Age cap rule hurts U Sports football in COVID-19 times

Nick Summach (#62) leads a running play downfield for the Huskies.

    It was a tough to digest piece of news that dropped for football players in U Sports.

    On Thursday, TSN broadcaster Farhan Lalji reported over Twitter that U Sports had voted against extending the age cap rule for football by a year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. That initial tweet caused a surge of stories to come out of various media outlets in the mainstream and non-mainstream.

    University of Alberta Golden Bears head coach Chris Morris stepped down as the head of both a university football coaches’ committee and a technical subcommittee over this move.

    Of course, this became a big story in U Sports circles, because back on June 8, U Sports cancelled all its fall national championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The football cancellation included the Vanier Cup national title game and the semifinal contests in the Mitchell Bowl and Uteck Bowl. The Vanier Cup had been contested in every year starting with 1965.

    The Reseau du sport etudiant du Quebec (RSEQ) is the only conference under the U Sports umbrella holding out hope of having a regular season in football in the 2020-21 campaign.

Colton Klassen heads up field for the Huskies.

    The Canada West Conference, Atlantic University Sport and Ontario University Athletics have all nixed plans to play regular seasons in 2020-21.

    Back on June 8, U Sports said student-athletes without U Sports national championships this season will not be charged eligibility and will remain eligible for athletic scholarships. At the time, there was no word regarding the age cap for football.

    Under the age cap rule, players who turn 25 before Sept. 1 age out of U Sports football. Football players have seven years to complete their five years of eligibility in U Sports upon graduating from high school.

    Any player who would have gone into their final year of eligibility for U Sports football in the cancelled 2020 season will see their career come to an end. According to U Sports, this affects approximately 300 out of 2,335 athletes.

    On top of that, a large number of veteran players will also lose a year of eligibility under this decision.

    While discussions have come up regarding concerns of more physically mature older athletes going up against younger not as physically mature recent high school graduates, all that talk takes away from the issue in the current day.

Yol Piok heads downfield after a big catch for the Huskies

    The athletes that are getting slighted are being slighted by a factor outside of anyone’s control in the COVID-19 pandemic.

    When U Sports does resume action after the pandemic, it will be in a rebuilding state. That goes for all sports operating under the U Sports umbrella.

    On the football side, you don’t want to be casting aside veteran players, who could help trigger name recognition whenever action resumes.

    At the moment, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team is looking at not being able to return star utility offensive player Colton Klassen, running back Jace Peters, receiver Yol Piok, offensive right tackle Nick Summach and receiver Joseph Trumpy.

    In the CFL Draft that was held on April 30, Summach was selected in seventh round and 57^th overall by the Edmonton Eskimos. Klassen was picked in the eighth round and 69^th overall by the Montreal Alouettes.

    All five of those players are fairly well known in the football community of Saskatoon. Klassen is one of the best known Huskies.

Jace Peters rumbles downfield on a run for the Huskies.

    Their returns to the Huskies could bridge action before and after the stoppage due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The University of Regina Rams face the same challenges on this front. They are looking to be without linebacker Cody Peters, who should be able to play one more season but is going to age out.

    Peters had a stellar five-year career winning five straight CJFL titles with the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops. He was named the CJFL’s defensive player of the year in 2018.

    Before rejoining the Hilltops for his final CJFL season 2018, Peters attended training camp for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders. Following his time with the Hilltops, Peters joined the Rams.

    Peters is known in the football community in Regina and throughout Saskatchewan.

    Due to the fact there won’t be a 2020 season for U Sports football thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, some U Sports football players will be making critical life decisions about whether they will continue to play football or move on to another phase of their lives.

    For recruits that just graduated from high school and were planning to join a U Sports football team as a rookie in 2020, those recruits might ultimately decide not to play and focus on other educational or working world opportunities.

Joseph Trumpy makes a big catch for the Huskies.

    Taking a year away from playing meaningful games throws a wrench into the plans of every player. They don’t need to be given any extra incentive to not play.

    On top of all that, football is the only sport under the U Sports umbrella that has to follow an age cap rule. Just from that perspective, it would be fair to eliminate the age cap rule and make football eligibility mirror that of the other sports in U Sports.

    When these pandemic times come to an end, it is likely you won’t see the U Sports football teams filled with veterans in the starting ranks who are aged 26 and 27. That was a trend in the late 1990s and early to mid 2000s.

    This time around concern has to centre on just getting the sport of football going again just like any other sport that is governed by U Sports.

NHL will provide good distraction if show goes on, other notes

The Oilers, seen here in a 2017 pre-season game, are hub city NHL hosts.

    Fan chatter on the NHL is starting to trickle through on social media lines.

    If the circuit can execute its return to play out in two hub cities in Edmonton and Toronto, it will provide a good distraction for sports fans in Canada in these COVID-19 pandemic times.

    The NHL is resuming the paused 2019-20 campaign with a 24-team playoff tournament. Teams are slated to report for training camps on July 13.

    The post-season is scheduled to begin on Aug. 1 with five games that open five different best-of-five play-in series. A total of 16 teams are taking part in the play-in round to determine eight clubs that will advance to the main 16-team post-season bracket.

    The Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars have been placed in the main 16-team bracket.

    All of the post-season games will be played in Edmonton and Toronto. Both the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs held off until Friday before making official announcements that their centres would indeed be hub cities.

    That development is convenient for Canadian sports networks that dump tonnes of resources into television coverage of these games.

    Those networks don’t have to fear dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic border restrictions between Canada and the United States due to all the post-season games being played in Canada.

    Over the past couple of days, you are starting to see a social media post two coming from fans who believe the team they support will win the playoff tournament and capture the Stanley Cup.

    If the playoffs can progress to crowning a Stanley Cup champion, fan chatter will likely increase to the point where you won’t know that a pandemic is indeed going on.

    If the playoff tournament gets derailed by positive COVID-19 tests that results in a team or teams dropping out or the post-season not get completed, the fans that want to watch the league for the distraction will likely just go silent.

    Critics that don’t want the NHL to jump back into action will likely become more vocal and might even gloat over the failure.

    For the moment, fans that just want to see games just to have a distraction have something to look forward to.

• On Wednesday, Sportsnet announced it was trimming its six-stop Grand Slam of Curling circuit to just two events next season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first slam event will be the Players’ Championship set for Toronto from April 13 to 18 in 2021. The second event will be the Champions Cup set for Olds, Alta., starting on April 27, 2021 running to May 2, 2021. The Grand Slam of Curling stops are part of the World Curling Tour seasonal calendar.
• Gregg Drinnan has been doing ace work in rounding up the havoc the COVID-19 pandemic is playing on the sports world, especially in the hard hit United States, in his Taking Note blog. His round up from Friday can be found by clicking right here, and the round up from Thursday can be found by clicking right here. The amount of positive tests, postponements and cancellations keep piling up.
• On a sobering note, the United States has hit the point where just over one out of every 100 persons in that country has contracted COVID-19 at some point this year. At the time this post went live, the United States had 3,355,646 total COVID-19 cases this year for a country that has a population of just over 331,060,000. Worldwide deaths this year from COVID-19 at 567,628 at the time of this post have passed total deaths by suicide, which sit at 566,508.
• While U Sports decision to hold firm on the football age cap was disappointing for many, Dick White, who is the U Sports interim Chief Executive Officer, is still the right person to lead that sports body through these trouble current pandemic days. White has a strong passion for U Sports and has experience dealing with tough financial times as the director of athletics for the University of Regina. Like most sports bodies in Canada, U Sports is in for a tough road ahead.
• Baseball and softball got going at the house and city league levels this past week in Saskatoon. It was a great site to see various diamonds in action around the city. Many have their figures crossed that this great development continues.

    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’ family feeling continues to live on, key in “drive for five”

Josh Ewanchyna and Garth Knittig share a funny moment.

    The Saskatoon Hilltops have a real family feeling, and it powered them to complete the “drive for five.”

    Most elite sports teams shoot to have a family feeling, and very few reach what the “Hilltop family” has. The family feeling the Hilltops have is one that has been built since the modern day version of the club formed in 1947.

    As soon as new players become part of the venerable Canadian Junior Football League team, the Hilltops family feeling quickly becomes part of who you are. You quickly begin to genuinely care about everyone who is part of the organization.

    Everyone from the alums, players, coaches, training staff, directors, volunteers and the cheerleading team all see each other as family.

    That family feeling was one of the reasons the Hilltops had an incredible 2018 campaign that resulted in an unprecedented fifth straight CJFL title.

    The Hilltops capped their “drive for five” going 11-0 to complete the fourth perfect season in team history and first since 2003.

The Hilltops fifth-years get set to accept the Canadian Bowl.

    Saskatoon concluded the 2018 season with an impressive 58-21 victory over the Langley Rams in the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl – held last Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

    Between the regular season and playoffs, the Hilltops trailed on the scoreboard for a combined 81 seconds.

    In posting an 8-0 regular season, the Hilltops outscored their opponents 402-70. Looking at all 11 games they played, the Hilltops closest margin of victory came in the PFC final, when they downed the Edmonton Huskies 28-9.

Hilltops QB Jordan Walls (#19) calls signals in short yardage.

    Everyone involved with the Hilltops knows how to keep each other accountable, and criticisms are always taken constructively. Everyone in this family wants to see each other get better and improve.

    When you see members with the Hilltops interact with each other, the ease and the high comfort level with those interactions are amazing. It creates some humourous looking moments too like when star defensive tackle Garth Knittig sat on lap of Josh Ewanchyna, who is the team’s star running back, and shared a laugh in the final minutes of a 58-5 victory over the Winnipeg Rifles in a Prairie Football Conference semifinal contest at SFM Field.

LB Cody Peters backpedals into pass coverage.

    The collection of people involved with the Hilltops come from all sorts of backgrounds, and being part of the “blue and gold” unites them.

    In 2018, the family feeling within the squad hit new heights like the impressive performance of the team on the field. There were very few valleys in this campaign.

    Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant and his staff deserve boatloads of credit for what took place.

    With that said, the family feeling was really set by the group of players Sargeant dubbed “The Great Eight,” who happened to be the eight members of the club who were in their fifth and final years of CJFL eligibility.

    Sargeant always says the goal of the Hilltops each season is to play for the fifth-years and help them graduate from the CJFL as league champions. It was pretty easy to get motivated to play for the fifth-year group in 2018.

    Quarterback Jordan Walls, receiver Jason Price, right tackle Kirk Simonsen, receiver Adam Ewanchyna, defensive end Connor Guillet and linebackers Cody Peters, Bobby Ehman and Adam Benkic are all gems.

Hilltops receiver Adam Ewanchyna goes up and over a Rams tackler.

    Besides being great players and great sportsmen on the field, all are outstanding persons away from the game. Wherever they go, the atmosphere in any play they enter becomes more positive.

    At the team’s annual awards banquet held on Thursday at the Radisson Hotel, the fifth years were appropriately honoured and that included winning six of the possible seven team awards they could take.

    Walls, who is the club’s star quarterback, claimed the Ron Atchison “True Grit” award. During his first three years with the Hilltops, Walls played behind star quarterback Jared Andreychuk.

    Taking over as the starter last season, Walls showed he was more than ready for his opportunity. Compiling a 22-1 career record as the team’s starting quarterback, Walls showed great command of the offence and was the composed Joe Montana type leader that everyone wanted to follow.

MLB Bobby Ehman springs into action for the Hilltops.

    The Blue and Gold Award for dedication and commitment went to Price, who came through with big plays for the team game after game as a star pass catcher. Price built a big reputation for being a consistent deep threat.

    Simonsen claimed the Ray Syrnyk Trophy as the team’s top lineman. He has been one of the anchors on a standout offensive line and was the longest serving starter on that unit dating back to the beginning of the 2016 campaign.

    The Courtice Inspiration Award went to Ehman. During his first four seasons with the team, Ehman was a standout on special teams and stepped in wherever he could on defence. After star middle linebacker Cameron Schnitzler graduated for the club following the 2017 season, Ehman stepped into that vacated role for his well-deserved moment in the sun.

    The Don and Jim Seaman Memorial Award for the top linebacker went to Benkic, who fought through a number of injuries in his career to either often hold a starting spot or be a regular in the linebacker rotation.

RT Kirk Simonsen, left, gets set to lock on a block for the Hilltops.

    The Drs. Landa-Doig Award as the team’s most outstanding graduate was presented to Peters. Peters was named the top defensive player in the CJFL in 2018.

    He attended the training camp for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and was on the Roughriders practice roster before rejoining the Hilltops for his final CJFL campaign. Peters deserves another shot to crack a CFL roster in 2019.

    Ewanchyna would fill in at any receiver position and became a strong kick returner for the team. He enjoyed getting to play three seasons with and see Josh, who is his younger brother, grow into a star.

    Guillet built an inspirational story returning to play in all of the Hilltops games in the 2018 season after missing the entire 2017 campaign with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Guillet had 2.5 sacks in the regular season and one to conclude his career in the fourth quarter of the Canadian Bowl win over the Rams.

Connor Guillet (#76) and friends pose for pictures with the Canadian Bowl.

   It is the fitting this group holds the distinction of being the only players to win five CJFL championship rings during their playing careers.

    Defensive back Evan Mantyka took the Past President’s Trophy as the team’s rookie of the year. In Mantyka and the rest of the Hillltops returning players, the team’s future is in good hands.

The Hilltops will be in the “mix for six” in 2019.

    While attention will begin to turn to the next CJFL season, the contributions of “The Great Eight” fifth-year players from 2018 will live on in Hilltops lore forever.

    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’ “Sarge” should have been CJFL coach of the year

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant makes a point during the Canadian Bowl.

    The Langley Rams fate against the Saskatoon Hilltops was sealed the night before the Canadian Bowl.

    Last Friday at the Canadian Junior Football League awards banquet at the Radisson Hotel, Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant was up for national coach of the year honours due to winning the coach of the year award in the Prairie Football Conference. Sargeant, who is the all-time leader in regular season coaching victories in the history of the CJFL at 147, was given CJFL coach of the year honours twice way back in 2000 and 2003.

    With Hilltops trying to complete a perfect season and win their fifth straight CJFL and eighth league title in the last nine years, it should have been a slam dunk that Sargeant would be named coach of the year this season.

    The CJFL Gord Currie Coach of the Year award went to Bob Reist, who is the head coach of the Chilliwack, B.C., based Valley Huskers of the British Columbia Football League.

    The next day after the awards banquet, the Hilltops proceeded to wipe out the Rams 58-21 in the Canadian Bowl at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The win game the Hilltops a perfect season at 11-0, a fifth straight CJFL title, an eight CJFL title win in the last nine years and the 21^st CJFL championship in team history.

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant gets set for the national anthem.

    If you talk to Sargeant about the coach of the year award, he will shrug it off and say it isn’t that important in the bigger picture. In the big picture, it is about getting the Hilltops players to be at their best on the field in game day action and away from the field in their everyday lives in the community.

    If the team’s coaches do their job correctly, the CJFL title will follow.

    Sargeant has the CJFL championship rings to prove that fact. He has 12 as the Hilltops head coach, two as an assistant coach with the team and one as a player. His first championship ring as a player was earned way back in 1985.

    Still, the fact that the Hilltops won the CJFL national title in eight of the last nine years and Sargeant wasn’t named coach of the year once over that span of time is just wrong. He took on the role of Hilltops offensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018 as well.

    The CJFL lost a good chance to make up for an oversight that definitely added up over the eight previous seasons.

    In Canadian sports, the Hilltops run of success is matched and only exceeded by one team in recent history, and that would be the Carleton University Ravens men’s basketball team in U Sports.

    From 2002-03 to 2016-17, the Ravens 13 won out of 15 U Sports national titles, which includes a run of seven straight national titles from 2010-11 to 2016-17.

    Over those 15 seasons, Ravens head coach Dave Smart was named the U Sports coach of the year in men’s basketball eight times, and every one of those wins came in a Ravens championship season.

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant backed by DC Jeff Yausie.

    When the Hilltops run in the last nine CJFL seasons is compared that 15-season run of the Ravens men’s basketball team in U Sports, the CJFL comes away looking really bad when it comes to giving out the coach of the year award.

    With that said, the coaches in the CJFL that claimed coach of the year honours have always had a sound case and were deserving of being bestowed that honour.

    Reist guided the Huskers to a 6-4 regular season record and their first playoff berth since 2008. The Huskers had been winless the three previous campaigns before the 2018 season.

    Still, the Hilltops had one of their greatest moments in team history with their Canadian Bowl win last Saturday. In posting their fourth perfect season in team history, the Hilltops had arguably their most dominant campaign.

    Between the regular season and playoffs, the Hilltops trailed on the scoreboard for a combined 81 seconds. Just think about that. They trailed all year for a total of 81 seconds.

    The odds of doing that in any football league are astronomical.

    In posting an 8-0 regular season, the Hilltops outscored their opponents 402-70. Looking at all 11 games they played, the Hilltops closest margin of victory came in the PFC final, when they downed the Edmonton Huskies 28-9.

    Many members of the Hilltops had great seasons. Running back Josh Ewanchyna surpassed 1,000 yards rushing in the regular season. He carried the ball 134 times for 1,007 yards and 14 touchdowns, which included missing one game due to injury.

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant talks to QB Jordan Walls.

    Quarterback Jordan Walls threw for over 2,000 yards in the regular season. He completed 122-of-197 passes for 2,010 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions.

    Walls favourite target in receiver Jason Price hauled in 31 passes for 709 yards and scored four touchdowns.

    Linebacker Cody Peters was named the CJFL’s Larry Wruck Defensive Player of the Year award and was named a CJFL all-Canadian all-star. Hilltops star defensive tackles Garth Knittig and Jesse McNabb were both named all-Canadian all-stars for their outstanding campaigns.

    You could keep going down the roster.

    Sargeant pulled one of the best first class moves ever last Saturday putting his eight fifth-year players on the field for the final kneel downs of the Canadian Bowl in Walls, Price, Peters, receiver Adam Ewanchyna, offensive tackle Kirk Simonsen, defensive end Connor Guillet and linebackers Bobby Ehman and Adam Benkic.

    “Sarge” also has the backing of a stellar coaching staff. Hilltops defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jeff Yausie is one of the best coaches you will find anywhere in Canada.

    Quarterbacks coach Shane Reider, defensive backs coach Brent Turkington, offensive line coaches Donnie Davidsen and Ben Hodson, defensive line coach Dave Fisher, running backs coach Andre Lalonde and receivers coaches Barclay Schlosser and Evan Turkington and life coach Bruce Rempel all contributed greatly to the Hilltops success this season.

Head coach Tom Sargeant walks the Hilltops sidelines.

    Still, Sargeant is the one who makes the Hilltops machine run and builds the coaching staff. He has had a great impact on the lives of countless Hilltops players for about the last three decades.

    You can be certain the focus of the Hilltops players was sharpened that much more last Saturday, when Sargeant wasn’t named the CJFL coach of the year.

    He is also backed by a great team at home in wife, Kris, and daughters, Macy and Abby. If the veteran sideline boss does have a bad day and it does happen, Kris, Macy and Abby are there to set him straight.

    If there was a Mount Rushmore for great amateur football coaches in Saskatchewan, Tom Sargeant would be on it along with late Regina Rams head coach Gord Currie, who the CJFL coach of the year award is named after, retired University of Saskatchewan Huskies head coach Brian Towriss, and retired Regina Rams/University of Regina Rams head coach Frank McCrystal.

    Currie and Towriss are in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. McCrystal and Sargeant should be there one day.

    The Hilltops this season clicked in all facets that is rarely seen in sports.

Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant contemplates a play call.

    The coach of the year award does help show that a team had a good year.

    Ultimately, the Hilltops in 2018 will be remembered for their Canadian Bowl victory. Team championships always create the lasting memory.

    Sargeant will always take team success over any individual honours.

    With that noted, it would have be great to see the CJFL do the right thing and name him coach of the year even if it would have been just once over the past nine seasons.

    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’ fifth years hammer home “drive for five”

Saskatoon wins fifth straight Canadian Bowl, 21^st CJFL title

The Hilltops players get five fingers up for five straight CJFL title wins.

    It was only fitting head coach Tom Sargeant sent the all of the Saskatoon Hilltops fifth years on to the field for the final snaps of the Canadian Bowl.

    On Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field with a 58-21 final cemented on the scoreboard in favour of the Hilltops over the visiting Langley Rams, all eight of the Hilltops fifth year players were sent on to the field to take the final kneel down snaps in a dominant Canadian Junior Football League championship performance. 

    When fifth-year star quarterback Jordan Walls took a final knee with zeros on the scoreboard clock, the Hilltops completed a perfect 11-0 season and became the first team to ever win five straight CJFL titles.

The Hilltops fifth-year players lead the team on to the field.

    At that moment, the Hilltops fifth-year players in Walls, receiver Jason Price, right tackle Kirk Simonsen, receiver Adam Ewanchyna, defensive end Connor Guillet and linebackers Cody Peters, Bobby Ehman and Adam Benkic all got to be first to celebrate and experience the euphoria of the win.

    “It is special,” said Walls, who finishes with an overall 22-1 career record as the Hilltops starting quarterback. “We’ve spent a lot of time together and shared a lot of moments.

Hilltops DE Tristan Hering sacks Rams QB Duncan Little.

    “That was definitely one I will never forget. This will be for the rest of my life.

    “I am going to go and definitely enjoy this one, celebrate, and I look forward to see what happens next.”

    With the win, the Hilltops added to their lengthy list of growing accomplishments. They captured their eighth CJFL championship in the last nine years and 21^st CJFL title in team history.

    The Toppers extended their current overall winning streak to 19 games and post-season winning streak to 16 games. They only trailed on the scoreboard for a combined 81 seconds all season.

    Finishing at 11-0, the Hilltops completed their fourth perfect season in team history. Saskatoon pulled off that feat for the first time since going 12-0 in 2003. The two other perfect seasons came in 1978 at 12-0 and 1958 at 11-0.

Hilltop RT Kirk Simonsen blocks out a Rams pass rusher.

    In Saturday’s, romp the Hilltops piled up the second most points ever in a CJFL title game. The 2003 Hilltops team holds the record for scoring the most points in a CJFL title game having crushed the Victoria Rebels 59-0 in the Canadian Bowl in Chilliwack, B.C., that season.

    Saskatoon showed very little signs having gone 19 days between playing games after downing the Edmonton Huskies 28-9 in the Prairie Football Conference final at SMF Field on Oct. 28.

    Playing before 1,465 spectators on Saturday, the Hilltops started making big plays on the game’s second play, when fourth year defensive lineman Tristan Hering came off the edge and nailed Rams quarterback Duncan Little with a thunderous sack deep in the Langley end of the field.

Hilltops receiver Jason Price slips out of bounds after a 44-yard reception.

    The Rams, who finished at 10-4 overall, had to concede a safety two plays later due to the bad field position to give the Hilltops a 2-0 lead.

    The big plays continued and ended with Hilltops star third-year defensive tackle Garth Knittig recovering a fumble inside of the final two minutes of the fourth quarter to set up the series, where the Hilltops ultimately ran out the clock with kneel downs.

    “These kids weren’t going to be denied today,” said Sargeant, who picked up his 15^th CJFL title win with the Hilltops including 12 victories as head coach, two as an assistant coach and one as a player. “It was pretty obvious.

    “As I said, I couldn’t be more proud of the coaching staff and the players to accomplish a tremendous goal. To win five, you think that is easy. Come on now. That is unreal, because those are unreal kids.”

Jordan Walls finished his CJFL career 22-1 as the Hilltops starting QB.

    After falling behind 2-0, the Rams put up a fight in the first quarter against the Hilltops. They stopped Saskatoon on the goal-line and Rams defensive back Nathan Murray made an interception deep in his own end to stall another Hilltops offensive series.

    At that point, the flood gates opened.

    Hilltops star running back Josh Ewanchyna, who would be named the game’s most valuable offensive player, ran in a major score from a yard out to give the Hilltops a 9-0 lead late in the first quarter. It was the first of three rushing touchdowns Ewanchyna would score on the afternoon.

    Kicker David Solie added a single early in the second quarter from a missed 32 yard field goal to bump the Hilltops lead up to 10-0.

The Hilltops celebrate defensive TD by Logan Bitz (#23).

    The Hilltops then proceeded to complete a three play drive that covered 102 yards that resulted in the game’s second touchdown. On the drive, Walls hit Price with a deep 44-yard pass, Ewanchyna broke a 44 yard run and receiver Keegan Dicks hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Walls.

    With 2:25 remaining before halftime, Hilltops defensive back Logan Bitz, who would be named the game’s most valuable defensive player, returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown to give the host a 24-0 advantage.

    The Rams showed life, when on the ensuing kickoff, kick returner A.J. Blackwell ran the ball back 100 yards for Langley’s first major score to cut the Hilltops lead to 24-7.

    Saskatoon responded to that score with a seven yard rushing major from Ewanchyna coming with 14.9 seconds remaining in the first half giving the Hilltops a 31-7 lead.

    “It was like anything,” said Sargeant. “We were going to be aggressive.

Josh Ewanchyna, left, darts home on a 40-yard touchdown run.

    “Certainly, that (102-yard scoring drive) was good, and then I also liked the answer at the end of the half, when they got the kick return, and we answered back and scored. It is just a group of men that they knew what they needed to do and how they needed to do it.

    “It is one thing talking about it, and it is another thing to execute it. They were locked in and focused. It is a great game by our coaches and players.”

    Early in the third quarter, Solie hit a 32-yard field goal to put the Hilltops up 34-7.

    The Rams answered back when Little hit star receiver Jevon Cottoy with a 42-yard touchdown pass to cut the Hilltops edge to 34-14.

The crowd at SMF Field cheers on the Hilltops.

    Saskatoon answered by piling up 24 straight points to surge ahead 58-14.

    Ewanchyna ran in a major from 40 yards out, Solie hit a 38-yard field goal and Walls hit receiver John Brown with a 41-yard touchdown pass to give the Hilltops a 51-14 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

    Knittig was inserted in at fullback on offence in a short yardage situation near the start of the fourth quarter and he ran in a touchdown from a yard out to round out the Hilltops scoring increasing their lead to 58-14.

    Cottey ran in a touchdown from four yards out for the Rams with 3:57 to play in the contest to conclude the 58-21 final.

 

DE Caleb Haight gets a strip sack for the Hilltops.

  Guillet was pumped about the fifth straight championship win at game’s end.

    “I’m speechless,” said Guillet. “I don’t know how to put it into words to be completely honest.

    “It is just an incredible feeling.”

    The veteran defensive end, who was playing his final CJFL game, was pleased to get a quarterback sack in the fourth quarter, when the Rams put in a package that featured Cottoy at quarterback.

    “It felt pretty good to get that sack,” said Guillet. “They put (Jevon) Cottoy back there.

    “It was a special formation that they use once in a while. It felt pretty good to stop that.”

    Walls completed 16-of-21 passes for passes for 247 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Ewanchyna ran the ball 28 times for 245 yards and scoring three touchdowns.

    Price was the Hilltops leading receiver hauling in three passes for 75 yards.

    Bitz had making four total tackles to go with his 48 yard interception return for a touchdown. Defensive ends Connor Delahey and Caleb Haight each had sacks for the Toppers.

Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant contemplates a play call.

    Little completed 20-of-31 passes for 265 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Rams. He was knocked out of the game due to injury late in the third quarter on Delahey’s sack.

    Cottoy hauled in five passes for 109 yards to go with his major score through the air and on the grounds.

    The Hilltops defence held the Rams to 40 yards rushing total as a team.

    Following the game, Simonsen had a blooper moment, when the Canadian Bowl broke apart at the neck during the Hilltops on field celebrations.

    “I don’t know what happened there,” said Simonsen with a laugh. “I just lifted it, and it fell apart.”

    He was overjoyed to help the Hilltops win five straight CJFL titles and be part of all those wins.

The Hilltops fifth-year player take the final kneel down play.

    “This is crazy,” said Simonsen. “When you start, you are never thinking you are going to win five for five.

    “No one has ever done it, so that is an awesome feeling for sure.”

    Sargeant admitted it seemed fitting that the Hilltops capped their “drive for five” with a perfect season.

    “It is real cool and very deserving, and we are very proud of that,” said Sargeant. “To go to our new facility, you just don’t know how things are going to go.

    “These kids, they just locked in. They are a tough team. They are tough and physical. 

The Hilltops celebrate with three parts of the Canadian Bowl.

    “They really went after things today. I’m very proud.”

    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’ Peters claims CJFL’s top defensive player honours

Hilltops LB Cody Peters, right, was named the CJFL’s top defensive player.

    The 2018 football season keeps getting sweeter for Saskatoon Hilltops linebacker Cody Peters.

    On Friday night at the Canadian Junior Football League’s awards banquet at the Radisson Hotel, Peters was named the winner of the league’s Larry Wruck Defensive Player of the Year award. Peters became the first Hilltops player to claim that honour since Cole Benkic back in 2015.

    As an added bonus, Peters accepted the award from Saskatoon Hilltops linebacker great Larry Wruck, who the defensive player of the year award is named after.

    In late May and early June, Peters, who is in his fifth and final season with the Hilltops, attended training camp with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders along with Hilltops star defensive back Colton Holmes.

    Peters proceeded to spend the first two weeks of the CFL season on the Roughriders practice roster.

    When he returned to the Hilltops, Peters recorded 26 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception during the regular season helping the Hilltops post a perfect 8-0 record. In the Hilltops two post-season wins, Peters had nine total tackles and a forced fumble.

    The Hilltops (10-0) will try to win an unprecedented fifth straight CJFL title on Saturday and try to complete a perfect season hosting the Langley Rams (10-3) in the Canadian Bowl at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

    During the campaign, Peters picked up honours as a Prairie Football Conference all-star, most outstanding linebacker and most outstanding defensive player. On Wednesday, he was name a CJFL all-Canadian all-star.

    The Peter Dalla Riva Offensive Player of the Year was awarded to quarterback Jake Marquette of the Hamilton Hurricanes. Marquette, who was a CJFL all-Canadian all-star, completed 97-of-145 passes for 1,760 yards, 28 touchdowns and one interception in eight regular season games.

    Marquette quarterbacked the Hurricanes to an 8-0 regular season record and a berth in the CJFL semifinal game, where they fell 39-14 to the Rams in Langley on Nov. 3.

    Hurricanes receiver Keyshaun Jordan took home CJFL Rookie of the Year honours. He topped the Ontario Football Conference with 33 receptions, 753 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns appearing in all eight regular season games.

HCs Tom Sargeant and Howie Zaron pictured with the Canadian Bowl.

    Hurricanes president and general manager Mike Samuel was named the winner of the Stewart MacDonald Executive of the Year award.

    The Gord Currie Coach of the Year award was presented to Chilliwack, B.C., based Valley Huskers head coach Bob Reist. Reist guided the Huskers to a 6-4 record and their first playoff berth in the British Columbia Football Conference since 2008.

    Huskers defensive lineman James Moar claimed the CJFL’s Past Commissioners Community Service award.

    Before the awards banquet was held, the CJFL held a press conference on Friday afternoon where the head coaches from both the Hilltops and the Rams addressed the media at SMF Field.

    The Hilltops head into the Canadian Bowl coming off a 19-day layoff from last hitting the field for a game, when they downed the Edmonton Huskies in the PFC final on Oct. 28.

    Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant was in top form, when asked about the opportunity his team had to win a fifth straight CJFL title.

    “We’re here for the fifth-year players,” said Sargeant. “Last year was last year’s team. The year before was that team.

    “This is this team, so they just want one. They don’t care about all that other stuff. That is noise.

    “At the end of the day, to go 10-0 in our league obviously we’ve done something right to get to here. I expect that team to show up that has been here all year show up tomorrow and understand and be focused and get the job done. That is what I want to see.”

    Rams head coach and general manager Howie Zaron said his club is just worried about trying to beat the Hilltops squad that will take the field on Saturday.

    “I think, if you get caught up in the championships and the four in a row and all that stuff, you’re already defeated before you get here,” said Zaron. “It hasn’t been a thought for us at all.

    “We’re just here to have some fun and win a football game. Everybody likes to make a big deal of these games. It is just another football game for us.

    “We know what is on the line. We’re excited.”

    This will mark the third time in seven years the Hilltops and Rams face each other in the Canadian Bowl. The previous two encounters were both held in McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C.

    In 2012, the Hilltops claimed one of the all-time classic CJFL title encounters downing the Rams 23-21. In 2014, the Hilltops ran away with a 39-14 victory, which started their current run of winning four straight CJFL championships.

    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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Bring on the Rams – Hilltops set for Canadian Bowl

HC Tom Sargeant, centre, and the Hilltops are ready to rock and roll.

    On the verge of what could be one of their greatest moments in team history, the Saskatoon Hilltops are approaching Saturday’s appearance in the Canadian Bowl with the same quiet confidence they have with anything they have taken on.

    The Hilltops will be trying to win an unprecedented fifth straight Canadian Junior Football League title on Saturday, when they host the Canadian Bowl at 1 p.m. against the Langley Rams (10-3).

    Saskatoon heads into the contest with a 10-0 overall record, which means the Hilltops are trying to complete their fourth perfect season in team history and first since going 12-0 in 2003. In 2003, the Hilltops crushed the Victoria Rebels 59-0 in the Canadian Bowl in Chilliwack, B.C.

    The two other perfect seasons came in 1978 at 12-0 and 1958 at 11-0.

    The current Hilltops can keep building on their current overall winning streak of 18 games and post-season winning streak of 15 games.

    They are also trying to capture their eighth CJFL championship in the last nine years and 21^st CJFL title in team history.

    Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said all the milestones his team has accomplished and has a chance to accomplish are by-products of doing things the right way, or as he often says, “The Hilltop way.”

The Hilltops offensive line aims to have another big game.

    That means the players have to respect their opponents and focus on what they can control in practices and games to get better and put out their best performance on game day.

    “We’re wired to be in these situations,” said the Hilltops legendary sideline boss. “As I told my leadership group, this is where we put all our time and energy.

    “They’re built for this. We understand what is in front of us. We understand what we need to do.”

    The Hilltops and Rams are familiar foes in the Canadian Bowl as they will meet in the CJFL title game for the third time in seven years.

    The previous two encounters were both held in McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C.

    In 2012, the Hilltops claimed one of the all-time classic CJFL title encounters downing the Rams 23-21. In 2014, the Hilltops ran away with a 39-14 victory, which started their current run of winning four straight CJFL championships.

    The Hilltops will be trying to win their 21^st CJFL title in their upcoming Canadian Bowl clash with the Rams.

QB Jordan Walls has had a stellar campaign for the Hilltops.

    “I think every time you get to this game it is always special,” said Hilltops fifth-year star quarterback Jordan Walls, who has a 21-1 overall record as the team’s starter. “You never know how many more you are going to get.

    “Our fifth-year group has been fortunate enough to be in all five of these. It is going to be fun.”

    The Rams head into the Canadian Bowl with the makings of being a very dangerous team riding a nine-game winning streak. Off the field, they have to overcome the resignation of head coach Matthew (Snoop) Blokker during the course of the season. Blokker was the Calgary Colts head coach and resigned last season and took over the same role with the Rams.

    Rams general manager Howie Zaron took on the head coaching duties after Blokker left this season, and Langley has rolled with a roster that contains a number of talented recruits courtesy of Blokker, who is one of the CJFL’s all-time coaching greats.

    On offence, the Rams are guided at quarterback by Duncan Little, who is a former member of the Colts.  Little had a stellar year completing 185-of-308 passes for 2,611 yards, 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions during the regular season.

    Little’s favourite target was 22-year-old receiver Jevon Cottoy, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 230 pounds. Cottoy was a British Columbia Football Conference all-star hauling in 39 passes for 657 yards and nine touchdowns in nine regular season games.

Cody Peters (#44) and Connor Delahey (#70) aim to make big plays.

    On the ground, running back Maximilian Joseph was named a BCFC all-star carrying the ball 64 times for 428 yards and scoring five touchdowns in seven regular season games.

    Rams offensive linemen Ross Baykay and Niko Lazarakis were named B.C. conference all-stars.

    On defence, Rams defensive lineman Skye King was named a CJFL all-Canadian all-star recording 10 defensive solo tackles, four sacks and a fumble recovery. Defensive back Kyle Clarot was also named a CJFL all-Canadian all-star piling up 27 defensive solo tackles, one sack and four interceptions.

    Linebacker Isaiah Okoli led the Rams with 41 defensive solo tackles, three sacks and one interception.

    “You just hear how they are talking,” said Sargeant. “They are a very proud organization, a proud franchise.

    “They are not coming out here to not come out and play their best game of the year. They are hungry. They are motivated.

    “You know what, they got the skill, the talent and the coaching level to do good things. As I said, they have our respect, and hopefully, we come out there on Saturday and earn their respect with how we coach and how we play.”

Garth Knittig and Jesse McNabb are powerful on defence.

    The Hilltops have trailed for a total of just 81 seconds in all their games so far in the 2018 campaign. They have numerous standouts on their roster.

    On offensive, the Hilltops have their version of the “The Triplets” in Walls, running back Josh Ewanchyna and receiver Jason Price.

    Walls had an outstanding campaign completing 122-of-197 passes for 2,010 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions in the regular season. He was named the most outstanding offensive player and the most valuable player of the Prairie Football Conference.

    Ewanchyna appeared in seven regular season games carrying the ball 134 times for 1,007 yards and 14 touchdowns. He led the PFC in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week on four occasions.

    Price was by far the PFC’s most productive pass catcher. During the regular season, he hauled in 31 passes for 709 yards and scored four touchdowns. The fifth-year veteran collected the most receiving yards in the PFC.

    Ewanchyna and Price have been named CJFL all-Canadian all-stars along with offensive tackles Kirk Simonsen and Mason Ochs. Simonsen and Ochs are part of an elite and veteran offensive line that contains right guard Taylon Elderkin, centre Patrick Arno and left guard Ryder Klisowsky.

Jason Price looks to make some big catches on Saturday.

    On defence, linebacker Cody Peters was named a CJFL all-Canadian all-star recording 26 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception during the regular season. He was named the PFC’s most outstanding defensive player.

    Defensive tackles Garth Knittig and Jesse McNabb were also named CJFL all-Canadian all-stars. Knittig had 16 defensive solo tackles and 2.5 sacks during the regular season, and McNabb had 16 solo defensive tackles and 4.5 sacks.

    In the secondary, defensive backs Jared Giddings and Colton Holmes were PFC all-stars. Giddings and eight solo tackles and two interceptions during the regular season, while Holmes had 18 total tackles, one sack and one interception.

    During the campaign, the Hilltops offence has displayed great balance, and Walls said that will be key in facing the Rams.

    “It doesn’t matter what the weather conditions are,” said Walls. “We can throw the ball, we can run the ball whatever we need for that specific game, and we’ve been able to show that. 
    “It makes the defence a little bit off-balance when they don’t know what to expect. I expect our O-line and Josh (Ewanchyna) to have big day. Myself and the receivers need to be sharp as well.”

Josh Ewanchyna has piled up stellar efforts for the Hilltops.

    Overall, Sargeant is expecting his players to be at the top of their game on Saturday.

    “Ultimately, it is game 11 of 2018, so it should be your best game of the year,” said Sargeant, who was named the PFC’s coach of the year this season. “It is that simple.

    “We are at home in front of a great crowd and a great environment. As I said, everything is in front of us. Now we just have to control our emotions, we have to be disciplined, focused and if we keep all those things together, you should see a pretty nice product come Saturday.”

    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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