Five Huskies get all-Canadian nods in lead up to Vanier

Dogs play in U Sports title game on Saturday

David Solie was named a first team all-Canadian all-star.

While team success is always the most remembered thing in football, it always good to take time to celebrate individual honours.

Ultimately, it is the players and individual stories in the game that help followers draw a closer connection to the sport.

On Thursday night at the annual U Sports football awards show held in Quebec City, Quebec, five members of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies were named all-Canadian all-stars.

At the ballroom in the Hotel le Concorde Quebec, running back Adam Machart, left tackle Noah Zerr, defensive end Nathan Cherry and kicker David Solie were named first team all-Canadian all-stars, while Connor Berglof, who plays both centre and right guard, was named a second team all-Canadian all-star.

Solie earned his first team all-Canadian all-star nod at punter. Berglof claimed his second team all-Canadian all-star position at centre.

The awards were handed out as the Huskies close in on playing in the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup – for the first time since 2006.

The Huskies (8-1 overall) face the University of Western Ontario Mustangs (9-1 overall) in the Vanier Cup on Saturday at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec (12 p.m. Saskatchewan time, CBC). The Mustangs head into that clash as favourites, but the weather might favour the Huskies as it is expected to be -10 C with a 60 per cent chance of snow according to Environment Canada.

The Dogs are looking for their first Vanier Cup win since 1998, while the Mustangs last won the U Sports title in 2017. The Huskies have won the Vanier Cup three times, and Mustangs claimed the top prize in U Sports football seven times.

On the individual front, Machart picked up a first team all-Canadian nod after a solid campaign. He led the Huskies in rushing yards during the regular season piling up 415 yards on 60 carries and scoring two touchdowns appearing in five of U of S’s six regular season games.

During those five regular season contests, Machart hauled in 14 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown. This was the second consecutive season Machart was named a first team all-Canadian all-star.

Noah Zerr, right, makes a blog in a double team.

U Sports didn’t hold any national championships and most of that circuit’s teams didn’t play in the 2020-21 campaign due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

Zerr was named an all-Canadian for the first time with his first team all-Canadian all-star nod. On September 1, Zerr was rated 20^th among the top 20 prospects for the 2022 CFL Draft as ranked by the Canadian Football League Scouting Bureau.

Cherry also picked up his first all-Canadian honour with his first team all-Canadian all-star selection. He had a monster year at defensive end recording 5.5 sacks and 13.5 total tackles playing all six of the Huskies regular season games.

Solie took all-Canadian status for the first time with his first team all-Canadian all-star award thanks to his outstanding year punting the ball. Appearing in all six of the Huskies regular season games, Solie punted the ball 36 times for 1,563 yards for an average of 43.4 yards per kick.

Berglof claimed all-Canadian status for a second straight season. In 2019, he was named a first team all-Canadian all-star at centre.

This season, Berglof was named a second team all-Canadian all-star at centre. The CFL Draft selection of the Toronto Argonauts played most of the regular season at centre for the Huskies.

He was moved to right guard near the end of the regular season and remained at that spot through the post-season.

The work Zerr, Berglof and the rest of the Huskies offensive line put in saw quarterback Mason Nyhus only get sacked four times and the Huskies lead U Sports in rushing yards per carry.

As for the major award winners in U Sports football, University of Waterloo Warriors quarterback Tre Ford won the Hec Crighton Award as the most outstanding player of the year.

Mustangs defensive end Deionte Knight claimed J.P. Metras Award as the most outstanding lineman.

University of Alberta Golden Bears linebacker Josiah Schakel took the Presidents’ Trophy as the most outstanding defensive player.

Connor Berglof (#68) throws a block for the Huskies.

Concordia University Stingers receiver Jaylan Greaves claimed the Peter Gorman Trophy as the rookie of the year.

Late University of Ottawa Gee-Gees defensive lineman Francis Perron was posthumously awarded the Russ Jackson Award for outstanding community service. Perron passed away after the Gee-Gees first regular season game, when they fell 11-10 to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in Toronto on September 18.

Queen’s University Golden Gaels head coach Steve Snyder captured the Frank Tindall Trophy as the coach of the year.

University of Guelph Gryphons offensive line coach Michael MacDonald took the Gino Fracas Award as the Volunteer coach of the year for U Sports.

Alums send pump up messages to current Huskies team

Tyler Siwak (#19) in action for the Huskies in 2002.

The alumni of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football put together video of pump up messages for the current team going into this year’s Vanier Cup.

The Huskies play the University of Western Ontario Mustangs in the U Sports football championship game on Saturday at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec.

The video was shared over the social media channels for the Huskie Football Alumni and the University of Saskatchewan. The messages were great and a number of them were colourful.

The video showed how many beauties played on the team and were characters that have character like Murray Sadownick, Cal Hobbs, Brent Schneider, Kelly Bates, Tyler Siwak, Lyndon Rush, Ben Coakwell, Ivan Brown, Laurence Nixon, Parker Siemens, Rylund Hunter, Ben Heenan and Tanner Secord.

Secord, who played his fifth and final year in 2019 on the offensive line, told former teammate and current fourth-year centre and right guard on the offensive line Conner Berglof that he was allowed to smile after the current team wins on Saturday.

Feel free to check out the video below.

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A post shared by Huskies FB Alumni (@huskiealumni)

Hockey men’s Huskies romp past MRU 7-2

Jaxan Kaluski had two goals and an assist for the Huskies.

It was all Dogs all night at Merlis Belsher Place on Friday night.

In a U Sports men’s hockey regular season contest, the host University of Saskatchewan Huskies thumped the Mount Royal University Cougars 7-2 holding a 37-17 advantage in shots on goal before 1,673 spectators. The Huskies, who are rated fourth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, led 2-0 after the first period and 4-0 after the second frame.

Jaxan Kaluski had two goals and an assist for the Huskies. Jared Dmytriw and Vince Loschiavo each picked up a goal and two assists in the win.

Captain Gord Ballhorn, Donovan Neuls and Owen Hardy had singles for the Huskies.

Riley Sawchuk and Tyson Helgesen replied with singles for the Cougars.

Roddy Ross made 15 stops to pick up the win in goal for the Huskies (8-3). Riley Morris turned away 30 shots going the distance in goal for the Cougars (6-5-1).

Those two squads go at it again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.

MRU blanks Huskies women’s team 1-0

Bailee Bourassa had eight shots on goal for the Huskies.

Zoe De Beauville was a brick wall the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team wasn’t able to overcome.

The netminder for the Mount Royal University Cougars women’s hockey team made 28 saves to backstop her squad to a 1-0 U Sports regular season win over the Huskies at the Flames Community Arena in Calgary on Friday. The shutout was the third of the season for De Beauville.

Cougars captain Amy Tatum scored on the power play at the 11:12 mark of the first period to account for the game’s only goal. Emma Bergesen and Breanne Trotter picked up assists.

The Cougars, who are rated fifth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, improved to 8-1-2 with the win.

Camryn Drever made 24 stops to take the setback in goal for the Huskies 6-3-2. Huskies captain Bailee Bourassa had eight shots on goal.

The Cougars were 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Huskies were unable to score on five power-play chances.

The two sides go at it again on Saturday in Calgary.

Expect Bombers to pull out win on Irving’s last call, other notes

Andrew Harris and the Bombers to give their all for Bob Irving.

On the CFL front, the Saskatchewan Roughriders might be heading into a buzz saw, when they head into Winnipeg to face the host Blue Bombers in the West Final on Sunday.

On sports talk shows based out of Saskatchewan, locals have been phoning in their support for the Roughriders saying they will win as the Bombers battle rust. The Bombers topped the entire CFL standings with an 11-3 record and closed the regular season losing two straight games that wouldn’t effect where they were in the standings.

The Roughriders, who were second in the West Division with a 9-5 mark, have won five of their last six games including a thrilling 33-30 overtime victory over the Calgary Stampeders in the West semifinal at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

The Bombers head into the West Final at IG Field in Winnipeg with extra motivation.

The West Final will be the last game Bob “Knuckles” Irving calls as the iconic play-by-play voice of the Bombers. The 71-year-old has filled that roll with CJOB in Winnipeg since 1974.

Irving is a total professional when it comes to calling the game. He has piled up many accolades including induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and having the press box at IG Field named in his honour as the Bob Irving Media Centre.

He has called Bombers games through many ups and downs and seen the team win Grey Cup championships in 1984, 1988, 1990 and 2019.

Irving means a lot to the team. While the Bombers were favourites in this game anyways, you have to believe they will dig down to find another gear to get this one for Irving.

You can expect veterans like star running back and hometown hero Andrew Harris, who is returning from injury, will try his best to allow Irving to depart on a high.

Irving will be inducted to the Bombers ring of honour before Sunday’s game.

He is a true media professional, and he gets uncomfortable when the story becomes about him or a fuss is made over him.

Hopefully, he lets himself enjoy the ride this time.

If the Bombers do win as expected, it would be cool if the management and broadcasters at TSN work things out to allow Irving to call the Grey Cup game in Hamilton on Dec. 12 as an extra treat for a national audience. That won’t likely happen, but it would be the right thing to do, if the Bombers are in that game.

• On Monday, the Winter Universiade, which was set to run Dec. 11 to 21 in Lucerne, Switzerland, was cancelled due to concern over the omicron variant of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The COVID-19 pandemic has gripped the world since March of 2020. Switzerland had imposed border restrictions on travelers from several countries where the new omicron variant has been discovered causing the cancellation of the games. Several countries including Canada have introduced new travel restrictions due to the omicron variant. The Winter Universiade was originally supposed to be held back in January but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic as vaccines were just starting to be distributed at that time.
• As the Universite Laval Rouge et Or won’t be playing in the Vanier Cup, it is unknown who the neutral crowd at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec, will cheer for in the U Sports football championship game on Saturday. The University of Saskatchewan Huskies take on the University of Western Ontario Mustangs for the title. Since London, Ont., is way closer to Quebec City than Saskatoon, Mustangs fans might travel to give their side more of a home field advantage. Fans in Quebec City may cheer on the Huskies due to the fact they had to travel further to get to the game and the Mustangs developed a slight rivalry with the Rouge et Or after meeting the Vanier Cup in 2017 and 2018. The Mustangs took the 2017 Vanier Cup and the Rouge et Or claimed the 2018 title game.
• The Bodog sports betting site has the University of Western Ontario Mustangs favoured in an opening spread by 9.5 points over the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in Saturday’s U Sports football championship game – the Vanier Cup. The game will be played at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec. You can check those odds out by clicking right here.
• On Friday, Nov. 26, former WHLer and University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team alum Matt Swaby passed away in a farming accident. His celebration of life was held today in Prince Albert. Swaby played defence for the Prince Albert Mintos under-18 AAA team from 2002 to 2004, the WHL’s Tri-City Americans from 2004 to 2007, the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings from 2007 to 2008 and the U Sports’ Huskies from 2008 to 2011. He leaves behind his wife Carla and their three boys Thomas, 6, Blake, 4 and Cody, 2. Swaby was a friend to all and a GoFundMe campaign has raised over $221,000 for the family. Anyone looking to donate to the GoFundMe campaign for the family can do so 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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Huskies, Mustangs to add chapter to head-to-head history with Vanier Cup clash

Storied U Sports programs collide for sixth time

Adam Machart has delivered big plays for the Huskies.

As two of U Sports most storied football programs, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and the University of Western Ontario Mustangs are historic familiar foes.

On Saturday, the two sides will face each other for a sixth time when they collide in the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup (12 p.m. Saskatchewan time, CBC). The two sides enter the contest to be played at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec, each riding eight-game winning streaks.

The Huskies, who have won the Vanier Cup three times, are 8-1 overall and rated fourth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings. The Mustangs, who have won the Vanier Cup seven times, are 9-1 overall and are rated second in the U Sports Top 10 rankings.

In the previous five encounters between the two squads, the Mustangs claimed victory on four occasions.

The Huskies and Mustangs last met in the 2018 Mitchell Bowl at Western Alumni Stadium, which was then known as TD Stadium, in London, Ont.

The teams were tied 17-17 at halftime before the Mustangs shot out to claim a 47-24 victory. There are still a few holdovers from that game, which should create some familiarity between the two sides.

The Huskies and Mustangs first went at in way back in 1974 in London, Ont., in the Churchill Bowl. The Churchill Bowl used to serve as one of U Sports semifinal games and was last rewarded in 2002.

In the 1974 Churchill Bowl, the Mustangs romped to a 41-17 victory and moved on to win the second Vanier Cup in program history.

The two sides wouldn’t meet again until the 1989 Vanier Cup. At that point, Brian Towriss was cemented as head coach of the Huskies, and Larry Haylor was entrenched as head coach of the Mustangs. They took the helms of their respective programs in 1984.

Both men would find their way into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as builders.

Mason Nyhus fires a pass downfield for the Huskies.

Entering that contest, the Mustangs were an established power having won the Vanier Cup four times. The Huskies were a team on the rise.

Before 32,877 spectators at what is now known as Rogers Centre and then known as the Skydome in Tononto, Ont., the Mustangs were too much for the Huskies and stormed to a 35-10 victory to capture the Vanier Cup for a fifth time.

Mustangs’ receiver Tyrone Williams was named the game’s MVP hauling in five catches for 157 yards and one touchdown. Williams would go on to win two Super Bowls as a member of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in 1992 and 1993 and one Grey Cup as a member of the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts in 1996.

The Huskies would win their first Vanier Cup in 1990 and collide with the Mustangs again this time in the 1994 Vanier Cup that was played once more at Rogers Place in Toronto. Going into this U Sports title clash, both programs were now established powerhouses.

This battle would go down as an all-time U Sports classic and the moment memorable encounter between the two sides.

The Mustangs took 31-14 lead into the fourth quarter before the Huskies offence hit high gear. The Huskies went on a roll and assumed a 37-34 lead with 64 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter on a 34-yard touchdown reception from David Blackburn.

With four seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Mustangs kicker Frank Jagas kicked a 42-yard field goal to force a 37-37 tie and send the Vanier Cup to overtime for the first time ever.

Under the overtime rules U Sports used at the time, the teams played two halves that were 10-minutes in length. The Huskies and Mustangs exited the first 10-minute half with the game now tied 40-40.

The Mustangs scored the only 10 points of the second overtime half to claim a 50-40 victory and their sixth Vanier Cup title.

Nick Wiebe (#43) has had a strong season at middle linebacker.

Huskies star quarterback Brent Schneider was named the game’s MVP, and he completed 36-of-67 passes for 528 yards and four touchdowns, while throwing five interceptions.

The Huskies would win their second Vanier Cup in 1996 before next meeting the Mustangs in the 1998 Churchill Bowl. This clash would take place at the Huskies storied home field of Griffiths Stadium and the fourth time would be a charm when it came to achieving victory for the Dogs.

Huskies star running back Doug Rozon zipped to a 49-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter and the hosts ran to a 33-17 victory. Rozon finished the contest carrying the ball 23 times for 214 yards to go with his major score, and he caught three passes for 37 yards.

The Huskies advanced onward to win their third Vanier Cup title.

After that Churchill Bowl encounter, the Huskies and Mustangs wouldn’t meet again until the 2018 Mitchell Bowl. The Mustangs entered that Mitchell Bowl as defending Vanier Cup champions having thumped the Universite Laval Rouge et Or 39-17 in the 2017 U Sports title game.

The Mustangs rode the golden arm of star quarterback Chris Merchant to win the seventh Vanier Cup in program history in 2017.

 After downing the Huskies in the 2018 Mitchell Bowl, the Mustangs fell 34-20 in the Vanier Cup to the Rouge et Or, who were playing in their home park in Stade Telus – Universite Laval.

This year’s clash will see Huskies head coach Scott Flory and Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall face each other for a second time.

Flory, who was an offensive lineman on the Huskies Vanier Cup winners in 1996 and 1998, rejoined the program in 2014 as an assistant coach after playing 15 years with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes. He took on the head coach role in 2017 as Towriss’s successor.

Sam Bakers sheds a defender after making a catch.

In a short time, Flory has name a name for himself in the head coach role guiding the Huskies to two Canada West Conference titles and making the Vanier Cup in four seasons on the job.

Marshall has been a career coach whose time as a sideline boss spans five decades. He was a Mustangs assistant coach under Haylor when the Mustangs won the Vanier Cup over the Huskies in 1989 and 1994.

He guided the McMaster University Marauders as head coach from 1997 to 2003 and went on to become head coach of the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 2004 to 2006.

Marshall rejoined the Mustangs as head coach in 2007 and has guided the program to seven Ontario University Athletics conference championships and a Vanier Cup title in 2017.

Both teams bring a cast of standout players to the contest.

The Huskies are guided by gunslinger Mason Nyhus at quarterback, have a big playmaker at running back in Adam Machart and sure handed pass catchers in Sam Baker and utility player Colton Klassen.

As is tradition with the Huskies, their offensive line makes things go, and they have a great one again with Nick Summach at right tackle, Connor Berglof at right guard, Oluwayombo Olabimtan at centre, Derek Beaubien at left guard and Noah Zerr at left tackle. Berglof has starred for a lengthy stretch at centre before moving over to right guard.

On defence, the Huskies look to defensive ends Riley Pickett and Nathan Cherry, linebackers Nick Wiebe and Clovis Lumeka and defensive back Charlie Ringland to make momentum changing plays.

The Mustangs start first year signal caller Evan Hillock at quarterback. He took over the starter’s role in the Mustangs second regular season game and guided the offence with a steady hand.

Hillock appears to be on the cusp of a great U Sports career.

The Huskies look to celebrate one more big win.

Sophomore Keon Edwards is the Mustangs game breaker at running back and veteran receiver Savaughn Magnaye-Jones is the team’s big play pass catcher.

Centre Elliot Beamer, guard Phil Grohovac and tackle Zach Fry anchor the offensive line.

The Mustangs are filled with standouts on defence including defensive end Deionte Knight, defensive tackle Malcolm Hinds and free safety Daniel Valente. Knight has been a terror when it comes to tracking down and sacking quarterbacks.

This latest chapter of head-to-head encounters between the Huskies and Mustangs has the potential to be as memorable as the 1994 Vanier Cup.

On Saturday, they will confront each other for a prize only one can win.

HuskieFAN a home run for Huskies

In a sports media world in Canada that continues to shrink, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies found an inventive way to get more coverage.

At the start of this season, the Huskies partnered with Pattison Media to launch the HuskieFAN app and website. The coverage HuskieFAN has provided to date has been outstanding.

HuskieFAN’s coverage is focused on Huskies football and men’s and women’s hockey.

Huskies football games are streamed digitally and carried on the radio waves on the AM dial by 750 Beach Radio based out of Melfort, Sask.

All men’s and women’s hockey home and away games are broadcast digitally with HuskieFAN app staff providing play-by-play call for those contests.

Pattison media gained extra attention here for becoming the first private broadcaster in Canada to commit to broadcasting a full season of women’s hockey with Daniella Ponticelli taking on the role of play-by-play voice of the Huskies women’s team. Ponticelli is also the current anchor for Global News Morning in Regina.

Well-known veteran broadcaster Wray Morrison is the senior producer, host and partnership coordinator for HuskieFAN. He has comfortably filled the role calling Huskies football games, and he has shown his hidden talent of being a pretty good writer creating written content for the HuskieFAN site.

On the HuskieFAN’s biggest adds might Katie Brickman-Young, who is a former sportwriter for the now defunct Moose Jaw Times-Herald. She is also a communications advisor for the Federated Co-operatives Limited.

Brickman-Young is a seasoned and experience WHL beat writer, and she is strong at finding different hooks to pull readers into feature, advancer and game story pieces.

HuskieFAN has pulled in Jeff D’Andrea, who is a sports reporter with Pattison Media’s paNOW in Prince Albert, Sask., to do play-by-play of some men’s hockey games along with providing strong written content. D’Andrea is known as a veteran on the WHL beat covering the Prince Albert Raiders.

Matt Morrison, who is Wray’s son, has provided analysis on Huskies football broadcasts. He is likely one of the industries more under-appreciated broadcasters.

Ben Tompkins, who is news and sports reporter with Pattison Media, will add content to HuskieFAN from time to time too.

This partnership between Pattison Media and the Huskies has turned out to be a great one, because it is giving the consistent beat coverage the Huskies football, men’s and women’s hockey team deserve. HuskieFAN has stories on the other Huskies teams too.

Overall, it is great an avenue has been found to get consistent coverage to the football team and the two hockey squads. That type of attention for U Sports programs is unfortunately not the norm anymore in Canada.

It is great all involved took a chance on this idea.

On the full disclosure front, I was approached by a manager at Pattison Media about contributing to HuskieFAN, but I couldn’t make it work with my current work life schedule and trying to be more present on the family front.

The approach came during a time when my main focus was on a big family wedding that was happening at the start of September and the timing for me was all wrong.

Still, I am happy to see HuskieFAN has taken off like it has, and good people are doing a great job with it. Feel free to check it out at huskiefan.ca.

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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Expect bandwagon to fill for Huskies football

Noah Zerr gets family time with the Hardy Cup.

If you have the urge to jump on the bandwagon for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football team, follow the old Nike slogan and “just do it.”

For the first time since 2006, the Huskies (8-1 overall) will play in the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup. They will take on the University of Western Ontario Mustangs (9-1 overall) in the U Sports title game on Saturday at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec (12 p.m. Saskatchewan time, CBC TV).

As the week goes and the time for the championship clash nears, you can expect more and more people in Saskatoon and likely the province of Saskatchewan will jump on the Huskies bandwagon.

They should jump on the Huskies bandwagon, and that goes for anyone that wants to back the Dogs.

The players and coaches on the team are incredibly likeable.

The team has been building to this moment with a journey that included winning the Hardy Cup as Canada West Conference champions in 2018 as well as this season.

Plus, the nostalgia factor will come into play when it comes to jumping on the bandwagon. The Huskies have made nine previous trips to the Vanier Cup and come out the victors on three occasions in 1990, 1996 and 1998.

Adam Machart has piled up big yards at running back.

Current Huskies head coach Scott Flory and current defensive co-ordinator Warren Muzika were players at right tackle and linebacker respectively on the Huskies 1998 Vanier Cup winner.

As all nine of those championship appearances were shown on national television and the Huskies made other regular national TV appearances during the 1990s and 2000s, a lot of people carry warm memories from those years.

Legendary Huskies head coach Brian Towriss oversaw all of those runs to appearing in the Vanier Cup championship game before retiring after the 2016 season. He became the all-time leader in U Sports head coaching victories at 196 in both regular season and post-season play.

Towriss found his way to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. He is accompanying the current Huskies on the road in the post-season.

Towriss is one of the great storytellers you will find anywhere at any level of sports. During down moments, it would be a great experience for any current players to squeeze in a visit with Towriss to hear those tales.

There have been a number of opportunities to hear those old stories too.

After Huskies beat the University de Montreal Carabins in the Uteck Bowl last Saturday in Montreal, Quebec, the team elected to stay in the province. They bussed to Quebec City the next day to being preparing for the Vanier Cup.

Colton Klassen has been a heart and soul player for the Huskies.

The current players are a great bunch. They are group that is easy to get behind.

While the 2020 Canada West season and the Vanier Cup was cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world, a large number of players that were on the roster in 2019 returned to the Huskies this season. That development is a testament to how good the culture is on the squad.

The Huskies will try to help seven players in their fifth and final seasons of eligibility graduate as U Sports national champions in Colton Klassen, Kyle Newton, Carter Dahl, Finley Easton, Clovis Lumeka, Nick Summach and Yol Piok.

Klassen is arguably the best known of the group. The 2020 CFL Draft selection of the Montreal Alouettes is the Huskies star utility player and a three time Canada West all-star.

Back on October 26, 2019, Klassen went down with a gruesome dislocated right ankle near the end of the first quarter in a 22-9 victory over the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

He hit the comeback trail and recovered to the point the Alouettes were comfortable with selecting him in the eighth round and 69^th overall in the CFL Draft held on April 30, 2020.

Piok has become a mental health advocate after coming forward with his own story of his battles with mental health. Behind the scenes, the Regina product has made a big positive impact off the field.

Fans at cheer on the Huskies at the Hardy Cup.

When it comes to excitement on the field, the Huskies most exciting player is arguably star quarterback Mason Nyhus. The fourth-year signal caller plays in the gun slinging mold of Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre of the NFL.

Nyhus puts up numbers and wins. His decision making has also been top notch this season, and he has been calculated when it comes to taking chances to win games.

Star running back Adam Machart has solidified himself as one of the Huskies all-time greats. He can run with speed, finesse and power and catch passes out of the backfield like a standout receiver.

He is also one of the game’s top true gentlemen.

Sure handed receiver Sam Baker might be the most consistent pass catcher in U Sports. When the stakes get higher, he becomes a bigger playmaker.

Throughout their history, the Huskies have been known for their great offensive lines, and the U of S can rightfully be dubbed “O-line U.”

Riley Pickett has piled up the sacks this season.

This year’s starting line has been stellar once again with Summach at right tackle, Connor Berglof at right guard, Oluwayombo Olabimtan at centre, Derek Beaubien at left guard and Noah Zerr at left tackle.

Of course, the guys on the offensive line are some of the most down to earth persons you will meet anywhere.

On defensive, defensive end Riley Pickett likely received some extra notoriety in being named the defensive player of the game in the Uteck Bowl recording two sacks and six total tackles. Pickett was the target of boos and taunts from the Carabins faithful in Montreal, and he took it all in stride.

Always an upbeat and highly positive person off the field, Pickett knows that boos in opposing team stadiums are as good as cheers when he is at home and also come as a sign he is playing well. He doesn’t get phased by whatever the game throws at him.

Nathan Cherry had a strong season playing the other defensive end spot for the Huskies to form a great pass rushing duo with Pickett.

At linebacker, the Huskies are so deep you could argue they have nine guys who could be starters. Lumeka and Nick Wiebe are viewed as arguably the biggest playmakers.

Mason Nyhus is the Huskies gunslinger at quarterback.

Sophomore outside linebacker Ramsey Derbas has already been entrusted to be a team captain, which shows the leadership ability he has at a young age.

At defensive back, Charlie Ringland goes about the game in a quiet businesslike fashion, and he has the ability to creep up and play in the box as well as cover top receivers. He has great politeness off the field too.

Place kicker and punter David Solie might be the most easy going player on the team. He doesn’t get rattled in crazy situations or when the pressure is on.

Overall, the players, coaches and staff of the Huskies football team are all the perfect persons you would want representing the U of S, Saskatoon as a city and Saskatchewan as a province.

They allow alums of the program and fans to live out great moments in the present and remember great moments of the past.

At the moment, it feels like everything with the Huskies experience of being the Vanier Cup is new again, because it has been so long since the program has been in this game and even longer since the Dogs have won that contest.

The Huskies have a group that deserves to be cheered on.

QB Mason Nyhus (#8) makes a young fan’s day after a win.

If they can win this last game and go all the way, you likely won’t be able to find the words to describe how special that would be.

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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Heart of the Huskies delivers Uteck Bowl win

U of S off to U Sports title game – the Vanier Cup

The Huskies are going to the Vanier Cup.

For a lengthy stretch, it seemed these Dogs wouldn’t have their day.

Going into the fourth quarter of the Uteck Bowl on Saturday at The CEPSUM in Montreal, Quebec, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team trailed the Universite de Montreal Carabins 9-1. The Carabins held a 303-167 edge in total yards after three quarters and seemingly had the ball for most of the game up until that point in time.

The Huskies defence had bent but didn’t break. The Carabins were still in search of their first touchdown of the contest.

It was the type of day where points were at a premium as both squads played in conditions that included winds that would blow at 46 kilometres per hour.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Huskies offence, which had seemingly been stuck in quicksand for a lot of the first 45 minutes to that point, was set up with a second-and-goal situation from the Carabins nine yard line.

U of S had driven the ball 63 yards in five plays to get to that position on the field. The Huskies needed a play to change the complexion of the contest.

At that moment, Huskies star quarterback Mason Nyhus hit star running back Adam Machart with a swing pass that resulted in a nine-yard touchdown reception.

The Huskies attempted a two-point conversion, and a Nyhus pass to receiver Sam Baker, who is a CFL Draft pick of the Toronto Argonauts, fell incomplete.

Adam Machart scored the winning TD for the Huskies.

The Carabins still led 9-7, but Machart’s major score gave the Huskies a major traction point and extra life. Business was picking up the battle department as the Huskies were intent on making sure they would not be denied of victory on this day.

The host side proceeded to get a single on a missed 37-yard field goal from kicker Michael Arpin at the 5:24 mark of the frame. The Carabins lead increased, but it was still a slim one at 10-7.

U of S ultimately got the ball on its own 27 yard line with 1:55 remaining in the game.

Nyhus proceeded to drive the Huskies down the field hitting star utility player Colton Klassen, Baker and fifth-year tight end Kyle Newton with big pass completions.

From the Carabins 13 yard line, Machart broke off an electrifying touchdown run to put the Huskies in front 14-10 with five seconds to play.

The Carabins were unable to create a miracle on their last offensive play and the 14-10 score in favour of the Huskies stood up as the final outcome to disappoint most of the sellout crowd of 5,100 spectators.

For the first time since 2006, the Huskies were on their way to the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup.

The victory over the Carabins was the biggest win for the Huskies team since they knocked off the University of Ottawa Gee Gees 35-28 in Ottawa, Ont., in the 2006 Mitchell Bowl.

The Huskies also came into the clash with the Carabins as underdogs. In the final U Sports Top 10 rankings, the Carabins were rated first, and the Huskies were fourth.

The Carabins were also coming off a bye week having last played on November 14, when they knocked off the visiting Universite Laval Rouge et Or 28-19 to win the Dunsmore Cup to become the champions of the Reseau du Sport Etudiant du Quebec.

Adam Machart ran for 158 yards on Saturday.

The Huskies were in action just even days earlier downing the University of Manitoba Bisons 45-17 at Griffiths Stadium on the U of S campus to claim the Hardy Cup as Canada West Conference champions.

With the win in the Uteck Bowl, the Huskies, who were 5-1 in the regular season, were moving on to the U Sports title game improving their overall record to 8-1 and their overall winning streak to eight games.

The Carabins, who had a 7-1 regular season record, saw their eight game overall winning streak come to an end as their overall record would finish up at 9-2.

The Huskies will face the University of Western Ontario Mustangs in the Vanier Cup to be played this coming Saturday at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec.

The Mustangs romped to a 61-6 victory over the visiting St. Francis Xavier University X-Men in London, Ont., in the other U Sports semifinal – the Mitchell Bowl – on Saturday. The Mustangs, who are rated second in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, improved to 9-1 overall with the win, while the X-Men, who were rated seventh in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, saw their record conclude a 8-1 overall.

While the Huskies were underdogs against the Carabins, it appeared the weather conditions would favor the visitors at the start of the Uteck Bowl. Besides the winds gusting to 46 kilometres per hour, the temperature at kickoff was -3 C, and those elements on paper seemed to be of benefit to the visitors.

The wind would plague the kicking game for most of the day.

The Huskies had the game’s first possession and got in position for kicker David Solie to try a 25-yard field goal. Solie’s kick sailed wide and was good for a single to put the Huskies in front 1-0 at the 5:13 mark of the first quarter.

Arpin made a 23-yard field goal with 2:08 remaining in the first quarter to give the Carabins a 3-1 lead.

At the 9:21 mark of the second quarter, Arpin missed a 25-yard field goal attempt, but the kick was good enough for a rouge to put the Carabins up 4-1 going into the halftime break.

Mason Nyhus engineers a game-winning drive.

During the second quarter, Huskies defensive end Riley Pickett found himself playing the role of villain in the eyes of the Carabins faithful. Pickett sacked Carabins quarterback Jonathan Senecal twice in the second quarter.

On the second sack late in the frame, Pickett drove thru Senecal on a hard but clean hit. Senecal stayed down on the turf and had to be looked at by the Carabin trainers.

He walked off the field under his own power and returned to the contest at the start of the second half.

When Senecal was down, the Carabins fans showered boos and heckles at Pickett.

Pickett soaked in the taunts from the fans like he was WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.

In the third quarter, Arpin hit a 15-yard field goal and the Huskies conceded a safety due to bad field position to allow the Carabins to take a 9-1 edge into the fourth quarter.

That set the stage for the Huskies dramatic rally in the final 15 minutes of the contest.

Machart was named the game’s offensive MVP. He carried the ball 20 times for 158 yards and caught six passes for 24 yards to go with his two major scores.

Pickett had six total tackles to go with his two sacks in being named the game’s defensive MVP.

Nyhus completed 17-of-26 passes for 138 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

Senecal had a monster game completing 31-of-41 passes for 398 yards. He didn’t throw any touchdown passes or interceptions.

Carabins star receiver Hassane Dosso caught 10 passes for 182 yards.

Colton Klassen had a key catch on the Huskies winning drive.

Linebacker Lane Novak led the Huskies with 7.5 total tackles, while defensive lineman Michael Brodrique topped the Carabins with seven total tackles.

The Carabins had the ball for 35 minutes and 34 seconds putting up 457 yards of total offence.

The Huskies put up 299 yards of total offence with 24 minutes and 26 seconds of time of possession.

Despite the statistical advantage by the Carabins, they couldn’t overcome the heart of the Huskies.

As a result, the Huskies prevailed on the scoreboard, and when two good teams play each other in the post-season, it is all about just finding a way to win.

Now, the Huskies will try to find a way to party like its 1998, when they last won the Vanier Cup 24-17 over the Concordia University Stingers in Toronto, Ont., at Rogers Centre, which was then known as the Skydome. That marked the third time the Huskies won the U Sports title, with the other two victories coming in 1990 and 1996.

The Huskies will face another monster test in the Mustangs in this year’s Vanier Cup.

With the heart the Huskies have shown to this point, they might just go all the way in winning that one last game.

Vanier Bound! #HuskiePride pic.twitter.com/JbwBjHVRDY

— Huskie Athletics (@HuskieAthletics) November 28, 2021

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Lunch bucket effort lifts Huskies past Thunderbirds 4-2

The Huskies celebrate a third period goal from Abby Shirley.

The University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey showed they can win gaining three yards in a cloud of dust.

On Friday night at Merlis Belsher Place, the Huskies brought out their steel toed boots and work gloves to down the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 4-2 in a U Sports regular season clash played before 538 spectators.

The Huskies got two of their tallies from the gritty area in front of the net. Another tally was a smart point shot that found its way through a screen.

The effort allowed the Huskies to win their fourth straight improving to 6-1-2, while the Thunderbirds fell to 6-3.

Jordyn Holmes scored the winning goal for the Huskies.

While the Huskies goals were more of the gritty type tallies, the two sides got up and down the ice quite well after a bit of a slow start over the first 10 minutes.

During the first 10-minutes Thunderbirds offensive-defender Hannah Koroll likely had the best scoring chance going coast-to-coast on a rush only to be turned away Huskies third-year netminder Camryn Drever.

The teams hit another gear in the final 10-minutes of the opening frame. The Huskies were denied by Thunderbirds netminder Elise Hugens on two solid chances that included a slot drive from Huskies captain Bailee Bourassa and close in chance by left-winger Sophie Lalor.

The Huskies held a 10-9 edge in shots on goal after the opening 20 minutes.

Sophie Gaskell had the Thunderbirds first goal on Friday.

Just 81 seconds into the second period, the Thunderbirds got on the scoreboard first when rookie defender Sophia Gaskell floated home a point shot through a screen that deflected off the post of the Huskies goal into the net for a 1-0 lead.

The Huskies evened things up at 1-1 just over five minutes later when third-year defender Isabella Pozzi slipped a point shot through a screen into the Thunderbirds net. The tally was Pozzi’s first career U Sports goal.

U of S proceeded to catch a break at the 11:23 mark of the second, when Thunderbirds left-winger Grace Elliott and Thunderbirds defender Rylind MacKinnon received minor penalties for a head hit and bodychecking respectively.

Isabella Pozzi scored her first career U Sports goal on Friday.

On the ensuing two-person advantage, Huskies third-year centre Kennedy Brown shoveled home a power-play goal during a net scramble in front of the Thunderbirds net to put the host side up 2-1.

The Thunderbirds proceeded to respond just over two minutes later working on a power play of their own, when right-winger Mackenzie Kordic potted her third of the season to even things up at 2-2.

The Huskies were able to go into the second intermission with the lead. With 3:31 remaining in the second period, gritty right-winger Jordyn Holmes banged in a goal from the front of the UBC net to give the host side a 3-2 advantage.

Holmes picked up an assist on Pozzi’s goal to finish the contest with two points.

At the 5:54 mark of the third, the Huskies potted a key insurance goal on a rare four-versus-three power play. 

The Thunderbirds celebrate a goal from Mackenzie Kordic.

Bourassa and centre Kate Ball teamed to set up Abby Shirley in the left slot, who drove home her fourth of the season to increase the Huskies edge to 4-2.

From that point in the game, Drever slammed the door in the Huskies net. She made 29 stops to pick up the win in goal for the Huskies.

The Edmonton product, who helped the St. Albert Slash win two Esso Cups as national female under-18 AAA champions in 2017 and 2018, has had a strong start this season for the Huskies. In her seven starts, Drever has a 5-1-1 record, 1.42 goals against average, a .943 save percentage and one shutout.

Captain Bailee Bourassa had an assist for the Huskies on Friday.

Elise Hugens turned away 27 shots to take the setback in net for the Thunderbirds, who are rated ninth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings. Left-winger Ireland Perrott picked up assists on both UBC goals.

The two teams go at it again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.

NOTES – After the entire 2020-21 U Sports hockey season was lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world, the Huskies and Thunderbirds iced kind of younger teams compared to when they last met in the Canada West Conference playoffs in February of 2020, when the Thunderbirds swept a best-of-three quarter-final series 2-0 with two overtime wins.

Kennedy Brown scored the Huskies second goal on Friday.

The Huskies have one fifth-year player and one fourth-year player. The Thunderbirds have one fifth-year player and four fourth-year players.

In the 2019-20 campaign, the Huskies had eight fifth-year players and four fourth-year players, while the Thunderbirds had three fifth-year players and five fourth-year players.

Following Friday’s game, both teams lined up on their respective blue-lines and saluted the crowd at Merlis Belsher Place. After that salute, the Thunderbirds left the ice and the Huskies did their traditional end of game salute to the crowd at centre ice.

The Thunderbirds roster contained third-year centre Joelle Fiala, who made a homecoming to Merlis Belsher Place. Fiala was playing at Merlis since last suiting up with the Saskatoon Stars female under-18 AAA team helping them win a Western regional playdown series in April of 2019.

The Huskies celebrate their win over the Thunderbirds.

The Clavet, Sask., product played two seasons in the NCAA Division I ranks with the Robert Morris University Colonials women’s hockey team from 2019 to 2021. She joined the Thunderbirds after Robert Morris University folded both its men’s and women’s hockey teams following the 2020-21 campaign.

Fiala is still the eighth all-time leading scorer in the history of the Saskatchewan Female Under-18 AAA Hockey league piling up 47 goals and 83 assists in 112 regular season games from 2015 to 2019. She is the Stars career leader in regular season assists.

Toth holds Huskies men’s team at bay

Rylan Toth backstopped the Thunderbirds to victory on Friday.

University of British Columbia men’s hockey team netminder Rylan Toth slammed the door on the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

On Friday at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver, B.C., Toth made 24 saves that included turning away a first period penalty shot to backstop the Thunderbirds to a 4-1 victory before 750 spectators.

Toth, who is from Saskatoon, helped the Thunderbirds, who are rated fourth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, improve to 7-1-1, while the Huskies, who are rated second in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, fell to 7-2.

The Huskies won their first seven straight games before dropping their last two outings.

Just 65 seconds into the contest, Toth turned away Huskies forward Zane Franklin on a penalty shot.

Fourth-year forward Tyler Sandhu gave the Thunderbirds a 1-0 lead in the first period, but Huskies first-year forward Dawson Holt evened the score at 1-1 with a power-play goal going into the first intermission.

Matt Revel, Cyle McNabb and Scott Atkinson netted singles in the second to pace the Thunderbirds to their 4-1 victory. Atkinson’s tally came short-handed.

Roddy Ross turned away 25 shots to take the setback in goal for the Huskies.

The two sides go at it again in Vancouver on Saturday.

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Hilltops make memorable return in season like no other

2021 campaign a great one despite CJFL semi heartbreaker

The Hilltops celebrate a winning TD catch from Dillan Heintz.

When the Saskatoon Hilltops got together for training camp in early August, they were just looking forward to playing an actual game.

The goals become that simple after you lose an entire season due to a worldwide pandemic that caused unprecedented shutdowns.

It seems that moment in August was a long time ago, when the Hilltops 2021 campaign came to an end last Saturday with a 17-14 heartbreaking loss in a CJFL semifinal to the Langley Rams at McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C.

With that noted, the entire 2020 CJFL campaign was cancelled due to the fact the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic got its grip on the world. The Hilltops were able to gather for six weeks of practice in September and October of that year, but that was all the time they would have together on field.

Fans cheer on the Hilltops at SMF Field.

In early August of this year, the Hilltops knew they would at least get in their regular season opener on August 22 against the Edmonton Huskies at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton, Alta.

There was an extra bounce in everyone’s step that they would get to play a game. Every game that could be played was viewed as a blessing.

There was also added anticipation knowing that the first contest back was against the Huskies, who had traditionally been a tough opponent for the Hilltops.

The two sides met in the PFC final in 2018 and 2019, and the Hilltops came out victorious on both occasions.

Mason Ochs goes down as a Hilltops all-time great.

Actually, the Hilltops modest expectations of just looking forward to one game were a big departure from what the team was able to accomplish before the 2020 season was lost.

The Hilltops had won six consecutive CJFL championships leading up to that lost season. From 2010 to 2019, the Hilltops won nine CJFL titles. The Regina Thunder interrupted that run capturing a CJFL championship in 2013.

Saskatoon seemly had a firm lock on the CJFL championship trophy – the Canadian Bowl. The team carried lengthy overall, road and post-season winning streaks into the 2021 campaign.

Still at the start of this past season, there was a thought in the back of everyone’s mind that the 2021 campaign could fall through with the introduction of new public health orders or other legislation brought in by governments.

Jonathan Chisholm played five strong seasons for the Hilltops.

The fact there was going to be a game against the Huskies in Edmonton on August 22 was a big thing.

In that contest, the Hilltops fell behind 14-0 at halftime before rallying for an 18-17 victory. The winning point came when punter Doug Fleming kicked a punt single on the last playoff the game to give the ’Toppers their 30^th straight victory on the road including action in the regular season and playoffs.

The Hilltops also made history in that contest as linebacker Emmarae Dale took the field to become the first female to ever play in a CJFL regular season game.

With that game in the bag, it felt like the season was actually for real. The day-to-day focus earnestly turned back on to what was happening on the field. The goals grew bigger for real as the campaign went on as the confidence grew that factors outside the team’s control likely wouldn’t bring the season to a stop.

Jared Giddings (#6) stood out as the Hilltops boundary corner.

The Hilltops improved to 2-0 with a road win against the Colts in Calgary and proceeded to lose both games in a home-and-home series with their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder.

On September 11 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Thunder prevailed 16-13 on a 51-yard last play game winning field goal by Eric Maximuik. On September 18 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, the Thunder held on for a 30-27 victory thanks to an end zone interception by defensive back Justin McKerracher with seven seconds to play in the fourth quarter.

Both encounters were CJFL classics.

The Hilltops were sitting with a 2-2 record and their overall winning streak was halted at 33 games and their road winning streak was stopped at 31 games. It is believed both those marks are CJFL records.

Emmarae Dale made history as the first female to play in the CJFL.

Saskatoon also dealt with inconsistent play at the quarterback position resulting in who would be the starter between Fleming and Damon Dutton. Fleming started the first three games was pulled in the club’s first and third contests in favour of Dutton.

Dutton started the fourth contest in the 30-27 loss to the Thunder and remained in that starter’s spot for the rest of the season.

Going into their fifth game, the Hilltops just wanted to get back in the win column. They did that with a 25-10 victory over the Winnipeg Rifles at SMF Field that was far from a masterpiece.

The Hilltops turned the ball over seven times, and the Rifles gave it away six times.

Konner Johnson (#42) had a breakout season at outside linebacker.

That set up a big showdown with the Huskies. If the Hilltops wanted to host a playoff game and earn a bye to a PFC semifinal, they needed to win that contest.

In the first season back after the 2020 stoppage, it was decided in the PFC that all of the conference’s six teams would make the post-season.

On October 3 at SMF Field, the Hilltops downed the Huskies 34-20 on the strength of a monster game from running back Boston Davidsen, who carried the ball 31 times for 221 yards and scored three touchdowns.

The Hilltops closed the regular season with four straight wins to finish second in the PFC with a 6-2 record.

Tom Sargeant, centre, and his staff did great work the last two years.

That set the scene for the playoffs. Before even getting ahead of themselves and thinking of a run, the Hilltops were focused on a third encounter with the Huskies.

That clash at SMF Field turned into one of the CJFL’s all-time great post-season games. With 21.3 seconds remaining in the game, Dutton hit standout receiver Dillan Heintz with a five-yard touchdown toss to lift the Hilltops to a 33-31 victory.

The Huskies, who were great in that game, arguably saved their best work on their journey home. About 50 kilometres north of Saskatoon, the team bus came across an accident scene where a motorcyclist apparently hit a deer.

Damon Dutton emerged as the Hilltops starting QB.

The team’s training staff including Cassidy Ku, Shawna Crozier and Randy Kuefler, equipment manager Luca Cupelli and defensive back and paramedic student Sheldon McNabb helped save the motorcyclist’s life assisting the victim before first responders arrived. They provided assistance to the first responders when they got to the scene too.

Having a victory over a quality opponent on and off the field, the Hilltops turned their attention to the PFC final and the Thunder.

In that contest on November 14 at Mosaic Stadium, the Hilltops offensive line of left tackle Mason Ochs, left guard Jayson Kehler, centre Luciano Jolly, right guard Ethan Paslowski and right tackle Jonathan Chisholm allowed Davidsen and fellow star running back Carter McLean have big days as the Hilltops piled up 386 yards rushing as a team.

Ethan Godson became a big play receiver for the Hilltops.

Saskatoon came away with a 29-9 victory winning the PFC title for a seventh straight season.

By this point in the campaign, the Hilltops belief was high that they were going to go all the way once again.  The focus was on winning the Canadian Bowl to help the team’s graduating players depart as CJFL champions.

They knew they faced a big challenge against the Rams in Langley in the CJFL semifinal. Late in the third quarter of that contest, Fleming hit receiver Presley Peterson with a 23-yard touchdown pass on a fake field goal to put the Hilltops up 14-7 going into the fourth quarter.

The Rams rallied in the fourth quarter to pull out a 17-14 victory. The contest wasn’t the cleanest performance on the execution front as the Hilltops turned the ball over 12 times, and the Rams gave away the ball seven times.

Carter McLean rolled off some big runs for the Hilltops.

The turnovers made that contest a heartbreaker for the Hilltops.

Their CJFL record post-season game winning streak would end at 22 contests.

The Hilltops only had four players graduate due to aging out in Dale, Ochs, Chisholm and boundary cornerback Jared Giddings.

All four were able to play as 23-year-olds after the CJFL ruled all 22-year-old players on team rosters in 2020 were eligible to return as 23-year-olds in 2021.

Ochs, Chisholm and Giddings played five full seasons with the Hilltops and were looked to as leaders to guide the day. While Dale was just with the team for one season, she ended up becoming a leader and a calming influence on the team.

Boston Davidsen piled up big yards on the ground for the Hilltops.

The players knew about her years playing with the Saskatoon Valkyries in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League and many had trained with her at Ignite Athletics. The younger players looked to Dale to help show the way.

Chisholm said the four 23-year-olds were like the parents for the rest of the team, and that was likely an accurate observation.

During the season, the Hilltops improved a lot. There were various feel good storylines like Ethan Godson emerging as a big-play receiver and Konner Johnson cementing himself as a star big play outside linebacker.

Ochs was named the PFC’s most outstanding lineman and graduates the Hilltops’ program as one of the team’s all-time greats. On Thursday, Ochs was named a CJFL all-Canadian all-star for the fourth straight season.

The coin toss of a Hilltops game versus the Rifles.

He was a PFC all-star for the last four straight campaigns too.

Legendary head coach Tom Sargeant and his staff did an outstanding over the past two years navigating the team through all the uncontrollable world events relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and all the unique situations it created playing through the 2021 campaign.

Behind the scenes, the Hilltops board of directors and support staff did an amazing job to ensure the club kept going forward in world situations no one plans for. 

Mason Ochs (#73) raises the PFC championship trophy.

When former player Chris Hengen-Braun became team president in February of 2020, I don’t think he would have ever imagined dealing with the things he had deal with for the rest of 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

He had the hardest road to tackle out of any Hilltops president in recent memory.

The Hilltops are set to return a good core of players for the 2022 campaign. The fact the team wasn’t able to win the CJFL title in 2021 will supply motivation in 2022.

Still, the 2021 campaign was a memorable one, with how far the Hilltops came as a team with having to restart after the 2020 season was lost. It was a big thing to prove a season could happen again.

The Hilltops needed to find out what their new starting point would be heading into future seasons.

The Hilltops enjoy fun moments with their supporters.

The effort of the 2021 team gives the Hilltops a great base to build off of going forward. With all that has happened in the world, providing that strong starting base is a great lasting accomplishment the 2021 Hilltops will have forever.

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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