Mowles settles in as playmaker on Hilltops defence

Two pick game versus Thunder was big highlight

Jace Mowles tops the Hilltops with three interceptions this season.

Jace Mowles prides himself on ensuring rare bad games don’t last.

Back on August 25, Mowles’ Saskatoon Hilltops had a banner day crushing the Colts 52-19 at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary. The Hilltops veteran standout cornerback thought he didn’t have one of his better days as the Colts collected 274 yards passing as team.

After that contest, the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference which the Hilltops play out of went on a bye week. Mowles, who is in his fourth year with the team, was determined to have a better outing when the Hilltops returned to action on September 7 against their provincial rivals the Thunder at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

In that contest, Mowles recorded three defensive solo tackles, three defensive tackle assists, two interceptions and one pass knockdown helping the Hilltops post a 29-15 victory. While the Thunder piled up 348 yards passing, Mowles’ interceptions came at key times to stall the Regina side’s momentum.

For his efforts, Mowles, who is a graduate of the Walter Murray Collegiate Marauders Football Team, was named the PFC’s defensive player of the week.

“It was good,” said Mowles. “It helped motivate the offence too and helped me elevate my game from having a bad game to having a good game.”

On Saturday, Mowles and the defending CJFL champion Hilltops (6-0) get to see the Thunder (5-1) again when the two teams meet at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Hilltops are rated first in the CJFL’s Top 10 Power Rankings, and the Thunder are listed as fourth in those ratings.

If the Hilltops win that contest, they will lock up first place in the PFC and home field advantage through the CJFL playoffs up until the league’s title game in the Canadian Bowl, which will be hosted by the champion of the Ontario Football Conference. If the Thunder win, first place will still be up for grabs between the two squads heading into the final week of the PFC’s regular season.

Mowles is looking forward to the upcoming heavyweight encounter between the two sides.

Jace Mowles secures an interception for the Hilltops.

“It will be fun to be at home,” said Mowles. “It will be better for us, and I’ll enjoy it.”

On the season, Mowles has three interceptions, which is one behind Calgary Colts defensive back Keon Raymond II. To go along with his three picks, Mowles has recorded seven defensive solo tackles, five defensive tackle assists, four special teams solo tackles, one special teams tackle assist and one pass knockdown.

Mowles said during the season he hasn’t seen many passes get thrown his way, but he believes that is more due to his position on the field as opposed to a strategy of trying to avoid him.

“They’re throwing weak (side) more than strong (side),” said Mowles, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 170 pounds. “Most teams do.

“I just play my game, and play it true.”

Last Sunday, the Hilltops gave up 374 yards passing to the Edmonton Wildcats in a 45-19 home victory at SMF Field. Mowles didn’t think the Hilltops had to make any adjustments in the secondary outside of executing better.

He gave credit to Wildcats quarterback Marcos Soltero and his receivers group for having a good game. Mowles said the Wildcats are a better team than their 0-6 record indicates.

“They had really good receivers,” said Mowles. “They all played high-level football.

“Their quarterback surprised us. He threw the ball really well.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s game against the Thunder, legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant would love to see Mowles have another big game.

“At the end of the day, he is one of our better players,” said Sargeant. “We put him in all situations, whether it be man or zone.

Jace Mowles has provided strong play at cornerback for the Hilltops.

“He is always willing to do whatever he is asked to. He loves being around the ball, and he has a knack for being around the ball. I think he has got three interceptions so far this year and a few knockdowns.

“He is a primetime player, and everybody knows who he is.”

Sargeant served as the principal of Walter Murray Collegiate when Mowles was a student there. Thanks to that development, the sideline boss knew he was getting a quality person when he recruited Mowles to join the Hilltops.

“When you’re the principal of a high school, you’re always going to the games to your student-athletes,” said Sargeant, who retired from his position as principal at Walter Murray Collegiate this past June. “He (Mowles) was just an excellent high school player.

“He did all the right things and got involved in all the different teams. In a short period of time, he became a pretty good impact player for us. By his second year, he was getting some quality opportunities to compete.

“You get to know who the kids are (as a principal in high school), which is awesome. At any school, I like to phone the coaches and get a flavour for what they’re saying, because at the end of the day, we want good character kids in this program.”

Mowles got his start playing football in the KFL in Saskatoon for three seasons before joining the Marauders. In his KFL years, Mowles spent his first two campaigns as a receiver before switching over to defence.

He said he enjoys football because it is fun to throw the ball around and he loves the team environment the sport provides. During the winter months, Mowles was also playing AA hockey, but there was no doubt that he would continue football after high school with the Hilltops.

“It was the only real option,” said Mowles. “I had hockey, but I chose football, because I loved it more.

“I enjoy playing this more than any other sport.”

Since joining the Hilltops in 2021, Mowles said the thing he loves the most about being part of the storied CJFL team is how tight-knit everyone is with the club.

Jace Mowles (#23) looks to enjoy more big plays with the Hilltops.

“Everyone is basically family,” said Mowles. “We all get along, so we all enjoy coming out here every day and having fun.”

Last season, Mowles said one of his biggest thrills came was helping the Hilltops win their 23^rd CJFL title with a 17-10 victory over the Westshore Rebels at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C. As this season continues, he would love for it to finish with him helping the Hilltops capture the Canadian Bowl to claim another CJFL title.

“It would be amazing,” said Mowles. “I loved going down to B.C. there and winning it.

“It was the best moment of my life, and I’d like to enjoy that again in Ontario.”

Reider tabbed as PFC player of the week

Trey Reider is the PFC’s offensive player of the week.

For the second time this season, Trey Reider has been named a PFC player of the week.

On Wednesday, Reider, who is the Saskatoon Hilltops star quarterback, was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week for his efforts in his team’s 45-19 victory over the Edmonton Wildcats last Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. In that victory, Reider completed 15-of-22 passes for 278 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.

On the season, Reider, who is playing out his fifth and final season of CJFL eligibility, has completed 86-of-130 passes for 1,258 yards and 14 touchdowns, while throwing one interception. He has been tabbed as the PFC’s offensive player of the week twice in the 2024 campaign.

Winnipeg Rifles linebacker Cohen McCluskey was the PFC’s defensive player of the week due to his efforts to help his squad down the visiting Calgary Colts 23-9 at Maple Grove Rugby Park. In that contest, McCluskey recorded eight solo defensive tackles, two defensive tackle assists and three interceptions. He returned one of his interceptions 46 yards for a touchdown.

Rifles kicker Evan Guercio was named the PFC’s special teams player of the week for his contributions in his team’s win over the Colts. Guercio made all three of his field goal attempts with a long from 27 yards out. He made both his one-point converts and kicked off five times for 252 yards for an average of 50.4 yards per kick.

Big SMF Field crowd leaves positive impression

Part of the crowd of 3,534 that came out to the Hilltops game last Sunday.

The Saskatoon Hilltops got a boost from their big home crowd.

Last Sunday, the Hilltops hammered the visiting Edmonton Wildcats 45-19 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. A crowd of 3,534 spectators came to check out the contest, which was the Hilltops highest attendance for a home regular season game in at least over a decade.

That contest was the team’s Kinsmen Family Day/Young Hilltops Day game. Those that came out on Sunday could take part in the various fun promotions that took place around the game.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant was pumped to see the huge turnout.

“I think it is absolutely fantastic,” said Sargeant, who is the all time leader in career head coaching win in Canada’s amateur post-secondary football ranks with 242 victories. “Family day and we have a Hilltop family here that we’re very proud about.

“When you get a lot of people rallying and supporting that, number one, great job by the directors to have that initiative and get a lot of people, a lot of friends and family out and supporters. It really filtered down to the players, and they felt real good about the energy that was in the crowd. It gave them a boost and enabled them to play exciting football for the fans.

“It was just a good day all in all, especially when you win.”

Hilltops fourth-year cornerback Jace Mowles appreciated the atmosphere the crowd brought to the stadium.

“It was great, because you get all the family out,” said Mowles. “Everyone is having fun.

“The kids are having fun, and even the intermission there, everyone was having fun. I enjoyed it. It was electric.”

Clark to appear at End Zone Scholarship Dinner

Dan Clark calls signals for the Roughriders in 2019.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sophomore Johnson becomes cornerstone of Hilltops O-line

Left tackle works like he still needs to earn spot

Davin Johnson (#71) sets up a block for an outside run play.

The Saskatoon Hilltops blindside protector on the offensive line doesn’t believe he has done enough to earn any extra attention.

When Davin Johnson was approached about doing an interview for a feature story on himself, he gave the “who me” look.

The 19-year-old Hilltops sophomore then said he hadn’t done anything special. The words downplayed the fact he became a starter at right tackle last season in the team’s sixth game. Playing alongside four other starters in their respective final campaigns of CJFL eligibility, Johnson held the right tackle starting spot for the rest of the season and won the Hilltops team award for rookie of the year.

This season, Johnson is the starter at left tackle on a Hilltops offensive line that had to be revamped due to graduations that occurred at the end of the 2022 campaign. Along with Johnson, right guard Victoire Bikulo is the only other current player that had previous experience starting experience with the Hilltops offensive line entering 2023.

The work of Johnson, Bikulo, left guard Erik Barsness, centre Matt Noble and right tackle Cody Shumanski have allowed the Hilltops to get out to a 3-0 start. With all the teams in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference having a bye this weekend, the Hilltops get back at it on Saturday, September 9 when they travel to Regina to face the 3-0 Thunder (7 p.m., Mosaic Stadium) in a heavyweight tilt.

Johnson said one of the things he likes most about playing offensive line is it seems the guys in that position always seem to form their own brotherhood. He believes that has helped the Hilltops offensive line in the early part of the campaign.

“We’re so close, because we need to be so close to have a perfect play,” said Johnson. “We’re very close with all of our guys, and it is great to be close with everybody.”

Still, the graduate of Walter Murray Collegiate Marauders football still gets surprised when any individual accolades or attention comes his way. Being named the rookie of the year for the Hilltops last season was something Johnson was not expecting.

Davin Johnson, right, has started at left tackle this season.

“I was a bit surprised, because (running back) Charles (Sawi) was the rookie of the year for the CJFL,” said Johnson, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 275 pounds. “I didn’t expect it.

“I thought Charles might have got it. I guess ‘Sarge’ liked what he saw. I guess that I improved.

“I was just surprised.”

Johnson grew up playing hockey for most of his years in his youth growing up. From those hockey roots, he is still closely follows the exploits of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades.

He took up football playing in Saskatoon Minor Football’s North Sask Academy in Grade 8 after being encouraged to try the sport by one of his junior high teachers in Dan Houle, who is a running backs coach with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football team in the U Sports ranks.

At Walter Murray Collegiate, Johnson learned more about playing his position from Marauders offensive line coach Jack Sloboda. Sloboda was the starting right guard on the Hilltops 2016 CJFL championship team and starting left guard on their 2017 CJFL title winner.

During his high school years, Johnson also caught the attention of legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, who is also the principal at Walter Murray.

“He (Sargeant) had a bit of an early read,” said Johnson. “I remember he pulled me out of a class to come talk to me about football.

“My O-line coach (Sloboda) was also a Hilltop. He really recommended to come to this program with how well all the coaching is. That is what led me here.”

As an 18-year-old rookie last season, Johnson said it was an eye-opener, when he first started to train with the Hilltops. He remembers that he got pushed around quite a bit early in training camp in 2022.

Davin Johnson claimed the Hilltops team rookie of the year award in 2022.

With that experience, Johnson got acclimatized to the CJFL game quickly. He made his first start with the Hilltops in a 35-17 win over the Colts in Calgary on September 25, 2022.

“I was just a little bit more confident with myself,” said Johnson. “It was still not to what I needed to be, but I just got a little bit more confident and just kind of got thrown in that Calgary game.

“I played good enough where ‘Sarge’ didn’t notice me, and then he had confidence in me from then on.”

Johnson said the starting players on the offensive line who were in their final campaigns of CJFL eligibility in 2022 in centre Luciano Jolly, left tackle Jayson Kehler, left guard Jordan Bisson and right guard Ethan Paslowski were huge in helping him out.

“All the fifth years were amazing, because they would coach me up,” said Johnson. “It was like we had five or six different coaches on the field.

“They’d always have their little tips that they would give to help you get better.”

With the graduations of Jolly, Kehler, Bisson and Paslowski, Johnson said things were challenging on the Hilltops offensive line heading into the 2023 campaign.

“The winter practices were a little rough,” said Johnson. “We had guys getting through.

Davin Johnson (#71) and a revamped O-line helped get the Hilltops to 3-0.

“Even into camp, we had guys getting through. We had linebackers that we didn’t pick up. We’ve gotten better.

“As we’ve started to come together we are definitely looking pretty good now. We were a little worried at the start.”

Johnson welcomed being moved from right tackle to left tackle heading into the 2023 season. He played left tackle all through his North Sask Academy and high school days, so he has a lot of comfort taking up that spot on the offensive line.

On top of being comfortable at left tackle, Johnson has found that the Hilltops have done a little better job of focusing in on the present this year compared to last year. He believes that his likely due to the fact a little more time has passed since the Hilltops last won the CJFL title back in 2019 on top of the fact the team is more youthful than it has been in the past.

“This year we are definitely more focused on getting better every day knowing that we have to work harder to try and get to that national championship spot,” said Johnson. “Last year, we kind of had the idea that we were already going to be there.

“In our winter practices, ‘Sarge’ would say he thought of us as like we could be a national championship team. Whereas this year it was you guys aren’t good enough. We are going to work harder and maybe we can get to that national championship.

“It is just more focusing on the everyday trying to get better and just see how far we can go with it.”

Looking forward to the rest of the 2023 campaign, Johnson has more modest outlooks.

Davin Johnson and the Hilltops are truly focused on the present.

“I hope that we become one of the best blocking O-lines in the league,” said Johnson. “I hope we can all work together really well and have fun.”

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Price faced gritty beginnings before becoming Hilltops star

Ex-receiver remembers paying dues before making big plays

Jason Price makes a 70-yard TD catch in 2017.

Jason Price is remembered as a big play receiver for the Saskatoon Hilltops, but the big plays didn’t come when he first joined the team.

From 2014 to 2019, the Hilltops won six straight CJFL championships, and Price played on the first five of those title winners during his five years with the team. His last CJFL play came on November 17, 2018 when the Hilltops took a knee to conclude a 58-21 victory over the Langley Rams at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl.

Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant ensured the team’s eight fifth-year players including Price were on the field for that final play. With that moment, Price graduated from the team with an ultimate moment and special memory.

He was on the field as part of a group of eight teammates becoming the first players to play on five straight CJFL championship winning teams.

Way back as a rookie in 2014, Price had just graduated high school from Saskatoon’s Walter Murray Collegiate having been a member of the Marauders football team. During that first season with the Hilltops, Price’s main focus was just hanging in with the team.

“The whole rookie season is a lot of anxiety and like trying to do your part but not get in the way kind of thing,” said Price. “Obviously, I wasn’t really playing at that time.

“I’d just be on the sidelines.”

Price remembers being awestruck by his veteran teammates in 2014. He saw quarterback Jared Andreychuk, who was in his third season at that time, as an incredible leader.

Jason Price makes a 32-yard TD catch in 2016.

He saw a receiving corps that was deep where everyone could make plays. The veteran receivers included fourth year players Evan Turkington, Evan Kopchynski and Chad Braun along with third year players Preston Njaa, Tyson Sawatzky and Ryan Turple. Second year receiver Davis Mitchell was also finding his way on to the field to make clutch plays.

Price knew he wasn’t going to see the field very much. He didn’t say much that season and just working on getting better and doing his best to be part of the team.

Price remembers that season going by like a blur. When it came time for the Hilltops to travel to Langley, B.C., to face the Rams in the Canadian Bowl in 2014, Price wasn’t part of the travel roster that made that jaunt. The Hilltops would win that contest 39-14, and help the Saskatoon side bury the disappointment of falling in the 2013 PFC final to the Regina Thunder, who won the CJFL title that year.

 While he wasn’t with the Hilltops in person for that CJFL title win in Langley, Price got to be part of a moment that made him first feel truly linked to the Hilltops, where he saw the team as family.

“I remember they invited all of the players (who remained in Saskatoon) to the clubhouse to watch them play in that championship game on the screen,” said Price. “I remember a lot of nerves but also just a lot of cheering.

“It was definitely huge just as an end to my rookie season to be invited to like the clubhouse and feel a part of the team even though you’re not there. Even though you are not in Langley with the team, you’re still with the team in the clubhouse cheering on the guys that are there. After they won it, I remember like everybody watching it on the field and seeing everybody celebrate and everybody cheering like crazy in the clubhouse.

Jason Price, right, makes a 22-yard TD catch in 2016.

“It was a just a rush of excitement, obviously, from what had happened the year before to that year was huge.”

The Hilltops didn’t graduate any receivers following the 2014 campaign, but they were set to start graduating a number of veterans at that position starting with Turkington, Kopchynski and Braun at the end of the 2015 season. In 2015, Price found himself getting more reps at practice and the veterans taking a bigger role in helping mentor him.

“I just remember kind of feeling a little more comfortable,” said Price, who stood 6-feet tall and weighed 200 pounds. “Those guys when they are not in and you are kind of getting your second team reps I remember always coming back and getting some advice from Chad Braun or Evan Turkington.

“Those guys were kind of always around. They understood that they were fifth years, and they were the leaders. They also understood the traditions that come and the next generation that is coming through and really helped kind of build and help you get to that next level.

“It just says a lot about the leadership group we had in those years.”

After the Hilltops downed the Okanagan Sun 38-24 in the 2015 Canadian Bowl played at SMF Field, Price found himself hitting the field as a starter in his third campaign in 2016.

Jason Price makes 38-yard TD catch in Regina in 2017.

“I was nervous at the start,” said Price. “It was my first time starting, and the game still feels fast.

“I remember not doing well the first few games personally and then kind of fell into my own and kind of got an understanding with Jared (Andreychuk) and got an understanding with the rest of the team.”

With Andreychuk playing in his fifth and final season, Price had a breakout campaign hauling in 28 passes for 763 yards and seven touchdowns during the Hilltops nine-game regular season that year. Price’s receiving yardage and touchdown reception totals were career highs.

On November 12, 2016, the Hilltops traveled to Langford, B.C., where they downed the Westshore Rebels 37-25 in the Canadian Bowl. Price caught Andreychuk’s final career touchdown toss hauling in a 47-yard pass to account for the Hilltops final major of that game.

“Looking back on it, that was an amazing season, and I loved it,” said Price.

In 2017, Price had a solid season catching 19 passes for 446 yards and five touchdowns in eight regular season games. Quarterback Jordan Walls, who was in his fourth year with the Hilltops and first year as a starter in 2017, had a strong campaign, but the Hilltops ground game might have been the highlight spot offensively.

Jason Price makes a TD catch at SMF Field in 2017.

The Hilltops were rich in talent at the running back position that season as the trio of Logan Fischer, Adam Machart and Josh Ewanchyna all saw significant playing time, while Colin Stumborg consistently made big plays from his fullback spot. Rookie tailback Ben Abrook saw playing time, and he would be a key player on the team in 2018 and 2019.

Price thought a key point in the 2017 campaign came when the Hilltops dropped a 29-26 decision to the Thunder in their fourth regular season game. That was Saskatoon’s only loss that season, but Price believes that setback helped sharpen the team’s focus for the rest of that campaign.

With the Hilltops having won the last three straight CJFL titles, Price thought maybe the vibe on the storied team had gotten a little too relaxed.

“When you take a loss like that, it puts things into perspective and kind of gets you to have to refocus on things,” said Price. “I think that loss was pretty big to help us kind of refocus and just kind of don’t think about the past.

“You kind of just better yourself as the Hilltop group every day. You take it one week at a time, and eventually, you will get there. Obviously, we were led by another group of great leaders.

“I think that was big for the rest of the season, because sometimes you do need to kind of get put back in your place.”

Jason Price, right, makes a catch in Regina in 2018.

The Hilltops concluded the 2017 campaign traveling to Windsor, Ont., and downing the host AKO Fratmen 56-11 in the Canadian Bowl. With that victory, the Hilltops became the first team to win four straight CJFL titles.

Price believes the run of consecutive championships came because the Hilltops were good at concentrating on the notion that each season was its own campaign with its own story.

“Every year is kind of new,” said Price. “Every year you have a different team, a different group of starters.

“I think we kind of did a good job kind of staying focused year to year. There was something new every year, and we were not worried about what was happening in the past or what could happen in the future. We just kind of took it one game at a time.

“Obviously with repeat championships, there comes a little bit of pressure to pull through and do the same thing.”

In Price’s final season, the Hilltops had statistically one of their most dominant campaigns posting a perfect 11-0 record. They trailed on the scoreboard for a total of 81 seconds for the whole season.

Price had a strong personal campaign catching 31 passes for 709 yards and scoring four touchdowns in eight regular season games. He was named a PFC all-star and a CJFL all-Canadian all-star.

The sure handed pass catcher often just played two-and-a-half quarters per game as the Hilltops were usually holding big leads and cycling backups to get game experience at that point.

Jason Price makes an 81-yard touchdown catch in 2018.

“Reflecting back on that season, I think we all just had the most fun not necessarily because we were winning, but because we were such a developed team at that point,” said Price. “We were such a brotherhood.

“We always talk about the Hilltops brotherhood. It was just like that was our family. We just had the most fun with our family kind of thing.”

In the Canadian Bowl win over the Rams in 2018, Price caught three passes for a team high 75 yards. The biggest memory came in being one of the team’s eight fifth-year players that was on the field for the final knee down snap.

That group included Walls, receiver Adam Ewanchyna, right tackle Kirk Simonsen, defensive end Connor Guillet and linebackers Cody Peters, who was the CJFL’s defensive player of the year in 2018, Bobby Ehman and Adam Benkic. All eight of those players had each played five complete seasons with the Hilltops first taking the field with the team in 2014.

“For that to be your year and know that you’ve done it and those final seconds are ticking off the clock there, and you’re out there with all the guys that you’ve gone through five years of practising every day, games, putting your body on the line for those guys, and you get to celebrate with them after that final whistle, that was something special that is for sure,” said Price.

For Price, he looks back at all points of his five career with the Hilltops being memorable from the time he was an anxious rookie trying to do his best to be part of the team to being a fifth year star veteran at the end. 

Jason Price and the Hilltops celebrate a Canadian Bowl win in 2018.

The good things that came Price’s way came from the fact he ultimately just focused on working hard and getting better in his first year campaign.

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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