Hilltops have best tradition for graduating players

Players to make walk to field with parents

Matt Wist (#44) stands at attention for the national anthem.

It is one the most heartwarming traditions in Canadian sports for graduating players.

On Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops (7-0) will close their 2023 regular season hosting the Winnipeg Rifles (2-5). While the Hilltops are going to do everything in their power to have a long post-season run, they use their final regular season home game as an opportunity to honour their graduating players.

During a pre-game ceremony, the Hilltops graduating players will be announced one by one and make the walk to the field with their parents. In past years, the parents usually take the field decked out in cool looking team gear.

This season, the Hilltops took the field with a younger squad, but their roster still contains eight graduation players, who are playing out 22-year-old and final seasons of CJFL eligibility. The Hilltops were unsure where they would stand this season as the Prairie Football Conference they play out of went through a great reset, where teams experienced lots of graduations following the 2022 campaign.

Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant said his squad sits with a 7-0 record this year due largely to the work of the team’s graduating players.

“When we started out the year, we knew we were a young football team,” said Sargeant. “There is only one reason we’re 7-0, and that is the work and the leadership of this coaching staff and our fifth-year players.

LB Jordan Levesque gets a short-yardage carry.

“We always say the mantra is our goal is to win a championship for our fifth year players. They’re the ones who have stepped up and shown the right leadership and the right way to practice and to perform and to get ready for games. They’ve been our best players on game day.

“At the end of the day, they’ve done their job, and now, it is our job to step up and come out and play our best football of the year. I think when we do that good things are going to happen for this blue and gold squad.”

A total of six players from the graduating group were rookies with the Hilltops when they last won the CJFL championship posting a perfect 12-0 overall record in 2019 in linebackers Matt Wist and Wade Keating, defensive back Carter Wingert, running back Boston Davidsen, defensive lineman Craig Torgerson and receiver Evan Ward. Ward left the Hilltops following the 2021 campaign but rejoined the storied CJFL squad about halfway through the current 2023 regular season.

Linebacker Jordan Levesque and offensive lineman Justice Walker joined the Hilltops following the 2019 campaign.

All of these graduating players are still in the CJFL playing with the Hilltops even with navigating their individual journeys around the fact the 2020 campaign was cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world. 

There were all sorts of various restrictions and shutdowns in place when the 2020 season was supposed to happen in order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boston Davidsen charges downfield for the Hilltops.

During that time, there were many athletes that decided to move on with the next step of their lives. Some eventually returned to the high level sports they played, when things returned to action as restrictions were lifted.

This year’s group of graduating players are the second last class that had to navigate around how pandemic restrictions affected their CJFL playing careers. When the Hilltops returned to action in 2021, they have played an important role in getting the Hilltops in a position where they could meet their lofty standards of the past that have seen the team win 22 CJFL titles in their history dating back to 1947.

In 2023, they played an even bigger role helping lead a young roster. While the Hilltops ultimately hope their last game comes playing for a CJFL title on November 11, Sunday’s upcoming game against the Rifles provides ample opportunity to salute the graduating players before they ultimately ride off into the sunset.

Taylor Swift fun at End Zone Dinner

Jorgen Hus, left, and Derrick Moncrief react to a Taylor Swift question.

The Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner usually provides lots of laughs, and the laughs for one moment surrounded a famous development at the professional level.

The End Zone Dinner, which raises money for the Saskatoon Hilltops Scholarship Fund, went on Saturday, September 30 at the main hall in the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building before the Hilltops downed their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder 19-10 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

Guest speakers included a pair of alumni from the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders in Al Johns and Carm Carteri along with current Roughriders players in 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.

During a question and answer session, Hus and Moncrief were asked if Taylor Swift wasn’t linked with tight end Travis Kelce of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs which player in the CFL would have the best chance to date her?

The whole room broke out in laughter after the question was asked. Both Hus and Moncrief, who are both married, looked stunned for a short second before breaking out in laughter. They tried to stop laughing but couldn’t keep from chuckling.

They began whispering to each other about who the player might be. They then discussed for a short time that the player had to be a receiver.

Dave Thomas, who was emcee for the dinner, reminded both players that the choice didn’t have to be a teammate.

Hus and Moncrief ultimately settled on naming Roughriders offensive lineman Logan Ferland as being the player in the CFL who would have the best chance to date Swift, if she wasn’t connected with Kelce.

Thunder, Huskies locked in for PFC semi clash, notes

The Thunder look to lock up second place in the PFC.

The Regina Thunder and Edmonton Huskies will play each other in consecutive weeks, but the location for the second encounter is still to be determined.

Going into the final weekend of regular season play for the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference, the Thunder (5-2) and Huskies (4-3) know they will face each other in a PFC semifinal contest on the opening weekend of the conference playoffs sitting second and third respectively in the conference standings. The location for that contest is still up in the air, because second place in the PFC is still up for grabs.

The Thunder and Huskies close their respective regular season schedules with a head-to-head clash on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field in Regina. It is the only regular season meeting between the two squads.

As a result, the winner will lock up second place in the PFC and host the PFC semifinal clash between the two sides. Of course, a Huskies win would mean both teams would have identical 5-3 records, but the Huskies would claim the standings tiebreaker with the head-to-head win.

Along with the battle for second place, a side story to that encounter will see if Thunder star running back Ryland Leichert can hit the 1,000-yard rushing plateau for the season. The 20-year-old has carried the ball 134 times for 892 yards and six touchdowns this season, so he needs 108 yards rushing to hit the 1,000-yard plateau for the campaign.

The match up of who will travel to Saskatoon to face the first place Hilltops (7-0) in the other PFC semifinal isn’t so clear. The Calgary Colts (2-5) sit fourth in the PFC, the Winnipeg Rifles (2-5) are fifth and the Edmonton Wildcats (1-6) are sixth.

The Colts hold the head-to-head standings tiebreaker with the Rifles having won the lone regular season encounter 33-21 between the two sides on Sept. 10 in Calgary.

The Rifles travel to Saskatoon to face the Hilltops (1 p.m., Saskatoon Minor Football Field), and the Colts host the Wildcats at 1 p.m. local time at Shouldice Athletic Park to close the regular season schedules for both those sides.

The Rifles will be eliminated from playoff contention if they lose to the Hilltops. The Wildcats would jump into fourth in the PFC with a win over the Colts and a Rifles loss to the Hilltops. That scenario would leave the Colts, Rifles and Wildcats sitting with 2-6 records, but the Wildcats would advance to the post-season having the best winning percentage in head-to-head games involving those three teams.

The Rifles would make the post-season if they beat the Hilltops on Sunday and the Colts take a loss or a tie in their encounter with the Wildcats on Sunday.

The Colts have the clearest path to the playoffs. They are in if they beat the Wildcats on Sunday.

• Saskatoon Hilltops running back Boston Davidsen leads the PFC win carries (150), rushing yards (1,036) and rushing touchdowns (eight) going into the final weekend of regular season play for the conference. Davidsen has hit the 1,000-yard rushing plateau for the second straight season and needs two more yards rushing to set a new career high.
• Hilltops kicker Teijon Abel-Douglas leads the PFC in scoring with 95 points coming from 21 field goals, four singles and 28 converts going into his team’s final regular season game.
• Hilltops receiver Drake Douglas has 38 catches for 523 yards and three touchdowns heading into the team’s final regular season contest. Douglas’s reception and receiving yardage totals are tops on the team. His receiving yardage total ranks third in the PFC.
• Hilltops middle linebacker and punter Matt Wist leads the PFC in punting average. He has punted the ball 39 times for 1,484 yards for an average of 38.1 yards per kick. His net average of 32.2 yards is also tops in the PFC.
• I was back in the Prince Albert Daily Herald on a couple of fronts with regards to pieces for their WHL preview coverage. I put to together a flashback feature on the 1994-95 Prince Albert Raiders team that came up a win short of going to the CHL’s championship tournament – the Memorial Cup. That piece can be found by clicking right here. I also have a column about the current Raiders having intrigue going into the current 2023-24 campaign. That piece can be found by clicking right here. The locally owned Daily Herald has lots of good content and can be found online at paherald.sk.ca.

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 on to the Wildcats

Saskatoon aims to stay even keel after win over Thunder

Ben Marce returns a fumble for the Hilltops.

Tom Sargeant is facing a welcomed challenge.

The legendary head coach’s young Saskatoon Hilltops went into this practice week sporting a 4-0 record after downing their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder 36-6 at Mosaic Stadium in “The Queen City” this past Saturday. The CJFL regular season clash was the Hilltops biggest contest up to this point of the 2023 campaign, and they gave the Thunder their first setback as the Regina side fell to 3-1. The Hilltops now sit alone in first place in the Prairie Football Conference.

Sargeant was good with everyone on the team enjoying that win for the night. The aim going into the practice week was to ensure the team stayed humble and players didn’t think they had it made for the rest of the 2023 CJFL season.

The message to the team was there was still a lot to improve on. Parts of the team’s film sessions were spent going over errors that were made in the win over Regina as the Thunder still made their share of splash plays.

“We’re excited and proud of the win,” said Sargeant. “To go into Regina, that is not an easy task to do.

“To perform the way we’ve performed, I’m very appreciative of the coaches’ effort and game planning and the players’ work ethic and desire. Ultimately, we’re striving for perfection. We’re not even close to the game plans that I need us to play with and that we’ll need to play with at the end of the year.”

Noah Flaman (#85) excepts the Wildcats to play desperate.

The Hilltops next task is to smooth out the errors they made heading into their next contest this coming Sunday when they take on the Edmonton Wildcats (0-4) at 1 p.m. at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. The ’Toppers romped over the Wildcats 50-2 back on August 13 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in the regular season opener for both sides.

“We’re on to the Edmonton Wildcats,” said Sargeant. “We know that they’re 0-4, and they’re desperate.

“We have to come out and continue to build on the things we are doing.”

Hilltops third receiver Noah Flaman said his squad is aware the Wildcats are improving. His club is gearing up to be on task once again.

“They’ve gotten way better, and we saw that on film,” said Flaman. “They have a lot of talent and good players and new coaching staff, so we have to be ready for whatever they could throw out.

“They’re 0-4, so they are going to be desperate. We have to come out and be ready for whatever they’re going to throw at us.”

Going into Sunday’s game, Hilltops star power running back Boston Davidsen is putting together an outstanding final CJFL campaign. He tops the PFC with 578 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns coming on 73 carries.

Wildcats 20-year-old linebacker Kieran Harris sits tied with Thunder linebacker Kenten Effa for second in defensive points in the PFC at 46. Harris has collected his points from 20 solo defensive tackles, two defensive tackle assists, and two special teams solo tackles.

Besides worrying about offensive and defensive schemes on Sunday, Flaman said his team wants to be better in one basic department of playing tougher physically.

Boston Davidsen leads PFC with 578 yards rushing.

“Talking back about the Regina game, we felt like even though we had a good game we got pushed around a bit and our blocking on run plays wasn’t up to where we want it to be,” said Flaman. “We’re always striving to be the best we can be.

“Whether that is backs, receivers, O-line, we all feel like we have to be better as a unit, and we will.”

Sargeant said the big focus for his team this week will be blocking and tackling. He said those were two areas his club had a drop off in the win over the Thunder.

“We need to see improvement,” said Sargeant. “I need to see improvement.

“It comes down to blocking and tackling. The focus this week is I need a team that is going to block and tackle better than what I saw last week.”

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.

’Toppers Wist player of the week, other notes

Matt Wist was named the PFC’s defensive player of the week.

Timely big players resulted in Saskatoon Hilltops middle Matt Wist getting a player of the week nod.

Wist was named the PFC’s defensive player of the week on Wednesday for his efforts in the Hilltops 36-6 over the Thunder at Mosaic Stadium in Regina this past Saturday. In helping the Hilltops improve to 4-0 on the campaign, Wist had two defensive solo tackles, one defensive tackle assist, one pass knockdown and one interception.

On the season, Wist sits in the top five in the PFC in defensive points at 44. He has collected his defensive points off of nine defensive solo tackles, 12 defensive tackle assists, one pass knockdown, two forced fumbles and two interceptions.

Calgary Colts receiver Nicholas Sirleaf was the PFC’s offensive player of the week on Wednesday. This past Sunday, Sirleaf caught 11 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown as the Colts downed the visiting Winnipeg Rifles 33-21 at Hellard Field.

Rifles linebacker Kyler Banfield took honours as the PFC’s special teams player of the week on Wednesday for his efforts in the setback this past Sunday to the Colts. Banfield blocked a kick and recovered it to go with three special teams solo tackles and one special teams tackle assist.

Banfield also recorded one solo defensive tackle, two defensive tackle assists, one quarterback sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in the loss to the Colts.

• Saskatoon Hilltops 21-year-old quarterback Trey Reider tops the PFC with a 127.6 quarterback efficiency rating after four games. Reider has completed 64-of-100 passes for 953 yards and 11 touchdowns, while throwing one interception. Reider’s touchdown pass total also leads the PFC.
• Calgary Colts 19-year-old quarterback Liam Oczkowski leads the PFC with 1,169 yards passing after four contests. On the season, Oczkowski has completed 87-of-137 passes including seven touchdown passes, while throwing two interceptions.
• The Westshore Rebels and their ultra-talented quarterback Te Jessie lead the BCFC with a 6-0 record. Heading into the 2023 campaign, Jessie topped the CJFL’s annual Top 50 players to watch list. The St. Clair Saints lead the OFC standings with a 4-0 mark.
• On September 9, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a piece on the University of Saskatchewan Women’s Softball Program focusing on how important it has become to the sports scene in Saskatoon and province. The piece on the U of S Softball team can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that shows the summer season ending hot and the fall season starting with a roar. That post can be found by clicking right here.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Douglas big catch for Hilltops

Flaman shines in romp over Thunder in Regina

Drake Douglas has emerged as one of the Hilltops to receivers.

Once a highly touted pass catcher coming out of Saskatchewan’s high school scene, Drake Douglas thought at one time his post-secondary football days ended even before they began.

When almost all sports in North American were halted due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that had gripped the world, Douglas committed to join the CJFL’s Regina Thunder on June 1, 2020. One his two older brothers, Ethan, played for the Thunder in 2018 and 2019.

Having played his final season with the Balfour Collegiate Bears Football Team in 2019, Drake Douglas practiced with the Thunder in the fall of 2020, but never played a down with the Regina CJFL side.

As there was no certainly when the sports world resume action, Douglas elected to move to Saskatoon for an opportunity in the working world. Another one of his older brothers, Braydan, had already relocated to “The Bridge City” along with his two sisters. He hadn’t even been looking for any post-secondary team to join when he got a call from legendary Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant in the fall of 2022.

“I had kind of just been taking a break from football,” said Douglas. “My brother (Braydan) ended up emailing ‘Sarge’ (Tom Sargeant) and sent him my highlight tape from high school, and ‘Sarge’ game me a call.

“It was three weeks or four weeks into the season. I just joined the team on the bye week that year and kind of went from there.”

Douglas was on the Hilltops roster when they went into their fourth game of the 2022 campaign. He made his debut with the storied CJFL club in their 35-17 victory over the Colts in Calgary on September 25, 2022 catching four passes for 29 yards.

The skilled pass catcher was happy his brother sent his high school highlights to Sargeant. The urge to get back into the game was there.

“I loved playing football and watching football,” said Douglas, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 170 pounds. “I always had it in the back of my mind, but I was definitely ready to have the cleats hung up and be moving on to the next stage of life.

“I got that call from ‘Sarge,’ and I just got into there. I got to practice, and it was like I never left it.”

Now in his second season with the Hilltops, Douglas has emerged as one of the team’s star receivers. Taking on the Thunder at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on Saturday night, Douglas saw one of his teammates have a big outing.

Drake Douglas joined the Hilltops part way through 2022.

Noah Flaman, a sure handed third-year receiver, caught three touchdowns as the Hilltops roared past the Thunder 36-6 in a CJFL regular season clash. With the win, the Hilltops improved to 4-0 to sit alone in first place in the Prairie Football Conference, while the Thunder fell to 3-1. The Thunder had won the three previous meetings between the two sides including action in the regular season and post-season.

While Douglas said it felt like he never left the game once he started playing for the Hilltops, he did feel like he wasn’t in football shape.

“I had played flag football that winter,” said Douglas. “I think I was in decent shape.

“You think you are in good shape, but then you go play a full football game in plus-25 weather. It is kind of different. It is hard to get right back into it.

“It took me a little bit to adjust to the physicality. The guys are definitely a lot stronger in the CJFL, and you have to adjust to stuff like that. At the same time when you play football all your life, you just do what you’ve always been doing.”

Douglas said he came into the 2023 campaign at a different level after taking part in the team’s off-season workouts with Ignite Athletics, winter practices, spring camp and getting a full training camp in.

“It is a night and day difference,” said Douglas, who had 18 catches for 254 yards and one touchdown in the Hilltops first three game. “I did all the Ignite workouts, so I was definitely coming in way better shape.

“That made it a lot easier. I felt way more ready to go. I feel a lot stronger and faster than I was last season just jumping in halfway through.”

Sargeant was quite pleased he was able to get Douglas in the Hilltops fold.

“Drake (Douglas) has been magnificent,” said Sargeant. “For him to come to us sort of middle of the year last year and by the end of the year he is a key offensive contributor.

“He is a punt returner, and he is a holder on our field goal team. Drake has multiple roles. He is a talented kid, and he loves football.

Drake Douglas has made some highlight catches for the Hilltops.

“He has come in here in a short period of time and established himself as a leader and as a player as a go-to guy. We make sure a lot of our offensive plays and systems go through him. We are proud of what he is about.”

Sargeant noted that Douglas’s playing style on the field kind of mirrors that of a former great of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders in Weston Dressler.

“There are certainly some similarities,” said Sargeant. “He is just a multiuse player.

“He has a lot of different skill sets. He is great after he catches the ball. He is great when the ball is in flight.

“He knows how to use his body and how to get in the way to make the plays basically is how it looks.”

Douglas said he watched various receivers growing up, but he has a special affinity for Roughriders pass catchers.

“I have a lot of especially ’Riders receivers that I look up to,” said Douglas. “Weston Dressler is definitely size wise is a good comparison to me.

“Other guys, I really liked Naaman Roosevelt growing up and guys like that. I think I’m definitely similar to their style of play. I think the coaches kind of use me in similar ways.”

In the Hilltops 50-2 regular season opening win against the Edmonton Wildcats on August 13 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Douglas got out of the gates with a big game. He caught nine passes for 171 yards and one touchdown, which helped him get an extra jump in his step.

“The coaches and Trey (Reider) made it easy for me,” said Douglas. “The coach was calling the right plays, and Trey (Reider) was just putting it on me, and I’m just trying to do my job and catch the balls that come my way.

“It was definitely huge for the confidence, and I think it was huge for the whole team getting that win early.”

Against the Thunder on Saturday, the Hilltops led 12-0 after the first quarter and 22-4 at halftime. The Hilltops got a touchdown from star power running back Boston Davidsen, two field goals from Teijon Abel-Douglas and a conceded safety by the Thunder.

The Thunder got their points from a punt single and a field goal from kicker Shawn Green and a conceded safety by Saskatoon.

Drake Douglas (#86) wants to enjoy more fun with his teammates.

The Hilltops return to action on Sunday, September 17, when they hit the road again to face the Edmonton Wildcats at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta.

Looking forward to the rest of the CJFL campaign, Douglas said he and the Hilltops are focusing on things as they come.

“It is great just hanging out with guys and getting to come out to practice every day and just work with everybody,” said Douglas. “I’m really excited for the rest of this season.

“We have a long way to go. I think we’re just trying to build every week. I think ‘Sarge’ compared it to a pyramid the one day in meetings.

“We’re just trying to build that pyramid and give it a good foundation right now and just keep building on that.”

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.

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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If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Bring on the Bombers – Rider Nation feeling sky high about their Roughriders

Naaman Roosevelt throws his touchdown reception ball into the crowd.

    REGINA, Sask. – “Winnipeg Blue Bombers, we want you!”

    If you are a fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, you are dreaming big dreams right now. On Saturday before 32,328 members of Rider Nation at Mosaic Stadium, the Roughriders hammered the Ottawa Redblacks 40-18 in a CFL regular season clash.

    The win was the fifth in a row for the Roughriders helping them improve to 6-3, while the Redblacks fell to 3-7. In the immediate aftermath of that game, you are likely in an overreaction state of bliss, if you cheer for the Roughriders.

Kyran Moore, right, head up field after making a catch.

    Next up – the Labour Day Classic.

    The Roughriders return to action on Sunday, Sept. 1, when they host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who lead the CFL’s West Division at 8-2, at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium.

    As a Roughriders fan, you are thinking, “Blue Bombers, we are going to kick your (explanative)!”

    This should not come as any sort of bulletin board material for the Winnipeg side. Roughriders fans relish seeing the Blue Bombers lose, and that is a safe given fact.

Cody Fajardo (#7) throws a touchdown pass for the Roughriders.

    The only team Roughriders fans likely love to see lose more than the Blue Bombers are the hated Calgary Stampeders.

    Plus, excitement skyrockets because the Labour Day Classic game between the Roughriders and Blue Bombers is usually an annual celebration of Rider Nation. That celebration is usually topped by the fact the Roughriders seemingly never lose that game.

    The Roughriders have won 13 of the last 14 Labour Day Classic games. I have attended 18 editions of the Labour Day Classic and the Roughriders have a 16-2 record against the Blue Bombers in those outings.

    On top of all that, the Roughriders looked great in Saturday’s win over the Redblacks. Coming off the bye week, the Roughriders put together a total team win.

Gainer the Gopher makes his rounds after a Roughriders touchdown.

    The host side was opportunistic putting the boots to Ottawa early scoring 17 points off turnovers in the first quarter to go ahead 17-0.

    Roughriders defensive back Nick Marshall intercepted Redblacks starting quarterback Dominique Davis for the first turnover. That set up a short three-play 21-yard touchdown drive that was capped by a four-yard scoring run by tailback William Powell to give the Roughriders a 7-0 lead.

    On Ottawa’s next series, Davis was picked by Roughriders defensive back L.J. McCray. That set up a short five-play 39-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 14-yard scoring run by rising star quarterback Cody Fajardo, which put the Roughriders up 14-0.

    On Ottawa’s next series, Davis was picked by Roughriders linebacker Derrick Moncrief. 

Redblacks RT Evan Johnson battles Roughriders RE Charleston Hughes. 

    Davis wouldn’t return under centre after that play as he was pulled for backup quarterback Jonathon Jennings.

    Saskatchewan turned Davis’s third interception into a 46-yard field goal from Brett Lauther to give the host a 17-0 lead.

    The Roughriders edge extended to 20-0 early in the second quarter on 43-yard field goal from Lauther.

    While the Redblacks battled back eventually getting the score to a 21-12 advantage in favour of the Roughriders at one point in the second quarter, it never felt like the visitors would rally back all the way.

    Saskatchewan pulled away from that point. Lauther hit a 49-yard field goal to give the Roughriders a 24-12 advantage at halftime.

    Punter Jon Ryan hit a 56-yard punt single in the third quarter to go with his 51-yard punt single in the second quarter to put the Roughriders up 25-12.

Roughriders DT Makana Henry charges at the quarterback.

    After kicker Lewis Ward nailed a 44-yard field goal for the Redblacks to cut the Roughriders edge to 25-15, Fajardo hit Roughriders receiver Naaman Roosevelt for a 15-yard touchdown toss to give the Roughriders a 32-15 lead before the third quarter came to a close.

    In the fourth quarter, a 32-yard missed field goal single from Lauther and a 23-yard touchdown run from Powell rounded out the Roughriders scoring.

    Ward had three other field goals to go with his third quarter kick for the Redblacks. Jennings hit receiver Dominique Rhymes with a 75-yard touchdown toss in the second quarter, but Ward missed the convert after that score.

    On the day, the Roughriders forced five turnovers while not committing any turnovers themselves. Defensive end Charleston Hughes and defensive back Loucheiz Purifoy each forced and recovered fumbles to go with the three interceptions their Saskatchewan teammates caught in the first quarter.

The Roughriders pour off their bench to mark their win.

    Fajardo had a solid game completing 24-of-36 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown. He ran the ball five times for 38 yards and his major score.

    In this game, Fajardo just needed to be a cog in the machine as his team fired in all facets of the game. As a team, the Roughriders piled up 122 yards on the ground.

    When you cheer for the Roughriders, there is always a fear the floor will fall out from under the team without any notice. It always feels like the breaks go against the Roughriders more than they go for the Roughriders over the long haul.

    Currently in the present, this feels like it could be a blessed season.

    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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Everything is better when the Roughriders win

The Roughriders get set to charge out of the tunnel at Mosaic Stadium.

    REGINA - Everything is better when the Saskatchewan Roughriders win, when you live in the “Land of the Living Skies.”

    On Friday night, the Saskatchewan Roughriders opened their 2018 regular season schedule downing the defending Grey Cup Champion Toronto Argonauts 27-19 before 29,788 spectators. At that moment when the Roughriders win and you live in Saskatchewan, everything becomes great.

    The sun rises bright and warm in the morning.

    That drive down from a centre outside Regina through piles of road construction no longer seems that bad.

    That Big Mac you eat at McDonald’s tastes better.

Fans dance at the tailgate party outside Mosaic Stadium.

    The person you are attracted to or your better half looks that much hotter.

    Two losses in the pre-season don’t seem that bad.

    The Roughriders players have an extra hop in their step when they meet the fans outside the stadium after the game.

    Newcomer Charleston Hughes looks just so good and natural wearing that green and white colour scheme making three sacks coming off the end of the defensive end. You feel bad he had to spend all those years wearing that awful red and white of the Calgary Stampeders.

Roughriders QB Zach Collaros fires a TD pass to Naaman Roosevelt.

    The vanilla latte at Starbucks takes that much sweeter.

    The coffee at Tim Horton’s is fresher.

    A post-game Pilsner goes down that much more smoothly.

    Brett Lauther’s one missed field goal doesn’t seem that much of a big deal. He made four-of-five kicks against the Argonauts and the 27-year-old becomes a field good story of perseverance kicking professional football since 2013 looking for a real chance to play and stick.

    Gainer the Gopher looks way more entertaining.

    Starting quarterback Zach Collaros looked that much more natural guiding the Roughriders offence. He completed 18-of-25 passes to nine different receiver for 203 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

    It was the 29-year-old’s first winning start since Sept. 16, 2016, when he guided the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to a 20-17 victory over the Montreal Alouettes. You know more wins are coming Collaros’ way.

Roughriders DB Ed Gainey knocks down a pass attempt.

    The farmer notices all his crops are coming up nice and healthy in the fields.

    The long days on the oil patch go that much more quickly.

    The Rider Cheer team is more awesome than they normally are.

    A trip out to the lake or the beach is so much more relaxing.

    You already envision the guilty pleasure of running over that minor speed bump known as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

    First-year cornerback Nick Marshall looks like a perfect fit taking an interception back 66 yards to the house against one of the CFL’s all-time greats in Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray.

    Head coach and general manager Chris Jones looks way cooler in his black sunglasses and his all black attire.

    The noise at Mosaic Stadium sounds louder.

    The celebrations by the receivers seem a step more creative and humourous.

    You know seeing that win on television will urge those that didn’t go to the game to go to one in the future.

Roughriders OL Brendon LaBatte gets set to drill an Argos linebacker.

    All of a sudden, the work on the farm or any other occupation one is involved with can be put on hold to join the rest of Rider Nation for a few hours to have a good time.

    Running back Jerome Messam looks that much more powerful running through people for 72 yards on 21 carries.

    Linebacker Derrick Moncrief looks that much more intelligent showing up all over the field to make eight tackles.

    The blocks of offensive linemen Brendon LaBatte and Dan Clark look more powerful.

    The amount of fun increased at the pre-game tailgate party.

    The expensive meal at the fancy restaurant is well worth the money.

    The turnaround to play the Redblacks, who come off a bye week, in Ottawa this coming Thursday doesn’t look as daunting.

Gainer the Gopher meets the fans after a Roughriders touchdown.

    Here is to the Roughriders piling up whole bunch of more wins this season. At this moment after Friday’s win, your mood is so great you already envision the Roughriders lifting the Grey Cup over their heads on November 25 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

    At this point, the good times are going to roll, because the Roughriders have won a game.

    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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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.