Hilltops offence comes in under radar at Canadian Bowl

Boston Davidsen topped the PFC with 1,184 yards rushing.

In 2023, the Saskatoon Hilltops are living out a campaign where the defence has overshadowed the offence.

The defence of the venerable CJFL club has garnered the bulk of the attention on the team after giving up just 51 points in eight regular season games, which is the lowest points allowed total for the squad in the regular season dating back to 1949. The Hilltops have given up just 15 points in three post-season games. In building an 11-0 overall record, the Hilltops are giving up an average of just six points a game.

While the defence is having a special season, the Hilltops offence has quietly has a great season of its own with some strong accomplishments. The Hilltops topped the PFC in regular season scoring with 335 points for an average of 41.9 points per game. Saskatoon finished second in total offensive yards gained in the PFC at 3,556.

In three post-season contests, the Hilltops have scored 117 points for an average of 39 points scored per game.

The PFC champion Hilltops close their 2023 campaign Saturday, when they face the BCFC champion Westshore Rebels (12-0) in the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl. The two sides will go at it at Starlight Stadium at 3 p.m. local time which is 5 p.m. Saskatchewan time in Langford, B.C., which is a suburb of Victoria.

The Hilltops will be attempting to win their 23^rd CJFL championship and first title since 2019, while the Rebels are still searching for their first CJFL title in team history. The Rebels lost their only two CJFL championship appearances in team history back in 2016 and 2003, when they were known as the Victoria Rebels, to the Hilltops.

Hilltops star power running back Boston Davidsen will be playing the final game of his CJFL career on Saturday before exhausting his junior eligibility. Davidsen led the PFC in carries (170), rushing yards (1,184) and rushing touchdowns (nine). He believes the Hilltops offence will play a factor in how Saturday’s CJFL title game turns out.

“I think that offensively it is less about the stats and more about the will we have each game,” said Davidsen. “I think we will come with that on Saturday.

“I think the stats that we’ve put out haven’t been the most accurate of our offence. I think we’ve done a good job of improving every game in mental aspects as well. It is stuff that doesn’t necessarily show up on the stats sheets.

“I think we will look forward to translating that to Saturday.”

Drake Douglas is a reliable sure-handed receiver.

The Rebels offence has been in the spotlight heading into the Canadian Bowl along with the Hilltops defence. In 10 regular season games, the Rebels scored 583 points for an average of 58.3 points scored per game. Westshore has scored 73 points in two post-season contests for an average of 36.5 points per game.

The Rebels have the CJFL’s marquee player in quarterback Te Jessie. In the Rebels 10 regular season games, Jessie was outstanding completing 150-of-212 passes for 2,453 yards and 41 touchdowns, while throwing seven interceptions.

He had a quarterback rating of 135.1, and his 41 touchdown passes set a new record for CJFL regular season play. A graduate of the St. Paul’s High School Crusaders Football Team in Winnipeg, Man., Jessie topped the CJFL’s annual Top 50 players to watch list heading into the 2023 campaign. He was named a first team CJFL all-Canadian all-star on Thursday.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant respects the Rebels but said he likes his guys on offence going into the CJFL title contest.

“We just are who we are,” said Sargeant, whose 235 career head coaching victories are the most for post-secondary amateur football in Canada. “We’re going to run the football.

“We’re going to get Trey (Reider) going and get our receivers going. They know who were going to throw the ball too. As I said, we’re very confident with who we are and how we do business, and I am sure they are too.

“The difference is we’re walking into their barn. This team, they’ve displayed and showed the ability to you know what, they’ve handled all circumstances. They’ve done it all year and done it very admirably.”

Hilltops star quarterback Trey Reider has had a great season. He completed 108-of-167 passes for 1,571 yards and 16 touchdowns, while throwing five interceptions during the regular season. He topped the PFC with a 114.6 quarterback efficiency rating.

Sure-handed receiver Drake Douglas hauled in 56 passes for 591 yards and four touchdowns for the Hilltops. Pass catcher Noah Flaman, who is known as “TD Noah,” caught 21 passes for 422 yards and six touchdowns during the regular season.

The Hilltops showed they could change up their strategy during their 43-0 victory over the OFC champion St. Clair Saints from Windsor, Ont., in a CJFL semifinal played on October 29 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Saskatoon created big plays off the play-action pass to build a 21-0 advantage just 33 seconds into the second quarter and cruised to victory at that point.

Trey Reider had a 114.6 quarterback efficiency rating this season.

Davidsen was a decoy in a lot of instances in that contest carrying the ball 13 times for 62 yards. The Hilltops still piled up 165 yards rushing in that contest to go with 235 yards passing.

In going against a Rebels defence that gave up an average of 11.2 points per game in the regular season, Davidsen didn’t tip his team’s hand but added his side will be prepared entering the Canadian Bowl.

“All I know is our coaches have a great game plan for us,” said Davidsen. “We have been reliant on our defence at times this year.

“We’re going to try and take another step forward in our final game together with this group to maybe lead the charge a little bit. I think that it is just going to come down to can we work together, can we get it done. It is more about how much we want it than any kind of play we can put out there.”

Davidsen believe the players on the Hilltops offence are going to rally together to have a good outing against the Rebels.

“I’m as confident as the guys around me are confident,” said Davidsen. “It is not something that I can project confidence on to this team, or they can tell me everything is going to be fine.

“It is has to be something we do together. We put our arms around each other, work as hard as we can and I think if we, you know, give it our all things will turn out OK.”

With the Hilltops last appearing in the Canadian Bowl in 2019 when they down the Rams in Langley 11-6, the experience of playing in the CJFL championship game is new to almost all the players. The Hilltops have six holdovers who were members of the 2019 CJFL title winning squad.

Sargeant and his coaching staff have lots of experience guiding their squad in the CJFL championship game. While the experience is new for most of his players, Sargeant is going in expecting to close out a campaign the right way having already guided the Hilltops to 13 CJFL title wins as head coach.

“We expect to be in big games all the time,” said Sargeant. “As I said, this coaching staff has done a great job with the pedigree they have to get this team to start believing where they should be and what they need to do to get there.

“They’ve done that. You know what, we’re excited for the process that is taking place. When you’ve come this far, you want to finish it off now. We know it is not going to be easy.

Noah Flaman has been money in the end zone.

“We know going into Westshore we’re the underdogs. Hey, the B.C. league has won the Canadian championship the last two years. We need to get real about that.”

Davidsen, who was a member of the 2019 CJFL title winning team, added the fact Saturday’s game will be the last for his CJFL career has crossed his mind more and more. His goal is to leave one last final good impression.

“It is a bit of a surreal feeling,” said Davidsen. “It feels like I’ve been part of this team for a huge portion of my life, and it has been.

“It has been a good five years. I think the mindset has to be make sure you don’t regret you last moment as a Hilltop.”

Last hurrah for Hilltops grads, other notes

Matt Wist will play his final CJFL game on Saturday.

The Saskatoon Hilltops are one win away from once again helping their graduating players depart their junior football careers as CJFL champions.

On Saturday, the PFC champion Hilltops (11-0) close the 2023 campaign taking on the BCFC champion Westshore Rebels (12-0) in the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl. The two sides will go at it at Starlight Stadium at 3 p.m. local time which is 5 p.m. Saskatchewan time in Langford, B.C., which is a suburb of Victoria.

For eight members of the Hilltops, the CJFL title game will be the final contest of their junior football careers.

The group of eight includes six players who were members of the Hilltops last CJFL title winning team in 2019. The holdovers include defensive tackle Craig Torgerson, middle linebacker Matt Wist, outside linebacker Wade Keating, defensive back Carter Wingert, running back Boston Davidsen and receiver Evan Ward.

Linebacker Jordan Levesque and offensive lineman Justice Walker, who joined the Hilltops after the 2019 campaign, will also exhaust their CJFL eligibility when the Canadian Bowl wraps up. The Hilltops will be trying to win their 23^rd CJFL title in team history.

For a lengthy stretch of time, the Hilltops mantra has been to help their graduating players leave the CJFL as champions. Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said the team’s graduating players have played a huge part in helping the club go undefeated heading into the CJFL title game.

“If it wasn’t for our fifth-year players, we’re not in the game,” said Sargeant. “We need them to be our best players like they’ve been all year.

Evan Ward has made key timely catches for the Hilltops.

“I don’t see any of that to change. We’re going to put them in the spots. We’re going to give them the play calls for them to do what we’ve seen all year and that is about as simple as that.

“It will be their job to lead on the field and make the plays, and the other guys will follow suit. If we do that, then things are always going to go well for the blue and gold.”

Wist took home individuals honours this season being named a second team CJFL all-Canadian all-star at linebacker and a first team all-Canadian at punter. The 22-year-old recorded 22 solo defensive tackles, 17 defensive tackle assists, two pass knockdowns, two forced fumbles and three interceptions during the regular season.

On the punting side during the regular season, Wist punted the ball 47 times for a gross average of 37.7 yards per kick, a net average of 32.2 yards per kick and three singles. He has been soaking in his final days as a CJFL player.

“Time has definitely flown by,” said Wist. “Day in and day out, it just goes by in a flash, so I am just soaking this last week in.

“I’m just glad to be around the guys for this last week. We’re going as far as we can, so it makes me happy.”

• The Hilltops and Rebels last met head to head in the CJFL title game on November 12, 2016 at what was known as then Westhills Stadium at Langford. The Hilltops claimed a 37-25 victory on that day. The post about that contest can be found by clicking right here.
• The Hilltops and the then Victoria Rebels went head-to-head in the CJFL championship game on November 8, 2003 at Exhibition Stadium in Chilliwack, B.C. The Hilltops romped to a 59-0 victory in that contest. The 59 points the Hilltops scored that day is still a record for a CJFL championship game.
• Westshore Rebels head coach Dexter Janke played running back for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team in the U Sports ranks from 2010 to 2013. He claimed honours as the BCFC’s coach of the year this season.
• The Hilltops will be attempting to complete their sixth perfect season in team history on Saturday. Saskatoon’s first perfect season came in 1958 at 11-0, the second in 1978 at 12-0, the third in 2003 at 12-0, the fourth in 2018 at 11-0 and the fifth in 2019 at 12-0.
• I was back in the pages of the Prince Albert Daily Herald on Wednesday with a story on University of Alberta Pandas Women’s Hockey Team power forward Abby Soyko. Soyko is an alumna and an all-time great with the Prince Albert Northern Bears female under-18 AAA team. The story on Soyko can be found by clicking right here.
• On November 9, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a piece on star pitcher Andrew Albers, who had stints in the MLB from 2013 to 2021 with three different teams, electing to retire from playing to move into coaching in baseball on a full-time basis. The piece on Albers can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that shows a CJFL record being broken and focuses on various championship chases in football drawing to a conclusion. That post can be found by clicking right here.

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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