“Dinos jinx” at Griffiths Stadium buried by Huskies

The Huskies enjoy a third quarter touchdown run from Adam Machart.

    The University of Calgary Dinos started the night with some shock and awe.

    On Friday night before 2,931 spectators at Griffiths Stadium, the Dinos had the first possession in a U Sports regular season football clash against the host University of Saskatchewan Huskies. The visitors swiftly drove 87 yards on six plays culminating in a two-yard touchdown run by short-yardage quarterback Josiah Joseph to jump in front 7-0. 
    U of C drove the ball seemingly at ease, and it appeared the “Dinos jinx” at Griffiths Stadium would continue for the host Huskies.
    U of S countered with a shock and awe drive of its own on the ensuing series. The Huskies drove 80 yards in four plays to score a touchdown that evened things up at 7-7.
    Star running back Adam Machart rolled off a 49-yard run on that series and capped the drive taking a short pass from quarterback Mason Nyhus 11 yards for a major score.

Adam Machart had a monster game for the Huskies.

    From that point, the Huskies, who are rated ninth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, wrestled away control of the contest posting a 29-15 victory to improve their regular season record to 3-2. The win ended with Huskies rush end Riley Pickett sacking Joseph.
    The Dinos, who are rated fourth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, suffered their first setback of the campaign falling to 4-1.
    “It is a really good feeling, a confidence booster for us,” said Machart. “It shows we’re here to win.
    “We’re a really good team I think, and it is a good feeling for all of us.”
    Entering Friday’s encounter, the Dinos prevailed in their last six straight visits to Griffiths Stadium. The last time the Huskies prevailed at home over the Dinos came back on Oct. 15, 2010 with a 36-17 triumph.
    The Dinos had won their previous 12 straight regular season encounters entering Friday’s clash. The last time the Dinos dropped a regular season contest came back on Oct. 28, 2017, when they were hammered by the visiting University of Alberta Golden Bears 53-3 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alta.

Nixen Voll makes one of his two interceptions for the Huskies.

    In the post-season, the Huskies beat the Dinos 43-18 in last year’s Canada West Conference final to claim the Hardy Cup at McMahon Stadium.
    Huskies head coach Scott Flory did not read anything extra into the fact his squad ended the Dinos winning streak in the regular season or broke up any other positive runs U of C had.
   “That just goes to show how good a team they are, how well coached they are and how well prepared they are,” said Flory. “They are a good football team.
    “We have a tonne of respect (for the Dinos), and our guys were locked in all week. We just need that on a consistent basis that is all.”
    On the ensuing kickoff after Machart’s touchdown reception, Huskies kicker David Solie booted the ball into the Dinos end zone, where it was downed for a single point to give the host side an 8-7 lead.

Robinson Rodrigues (#33) dives in for a Dinos touchdown.

    The Dinos retook the lead on the final play of the first quarter, when star quarterback Adam Sinagra hit running back Robinson Rodrigues for a 19-yard touchdown pass to give the visitors a 14-8 edge.

    In the second quarter, Solie scored a single off a missed field goal from 40 yards out and hit a field goal from 47 yards out to cut the Dinos lead to 14-12.
    With 3:20 remaining before halftime, Nyhus hit fourth-year receiver Yol Piok with a 10-yard touchdown strike to give the Huskies a 19-14 advantage.
    Last Saturday, Nyhus sat out the Huskies 19-17 road loss in Edmonton, Alta., to the University of Alberta Golden Bears due to the fact he was undergoing concussion protocol. The third-year pivot was injured late in the third quarter of the Huskies 44-9 road win over the University of Regina Rams on Sept. 13 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Sask.
    Flory was happy to have Nyhus back in the fold.

Sterling Taylor IV, right, makes an interception for the Dinos.

    “He makes this engine tick,” said Flory. “Him and (Adam) Machart make this offence go.

    “The O-line was doing great. The receivers were making plays down the field, and that is what we need. The defence responded.
    “They adjusted and came out with a great second half and that is what we need.”
    Early in the third quarter, the Huskies had a chance to fatten their lead, but Nyhus had pass into the Dinos end zone intercepted by U of C defensive back Sterling Taylor IV.
    Dinos kicker Joe Cant scored a single on a 32-yard missed field goal to cut the Huskies lead to 19-15 with 3:58 to play in the third quarter.

Mason Nyhus (#8) threw two touchdown passes for the Huskies.

    On the final play of the third quarter, Machart rumbled in for a major score from 11 yards out to give the Huskies a 26-15 edge.

    Solie rounded out the 29-15 final with a 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
    “I thought we had a decent game on offence,” said Nyhus. “Our defence played great obviously against a great Calgary offence.

    “We definitely left some points on the board that we should have had. That red zone interception, that can’t happen. I have to either give that to (Colton) Klassen or throw that away.
    “I am disappointed in myself in that, but all in all, I was happy to get the win for sure.”
    Nyhus completed 15-of-32 passes for 233 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Receiver Jesse Kuntz led the Huskies with 98 yards receiving on four catches.
    Machart had a huge game running the ball 23 times for 171 yards to go with his touchdown on the ground. He caught three passes for 35 yards to go with his major score through the air.

Huskies LB Tom Whiting (#47) stands over a fallen Dinos running back.

    Machart said he is ready to step up, when the Huskies need him to be the focus of their offence.

    “I enjoy it,” said Machart. “I love running the football.

    “I love this game. I love my O-line. I love my guys.

    “Whatever I can do to help the cause, I’ll do it.”

    Sinagra, who won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the MVP of U Sports football last season, completed 18-of-27 passes for 287 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He left the game after taking a big hit near the end of the third quarter causing Joseph to finish out the fourth quarter in a relief appearance.

    Joseph completed 10-of-15 passes for 106 yards.

The Huskies faithful sings  “Sweet Caroline.”

    Second-year receiver Jalen Philpot topped the Dinos with seven catches for 143 yards.

    U of C collected 107 yards rushing as a team in the contest.

    Defensive tackle Evan Machibroda had a sack for the Huskies. Second-year defensive back Nixen Voll had a pair of interceptions.

    Max Baatar had a sack for the Dinos, while Grant McDonald and Daniel Teitz split a sack. Deane Leonard had an interception for U of C.

    Huskies third-year linebacker Tom Whiting figured the Dinos were going to enter Friday’s contest all fired up looking to get some payback for what happened in last year’s Canada West final. 

Huskies DL Nathan Cherry (#90) celebrates a stop in the fourth quarter.

    Whiting was pleased with how his side dealt with the Dinos’ intensity.

    “We knew they were coming in here with a chip on their shoulder,” said Whiting, who had eight total tackles for the Huskies. “We just had to play our football, that’s it.

    “We just play week to week. We just worry about the game ahead of us, and we want to go 1-0 on the week.”

    The Huskies return to action this coming Friday when they host the University of Manitoba Bisons at 7 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium.

    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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