Hilltops and Huskies to battle in big money game

Ethan Godson and the Hilltops have a big game on Sunday.

It is a contest the Saskatoon Hilltops have to win, if they want to have a bye in the post-season.

On Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops (3-2) host the Edmonton Huskies (4-1) in a CJFL regular season clash where the winner will sit second in the Prairie Football Conference standings.

The Hilltops claimed the first encounter between the two sides 18-17 on August 22 at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton. 

A win by Saskatoon on Sunday would allow the Hilltops to sweep the season series 2-0 and give them the standings tiebreaker with the Huskies.

If the Huskies win on Sunday, the Hilltops chances of finishing in the top two positions of the PFC could potentially be finished. The Huskies would be left to jockey with the Regina Thunder (5-0) for first in the PFC over the final two weeks of the campaign.

This season, all six teams in the PFC make the playoffs. The first and second place teams earn byes to host conference semifinal games.

 “That (Sunday’s contest with the Huskies) is an absolute money game,” said Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “There is lots at stake there.

Boston Davidsen (#24) has run tough inside for the Hilltops.

“We certainly have to improve our performance and our play if we are going to put ourselves in some meaningful situations in the future. Right now, we are making still too many mistakes that get in our way and don’t allow us to play a game of energy and momentum.”

Sargeant is well aware of the test that awaits his team. Huskies running back Alex Gayle leads the PFC in rushing yards with 547 and rushing touchdowns with seven.

Gayle piled up those statistics on 87 carries, which means he is averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

Huskies star quarterback Declan O’Flaherty has completed 76-of-135 passes for PFC high 1,350 yards and a PFC leading 13 touchdowns, while only throwing two interceptions.

Huskies receiver Adner St. Hilaire sits second in the PFC with 409 yards receiving coming on 22 catches, and he has scored a pair of touchdowns. De Shawn Le Jour is also having a big season playing receiver for the Huskies catching 13 passes for 341 yards and six touchdowns. His receive yardage total ranks fourth best in the PFC.

Sargeant liked how his defence has played this season, especially in the Hilltops 25-10 victory over the Winnipeg Rifles this past Sunday at SMF Field. The legendary sideline boss knows that unit faces a big test against the Huskies.

LB Noah Gedir (#36) and the Hilltops defence aims to come up big.

“Our defence certainly put on some good game tape this weekend especially after the first quarter,” said Sargeant. “I’m really pleased with how they played.

“They have a tough matchup ahead of them, because they (the Huskies) got the leading rusher. They have two of the top four receivers. Their quarterback has thrown 13 touchdowns and 1,300 yards passing, so by far the best in the league.

“They have a lot of weapons offensively. Their defence is aggressive. There is lots in front of us.”

Hilltops outside linebacker Konner Johnson said a key to taking on the Huskies is trying to make them one-dimensional on offence.

“We have to stop the run first of all like we did with the Rifles,” said Johnson, who leads the Hilltops with three interceptions this season. “The run is dangerous.

“Once we can do that, the game gets easier for us on defence, and that is the goal.”

Offensively, the Hilltops are looking for better consistency on that side of the ball. They’ve been able to rely on their ground game as running back Carter McLean sits third in the PFC in rushing with 421 yards coming on 92 carries, and he has scores three touchdowns.

The Hilltops need to hit the end zone a few times on Sunday.

Running back Boston Davidsen, who is in his second full season with the Hilltops, has carried the ball 38 times for 243 yards and scored one touchdown this season. He sits seventh in the PFC for rushing.

The Hilltops air attack is showing glimpses over the past two weeks that it can be dangerous. Speed receiver Ethan Godson has caught 16 passes for 321 yards and four touchdowns. He has the fifth most receiving yards in the PFC.

Huskies defensive back Cheyvez Campbell tops the PFC with five interceptions, and he will try to keep making life tough for the Hilltops offence.

“We just have to be consistent,” said Godson. “I think that is the biggest thing.

“We have some good drives, but then we can’t finish them. I think just being consistent is the biggest thing.”

Hilltops’ Morrow gets PFC’s weekly special teams honour

Brant Morrow jets downfield on a 56-yard punt return.

Saskatoon Hilltops safety Brant Morrow turned heads with his abilities on special teams, and it allowed him to capture a weekly award.

On Tuesday, Morrow was named the special teams player of the week for the Prairie Football Conference. This past Sunday in a 25-10 victory over the Winnipeg Rifles at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Morrow returned two punts for 73 yards and kicked off once for 40 yards.

In the first quarter in the win over the Rifles, Morrow returned a punt 56 yards down to the Winnipeg one yard line. That set up a one-yard touchdown plunge from Hilltops running back Boston Davidsen.

Edmonton Huskies running back Alex Gayle was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week for his efforts in a 57-14 romp over the Colts in Calgary this past Sunday.

Gayle carried the ball 19 times for 149 yards and scored four touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 29 yards.

Regina Thunder linebacker Matthew Schill took honours as the PFC’s defensive player of the week for his efforts in a 22-10 victory over the Wildcats in Edmonton. Schill had 11 solo tackles, one quarterback sack and one interception in the win.

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