Low point loss in
Regina fresh memory for Saskatoon side
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| The Hilltops charge on to the field this past Sunday. |
On September 17 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, the Hilltops fell to the host Thunder 23-7. The setback to their provincial rivals saw the Hilltops losing streak grow to three games. At 2-3, the Hilltops had lost three games during an entire regular season for the first time since 1993, when the Saskatoon side posted a 5-3 mark.
During the three game losing skid, the Hilltops dropped a 19-16 decision to the Rifles at East Side Eagles Field in Winnipeg, Man., on August 28, and they feel in an overtime heartbreaker 29-21 to the Thunder at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on September 10. In both of those games, the Hilltops could have pulled out victory by making one or two more plays.
The setback to the Thunder on September 17 at Mosaic Stadium was a definite one for the Hilltops where they got outplayed on offence, defence and special teams.
The two sides are slated to go at it again this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in the PFC final. The winner advances to host the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl – on November 12.
Hilltops star weak side linebacker Konner Johnson said his team was disappointed by the September 17 showing and wants to make up for that effort this time around.
“It is definitely a motivator,” said Johnson. “We want to give them that back and just play our best game of the year on Sunday.”
Since that September 17 loss to the Thunder, the Hilltops have won four straight games. They took their last three regular season outings to finish second in the PFC at 5-3.
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| Ryland Leichert had a monster playoff outting for the Thunder. |
The Thunder are a perfect 9-0 overall in the 2022 campaign. This past Sunday, they won their PFC semifinal match 23-14 over the Rifles at Leibel Field in Regina.
Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said the September 17 loss to the Thunder was a shock to the system reality check for his club.
“That game changed our season,” said Sargeant. “Since then, we haven’t lost another football game.
“You break it down sometimes you get smacked in the mouth and then you have to decide what you are going to do about it. I think we addressed a lot of things that transpired during that game. As I said, we haven’t lost since then.
“We feel really good about that path we are in, the direction we are in and the team that we’re coaching. We’ve seen a lot of growth, so now, hey, great character win, gut check win on Sunday (against the Huskies) and we’re going to build on that and we’re going to play our best game of the year.”
The Hilltops and Thunder met in last year’s PFC final, which was also held at Mosaic Stadium. Saskatoon posted a 29-9 victory to take the conference title for a seventh straight year.
The last time the Hilltops fell in the PFC final came way back in 2013, when the Thunder pulled out a 21-16 victory at Griffiths Stadium on the grounds of the University of Saskatchewan. The Thunder advanced to win the CJFL title interrupting the run where the Hilltops won three straight CJFL crowns from 2010 to 2012 and six straight CJFL championships from 2014 to 2019.
As the weather gets cooler in the post-season, both teams will be looking to their ground games to make an impact. Hilltops star power running back Boston Davidsen topped the PFC in rushing during the regular season carrying the ball 149 times for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns.
Thunder star running back Ryland Leichert finished second in the PFC in rushing carrying the ball 124 times for 724 yards and four touchdowns.
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| Boston Davidsen led the PFC with 1,037 yards in the regular season. |
Leichert’s 52 carries are a record for a CJFL post-season game surpassing the old mark of 44 carries set by Hilltops running back Ben Abrook on October 27, 2019, when Saskatoon downed the Huskies 30-14 in that year’s PFC final. The Thunder had Leichert run the ball a bunch due to the frigid field conditions in Regina last Sunday, which saw the PFC semifinal encounter with the Rifles delayed by an hour and 45 minutes as parents, players, fans and volunteers cleared a large snowfall to allow the game to be played.
“They (The Thunder) are obviously a great team,” said Johnson. “I think we are too.
“This is PFC football weather. It is getting cold out. We’re excited, but we have a lot of work to do at practice this week and learn to stop the run a bit better than we did this past weekend.”
Johnson was referring to the fact the Hilltops gave up 207 yards rushing as a team in their PFC semifinal win over the Huskies.
With tale of the tape in the running game noted, Environment Canada is predicting the upcoming PFC final in Regina will be played in sunny conditions with an 8 C temperature. Those conditions would allow the passing game to be a factor, and the Thunder have the edge in that department.
During the regular season, Thunder star quarterback Carter Shewchuk completed 157-of-250 passes for 2,351 yards and 18 touchdowns, while throwing eight interceptions.
The Hilltops quarterbacks have had their ups and downs this season resulting in Damon Dutton starting five regular season games, while Trey Reider has started three regular season contests. During the regular season, Dutton completed 74-of-119 passes for 790 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing four interceptions. Reider in regular season action has completed 63-of-95 passes for 756 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing three interceptions.
Sargeant said he is watching how the Hilltops week goes at practice before making a decision on who will start at quarterback in the PFC final. The sideline boss said he can see why his team would be overlooked in the PFC final but his Hilltops shouldn’t be written off.
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| Tom Sargeant looks to guide his team to a win in the PFC final. |
When the Hilltops playoff run does end, they will graduate 20 players who will exhaust their CJFL eligibility including Johnson. Johnson said it has gone through his mind that the end of his Hilltops career is near, but the team’s graduating players are focused on living in the moment.
“There are a lot of fifth year guys out here,” said Johnson. “There are like 20 of us that are definitely going to be leaving it all on the field every time we get out there now.
“We believe we have two games left, but we’re definitely only worried about this weekend so far.”
Former ’Toppers star
QB Bradshaw passes away at age 33
We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Chase Bradshaw.
— Saskatoon Hilltops (@SaskHilltops) October 27, 2022
Chase was an incredible football player, an amazing friend and teammate and a part of our family.
Our condolences to his family, friends and all those who knew him. We will miss him dearly.
RIP QB1 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/840WPZthGV
The Saskatoon Hilltops and the football community of Saskatoon are mourning the passing of former Hilltops championship winning quarterback Chase Bradshaw.
Bradshaw passed away on Monday at age 33 after a two-and-a-half year battle with glioblastoma/brain cancer. He played five seasons with the Hilltops from 2007 to 2011.
In 2007, Bradshaw was a rookie backup quarterback as the Hilltops won the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl – over the St. Leonard Cougars 26-3 at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, Man.
He was the Hilltops star starting quarterback when they won CJFL titles in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, Bradshaw was at the controls of the offence helping the Hilltops down the Vancouver Island Raiders 34-23 at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus to win the Canadian Bowl.
Bradshaw called signals in his final CJFL game on November 14, 2011 helping the Hilltops down the host Hamilton Hurricanes 29-1 at Ivor Wynne Stadium to win the Canadian Bowl for a second straight year.
Before joining the Hilltops, Bradshaw helped the Evan Hardy Collegiate Souls win a Saskatoon city high school championship in 2006. After graduating from the Hilltops, Bradshaw played one season in the U Sports ranks for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team in 2012.
Bradshaw will forever be part of the long list of great quarterbacks the Hilltops have had come through their storied program.
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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