Urban arrives as Hilltops newest star on defence

Safety gets two picks to help Saskatoon go 6-0

Dalton Urban, right, has enjoyed making big plays this season.

Dalton Urban might lead the way when it comes to being the publicist for his teammates on defence.

Going into the 2023 CJFL campaign, the 20-year-old took over the starting safety spot on the Saskatoon Hilltops defensive unit from standout Evan Mantyka, who graduated at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign. Urban has made highlight plays with takeaways and hits, but he adds the rest of the defensive unit, especially the team’s front seven, have made patrolling the secondary an absolute joy.

“It has been fun,” said Urban. “When the front seven is able to get pressure on the quarterback, it makes our job easier on the back end.

“I’ve been able to make plays and then celebrate as a team. It is always good. We’re always trying to get everybody to the ball.

“When it is thrown up or there is a ball on the ground, it is just important to get on it and make a play.”

On Sunday at Jasper Place Bowl in Edmonton taking on the Huskies, the host side opened the game’s scoring with an early touchdown to take a 7-0 lead on the visiting Hilltops. With the Huskies still holding their 7-0 edge, Urban came up with an interception.

Following that play, the Hilltops went on to score 40 unanswered points to take the CJFL regular season contest 40-7. The win allowed the Hilltops to improve to 6-0 and officially lock up the right to open the CJFL playoffs at home hosting a Prairie Football Conference semifinal contest. Saskatoon can’t finish lower than second in the PFC standings.

The Huskies fell to 3-3 with the setback to sit third in the PFC.

With the Hilltops holding a 30-7 lead in the third quarter, Urban came up with his second interception of the contest. Urban has four interceptions on the campaign and returned a fumble 61 yards for a touchdown in the Hilltops 49-0 win over the Rifles in Winnipeg on August 20. The graduate of Saskatoon’s St. Joseph High School Guardians Football Team has also made a handful of big hits.

“To see his growth from day one to what he is today, he is a complete football player,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “He is smart out there.

“He puts himself in great spots. He reads the defensive sets and formations well, and he knows how to arrive. He’s made some big hits and big interceptions.

Dalton Urban has four interceptions this season.

“He has just got a real knack for getting around the ball, and when he is there, you notice him, because he is an impactful player.”

When Urban played for the Guardians, he said his main focus was being an offensive player.

“I actually played quarterback for most of my high school career,” said Urban, who stands 6-feet and weighs 180 pounds. “I backed up Trey Reider in high school, and I played a little receiver.

“I didn’t get much experience on defence until I came here, so it is good to know both sides of the ball. It has given me some helpful knowledge as I play defence now.”

On joining the Hilltops in 2021, Urban figured he was likely going to have to find a new position, if he was going to get on the field and help the team. That started to get the wheels in motion that saw Urban become a safety.

“I just wanted to put myself in a position to be able to make the team,” said Urban, who is in his third season with the Hilltops. “I talked with (Hilltops offensive coordinator) Shane Reider early on about just finding a spot on the team.

“I liked the DB that I did play in high school. I had lots of fun doing it, so then I just felt it was best for me. Ever since then, it has been my favourite position.”

After moving over to defence, Urban found he really hit it off with Hilltops defensive backs coach Brent Turkington, who was a star defensive back in the Hilltops 1985 CJFL championship team. Urban said Turkington has been one of his biggest influences in helping him out in the game.

“He (Turkington) has been super helpful,” said Urban. “I couldn’t say enough good things about him.

“He (Turkington) brings the passion every single day, which helps us just give our all every single day and makes us better. His coaching technique, he always has something or he is getting better, so that is our main goal. He is able to help us do that.”

Urban said he loves the physical aspect and the hitting part of football, so switching to defence has been a natural fit for him.

Dalton Urban has returned a fumble 61 yards for a TD this season.

“I’d say physicality is always good,” said Urban. “Being able to tackle, and then, just being able to celebrate as a team, it is a good team sport.

“There is always bonding in the locker room, and then it is just exciting to make plays.”

When it comes to how much better Urban can get when it comes to playing the game, Sargeant believes his young safety can make his way to some lofty spots in the sport.

“At the end of the day, the sky is the limit,” said Sargeant. “We’re going to get through this year.

“You always look what are some positions at the next level like the (CFL’s) Saskatchewan Roughriders are looking for. They are always looking for players in certain areas, and safety is one of them. Dalton (Urban) has a long ways to go, but he has the work ethic, the drive and desire from what we’ve seen.

“As I said, we’re just looking to him to keep playing at the level he’s playing at, because he’s starting to turn heads around the PFC.”

When it comes to the notion of potentially playing in the professional ranks one day, Urban said he isn’t looking that far ahead.

“I’m just taking it one season at a time right now,” said Urban. “When I was in high school, my goal was just to play post-secondary football.

“Now that I have this opportunity, I’m just going to run with it. In three years so far, I’ve had so much fun. I’m just going to keep playing and take it year by year.”

In Sunday’s clash with the Huskies, the Hilltops got their first two points on a safety to cut the Huskies lead to 7-2. Early in the second quarter, the Hilltops jumped ahead 9-7 thanks to a rushing touchdown from Charles Sawi.

Receiver Drake Douglas followed with a touchdown catch and star power running back Boston Davidsen put up a rushing touchdown to give the Hilltops a 23-7 advantage at halftime. In the second half, Davidsen added a second rushing touchdown, Douglas made a second touchdown catch and Teijon Abel-Douglas booted a 35-yard field goal to round out the game’s scoring.

The Hilltops return to action this coming Saturday when they host their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder (5-1) at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. 

Dalton Urban (#17) and the Hilltops have been pumped up for games.

If the Hilltops win that contest, they will lock up first place in the PFC and home field advantage through the CJFL playoffs until the Canadian Bowl, which is the circuit’s championship game.

Urban said his Hilltops have had the success they have had so far this season, because they’ve been able to stay in the moment and take things day by day. He said everyone on the team has to keep up that approach as the season moves on.

“I think that is the way you have to look at it,” said Urban. “You just try to come out to practice every single day and try to find something that you can get better at and be able to compete with the other teammates on the field.

“I think that is what has helped us so far, and that will continue to help us, if we keep up that competition.”

Hilltops End Zone Dinner set for Sept. 30

Jorgen Hus sets to snap the ball for the Roughriders in 2019.

The Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner is returning with a quartet of guest speakers.

The End Zone Dinner is slated for Saturday, September 30 in the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. Doors for the dinner open at 4:15 p.m. and dinner follows at 5 p.m.

A ticket to the dinner also includes a ticket to that night’s CJFL regular season game between the Hilltops and Regina Thunder set for 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

The guest speakers include a pair of alumni from the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders in Al Johns and Carm Carteri along with current Roughriders players Jorgen Hus and Derrick Moncrief. Johns was a defensive tackle for the Roughriders from 1980 to 1987 and played for the Hilltops in the 1970s. Carteri played linebacker for the Roughriders in 1979, 1980 and 1985, and he had a long run as a colour analyst on Roughriders radio broadcasts that concluded following the 2016 campaign.

Hus is the Roughriders veteran long snapper and he played linebacker with the Hilltops from 2007 to 2009. He helped the Hilltops win a CJFL title in 2007 after graduating from St. Joseph High School.

Moncrief is a veteran linebacker with the Roughriders. He often comes out to Saskatoon to help coach with Saskatoon Minor Football’s Playground To Pros Camp that is held annually in April.

All proceeds from the End Zone Dinner will go towards the Saskatoon Hilltops Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $100 per single person or $725 for a table of eight. Tickets for the End Zone Dinner can be purchased by clicking right here.

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‘Sarge,’ Yausie, Hilltops coaches face unique challenge in 2023

Saskatoon club young, inexperienced in resetting PFC

Jeff Yausie and Tom Sargeant are the Hilltops dynamic coaching duo.

Tom Sargeant and Jeff Yausie – you seemingly can’t have one without the other when it comes to coaching the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Sargeant was named head coach of the storied and historic CJFL club in December of 1997 having served as an assistant coach for seven seasons from 1991 to 1997. Yausie is going into his 22^nd season as a linebackers coach with the Hilltops and 13^th campaign as defensive co-ordinator.

Through the Hilltops run of winning nine CJFL championships in a span of 10 years that included three consecutive wins from 2010 to 2012 and six straight titles from 2014 to 2019, Sargeant and Yausie have come to the forefront in the minds of football followers in Canada as the dynamic duo of the Hilltops coaching staff.

Both are quick to add the Hilltops success comes from the work the team receives from the entirety of the club’s veteran coaching staff. The coaching staff includes offensive coordinator Shane Reider, special teams coordinator Andre Lalonde, Brent Turkington, Donnie Davidsen, Dave Fisher, Barclay Schlosser and Bruce Rempel.

Turkington has been on the staff for 24 seasons, while Lalonde, Schlosser and Rempel are the relative newcomers entering their eighth, seventh and sixth seasons with the team respectively.

Tom Sargeant has been the Hilltops HC since Dec. 1997.

In 2023, Sargeant, Yausie and the Hilltops coaches face a unique challenge of guiding a more youthful and inexperienced team through a CJFL campaign. A reality check about the work that needs to be done came during in the Hilltops Alumni Game played Thursday at Ron Atchison Field, when the Alumni Team rolled to a 32-1 victory.

Sargeant said the coaches are going to get to work and grind as hard as ever to correct things. He said the Hilltops coaches have high trust in each other.

“It is a brotherhood,” said Sargeant. “We all roll up our sleeves.

“The good thing is we’re all embarrassed. We’re all not feeling very good about ourselves. We’ll have the tough conversations, the critical conversations, the open conversations, and we’ll grind and grind and make sure by next week we coach a better team and more importantly they come out and play better.

“You can do whatever you want, but once they get between the lines they have to go play the game. We have to instill a lot of energy, a lot of passion and the smarts.”

The Hilltops had 20 players exhaust their CJFL eligibility at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign including four starters on the offensive line in Jordan Bisson, Luciano Jolly, Jayson Kehler and Ethan Paslowski along with three starters on the defensive line in Jaxon Funk, Daylen Hartz and Dylan McNutt. The graduations included star weak side linebacker Konner Johnson, who won the CJFL’s Larry Wruck Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022.

Jeff Yausie is entering his 22nd season on the Hilltops coaching staff.

“We miss our studs and veterans, but it is really fun to coach new guys and new faces,” said Yausie. “We have to help build what they are going to be.

“They have to learn how to play hard and play fast and to celebrate and play for each other and to be a great team. Our offence needed our help on defence (in the Alumni Game). We had zero turnovers in the first half.

“Our offence needed a couple of turnovers to give them a short field and to give them some life. They absolutely needed that, and we didn’t do it.”

The Hilltops open their regular season schedule on Sunday, August 13, at 1 p.m. when they host the Edmonton Wildcats at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. Sargeant and Yausie both said the focus turns to making the Hilltops game ready for that contest.

Sargeant said he thought the Hilltops had a good week of practice heading into the Alumni Game. Alumni quarterback Jordan Walls, who played for five straight CJFL championship winners from 2014-18, showed he could still shred a defence like NFL all-time great Tom Brady.

Jordan Walls fires a pass downfield for the Alumni Team.

The Hilltops offence was stuck in quicksand going against an Alumni defence that had standouts everywhere like linebacker Cody Peters, who won the CJFL’s Larry Wruck Defensive Player of the Year award in 2018. Peters also played on five straight CJFL championship winners from 2014 to 2018.

“It was a great alumni effort with high-end talent – the hearts and the smarts,” said Sargeant. “They were so smart out there.

“They just made us look like a real young and immature football team, which I guess maybe I thought we were but didn’t want to think that. At least now I know. If this is ground zero, then we will be OK.

“If not, then we’re in a lot of trouble.”

While the Hilltops are finding their way, it appears they won’t be alone in that department in 2023. Due to the fact the 2020 CJFL season was lost due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world, the circuit’s leaders elected to give 1998 and 1999 born players an extra year of eligibility.

That decision resulted in two classes of players graduating following the conclusion of last season with players born in 1999 and 2000 exhausting their eligibilities at the end of the campaign. Clubs in the Prairie Football Conference the Hilltops play out of are seeing significant turnover making the 2023 season a big reset one.

QB Trey Reider and the Hilltops struggled against the Alumni Team.

Yausie said the Hilltops coaches will put in the effort to get the club going in an upward direction on the field.

“We’re such good friends that we’ll not accept what we saw,” said Yausie. “I know ‘Sarge’ is a great competitor.

“I know he’ll push us as hard or harder than he will push the kids. We’ll get in and watch our film and get ready to play an unknown opponent really against the Wildcats. There are a lot of unknowns about our league this year.

“I don’t know who the quarterbacks are, and there are some new coordinators. The one thing I know is we will work extremely hard to get better.”

At age 58, Sargeant said he is still as motivated and passionate as ever when it comes to coaching the Hilltops. When it comes to facing the challenges of the 2023 campaign, he is pumped he gets to do it with Yausie and the rest of the Hilltops coaching staff.

“I know what their pride is all about,” said Sargeant. “As I said, there were some good discussions during this game.

HC Tom Sargeant knows his staff has a lot of work ahead of them.

“I know the pride of that group, and I know that at the end of the day we’ll embrace this challenge. We have way more work than maybe I thought we did. I’m just trying to do all that processing now, because I said this was an old fashioned butt kicking that as I said didn’t see coming.

“We have to figure out how to react and respond properly.”

At age 57, Yausie said his love for football is still there. He loves coaching with Sargeant and the rest of the Hilltops coaching staff and helping the players grow. Yausie said that love for everything about the game keeps the Hilltops coaches coming back year after year.

“I think you have to love what you do,” said Yausie. “When you love what you do, it is easy to come to practice.

“I love the guys I coach with, and Tom (Sargeant) has built that in a bunch of different ways. I never thought that I would be coaching at this age. I still got the zip.

Jeff Yausie believes the Hilltops coaches will get the team rolling again.

“I still got some life and energy. I just have fun, and coaching these young guys keeps you young.”

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Hilltops’ Arno aspires to make classroom a long time home

Centre Patrick Arno locks up on a block for the Hilltops.

    Patrick Arno is strong at focusing on the Saskatoon Hilltops next game, but he admits his thoughts have drifted to thinking about the day after the team’s next game.

    On Saturday, the Hilltops (11-0 overall) travel to Langley, B.C., to face the host Rams (12-0 overall) in the CJFL championship game – The Canadian Bowl. The Hilltops will be trying to win an unprecedented sixth straight CJFL title in that contest.

    On Sunday, Arno will no longer be the starting centre on the Hilltops offensive line. He will have finished playing in his fifth campaign with the venerable Saskatoon side and have exhausted his CJFL eligibility.

    “It is going to be a reality check,” said Arno. “It is going to be different.

    “It is going to be something I have almost a feeling of losing something or losing someone, because it will be a club that is close to me. It will just be kind of over in a split second, so it will be different.”

Patrick Arno gets set to snap the football.

    Arno has taken steps to transition out of his life as a hulking 6-foot-4, 300-pound leader of the Hilltops offensive line to one day becoming a teacher. He has attended classes for some time at the University of Saskatchewan, and he has been accepted into the faculty of education at the University of Regina starting in January of the new year.

    A graduate of Saskatoon’s high school football ranks in the Tommy Douglas Collegiate Tigers, the move to the Saskatchewan capital will mark the first time Arno has not lived in “The Bridge City.”

    “It is a little bit different,” said Arno. “I’ve never lived away from home.

    “I’m just trying to find a place and trying to figure out where there is a good place to live in Regina and where is not to live. I’m just figuring out my schedules and all that kind of stuff.”

    Arno said he hasn’t talked to the University of Regina Rams about playing football for them at the U Sports level. Actually, he said he hasn’t talked to any U Sports football program about extending his time in the game.

    The 22-year-old’s focus after Hilltops has revolved around setting up his life after football.

Taylon Elderkin (#67) and Patrick Arno (#57) team up on a block.

    “I’m just going to school and focusing on my career so far,” said Arno. “If something comes, then I will figure it out then.”

    Arno has made tonnes of good memories playing with the Hilltops. He said his eyes were opened about possibly joining the storied junior team, when Hilltops defensive backs coach Brent Turkington visited with him during an awards banquet at Tommy Douglas.

    After that awards banquet, Arno attended Hilltops spring camp in 2015. Hilltops offensive line coach Donnie Davidsen told Arno he was competing for a spot along with another Tommy Douglas grad.

    The other Tommy Douglas grad elected not to rejoin the Hilltops for their main training camp, and Arno’s time with the team began.

Patrick Arno (#57) gets things set on the Hilltops offensive line.

    “It has really gone by really fast, quicker than when you imagine at the start,” said Arno, who was a practice roster player in his first season. “It has been a long ride.

    “It has been a good ride.”

    During his rookie campaign in 2015, Arno spent his time learning from a veteran offensive line. Centre Jordan Hydomako, left guard Nathan Heide and left tackle Terry Thesen were all in their fifth-years of eligibility and starred at their respective positions.

    Arno proved to be a quick study. He found himself taking over as the team’s starting centre in his second year in 2016 after the graduation of the three fifth-year veterans.

    “I had good leaders,” said Arno. “It was good to start.

Patrick Arno (#57) and the Hilltops stellar starting offensive line.

    “I was thrown into things quickly and kind of just had to figure it out as quick as I could. It was really good. It was really fun, and I think that experience has made me into the player that I am today.”

    Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said Arno gained his starting spot quickly by earning the trust of the team’s coaches with his play.

    “Number one, I’ve always loved his consistency as a snapper,” said Sargeant. “The other thing I’ve liked about him was his frame.

    “He is a big man. You get that big guy in the middle, and it makes a big difference. He creates a lot of space.
    “He likes to play physical. He likes to have fun. The guys really rally around him, and I love coaching him.”

Patrick Arno (#57) in action in last year’s Canadian Bowl.

    Over the years, Sargeant said Arno kept playing at a high level and always handled the complexities of the centre position well.

    “As a centre, you have to make a lot of the line sight adjustments and get everything orchestrated, and he has done a real good job of communicating,” said Sargeant. “As a captain this year, he has brought very valuable and strong leadership.

    “It is fun to see him evolve over the last three or four years to be a dominant offensive lineman on a team that is known for running the ball.”

    Arno said starting as a second-year player was one of his biggest memories with the team, even though an injury kept him out of that season’s Canadian Bowl game victory.
    He has enjoyed playing in the Hilltops last two Canadian Bowl wins and is looking forward to a third straight start in the CJFL title game on Saturday.

Patrick Arno (#57) walks on to SMF Field with mom, Brenda Arno.

    On top of playing football, Arno has an appreciation for the Hilltops history. He felt fortunate he could celebrate national title win in the team’s now demolished old clubhouse and the state of the art new one the club moved into before the start of last season.

    “Lots of guys here don’t really have those memories,” said Arno. “I was lucky enough to be in the old clubhouse for three years.

    “It is just lots of tradition there. Lots of these young guys don’t really know what it was like. They just come here and they have this new big clubhouse, and it is completely different then from when I started.

    “I like to keep the tradition going of what I knew from the old clubhouse to this clubhouse. It has been good.”

    Of course, Arno wants to help the Hilltops complete another successful chapter in their story by helping the club win an unprecedented 22^nd CJFL championship.
    He will soak in being in the middle of the offensive line that contains pals in Jonathan Chisholm at right tackle, Taylon Elderkin at right guard, Ryder Klisowsky at left guard and Mason Ochs at left tackle for one last time.

Patrick Arno (#57) celebrates with part of the Canadian Bowl last year.

    This year’s battle in the Canadian Bowl with the Rams presents a unique challenge as the two sides meet in the CJFL’s title game for a second straight year.

    A year ago, the Hilltops hammered the Rams 58-21 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field to retain possession of the Canadian Bowl. Now that the Rams know what the Hilltops are about, Arno is expecting a lot tougher encounter this time around.

    “It will be interesting,” said Arno. “I think we are just looking to run the ball.

    “I want to get the O-line going, and I think the team will take care of itself. We’ve been preparing ourselves enough for this all year. My experience and my O-line’s experience and my team’s experience has been building up for this moment.”

Haight takes CJFL’s community service award

Caleb Haight (#53) won the CJFL’s Past Commissioner’s Award.

    Caleb Haight’s community involvement has been recognized at the national level in the CJFL.

    On Tuesday, the defensive end for the Saskatoon Hilltops was named the winner of the CJFL’s Past Commissioner’s Award for his community service work. Haight was named the winner of the Prairie Football Conference’s Al Park Community Service award earlier this post-season.

    The 22-year-old is playing in his final campaign of CJFL eligibility and his third full season with the Hilltops.

    Haight, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 260 pounds, has had his hand in many community endeavors. In 2016, he started out by driving local inner city kids to court-mandated community service and volunteered at local church youth groups.

    During the 2017 and 2018 high school football seasons, Haight served as the defensive line coach for the Bedford Road Collegiate Redhawks, while still playing with the Hilltops.

Caleb Haight, left, has had a strong post-season for the Hilltops.

    He became involved in the Hilltops outreach program and represented the team in various parades and community breakfasts. Haight tutored high school debate teams and volunteered as a judge at local tournaments.

    The Clavet, Sask., product has volunteered his time as a defensive line coach at the Hilltops last two high school camps.

    This season, Haight served as the head coach of the six-a-side Kensington Stampeders Grade 5/6 football team. On top of that, Haight volunteers with the Kinsmen Hockey League tying skates and working the scoreboard.

    On the field, Haight is have a strong post-season run piling up three sacks, six defensive tackles, two defensive tackle assists, two special teams tackles and one pass knockdown in the Hilltops three playoff games.

    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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Mantyka rises quickly up Hilltops ranks - Saskatoon locks up first in PFC in Edmonton

Evan Mantyka, middle, runs an interception back for the Hilltops.

    Evan Mantyka believes family linage helped link him to the Saskatoon Hilltops.

    Long before the second year defensive back joined the Canadian Junior Football League powerhouse squad, Mantyka’s grandfather, Don, was a Hilltops head coach. Don guided the Hilltops in the late 1970s and resigned following the 1980 campaign.

    In hearing stories from his grandfather, Evan Mantyka thought he would fit in quickly with the team.

    “It just seemed like a really good atmosphere around here,” said Mantyka. “My grandpa used to coach for the team, so I already had like a little bit of an idea of what it was like.

    “I came to summer camp a couple of times, and I just loved the atmosphere.”

    Mantyka turned heads last year earning honours as the team’s rookie of the year. He had his biggest highlight game on Oct. 7, 2018 posting a pair of interceptions in a 53-0 road victory over the Edmonton Wildcats.

    On Sunday, Mantyka and the Hilltops were in Edmonton again taking on the Wildcats in a much more competitive CJFL regular season contest. Saskatoon held a slim 15-10 advantage early in the third quarter before rolling to a 38-10 victory.

Evan Mantyka was the Hilltops rookie of the year in 2018.

    With the win, the Hilltops improved to 6-0 and locked up first place in the Prairie Football Conference for a seventh straight year. The Wildcats fell to 2-4 to hold fourth place and the final playoff berth in the PFC.

    Mantyka, who played high school football with Saskatoon’s Evan Hardy Collegiate Souls, said he got a good grasp of the junior game quickly due to the fact the Hilltops coaches are good teachers.

    “It was a pretty big jump at first,” said Mantyka. “The coaches are good at getting everyone adjusted pretty quick, and then it starts coming easy.”

    Working with defensive backs coach Brent Turkington, Mantyka found himself getting increased playing time as his rookie campaign moved on. He is now starting in the defensive secondary in his second season with the team.

    Mantyka said he cherished the time he got on the field.

    “It was good,” said Mantyka, who stands 5-foot-8 and weighs 160 pounds. “It was fun.

    “All that time in practice was starting to play off, when you get on the field more and play with the guys.”

    Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said Mantyka has earned is playing time with his work in practice and in games.

    “You have to remember at the end of last year he was our rookie of the year, so we identified him as our top rookie though his performance and through his play,” said Sargeant. “He has just continued to build.

    “He has a lot of confidence. He is a motivated kid. He is hungry, and coach (Brent) Turkington has done a good job of developing him.

Evan Mantyka has build a reputation for being a playmaker.

    “He is just a natural playmaker. He has good eyes and good ball sense. What I love about him is he finishes his plays.”

    Mantyka hit the highlight reel, when the Hilltops thumped the Calgary Colts 53-6 on Sept. 22 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The 19-year-old intercepted Colts quarterback Cole Belway and returned the ball 58 yards for a touchdown.

    Besides that moment, Mantyka came up with a huge performance making 11 tackles in the Hilltops 24-22 victory over the Edmonton Huskies in the Alberta capital on Sept. 1.

    Sargeant said the team loves it when young players like Mantyka step up and make plays.

    “It is always great,” said Sargeant. “That is why we were so excited after the Calgary Colts game.

    “Our young players played unbelievable. The level didn’t drop, so the coaches are feeling good because what you see is what you want to coach. We’re seeing that.

    “As long as Evan (Mantyka) keeps doing what coach (Brent) Turkington is telling him to do, he is going to be a high end player. No one develops his football players as good as coach (Brent) Turkington, and all my coaches have that ability to keep making players get better and improve. When they think they are there and they’ve arrived, we expect more than that.”

    Looking back at helping the Hilltops win a fifth consecutive CJFL title last season, Mantyka wasn’t expecting to be named the team’s rookie of the year.

    “It was just fantastic getting recognized like that,” said Mantyka. “It makes you feel good.”

Evan Mantyka listens to a play call coming from the sidelines.

    Mantyka said he enjoyed getting into the end zone against the Colts noting it had been some time since he scored a touchdown. As the season keeps going, he wants ensure he keeps the trust of the Hilltops coaches.

    “I was just hoping to keep playing and get more playing time,” said Mantyka. “It has worked out so far, so I am just looking to keep that going.”

    When it comes to winning another CJFL title, Mantyka said he hasn’t thought that far ahead. He said he is focused on the present.

    “We just have to keep rolling through the rest of our regular season here,” said Mantyka. “We have a couple of games left, so just keep winning.”

    Against the Wildcats on Sunday at Clarke Park, the Hilltops held a 15-9 lead at halftime, and the Wildcats drove deep into the Saskatoon end early in the third quarter.

    The Hilltops defence caused the Wildcats drive to stall forcing the Edmonton side to try a short 16-yard field goal. Wildcats kicker Sebastien Fritsen missed the attempt, but the kick resulted in a single cut the Hilltops edge to 15-10.

    The Hilltops took the ball on their own 35 yard line and drove 75 yards the other way concluding with a 33-yard touchdown toss from quarterback Tyler Hermann to receiver Keegan Dicks. The point after attempt by Hilltops kicker Rylan Kleiter was blocked, but the Hilltops advantage on the scoreboard stood at 21-10.
    Saskatoon rolled off 17 points in the fourth quarter to seal the 38-10 romp.

Evan Mantyka (#15) had a big game in a win over the Edmonton Huskies.

    Hermann completed 12-of-18 passes for 210 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Hilltops backup quarterback Doug Fleming completed both of his pass attempts for 39 yards and one touchdown.

    Dicks topped the Hilltops with 87 yards receiving on four catches, with two of those grabs going for major scores.

    Fifth-year receiver Connor Graham made three catches for 70 yards and one touchdown for the Hilltops.

    Hilltops star power running back Ben Abrook ran the ball 22 times for 114 yards and scored one touchdown. On the season, Abrook has carried the ball 162 times for 908 yards and five touchdowns.

    Kleiter hit field goals from 42, 32 and 21 yards out and caught three passes for 51 yards for the Hilltops.

    The Hilltops received two points, when the Wildcats conceded a safety in the second quarter.

    Dante Tabacu completed 17-of-27 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Wildcats.

    Veteran receiver Lucas Howe caught six passes for 108 yards and one touchdown for the Wildcats. Wildcats running back Ramone English topped his side in rushing with 74 yards on 19 carries.
    The Wildcats received two points, when the Hilltops conceded a safety in the first quarter.

    On defence, Hilltops defensive end Tristan Hering had 6.5 total tackles and one sack. Linebacker Jadyn Pingue had an interception.

    Wildcats linebacker Chopper Hippe had 10.5 total tackles.

Evan Mantyka (#15) and the Hilltops aim to enjoy more big plays.

    The Hilltops ran their overall winning streak including action in the CJFL regular season and playoffs to 25 games and their road winning streak to 27 games. The road winning streak includes three victories in the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl.

    Due to locking up first in the PFC, the Hilltops could potential host home games every Sunday during the month of October.

    The Hilltops return to action this coming Sunday when they host the Winnipeg Rifles (1-5) at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

    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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Hilltops’ Holmes gets a short taste of Roughriders dream

Colton Holmes meets some 

    Colton Holmes didn’t want to bow out early this time from Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp.

    The Saskatoon Hilltops star defensive attended the Roughriders CFL training camp a year ago, but he was sent home early after injuring his knee during the first week. After having a strong campaign last season with the Hilltops, Holmes was hopeful he would get a chance to attend this year’s Roughriders camp.

    The graduate of Saskatoon’s Aden Bowman Collegiate was told by Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant a Roughriders camp invite might be coming.

    Holmes officially received his invite about nine days before Roughriders camp started.

    “It was a just a great opportunity to be able to go back and put everything that I got into it,” said Holmes, who helped the Hilltops win a fifth consecutive Canadian Junior Football League championship last season.

Colton Holmes gets set for a drill at Roughriders camp.

    Holmes made good on the opportunity he was given hanging around for the entirety of Roughriders camp that ran from late May to early June. After camp activities wrapped up, the Roughriders added Holmes to their practice roster.

    He remained with the Roughriders until rejoining the Hilltops last Thursday.

    “It was awesome,” said Holmes, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 200 pounds. “Growing up in Saskatchewan, it has kind of been the Saskatchewan dream.

    “To get to do that was pretty cool.”

    Last season, the Hilltops had a dominating campaign posting an 11-0 overall record, while trailing on the scoreboard for just a combined time span of 81 seconds.

    Holmes did his part to contribute to the success posting 29.5 total tackles, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and one sack in 11 overall appearances.

    Stepping on the field with the Roughriders, Holmes said the biggest initial adjustment is getting used to the increased speed of the game. He also looked forward to the challenge of covering the team’s receivers that were born in the United States.

Colton Holmes guards his zone at Roughriders camp.

    “It was a little bit different, but at the end of the day, I grew from it and learned a lot from it,” said Holmes. “It was pretty cool getting to line up against them.

    “Some of those guys got to play in the NFL.”

    Holmes said there were times in training camp things were a bit of a grind, but he didn’t mind. Overall, he cherished the opportunities that came his way with the Roughriders.

    “Once I got adjusted, it was really good,” said Holmes. “Just the whole experience there to play at that level and that speed and with the coaching, I really learned a lot, so it was a great experience.”

    Sargeant was pleased and proud Holmes hug around with the Roughriders for as long as he did before rejoining the Hilltops.

    “What a great experience number one for Colton (Holmes),” said Sargeant. “He’s earned it.

    “He has been a great Hilltop for the last few years. He is going to bring a lot of savvy and moxy. I had a good visit with him, and it was very impactful for him. It will be impactful for us.”

Colton Holmes in action for the Hilltops last season.

    The Hilltops sideline boss always appreciates seeing his players get an opportunity to try and prove themselves at the professional level.

    “We were able to send two players there this year with him (Holmes) and (left-tackle) Mason Ochs,” said Sargeant. “I think that is a pretty good deal.

    “It sort of shows you the type of calibre of players we have when Colton (Holmes) can stay there for two months. That is pretty good.”

    Holmes is entering his fourth-year with the Hilltops, but will be using the final year of his CJFL eligibility. He turned 22-years-old in September.

    A Prairie Football Conference all-star last year, Holmes has been thinking about his chances of playing football, when this season is done. He would like another opportunity to crack a CFL roster one day and notes he has to do his part on the effort front.

    “Just keep working and stay healthy,” said Holmes. “The biggest thing is to just keep working at it.

    “I’m still young. I have lots of football left.”

Colton Holmes (#9) enjoys the Hilltops CJFL title win last November.

    In the present, Holmes plans to soak in every moment in his final campaign with the Hilltops, who got going with training camp activities on Aug. 5. Saskatoon opens its regular season schedule this coming Sunday by traveling to Winnipeg to take on the Rifles.

    Holmes is looking forward to getting back in the groove with Sargeant and defensive backs coach Brent Turkington.

    “I’m actually grateful to come back here to play my final year and work with an amazing coaching staff,” said Holmes. “I love coach Sarge (Sargeant).

    “I love coach Turk (Turkington). I just want to pass on the knowledge that I learned over there (with the Roughriders) and bring it back to the Hilltops and embrace the Hilltop tradition.”

“Sarge” pumped Hardy is Huskies’ top dog

Tom Sargeant, right, is happy Dave Hardy is the Huskies’ CAO.

    Tom Sargeant had the biggest grin, when he was asked about an old friend that isn’t slowing any time soon.

    Last Thursday, the University of Saskatchewan announced that Dave Hardy would become the new chief athletics officer for Huskie Athletics. Hardy officially assumed his new job on Monday.

    At age 71, Hardy takes over the top job with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies program, which plays out of the U Sports ranks, from Shawn Burt, who recently stepped down to be closer to family in Ontario.

    Hardy has a storied career in the Saskatoon school system as a teacher, principal and school superintendant. He is a former president of Vancouver College, and he led that institution to new heights in academic and athletic excellence.

    That included facilitating a capital fundraising campaign that exceeded $20-million.

    In Saskatoon, he is widely remembered for guiding the Saskatoon Hilltops as head coach for 10 seasons from 1988 to 1997. The Hilltops won two Canadian Junior Football League titles in 1991 and 1996 under Hardy’s guidance.

    Hardy brought Sargeant to the Hilltops coaching staff before the start of the 1991 campaign to be the club’s special teams coordinator and defensive line coach. The two coached together for seven seasons.

    Sargeant was pumped to see Hardy will take over as the Huskies top boss.

    “That is fantastic,” said Sargeant. “Dave, the guy is just a proven winner wherever he goes.

    “He is a difference maker. He is going to make the University of Saskatchewan a better place. He is ageless.”

    Hardy posted a 70-18-1 regular season record guiding the Hilltops as head coach. In 1995, Hardy was named the coach of the year for the entire CJFL.

    When he departed from the Hilltops, Hardy was at that time the team’s longest serving head coach.

    He is an alumnus of the Huskies men’s basketball team and coached basketball for extended stints during his time in the Saskatoon school system.

    Hardy and Sargeant coached against each other in a junior high school boys’ basketball game during the 1990-91 campaign, and Hardy came away impressed with Sargeant from that encounter. That helped lead to Hardy bringing Sargeant on board with the Hilltops coaching staff.

    In 1998, Sargeant succeeded Hardy as the Hilltops head coach. In his 21 complete seasons as Hilltops head coach, Sargeant is the all-time leader in career CJFL regular season wins at 147 and has guided the Hilltops to 12 CJFL titles.

    Under Sargeant’s guidance, the Hilltops have won the last five straight CJFL championships and have claimed the CJFL crown eight out of the last nine years.

    At age 54, Sargeant is embarking on his 22^nd season as head coach of the Hilltops. He is grateful for Hardy bringing him on to the team’s coaching staff in 1991 and for the influence Hardy provided in the seven campaigns they worked together.

    “He (Hardy) has always got tremendous passion and energy for life and for situations,” said Sargeant, who was the CJFL coach of the year in 2000 and 2003. “I am very proud of him and know that he is going to walk in there (with the Huskies) and do a fantastic job.”

Excited to welcome Dave Hardy, who is set to take over as Chief Athletics Officer of Huskie Athletics🗣

📰 https://t.co/wMfgn8Aksu | #HuskiePride pic.twitter.com/OBwrKTH7qz

— Huskie Athletics (@HuskieAthletics) August 7, 2019

    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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Morrow fills big shoes as Hilltops starting safety

Brant Morrow runs back a punt for the Hilltops.

    Brant Morrow focuses on being the best player he can be and adds the James Vause influence is there.

    In his sophomore Canadian Junior Football League campaign, Morrow stepped into the role of starting safety for the defensive unit of the Saskatoon Hilltops, who have won the last four straight league titles. The 19-year-old takes over a spot that was held by James Vause, who graduated from the Hilltops program after a distinguished four-year career.

    Vause was a Prairie Football Conference all-star last season, and during his career, he might have been the Hilltops best representative in the community. As a rookie last season, Morrow was impressed how well Vause interacted with people from all walks of life.

    “James, he is more than a good football player,” said Morrow, whose Hilltops close the regular season on Sunday taking on the Winnipeg Rifles at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. “He is an awesome guy too the way he treats his teammates.

    “In the community, he always got out into the community. This year, I’ve tried to do that more. He treated everybody the same.

    “He treated everybody nicely and with respect. That is something you can take as a human being not only as a football player. I learned a lot more from him than just football.”

    On the field, Morrow has more than held his own. Appearing in six out of the Hilltops seven regular season games so far in the 2018 campaign, Morrow has recorded 17 total tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

    The graduate of Saskatoon’s Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints football team has returned 23 punts for the second most yards in the PFC at 267.

    Morrow, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 150 pounds, said Vause left pretty big shoes to fill, but that he has to play to his strengths.

    “I have to listen to my coaches and get help from my teammates to be the best player I can be,” said Morrow. “I don’t necessarily need to compare to him.

    “It was good to watch him last year and see what he did to be successful and what I can use from his game to put into my game. It is nice to see somebody like that.”

Brant Morrow, left, has two interceptions this season.

    Morrow has enjoyed the fact he has been able to make some big plays for the Hilltops defence.

    “I has been pretty cool,” said Morrow. “This defence has been really successful this year, and to be a part of something special like that is always pretty cool.

    “I’m looking forward to hopefully contributing more for the rest of the season.”

    Originally, Morrow wasn’t slated to be the Hilltops starting safety this season. That job was being targeted for talented third-year veteran Leif Larson.

    Larson injured his knee in a Sunday night workout before the season started and has yet to dress in a game for the Hilltops in 2018. Morrow was the next man up, and he quickly showed he was ready for the challenge.

    “All of sudden Brant (Morrow) had to step up and become the player that he became,” said Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “We are real proud of him.

    “That is a credit to (defensive backs) coach (Brent) Turkington with his expertise putting in the time and energy to get that thing done right. Brant (Morrow) has applied a lot of the lessons. He has gotten better.

    “Now, we have a lot of confidence in him. Even his punt return game has certainly been a real nice treat for us to watch.”

    Sargeant had a feeling Morrow was going to adjust quickly to the starting assignment and make some plays.

    “He (Morrow) was a high end high school player, quality high school player,” said Sargeant. “He just has a great nose for the ball.

    “He has great instincts. It is just great to see him just trust and trust himself even more. As I said, I was able to watch him enough in high school to realize he has top flight playmaking ability, and he has proven that.”

    Coming out of high school, Morrow said he decided to join the Hilltops because two of his Saints coaches in Donnie Davidsen and Pat Schnitzler spoke highly of the team. Davidsen happens to be the Hilltops offensive line coach and Schnitzler’s son, Tom, wrapped up a stellar five-year career as a defensive end with the club last season.

Brant Morrow calls out adjustments on the Hilltops defence.

    The skilled safety found a high comfort level working with Turkington too.

    Morrow said joining the Hilltops was the best decision he had ever made in football.

    Things also became a little more special this season for Morrow when his 21-year-old brother, Kirk, joined the Hilltops as a defensive back. Kirk became part of the Hilltops after taking a break from the game that lasted about three seasons.

    “It has been pretty cool,” said Brant Morrow. “We haven’t played a sport together since we were in probably soccer when were about 10-years-old.

    “I think we have a pretty good bond. When we come to football, it is more serious about football now. It is awesome to have my brother here too.”

    With one game remaining to play in the regular season, Morrow said he is looking forward to participating in his second run through the CJFL playoffs.

    “For me, I was pretty excited last year, because I was still dressing for the games in playoffs,” said Morrow. “Now starting, I have a bigger role, so I have to prepare a little bit better and get a little more psyched up to make plays and contribute to the team.

    “In that aspect, it is going to be a little more exciting. We have mentally prepare as a team better and be more focused now.”

    Going into Sunday’s clash with the Rifles, the Hilltops already have first place locked up in the PFC with a 7-0 record and will have home-field advantage throughout the CJFL playoffs. The Rifles are 3-4 and are locked into finishing fourth in the PFC.

    That means the two sides will play each other in back-to-back weeks, because they are slated to face each other in a PFC semifinal matchup with a date and start time still to be announced.

    The Edmonton Huskies (5-2) can lock up second place in the PFC if they defeat the Edmonton Wildcats (2-5) on Sunday in Edmonton. If the Huskies lose, the Regina Thunder (4-3) would claim second place if they down the Colts (0-7) in Calgary on Sunday.

    The Wildcats and Colts have been eliminated from playoff contention locked into respective fifth and sixth place finishes in the PFC.

Brant Morrow (#22) celebrates a big play with David Solie (#2).

    Sargeant said his side plans to avoid overthinking things in their final regular season game.

    “We’re just going to come out and be who we are,” said Sargeant. “We’re just going to have a solid game plan, nothing fancy, and we’re just going to try continue to build on what we’re done for the first seven games.

    “There is a room for growth that we want to see. We’re going to continue to coach the way we coach and expect our players to play the way we play. We’re at home.

    “We always like to defend home turf, and we don’t want anyone coming in here and feeling comfortable. We’re going to come out and be physical and let them know Saskatoon is a place you don’t want to come play.”

    NOTE – The Hilltops will play tribute to late legendary team executive Don McDonald during halftime of Sunday’s game. McDonald, who is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a builder, passed away at age 86 on Sept. 21.

    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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