Ochs sets standard for Hilltops in post-season

Saskatoon set to face Thunder in PFC final in Regina

Mason Ochs had a big fumble recovery in a PFC semifinal game.

Mason Ochs was looking for an opportunity to make another block, when he made one of the biggest plays to date in the 2021 CJFL post-season for the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Last Sunday with the Hilltops locked in a 24-24 tie with the Edmonton Huskies inside the final six minutes of the fourth quarter in a PFC semifinal contest at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the ’Toppers were driving to go ahead on the scoreboard.

On the Huskies side of midfield, Hilltops quarterback Damon Dutton connected with receiver Dillan Heintz on a pass and run play that gained a first down. After the first down was gained, Heintz fumbled the ball away.

Ochs, who is the Hilltops star left tackle, had run downfield after the pass completion looking to make another block somewhere to help Heintz gain more yards. When Ochs saw the football lying loose on the SMF Field turf, he charged past everyone to pounce on the loose ball to allow the Hilltops to retain possession.

That drive ultimately resulted in Hilltops kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas hitting a 23-yard field goal to give the hosts a 27-24 edge with 3:58 to play in the frame.

The Hilltops ultimately pulled out a 33-31 victory to advance to the PFC final, which will be hosted by the Thunder in Regina at 1 p.m. this coming Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.

“I started running to hopefully like spring a block,” said Ochs about the play where he made the key fumble recovery. “I wasn’t thinking about a fumble.

“I’m running down there I just kind of had tunnel vision and didn’t see much. I’m just kind of doing what I was coached to do and that is about it. It shows the small things count.

“That is not something you really think about during the game. You chase the play down at the end it is a little thing. It pays off sometimes.”

Ochs’ hustle provided an important teaching and reminder point in the video room for legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant for the rest of the team. Sargeant said that play was highlighted in team meetings this week.

Mason Ochs (#73) makes a block on the Hilltops winning TD.

“As coaches, we always say play to the whistle, and there was a great example of a player playing to the whistle,” said Sargeant. “When your best player is doing that, that should really motivate everyone else.

“There is a fifth-year player that is on borrowed time. He is not going to cut a corner. You watch that game tape and there were other players that were cutting corners.

“It was good learning for all of us. The evidence is always on the game film and proof is in the pudding.  Hopefully, every player has learned from that lesson, and we will get a more consistent and sturdy performance by everyone come this Sunday.”

When Ochs made his fumble recovery last Sunday, it gave the Hilltops and infusion of energy at that point in time.

“That was the biggest play of the game for us was seeing Ochs come down and just firing down the field and just seeing him as animated as he gets,” said Hilltops defensive tackle Jaxon Funk, who is in his fourth full season with the team. “It really gets the guys going, and it just shows you what it means to our fifth year players and how much we want to win for them.”

While Ochs effort on his fumble recovery showed the rest how much it means to continue playing, the four-time PFC all-star, three time all-Canadian all-star and this season’s PFC most outstanding offensive lineman wasn’t dwelling on finality.

The 23-year-old said he treating every game this season as an opportunity. When the 2020 CJFL campaign was canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world, Ochs had moments where he thought his CJFL career was over.

When the Hilltops downed the Rams in Langley 11-6 in the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl – at McLeod Stadium on November 16, 2019, Ochs thought that might have been his final CJFL contest.

The graduate Saskatoon’s Tommy Douglas Collegiate Tigers football team later found out he would get to play his fifth season with the Hilltops when the CJFL ruled that players that were 22-years-old and on CJFL rosters in 2020 would be able to play as 23-year-olds in 2021.

With that new lease on his CJFL football life, Ochs treats every game as an extra chance to do something good.

Mason Ochs has piled up lots of accolades with the Hilltops.

“I thought my last game could have been that last game in Langley with COVID and all of that,” said Ochs. “I didn’t know we were going to get the year back, so every game is a gift.

“It is special every time you get to run out there.”

The Hilltops enter the PFC final with a 6-2 regular season record and a 7-2 mark overall. The Thunder were 8-0 in the regular season and have a 9-0 mark overall.

Regina won both head-to-head meetings between the two sides.

During the regular season, Hilltops starting quarterback Damon Dutton completed 127-of-183 passes for 1,528 yards and 12 touchdowns, while throwing six interceptions.

Thunder starting quarterback Carter Shewchuk connected on 104-of-164 passes for 1,630 yards and 14 touchdowns, while throwing four interceptions.

On the ground, Hilltops running backs Boston Davidsen and Carter McLean finished second and third respectively in the PFC in rushing yards. Davidsen carried the 98 times for 634 yards and scored six touchdowns, while McLean had 125 carries for 599 yards and four touchdowns.

Ryland Leichert led the Thunder in rushing yards carrying the ball 86 times for 498 yards and four touchdowns.

Receiver Ethan Godson led the Hilltops and was fourth in the PFC in receiving yards hauling in 30 catches for 524 yards and six touchdowns.

PFC MVP Rylan Sokul led the conference in receiving yards hauling in 38 catches for 621 yards and six touchdowns.

On defence, Hilltops outside linebacker Konner Johnson had a massive year finishing second in the PFC in defensive points. Over eight regular season games, Johnson recorded 26 defensive tackles, 13 defensive tackle assists, 12 special teams tackles, three special teams tackle assists, one quarterback sack, five pass knockdowns, one fumble recovery and five interceptions.

Mason Ochs (#73) sees every game of the 2021 season as a gift.

Thunder linebacker Ryan Mills finished fourth in the PFC in defensive points. Over eight regular season games, Mills recorded 26 defensive tackles, 13 defensive tackle assists, 4.5 sacks, two pass knockdowns, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two interceptions.

The Hilltops enter the PFC final as slight underdogs, but Funk said any of the outside noise doesn’t change how his team prepares for the game.

“We’re going to take the same approach to it,” said Funk. “The coaches are going to put us in great spots, and we’re going to play it like we play every game.

“We’re just going to work hard and make sure everyone does their job. We’re just going to make sure we come out and play the best game of the year.”

Funk in right spot for key interception

The Hilltops celebrate an interception by Jaxon Funk (#77).

Saskatoon Hilltops defensive tackle Jaxon Funk said he was in the right place in the right time to make a game sealing interception in his team’s PFC semifinal win last Sunday at SMF field.

After the Hilltops took a 33-31 lead over the Edmonton Huskies with 21.3 seconds to play, Saskatoon’s victory was cemented with an interception from Funk.

Funk made his interception after Hilltops defence end Riece Kack forced Huskies quarterback Declan O’Flaherty to send the ball high into the air. That preserved the 33-31 final outcome.

“I mean that was a gift for me,” said Funk. “Riece Kack had a great rush off the edge.

“He forced that whole play. I was just in the right spot at the right time to be able to come down with the ball. It was a great way to finish off the game, but obviously, a lot of other players made a lot of better plays than that.”

Before joining the Hilltops Funk played for the Hague High School Panthers six-man football team. Back in those days, he got a bit of experience when it came to holding on to the football.

“We didn’t have a tonne of players, so I played both ways on defence and offence,” said Funk. “I had some time as a receiver just as a kind of an end on there, so I got the ball a bit.

“I love playing defence now.”

Can Hilltops channel spirit of 1985?

A team picture of the 1985 Hilltops.

The Saskatoon Hilltops are heading into this year’s PFC final in Regina as slight underdogs, but there was a time the Hilltops went into that game when it was held in the Saskatchewan capital as huge underdogs.

This year, the Hilltops, who were 6-2 in the regular season and 7-2 overall, will face the Regina Thunder, who were 8-0 in the regular season and are 9-0 overall, in the PFC final at 1 p.m. Sunday at Mosaic Stadium. The Thunder took both head-to-head encounters with the Hilltops posting victories by three points in each of those outings.

Way back in 1985, the Hilltops in that year appeared to have a daunting task of trying to win the PFC final against the Regina Rams at historic Taylor Field in Regina.

In 1985, the Hilltops finished second in the PFC regular season standings with a 5-3 record and had a 6-3 overall mark going into the PFC final.

The Rams topped the PFC standings with an 8-0 record and were 9-0 overall against CJFL foes going into that contest. Actually, the Rams were 10-0 overall having defeated the University of Alberta Golden Bears of the U Sports ranks 22-17 in an exhibition game at Taylor Field on September 7th of that year.

The Rams ultimately joined the U Sports ranks in 1999. The Thunder took their place in the CJFL in 2000.

The Hilltops in 1985 were guided by a first year head coach in Kevin Scott. They also had to deal with a number of injuries to key players early in the campaign.

In their home opener and second regular season game, the Hilltops fell to the Edmonton Wildcats 24-16.

Saskatoon lost both regular season head-to-head encounters with Regina. The Rams romped to a 40-16 victory in the first meeting.

As the campaign went on, the Hilltops started to get their injured players back. In their last regular season game, the Hilltops fell again to the Rams, but the contest was a close one with Regina prevailing 38-32.

Tom Sargeant circa 1985.

When the Hilltops advanced to the PFC final to play the Rams, the Saskatoon side wasn’t given much hope when it came to pulling out a victory.

In the words of famed NFL football broadcaster Chris Berman, “That’s why they play the game.”

The Hilltops would pull off a stunning 31-24 upset victory over the Rams in that PFC final.

Following that victory, the ’Toppers returned home to Gordie Howe Bowl, which is now known as SMF Field, and prevailed in the CJFL’s Western final 28-26 over the Richmond Raiders from B.C.

In the CJFL title game, the Hilltops traveled to Ottawa to play the host Sooners, who were the defending CJFL champions. Playing before 8,500 spectators, the Hilltops downed the Sooners 29-11 to capture the Armadale Cup as CJFL champions.

It marked the seventh time the Hilltops had won the CJFL title.

By the end of the season, the 1985 Hilltops were known as a team of heart and character, and a club that bent but didn’t break. They were the team that wasn’t supposed to win, and ultimately did win it all.

That 1985 Hilltops team had a tight end on their roster named Tom Sargeant. That season marked the first time Sargeant experienced a CJFL championship win.

Of course, Sargeant would go on to win two more CJFL championships as a Hilltops assistant coach, and as the team’s current head coach, he has won 13 CJFL titles.

Current Hilltops defensive backs coach Brent Turkington was also a player on that 1985 Hilltops team.

Graduating star quarterback Tony Gagnon was the best known player from that Hilltops squad.

Still to this day, the 1985 Hilltops have to be credited with pulling out the club’s biggest PFC final win, when that contest is played in Regina.

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