Fountaine finding his groove with storied Hilltops

Second-year playmaker delivers two TDs in 57-14 win

Datiel Fountaine (#5) gives a Rifles defensive back the slip.

Datiel Fountaine wasn’t looking for superstition, but if something superstitious comes up that works, he believes you have to go with it.

The second-year receiver cracked into the Hilltops starting lineup this season, but he admitted he began the campaign dealing with issues with consistency. Before the Hilltops third regular season game on their CJFL schedule on August 25 against the Colts in Calgary, Fountaine found a good luck charm doing something random, which 19-year-olds will do from time to time.

“Funny story, I put this little barricade sticker on my back of my back plate,” said Fountaine. “Ever since then, I’ve been scoring every day, so it is awesome.

Datiel Fountaine returns the opening kickoff 95 yards for a TD.

“Honestly, I just thought it was a cool sticker, so I was like I’m going to put this on my back plate. Ever since then, I’ve scored every single game.”

Against the Colts, Fountaine hauled in his first two touchdown catches of the season in a 52-19 victory. He followed that effort up by hauling another touchdown in the Hilltops 29-15 triumph over the Thunder in Regina on September 7.

On Sunday, the Hilltops hosted their first home game in over a month taking on the visiting Winnipeg Rifles at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Fountaine provided early fireworks running the opening kickoff back 95 yards up the middle of the field to put the Hilltops up 7-0 to an appreciative roar from the 989 spectators in attendance.

Datiel Fountaine caught three passes for 36 yards and one TD.

With 2:22 remaining in the third quarter, Fountaine hauled in a quick hitter pass from Hilltops star quarterback Trey Reider and easily crossed the goal-line from a yard out for his second major of the contest to put the host side up 42-6 at that point in the contest.

The Hilltops, who are the defending CJFL champions, would fire on all cylinders rolling to a 57-14 victory to improve to 5-0 on the campaign to remain first in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference. Saskatoon also officially locked up a berth in the CJFL post-season with their win on Sunday. The Rifles fell to 0-5 with the loss.

Fountaine was pumped to start Sunday’s contest running back the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. He said his blockers created an opportunity where he just had to make a straight sprint to the end zone.

Datiel Fountaine was named the PFC’s top rookie in 2023.

“Honestly, it was surreal,” said Fountaine, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 195 pounds. “It was a great feeling.

“You just saw a big old gap and ran straight through it. It was a very good feeling inside. I want to make ‘Sarge’ proud.

“That is all I’m here for.”

Before joining the Hilltops, Fountaine caught passes for the Walter Murray Collegiate Marauders Football Team. At the time Fountaine attended Walter Murray Collegiate, legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant served as the school’s principal.

Datiel Fountaine has five touchdowns in his last three games.

As Fountaine talks, it quickly becomes obvious that it means a lot to be able to play for Sargeant. The pass catcher said his touchdown reception in the third quarter came due to the decisions made by Sargeant and the team’s offensive coordinator in Shane Reider.

“That was awesome,” said Fountaine of his one-yard touchdown catch. “I came to the sideline to see ‘Sarge.’

“He is like, ‘You’re welcome.’ I was like he is like giving me a gimme. It was amazing honestly.

“I like scoring touchdowns obviously, so it was awesome.”

As a rookie in 2023, Fountaine turned heads by making flash acrobatic and athletic catches hitting the field as an extra receiver on pass heavy formations. He finished the campaign hauling in seven passes for 107 yards and one touchdown. Fountaine was named the top rookie receiver in the PFC.

Datiel Fountaine smiles after scoring on a one-yard TD catch.

Sargeant has been pleased with the progress Fountaine has made in his short time with the Hilltops.

“He (Fountaine) is developing,” said Sargeant. “For a second-year player, his ceiling is so high, and you are just seeing each week the production.

“We’re looking for different ways to give him the ball, and he is making a play. As I said, the sky is the limit. We know Drake (Douglas) is our number one, but he (Fountaine) is a guy the defence has got to start preparing for and know where he is at.”

Fountaine believed some of his consistency struggles likely came from getting used to being a starter. He said that it is different being in a starting role versus being part of a receiver heavy offensive package that comes into the game for situational play.

Trey Reider (#3) threw two TD passes for the Hilltops.

He has enjoyed the short time he has been a member of the Hilltops and playing with and hanging with his teammates. For him, there has been someone missing when he takes the field.

So far this season, Hilltops fourth-year star receiver Noah Flaman hasn’t been able to play due to injury. Fountaine is looking forward to the day Flaman gets back on the field to give the Hilltops offence more of a boost.

“I think that would be amazing when Noah (Flaman) comes back,” said Fountaine, who caught three passes for 36 yards on Sunday. “There will be more touchdowns for us obviously.

“Noah (Flaman) will be great. I love that boy to bits.”

Drake Douglas caught eight passes for 113 yards on Sunday.

As the Hilltops move on in the current campaign, Fountaine wants to keep rolling in the groove he has going and seeing what prospects the future brings.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said Fountaine. “I want another championship, maybe another all-star, so I have to go get that.”

After the Hilltops took a 7-0 lead in Sunday’s clash with the Rifles on Fountaine’s opening kickoff return touchdown, the Rifles responded with a pair of field goals coming from 39 and 22 yards out off the leg of kicker Evan Guercio. Those boots trimmed the host side’s edge to 7-6 by the end of the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Hilltops safety Dalton Urban intercepted Rifles quarterback Josh Charison allowing Saskatoon to start an offensive drive deep in Winnipeg’s end of the field. 

Corbin Ebben carried the ball 17 times for 132 yards and one TD.

The Hilltops proceeded to put together a short touchdown drive that was capped by a one-yard rushing plunge from defensive tackle Ryan Adamko on a heavy goal-line package. Adamko’s major pushed the Hilltops lead out to 14-6.

Just over four minutes later, Trey Reider hit offensive tackle Jeremy Funk with a two yard touchdown pass from a heavy goal-line package to give the Hilltops a 21-6 lead. With 36.7 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Hilltops power running back Corbin Ebben ran home a major from 33 yards out to put the Hilltops up 28-6.

The Hilltops rolled off another 21 straight points in the third to push their advantage out to 49-6. Reider ran in a touchdown from a yard out, Fountaine followed with his one-yard touchdown catch and Urban scooped up a fumble and ran it back 39 yards for a defensive major score.

Jace Mowles secures an interception for the Hilltops.

Saskatoon opened the fourth quarter getting a missed field goal single from 23 yards out from kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas to hold a 50-6 lead.

With 6:33 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Rifles got a major as Charison connected with receiver Asher Neufeld with a seven-yard touchdown pass. Charison proceeded throw a five-yard pass to running back Kaiden Banfield to trim the Hilltops lead to 50-14.

Saskatoon rounded out the game’s scoring with 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarter when back-up quarterback Charlie Molder scored a touchdown on a one-yard quarterback sneak making the final score 57-14 in favour of the Hilltops.

“We got to build capacity,” said Sargeant. “We got a lot of players in.

Dalton Urban returns a fumble for a touchdown for the Hilltops.

“We had I think five new starters in from last week. We are hit with the injury bug a little bit. I am pretty happy with the performance.

“The offence sort of woke up after the first three series. Coach (Shane) Reider made some real good calls, and the player executed well. All in all, I am pretty happy with the process today.”

Trey Reider completed 17-of-22 passes for 169 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He ran the ball three times for six yards to go with his major on the ground. Douglas hauled in eight passes for 111 yards, which were game highs in both departments.

Ebben carried the ball 17 for 132 yards to go with his major score on the ground. He also caught one pass for 15 yards.

Ryan Adamko (#65) scores a TD on a one-yard plunge.

Charison completed 24-of-39 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown, while throwing four interceptions. Neufeld caught five passes for a Winnipeg team high 48 yards to go with his major score. Banfield led the Rifles with 62 yards rushing on 15 carries to go with five catches for 32 yards.

Hilltops defensive backs Isaac Rivalin, Jace Mowles and Preston Van Damme each had one interception. Saskatoon defensive tackle Nahom Menghestab had a quarterback sack, and defensive end Noah Chelsom led the hosts with six solo defensive tackles.

Defensive back Ronin Francis topped the Rifles with 6 total tackles. Winnipeg outside linebacker Cohen Mccluskey had a quarterback sack, while middle linebacker Kresten Neufeld had one punt block and one fumble recovery.

The Hilltops enjoyed making a lot of big plays on Sunday.

“I felt Dalton Urban was just such a presence on the field today,” said Sargeant. “He is just around the ball all day.

“The front seven was solid. We knew thirty-four (Banfield) is their top player, so we had to contain him. Defensively, we’ve been pretty much on point all year, and we’ve been really tough to score against.”

 The Hilltops return to action this coming Sunday when they host the Edmonton Wildcats (0-5) at 1 p.m. at SMF Field.

Clark to appear at End Zone Scholarship Dinner

Dan Clark calls signals for the Roughriders in 2019.

Dan Clark will be the special guest at the Annual Hilltops End Zone Scholarship Dinner is set for September 28.

Clark was a star centre for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2009 to 2022. He was on the Roughriders practice roster in 2009 and 2010 and was on the main roster from 2011 to 2022 appearing in 131 games. During his years on the Roughriders practice roster, Clark was playing for the CJFL’s Regina Thunder.

Clark gained fame catching an eight-yard touchdown pass from legendary Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant in a 37-0 romp over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a game played at historic Taylor Field on July 21, 2013. Following that contest, Clark and the Roughriders would later win the Grey Cup with a 45-23 victory over the Tigers-Cats on November 24, 2013 at Taylor Field.

In 2019, Clark was the unanimous selection as the Saskatchewan Roughriders Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. He was also named a CFL all-star.

The Annual Hilltops End Zone Scholarship Dinner will be held in the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building located at the south end of Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The doors for the dinner will open at 4:15 p.m. and dinner will be served at 5 p.m.

The presenting sponsors of the event are TCU Financial and SaskTel. It is hosted in conjunction with the Hilltops community partners in the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation. The official beverage sponsor is the Crossmount Cider Company.

All proceeds of the event go towards the Saskatoon Hilltop Scholarship Fund.

Single tickets for the event are $100, and a table of eight goes for $725. Ticket purchases include admission to that night’s CJFL regular season contest between the Hilltops and the Regina Thunder set for 7 p.m. at SMF Field. Tickets for the End Zone Dinner can be purchased by clicking right here.

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