Davidsen hits 1,000, Hilltops home for PFC semifinal

Boston Davidsen (#24) surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the season.

Boston Davidsen and the Saskatoon Hilltops offensive line stampeded over the Calgary Colts defence.

On Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops gave the ball to Davidsen a bunch in the first half, and the star power running back landed devastating blow after devastating blow against the Colts defence. When the dust settled at halftime, Davidsen had run the ball 16 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns helping the Hilltops build a 26-0 lead.

That allowed Davidsen, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 195 pounds, to surpass 1,000-yards rushing for the campaign. With the milestone secure, the Hilltops gave Davidsen the rest of the game off and distributed the ball to their host of other talented ball carriers.

Boston Davidsen had 146 yards rushing for the Hilltops on Sunday.

The Hilltops pushed their advantage out to 43-0 and settled out for a 43-14 victory having piled up 355 yards rushing as a team in a contest witnessed by 893 spectators. Davidsen finished the CJFL regular season having carried the ball 149 times for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns.

“The stat is attached to my name, but it really is a team stat,” said Davidsen about surpassing 1,000 yards rushing. “I need these blockers out here, or I am getting tackled right away.

“The coaches put me in positions to be successful. The vets I have around me like Carter McLean has been a really good example for me and a role model to follow. As much as this might be attached to my name, it really is a team stat.”

Boston Davidsen powers his way past Colts defenders.

To go along with the win, the Hilltops received a gift from their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder, who improved to 8-0 downing the Edmonton Huskies 42-14 at Leibel Field in the Saskatchewan capital on Sunday.

Those results saw the Hilltops, who have won three straight, and Huskies, who had a four game winning streak come to an end, finish with identical 5-3 regular season records. Due to the fact the Hilltops took the lone head-to-head encounter with the Huskies 38-10 back on August 21 at SMF Field, the Saskatoon side claimed second place in the PFC standings.

Boston Davidsen credits his teammates for his success.

The Hilltops will host the third place Huskies in a conference semifinal this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at SMF Field. The Thunder will host the other PFC semifinal this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field against the fourth place Winnipeg Rifles.

The Rifles improved to 4-4 on Sunday downing the Edmonton Wildcats 12-8 at IG Field in Winnipeg. The Wildcats finished last in the PFC with an 0-8 mark, while the Colts finished fifth in the six-team conference with a 2-6 record.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant admitted he was cheering for the Thunder, so his club would be able to play a post-season game at home.

“It is hard to believe, but yes sir,” said Sargeant. “As I said, that is a good thing.

Boston Davidsen entered Sunday leading the PFC in rushing.

“We love playing at home. We love the fans. We love the energy.

“As I said, this is a good deal for us.”

The Hilltop didn’t leave much doubt that they would take care of business against the Colts in their clash on Sunday jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Backup veteran linebacker Jordan Levesque scored the Hilltops first major plunging in from two-yards out playing in the team’s short yardage offensive packaged.

Before the opening 15 minutes expired, Davidsen muscled his way into the end zone on a one-yard run to give the hosts their 14-0 advantage. In the second quarter, Davidsen ran home a touchdown from nine yards out to account for his second major to push the Hilltops lead out to 21-0.

Hilltops DE Riece Kack (#47) sets to sack Colts QB Isaiah Klein.

The Hilltops edge proceeded to grow to 26-0 by halftime thanks to a conceded safety by the Colts due to bad field position and Saskatoon kicker Connor Green connecting on a field goal from 18 yards out.

“I think we had a good game plan coming in,” said Davidsen, who entered Sunday leading the PFC in rushing. “The coaches allowed me to be in a position to be successful, and then we have great blocks especially from the start.

“I think our O-line came with a great mindset. Our receivers had some good blocks for when I broke through. It kind of just translates to me having some easy yards, which allowed me get them up in the first half.”

Daylen Hartz gets one of his two sacks for the Hilltops.

While Davidsen likes to spread out the credit for his success to teammates, Hilltops veteran standout centre Luciano Jolly said the Hilltops elite level power runner just makes things happen.

“He makes us look good a lot,” said Jolly. “A lot of the time we’ll block something up, and then he will make us look good.

“I don’t know how to explain it any better than that.”

Sargeant was pleased to see Davidsen hit the milestone of surpassing 1,000 yards rushing for the season.

“That was a goal today for sure and great for the offensive line and for Boston (Davidsen),” said Sargeant. “The collective 12 certainly played hard and rallied around him.

Carter McLean jets to the end zone on a 19-yard touchdown run.

“He is just such a classy kid, so it was awesome to see today. What an accomplishment for Boston and this football team.”

Early in the third quarter, McLean, who is the Hilltops star veteran running back, ran in a major from 19 yards out to make the Hilltops lead stand at 33-0. Halfway through the third quarter, Hilltops starting quarterback Trey Reider hit first-year receiver Drake Douglas with a 23-yard touchdown pass to put the Hilltops up 40-0. The major was the first for Douglas in his CJFL career.

Early in the fourth quarter, Green hit a field goal from 32 yards out to push the host side’s edge out to 43-0.

The Colts rounded out the game’s scoring recording a pair of touchdowns inside the final four minutes of the fourth quarter. Colts backup quarterback Nick Kennedy hit receiver Alex Wahl for a nine-yard touchdown toss. Kennedy then connected with receiver Ty Metcalfe on a five yard pass and run play for a two-point conversion to trim the Hilltops lead to 43-8.

The Hilltops celebrate Carter McLean’s touchdown run.

Calgary’s second major score came from a nine-yard run by running back Joseph Richardson. The Colts failed on their two-point convert attempt to cause the score sit at its final 43-14 outcome.

“It is good to go into the playoffs with a win of course,” said Jolly, whose Hilltops also downed the Colts 35-18 back on Sept. 25 in Calgary. “Obviously with a commanding win over the Colts after we only beat them by 18 the last game that we played them, so for us to be able to beat them how we did today, that is good for us and gives us a little bit more confidence for next week.”

With the Hilltops ground game hitting on all cylinders, Reider had a lighter day in the passing department completing 8-of-15 passes for 108 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception.

Drake Douglas hauls in a 23-yard touchdown catch.

Hilltops 17-year-old rookie running back Charles Sawi piled up 118 yards rushing on just five carries, which included a spectacular 64-yard romp.

Colts starting quarterback Isaiah Klein completed 4-of-9 passes for 37 yards, while throwing one interception. Kennedy entered the game early in the second half and completed 11-of 21 passes for 108 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception.

Colts standout running back Alan Xiang topped his club with 51 yards rushing on just seven carries.

Hilltops defensive end Daylen Hartz had a pair of sacks, while fellow defensive end Riece Kack had a sack and a fumble recovery. Rookie defensive lineman Kai Kukurudza also had a sack for the Saskatoon side.

The Hilltops kick cover unit wrap up a Colts kick returner.

Defensive backs Steve Gilewicz and Isaac Rivalin each had an interception for the Hilltops.

Defensive lineman Brady Johnson had a sack for the Colts, while defensive back William Sorentino had an interception for the Calgary side.

Now that the regular season is wrapped up, Davidsen said he is pumped to get things going in the CJFL playoffs.

“It is a whole new season,” said Davidsen, who team has won the last seven consecutive PFC finals. “You have to turn a page.

“It doesn’t matter what your record has been in the past. You have to play who is in front of you. We know we are playing the (Edmonton) Huskies.

The Hilltops want to make more big play memories in the playoffs.

“It is something we are excited about. You get to practice this week, get focused and get ready to go next Sunday.”

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