’t enjoy sports anymore, so following Wooster and the Huskies was a nice change.

They beat the University of Regina Cougars 2-1 in double overtime in that deciding game to claim the Canada West title. Wooster had the Huskies first goal and the assist on Kaitlin Willoughby’s overtime winner. Captain Cami was so good, she was good.

They were all so happy that night. I had lots of energy for the game and seeing the celebrations. Looking back, it was a real good thing for me to make that game.

One final Tigers playoff run

Captain Curtis Valk in action for the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Going into the 2014 WHL playoffs, I knew in my heart this would be the last time I would be covering a Medicine Hat Tigers playoff run for the Medicine Hat News.

I tried to soak in every moment as much as I could. I was hoping the moment would last as long as it could. Time was really busy.

The run closed with the Tigers playing 13 games over 24 days with a lot of travel. I definitely enjoyed the playoffs. Tigers took out the Swift Current Broncos in six games in the first round of the playoffs.

In the second round, the Tigers trailed a best-of-seven series 3-1 to the Kootenay Ice before rallying for a 4-3 series victory. The run ended in the WHL Eastern Conference Championships with a 4-1 series loss to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Edmonton Oil Kings.

Watching the Tigers forward line of Trevor Cox, Curtis Valk and Cole Sanford was something else. That was the most exciting forward line I saw the Tigers put on the ice in the 10 seasons I covered them. Marek Langhamer was spectacular in goal.

It was still a strange feeling after I finished my stories after Game 5 of the series loss to the Oil Kings at Rexall Place in Edmonton. A tired Tigers team tried to pull out a win, but fell 4-3. After I finished writing, I went around shaking hands with the Edmonton sportwriters who were there and Oil Kings communications manager Paul Owen, who once worked as a sports reporter.

Walking out of there, I knew I had covered my last Medicine Hat Tigers hockey game. It was weird to comprehend then, and it still is now. It did feel in a way that I was able to go out on top, so that was a good thing.

The celebration of life for Crystal (Heisler) McGregor

Crystal (Heisler) McGregor circa 2001.

            A list from 2014 wouldn’t be complete without me remembering the passing of Crystal (Heisler) McGregor, who was a good friend to everyone.

            A point guard on the University of Regina Cougars Women’s Basketball team that won the 2001 CIAU title, McGregor passed after a lengthy battle with cancer in May. A big celebration of life was held for her at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina.

            In the day before and the day of the celebration of life, I was able to reunite with the all the members of the Cougars team that McGregor played with. I went to school with all of them at the University of Regina.

            It was a great time to hang around with old friends. It is too bad it had to occur under such circumstances. It was also great to share memories of McGregor and of days that shouldn't feel so long ago.

            I think a few us are still waiting for her to approach us a say her typical, “Hey buddy.”

            RIP Crystal. You will be remembered forever.

Seeing MacKenzie Porter perform live

MacKenzie Porter at Kin Coulee Park.

I finally got to see MacKenzie Porter perform live on Canada Day at Kin Coulee Park in Medicine Hat, and she was so good.

It is very impressive to see how talented she is at making music. What is even better is the former Medicine Hat College Rattlers Women’s team soccer player is still the girl next door. 

She is still super sweet, and seems to remember everyone that passes through her life and treats them like gold.

My favourite part about seeing her perform in her hometown was saying in a break between songs, “There are like 50 people in this front row section I know personally. This is so great.”

There was a huge line of people to great her that night after she finished performing.
I still have her debut CD which is personalized autographed and also an autographed poster from that night. I enjoyed getting to see her again.

It is still very cool to hear her songs on the radio and see her music videos on television.

One last kick at the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede

Saddle bronc riding at the rodeo in Medicine Hat.

Before pulling the last of my things out of Medicine Hat, I got out to enjoy the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede one last time.

Usually, the 2007 WHL Champion Medicine Hat Tigers team makes it back that week for a reunion, but that reunion happened earlier in the summer to fit everyone’s schedules. With that said, I still ran into a few old Tigers that week.

It was also a fun time as friends that don’t normally go out anymore went out that week. 

It made for a great last run to see everybody before I left the Gas City for Saskatoon. I saw so many good friends. Party wise, it was a great Stampede week.

Calder Cup celebrations with Derek Hulak

Derek Hulak and the Huskies with the Calder Cup.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies Men’s Hockey team was one of the first key things that got me back to enjoying sports again, when I was in a funk of not enjoy sports due to life in Medicine Hat being so busy.

A big thing that helped was I knew pretty much all the players through covering the WHL. After the University Cup ended, I was pumped to see Derek Hulak join the American Hockey League’s Texas Stars.

The Stars were under the guidance of head coach Willie Desjardins, who was the former head coach and general manager of the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Texas Stars won the Calder Cup, and Hulak got to have the trophy for a day in August in Saskatoon.

He brought the trophy to the University of Saskatchewan, to the Saskatoon Blades offices and to his mom’s gravesite. Alina died in 2007 of Cancer.

There was a big gathering with the Huskies men’s hockey team and a whole bunch of other friends during the night at Boston Pizza on 8^th Street. That was a great night out.

While deep in summer, I believe all the Huskies men’s players made it out that night. That was a great thing to see and shows how strong the friendships are on that team. They are one of the best groups to hang around and spend social time with.

Labour Day Classic weekend in Regina

The Roughriders celebrate an Anthony Allen touchdown.

This will make the list every year as long as I can keep making it to the Labour Day Classic weekend in Regina.

I was at my 14^th Labour Day Classic game, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders downed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 35-30 thanks to a last-second touchdown by Anthony Allen. The Roughriders are 13-1 in the Labour Day Classic games I have attended.

The game was also Weston Dressler’s first game back with the Roughriders after being cut by the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. He was signing autographs at the end of the game and just looked so tired after a whirlwind week.

Victory party in Regina was also so enjoyable, especially when it is the after party for the Roughriders cheerleaders. It was a fun overall party night.

Frank McCrystal’s last home game as Rams head coach

Frank McCrystal, right, answers questions in a post-game scrum.

      A Saturday in Regina that was a turn back the clock type day and night for me.

     The University of Regina Rams were closing out the regular season against the University of Alberta Golden Bears in what would be Frank McCrystal’s final home game as Rams head coach. The Rams pulled out a 35-31 victory to make the Canada West playoffs.

     The stands were filled with a whole pile of old friends from my old Rams days at the University of Regina. A number of people traveled in for the game from all different points on the map.

     There was an alumni gathering after the game, and it was so fun to see a whole bunch of old faces. Lots of old stories were told and a lot of catching up was done.

     It also felt like an end of an era. I am sure the Rams will have a bright future, but things won’t be like what they once were.

Reconnecting with the Saskatoon Hilltops

The Hilltops celebrate their PFC Championship victory.

One of the unexpected good things that happened in my move to Saskatoon was reconnected with the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Those involved with coaching and running the Canadian Junior Football League team are as classy as you will find anywhere. Until the 2014 CJFL season, it has been 12 years since I last talked to Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant.

It has been about four to six years since I last saw my old bud Sheldon Ball, who is the team’s offensive coordinator. It was cool to see how good of a coach Ball has become. We became friends when he was first the quarterback of the Hilltops and later the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

The Hilltops started 1-2, but closed the campaign with eight straight wins. They improved a lot as the season went on. It was great to be at the Prairie Football Conference final, where they dumped the Calgary Colts 27-7.

Saskatoon then moved on to down the Rams in Langley, B.C., in the CJFL final 39-14. I really enjoyed visiting the team’s directors. If life allows it, I will try and make it more of a priority to be around their events next season.

Other good memories

Nelson Nogier gives his stick to a little Blades fan.

            Other highlights of the year include getting to watch my cousin, Nelson Nogier, played a lot more with the Saskatoon Blades before he was traded to the Red Deer Rebels.

            It has been good to get to know some of the new management with the Blades and reconnect with some long time staffers.

            I also enjoyed getting to see a number of the former Medicine Hat College Rattlers players, who now life in Saskatoon, again.

            It has also been cool to see how much of a life superstar University of Saskatchewan Huskies Women`s Basketball team point guard Kabree Howard is. It is cool to see her involved in so many community events. She does so much to give the Huskies a good name, and they will miss her when she graduates from their program later this year.

            Now, it is time to see what 2015 has in store for all of us.

If you have any feedback on this blog, feel free to email comments to stankssports@gmail.com.

Hilltops Canadian Bowl bound

Outstanding coaches help keep Saskatoon on top

The Hilltops celebrate with the PFC championship trophy.

            It was Sunday beautiful Sunday for the Saskatoon Hilltops.

            The venerable Canadian Junior Football League franchise had a day that was as picture perfect as the weather at the club’s long time home the Saskatoon Minor Football Field, which is formerly known as Gordie Howe Bowl.

            Quarterback Jared Andreychuk came out gunning the ball all over the field staking his club out to a 24-7 lead against the visiting Calgary Colts. The Toppers cruised to a 27-7 victory, which allowed them to capture another Prairie Football Conference title.

            With the win, the Hilltops advanced to the CJFL title game, the Canadian Bowl, on November 8 in Langley, B.C., against the host Rams.

            After starting the season 1-2, the Hilltops rolled into the PFC final riding a six-game winning streak. The Colts had won four in a row, so the two hottest teams in the conference were battling for spot in the national final.

            Calgary went 0-8 in 2013, which saw the club hire legendary British Columbia Football Conference head coach Matthew “Snoop” Blokker. Blokker guided the Colts to a 4-4 regular season record and a playoff win.

            Unfortunately for Calgary’s bench boss, Sunday belonged to Saskatoon’s stellar coaching staff.

            The energetic Tom Sargeant has been guiding the Hilltops as head coach since 1998. During his time, the team has won seven CJFL championships, and he has become the iconic standard to which all other Hilltops bench bosses past and present are measured. “The Sarge” has almost seen it all, and his teams always improve as the season goes on.

When he comes out fired up for a practice or a game, it is hard not to get pumped up too. Sargeant always seems to know the right things to say. He has also surrounded himself with some outstanding coaches.

One of the best known is defensive coordinator Jeff Yausie, who is the executive director of Football Saskatchewan and the head coach of the powerhouse Saskatoon Valkyries women’s football team. Yausie’s defences are always aggressive, tough and opportunistic when it comes to forcing turnovers.

A key takeaway came on the Colts first drive of the second half. Calgary drove down to about the Saskatoon 11 yard line and was going for a quarterback sneak on a third-and-one gamble. At the time, the Hilltops led 24-7, but a Calgary major would make it game on again.

Colts quarterback Brett Hunchak fumbled the ball away into the hands of a Hilltops defender to bring an end to the scoring threat. Saskatoon got a field goal on that cough up to go up 27-7.

Evan Kopchynski takes off to score a first quarter TD.

On the other side of the ball, offensive coordinator Sheldon Ball might be one of the more underrated coaches on the Saskatoon staff. “Coach Goose” had a masterful game plan drawn up, which allowed the offence to land a lot of huge early body blows.

Andreychuk completed 20 of 31 passes for 329 yards and three touchdown strikes. The best throw was a 54-yard pass and run strike to Evan Kopchynski that put Saskatoon up 14-7 in the first quarter.

The Colts managed to get a couple of picks including an acrobatic end zone pick by Dylan Niedermaier in the second quarter. Andreychuk wasn’t deterred and proceeded to calmly drive his squad.

            Running back Logan Fischer, who was filling in for injured starter Wayndel Lewis, rolled off 183 yards rushing on 28 carries. Fischer will have to carry the load again in the Canadian Bowl, as Lewis’s ankle won’t be healed up by that time.

            The offence showed huge improvement under Ball’s guidance, and his influence on Andreychuk, who showed really good vision on Sunday, was obvious. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Ball quarterbacked the Hilltops and then the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, and he developed a great analytical understanding of the game during that time.

            With their outstanding coaching staff, the Hilltops will likely be favoured to claim their 17^th CJFL championship in team history. The Hilltops claimed their 16^th CJFL title downing the Rams in Langley 23-21 in the 2012 Canadian Bowl.

            It seems like the blue and gold are in perfect position to add another sweet close to their already storied history.

If you have any feedback on this blog, feel free to email comments to stankssports@gmail.com.