Nyhus is “the face” of Huskie Athletics at U of S

Fifth-year QB candidate for Hec Crighton Trophy

Mason Nyhus warms up for the 2021 Canada West final.

Mason Nyhus is achieving a rarity for a Canadian university sports athlete these days – he is becoming well known.

Nyhus is the fifth-year star quarterback for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team, and since seemingly Week 2 of the U Sports regular season, the 24-year-old’s name has been mentioned as a candidate for the Hec Crighton Trophy, which is given to the U Sports football player of the year.

In the Huskies 5-0 start, Nyhus, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 215 pounds, has been impressive playing out his final season of U Sports eligibility. He has completed 126-of-186 passes for 1,729 yards and 11 touchdowns, while throwing just one interception.

Nyhus is “the face” of Huskie Athletics, and in today’s media cut era in Canada that is a major accomplishment.

There was time it used to be common knowledge to know who the starting quarterback of the Huskies was in the city of Saskatoon, and often the Huskies starting quarterback was decently known on the national stage. That was true of the Huskies three Vanier Cup quarterbacks in David Earl in 1990, Brent Schneider in 1996 and Ryan Reid in 1998.

When Earl, Schneider and Reid played, the number of people working in the sports media industry in Canada was about five to seven times larger than it is today.

In the last 12 years, it can be argued that Nyhus is the first athlete the Huskies have had over that time frame that can be viewed as the face of the overall athletics program. The Huskies have actually had tonnes of great athletes over that period of time, but they never seemed to gain a huge face of notoriety.

Mason Nyhus rolls out of the pocket for the Huskies.

Some of those athletes include Derek Hulak from the Huskies Men’s Hockey Team, Dalyce Emmerson of the Huskies Women’s Basketball Team, Kaitlin Willoughby from the Huskies Women’s Hockey Team, Libby Epoch of the Huskies Women’s Basketball Team, Tyler Chow from the Huskies Football Team and Michelle Harrison of the Huskies Women’s Track and Field Team.

It should be noted that Willoughby was a celebrity in her hometown of Prince Albert as her supporters from that centre often inflated page views for any stories that were done about her.

Arguably, the most famous Huskies athlete since 2010 might have been Huskies Men’s Hockey Team heart and soul gritty forward Cody Smuk, who everyone was pulling for as he battled cancer before passing away in June of 2015.

From the start of this season, Nyhus has been the name you associate with the Huskies, but even that hasn’t always been that way.

In 2016, Nyhus arrived on campus from the Riffel High School Royals football team as the gem of the final recruiting class brought in by now retired Huskies head coach and Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Brian Towriss. He was hyped as the signal caller that could potential take the Huskies, who haven’t won the Vanier Cup as U Sports champions since 1998, all the way one day.

Playing behind veterans Kyle Siemens and Drew Burko, Nyhus was a red-shirt in his first campaign. He was the team’s backup quarterback in 2017 and 2018, when the Huskies won their first Hardy Cup as Canada West Conference Champions since 2006.

Mason Nyhus (#8) stays composed under pressure.

Due to his athletic ability, Nyhus attended the CFL training camp of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018 and the Calgary Stampeders in 2019 under the Canadian quarterback internship program. He had two CFL training camps under his belt before getting his first start with the Huskies.

In his third year of eligibility in 2019, Nyhus had a strong season in his first campaign as a starter quarterbacking the Huskies to a second place finish in Canada West with a 5-3 mark. The Huskies fell in the Canada West final to the eventual Vanier Cup champion University of Calgary Dinos 29-4 in Calgary.

During that season, Nyhus was often the Huskies version of legendary NFL gunslinger Brett Favre. Nyhus was arguable the Huskies most exciting player that could deliver win, but he would also try to force some plays that weren’t there.

Nyhus and the Huskies weren’t able to hit the field in 2020 as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic took hold in the world causing the Canada West season and all U Sports nationals to be canceled for the 2020-21 campaign.

That led to a 2021 season where Nyhus and the Huskies football team etched a place on the national scene. In an abbreviated six game regular season, Nyhus quarterbacked the Huskies to a first place finish in the Canada West Conference with a 5-1 record.

He was named the all-star quarterback in Canada West completing 109-of-187 passes for 1,653 yards and 16 touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions.

Mason Nyhus sets to make a throw from the pocket.

During that season, Nyhus was often the Huskies version of “the goat” Tom Brady. Nyhus was poised and efficient, and he possessed a swagger where you felt the Huskies were going to win game in and game out no matter what happened on the field.

The tutelage of current Huskies head coach Scott Flory showed through on the field.

In the Hardy Cup hosted at Griffiths Stadium, Nyhus and the Huskies bombed the University of Manitoba Bisons 45-17.

The Huskies followed that win up taking a 14-10 thrilling finish in the Uteck Bowl over the Universite de Montreal Carabins at The CEPSUM in Montreal, Quebec. In that contest, star running back Adam Machart made an electrifying 13-yard touchdown run to with the game with five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. That play became an all-time storied moment in the history of the Huskies program.

The Huskies advanced to the Vanier Cup for the first time since 2006 to take on the University of Western Ontario Mustangs at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec. The London, Ont., based Mustangs took that contest 27-21.

Nyhus completed 28-of-40 passes in that contest for 303 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

By the end of that 2021 playoff run, Machart and then fifth-year utility player Colton Klassen had become household names for the Huskies too. Both became known players on the national stage along with Nyhus.

Mason Nyhus has the Huskies out to a 5-0 start this season.

The profile of those players was helped due to the U Sports semifinal bowl games being streamed on CBC’s online platforms and the Vanier Cup being showed on CBC’s main television station nationally.

If it hadn’t been for graduation, Klassen could have been a household name known nationally for the Huskies in 2022.

Machart was eligible to return for one more U Sports season. He announced his retirement from the game this past April 28 and opted out of the CFL Draft held in early May.

Machart moved to Kelowna, B.C., after the Huskies season ended in December of 2021 and became heavily involved with a family-run supplement store in that centre. As a result of that development and still being healthy with no major injuries, Machart elected to focus on that part of his life.

That left Nyhus as the big returning name for the Huskies in 2022. So far during the U Sports season, it has been common to hear some CFL fans state they would like to see Nyhus, who is also a four time U Sports academic all-Canadian, throwing passes professionally in Canada.

With their 2021 playoff run, the Huskies were able to capture the attention of people that wouldn’t normally follow U Sports football or U Sports in general. When someone mention’s University of Saskatchewan Huskies, Mason Nyhus’s name is the first that comes to mind.

Mason Nyhus has passed for 1,729 yards in five games in 2022.

While one can lament it took until Nyhus’s final U Sports season for him to become “the face” of Huskie Athletics, this might be the time to take the glass half full approach.

The Huskies have a star and marketable athlete in Nyhus, who still has three more regular season games to play including two at home. 

The next game will be a rivalry tilt against the 4-1 University of Regina Rams to be held Saturday, October 15 at 1 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium to determine top spot in the Canada West Conference.

Following the regular season, Nyhus could potentially play in four post-season contests including two games at home. On top of that, he is a great role model for younger players.

Nyhus is the type of player that the office staff with Huskie Athletics could conduct a Hec Crighton Trophy type hype campaign similar to campaigns seen in the top level of NCAA football for the Heisman Trophy, which is award to the most valuable player in U.S. college football.

There is still time to enjoy seeing Nyhus throwing passes for the Huskies, so it would be advisable for any type of sports followers to go out and see him play while they still can. 

Mason Nyhus and the Huskies celebrate a Hardy Cup win in 2021.

Unfortunately for players like Nyhus, it seems like their time with teams like the Huskies flies by way too fast.

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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“The Golden Boy” of the Huskies

Nyhus’s highly anticipated time as starting QB arrives

Mason Nyhus takes over as the Huskies starting quarterback.

    Mason Nyhus was ready for the joking jabs to be fired his way from his teammates.

    The 21-year-old was answering a question about not only taking over as starting quarterback of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team, but also being hyped as the signal caller that could potentially take the team all the way when he first stepped foot on campus in 2016.

    A quartet of Nyhus’s teammates walked past, and they sent off good-natured shots about him being the superstar and bowing towards him.

    Nyhus chuckled at the scene.

    “I’ve got great teammates obviously that are going to help me out,” said Nyhus. “We have a great defence, so I basically get to go out there and make the right throws and get the ball to my playmakers and let them do the work for sure.”

    Back in 2016, Nyhus, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 195 pounds, came to the Huskies as highly-touted prospect from the Riffel High School Royals football team in Regina. He was the gem in the final recruiting class brought in by now retired Huskies head coach and Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Brian Towriss.

    Nyhus quarterbacked Saskatchewan’s provincial team to a bronze medal win at the 2015 Football Canada Cup in Saint Jean, Que. At the International Bowl series that ran Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, 2016 in Arlington, Texas, Nyhus was calling signals for Canada’s under-18 team.

Mason Nyhus (#8) throws a pass in a controlled scrimmage in 2016.

    In July of 2016, Nyhus was a member of Canada’s Junior National Team that won the International Federation of American Football under-19 World Championship in Harbin, China.

    Since Nyhus stepped foot on the U of S campus, there has been anticipation among football followers in Saskatchewan to see what he could do as the starting quarterback of the Huskies.

    There were visions of Nyhus taking the Huskies on a long playoff run and potentially winning the Vanier Cup as U Sports champions for the first time since 1998.

    While Nyhus does have confidence, he has humbleness too and is quick to downplay the noise. Going through his first Huskies training camp in 2016, he was playing behind veterans Kyle Siemens and Drew Burko and ultimately red shirted that campaign.

    Nyhus said that was where he should be in the pecking order at that time.

    “I just remember they had really big arms,” said Nyhus, who is in his third year of U Sports eligibility. “Kyle was a two-year junior guy, and then he had two years with the Huskies.

    “He was the same age as my older brother, so I always thought that was bizarre. Burko was a year older than him. They were just big, strong guys, you know what I mean.

Mason Nyhus at Roughriders training camp in 2018.

    “They’ve been out of high school for a long time. I just remember them throwing 60-yard bombs. Now here I am trying to do that now.”

    Siemens beat out Burko for the starting spot in 2016, and Burko exhausted his U Sports eligibility following that campaign.

    Nyhus was the backup behind Siemens the past two seasons. Nyhus saw Siemens set the Huskies records for most pass completions (201) and passing yards (2,570) in one regular season in the 2017 campaign.

    During his five seasons with the Huskies from 2014 to 2018, Siemens completed 604-of-998 passes for 7,932 yards, 55 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. His 604 completions are a career regular season record for the Huskies, and his 7,932 yards is second on the Huskies career regular season yardage list.

    Siemens capped his career guiding the Huskies to their first Canada West Conference title by winning the Hardy Cup and berth to a U Sports semifinal bowl game since 2006. The Huskies fell 47-24 in the Mitchell Bowl to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs in London, Ont.

    Siemens prepared for his years with the Huskies toiling on the Canadian Junior Football League roster of the Regina Thunder in 2012 and a CJFL championship campaign in 2013.

    “I couldn’t ask for a better guy to play with,” said Nyhus. “He (Siemens) is one of my best friends here in Saskatoon.

Kyle Siemens (#19) was a big influence in helping Mason Nyhus.

    “I still hang out with him a lot. I learned a lot from him, so I will definitely cherish the memories playing on this team with Kyle (Siemens) for sure. I pride myself on being kind of a calm, cool, collected guy.

    “I try to stay calm out there, and I definitely learned a lot from Kyle (Siemens) in that matter. He is a very poised quarterback. I definitely took that with me a lot.”

    The Huskies return a number of veterans on offence along the offensive line and at receiver.

    The running game will be paced by running backs Adam Machart, who is in his second year with the team and third in U Sports eligibility, and Josh Ewanchyna, who comes over from starring with the CJFL champion Saskatoon Hilltops and is in his second year of U Sports eligibility.

    Nyhus said he has inherited a pretty good situation.

    “Our O-line, across the board we’re big, strong and fast,” said Nyhus. “We’re going to have time to throw the football, which is very exciting.

    “We’re going to be able to run the ball with those guys, especially with Adam (Machart) and Josh (Ewanchyna). They are two powerful guys in their 20s. They can run hard, (and) they are fast.

    “Even at the receiver position, we can execute out there for sure. They are running crisp routes and catching the football. It is definitely helpful out there to have those guys.”

    Huskies head coach Scott Flory said Nyhus is ready to be the leader of the team.

    “I’m just so excited for his opportunity to show what he can do,” said Flory. “I get front row seats.

Mason Nyhus has prepared to be in the spotlight with the Huskies.

    “That is just what it is about. That kid, he is phenomenal. I can’t say enough good things about him.

    “He is the face of our team, and he should be. He is going to have a tonne of success.”

    Flory said Nyhus benefitted from attending two straight CFL training camps under the Canadian quarterback internship program. Nyhus was in Saskatchewan Roughriders camp last year and in Calgary Stampeders camp in late May and early June of this year.

    “If anything, you are just soaking in just being around it, just being around that high level of athleticism and guys are really preparing in what they do,” said Flory. “Just being there helps.”

    In 2017, Nyhus came off the bench completing 15 of 22 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for the Huskies. Last season, he completed 28-of-47 passes for 448 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.

    Nyhus said he benefitted from the two CFL training camps he attended. He is looking forward to the season with focus on the present and not looking too far into the future.

    With that said, Nyhus has high expectations of what his team can do game in and game out.

    “Definitely confidence, but we respect every opponent no doubt about it,” said Nyhus. “We expect to win every game we play in, but we have to go out there and execute.

    “I think we have a very good team. As long as we execute what coach Flory puts out for us, I think we will be alright. We just have to play hard and let the score take care of itself.”

QB Mason Nyhus is confident the Huskies will do great this season.

    The Huskies opened training camp on Aug. 12 and conclude camp activities with the green and white intrasquad game on Friday at 3 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium.

    U of S opens the regular season on Aug. 30 traveling to Winnipeg to face the University of Manitoba Bisons. The Huskies host their home opener on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at Griffiths Stadium.

    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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Siemens is top football dog

Huskies make right move in going with third-year pivot

Kyle Siemens stays cool in the pocket for the Huskies.

    Kyle Siemens was the obvious choice to lead the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team as the starting quarterback, which should come as no surprise seeing his short sampling of work on the field.

    Going into this Canadian Interuniversity Sport season, Siemens, who is in his third year of eligibility, was in a battle for the Huskies starting quarterback position with fifth-year veteran Drew Burko. Both happen to be graduates of Saskatoon’s Aden Bowman Collegiate in Saskatoon.

    Burko was the starting pivot from 2012 to the Huskies sixth regular season outing in the 2015 campaign.

    Sitting at 2-4 last season, the Dogs needed a spark to make a playoff push. In went Siemens for the second last regular season game, and he proceeded to push the Huskies into the post-season going 1-1 in his two starts. The wins gave the Dogs a 3-5 regular season mark.
    U of S fell in a Canada West quarter-final playoff contest 37-29 in Calgary to the University of Calgary Dinos.

    In the Huskies regular season opener last Friday, Siemens had a strong outing completing 28-of-42 passes for 338 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in a thrilling 41-39 overtime victory over the University of Regina Rams. He also rose up in one big key moment before a packed crowd of 7,735 spectators at Griffiths Stadium, which showed why he had to handle the starting reins.

    The Rams had scored a touchdown and added a two-point convert to go up 31-28 with 1:36 to play in the fourth quarter.

    On the ensuing U of S series, the Huskies were at their own 20 yard line facing a third and 20. The situation favoured the defence, and the Huskies needed a big play to avoid bowing out in defeat.

    Siemens proceeded to hook up with receiver Yol Piok on a deep throw to pick up 35 yards and get the Huskies to midfield. The game’s momentum changed, and Siemens guided the Huskies into position to hit a short 20-yard field goal to tie things up at 31-31 and send the contest to overtime.

Kyle Siemens fires a pass downfield for the Huskies.

    As an encore, the Rams would go up 38-31 getting a touchdown in their first possession of the shootout overtime format, and Siemens came back hitting Colton Klassen with a 29-yard TD toss to tie things up at 38-38.

    The Rams proceeded to get a single from a missed field goal on their second OT possession to go up 39-38, and Huskies kicker Sean Stenger followed with a short 10-yard field goal to give his side a 41-39 win.

    Under Burko in 2015, the Huskies didn’t make enough key plays like the ones Siemens did inside the final 90 seconds of the fourth quarter and in overtime on Friday. In the always tough Canada West conference, making those types of plays separates good teams from average teams and great teams from good ones.

    The other thing that hurt Burko was the fact he got in a rut last season of turning the ball over. In 2015, Burko completed 117 of 206 passes for 1,725 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. He threw a combined five pics in back-to-back blowout losses to the Dinos, where the Huskies were outscored 103-34 and dropped to 2-4.

    When Siemens came in, he did a better job at taking care of the ball, which drastically improved the Huskies chances to win. In his first start last season, Siemens completed 44-of-67 passes for 520 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a 41-36 loss at Griffiths Stadium to the eventual Vanier Cup champion University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. The 44 completions were a single game Huskies record.

    Needed a win on the road in Regina against the Rams to make playoffs, Siemens rallied the Huskies from a 34-11 late third quarter deficit to pull out a 38-37 win. He completed 23-of-41 passes for 422 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in that contest.

    In the playoffs, Siemens had the Dogs up 22-19 early in the fourth quarter against the Dinos, before the Dinos pulled out a 37-29 victory. Siemens completed 29-of-46 passes for 356 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in that loss.

Kyle Siemens calls a play in the huddle for the Huskies.

    With the way Siemens finished the 2015 campaign, it was going to be hard not to name him the starter. He gives the Huskies their best chance to win.

    Burko did have a longer sampling as a starter. From a physical stature, he has all the tools you look for in a quarterback standing 6-foot-4, weighing 225 pounds and having a gun of an arm.

    Siemens stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 195 pounds and has a stature more comparable to CFL legend Doug Flutie. Like Flutie, Siemens isn’t your sexy pick to be quarterback, but also like Flutie, Siemens makes plays.

    Veteran Huskies head coach Brian Towriss and his staff know they have to make tough the decisions to help their team win, and this was one of them.

    Now it is up to Siemens to continue his magic this coming Friday on the road, when the Huskies travel to Edmonton to face the University of Alberta Golden Bears (0-1), who have a habit of playing the Dogs tough.

Thunder have hit at Leibel Field

Over 1,500 spectators packed Leibel Field in Regina to watch the Thunder.

    The Canadian Junior Football League’s Regina Thunder might have discovered that bigger isn’t always better.

    On Saturday, the Thunder packed over 1,500 fans into the cozy confines of Leibel Field to watch the host side post a 43-29 victory over the Winnipeg Rifles. For the Thunder’s hometown players, the move was a return to the roots type one.

    Leibel Field is home to a large majority of Regina’s minor football games. A lot of the Thunder’s Regina born players likely got their first taste of the tackled game at the park suiting up at age eight.

    The facility is also home to a number of clashes for the city’s various men’s and women’s touch and flag leagues.

    Leibel Field was renovated a few years back, which allowed the Thunder to experiment with the concept of playing there.

Tailback Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette tears downfield for the Thunder.

    Normally, the Thunder play at Mosaic Stadium, which is home to the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Thunder usually draws crowds of around 1,000, which look very spread out at Mosaic Stadium, which can seat over 33,000.

    At Leibel Field, it felt like the Thunder game had a better atmosphere, as there were no empty seats in the bleachers. The beer garden was a little small, but it was equipped with a big flat screen television, which allowed spectators to keep track of what was going on out on the field.

    Overall, the Thunder had a big hit with the concept of going to a smaller park. Hopefully, they will keep coming back to this novelty in the future.

    If they even just had one game a year at Leibel Field per season, it would be a good thing.  

Hilltops back on track

Joshua Ewanchyna piled up 178 yards rushing.

    As expected, the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops earned their big bounce back victory, and they got big contributions from a couple of youngsters.

    On Sunday, the Hilltops traveled to Edmonton and flattened the Wildcats 53-16 in CJFL action to improve to 3-1. The Wildcats fell to 0-4.
    Before downing the Wildcats, the Hilltops dropped a 36-21 decision to the Calgary Colts at Saskatoon Minor Football Field on Aug. 28.

    In the win over the Wildcats, rookie tailback Joshua Ewanchyna piled up 178 yards rushing on 18 carries and scored three touchdowns. Second-year running back Adam Machart picked up 118 yards rushing on 17 carries and one major.

    Fifth-year veteran quarterback Jared Andreychuk connected on 13-of-18 passes for 244 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Receiver Jason Price hauled in six passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns.

    Defensive back Logan Bitz topped the Toppers with seven tackles, while safety James Vause had an interception and a fumble recovery.

    On Saturday, the Hilltops return to action with a key battle against the Regina Thunder (3-1) at 7 p.m. at SMF Field. Both teams are chasing the Colts (4-0) for first in the Prairie Football Conference.
    Before tangling with the Thunders, the Hilltops are hosting their Potashcorp Scholarship Dinner at SMF Field. Gates open at 4:15 p.m. and dinner follows at 5:15 p.m. with Saskatchewan Roughriders great George Reed as the guest speaker and a pre-game address by Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

    Following Saturday’s game, the Hilltops play three of their final four games on the road. That stretch includes traveling to Kelowna, B.C., on Sept. 17 for a clash that counts in the regular season standings with the Okanagan Sun, who the Hilltops beat 38-24 in last year’s Canadian Bowl. The Sun currently top the British Columbia Football Conference with a 6-0 mark.

Blades announce more Howe day details

The Gordie Howe statue in front of the SaskTel Centre.

    During a press conference on Tuesday, the Saskatoon Blades announced more details of their “Thank You, Mr. Hockey” day.

    Before their regular season home opener on Sept. 25 against the Swift Current Broncos, the Blades will honour one of the greatest hockey players of all-time in the late Gordie Howe. Howe passed away on June 10 at age 88.

    Hockey Night in Canada broadcasting legend Bob Cole will serve as host of a special 25-minute pre-game ceremony, which is slated to begin at 2 p.m. The Blades will wear special Howe themed jerseys for the contest and stickers on their helmets bearing Howe’s signature.

    The Blades are also bringing in trophies Howe won from the Hockey Hall of Fame to be put on display. The first 6,000 people inside the rink will get special Howe themed items.

    The day begins with a private ceremony at the Howe statue outside the SaskTel Centre for his family at 9:30 a.m. The cremated remains of Gordie and his wife Colleen Howe will be interred at the statue. City officials and the provincial government pushed through special approval to allow the statue to serve as a cemetery.

    After the ceremony, the Howe family will make their way to the newly built Circle Drive South Bridge, which is being named the Gordie Howe Bridge.

    All four of Gordie and Colleen’s children will be in the city for all the day’s activities.

    Blades president Steve Hogle has and is working extremely hard to pull the special events on this day together. This will definitely be the must-see Blades game of the year.

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

Football Huskies salvage respect

Kyle Siemens calls out signals for the Huskies.

  It wasn’t supposed to turn out this way.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team was expected to content for a championship. Instead, the Dogs found themselves battling to finish their 2015 Canadian Interuniversity Sport campaign in a respectable fashion.

    Coming off posting a 6-2 mark during the 2014 regular season, the Huskies entered the 2015 campaign returning a large number of players and hopes were high the Green and White would make the Canada West championship game, the Hardy Cup, and advance to the CIS title game, the Vanier Cup.

    The 2015 campaign came to a close for the Huskies on Saturday, when they traveled to Calgary and fell 37-29 to the University of Calgary Dinos in a hard fought Canada West semifinal playoff battle. The Dinos, who were 8-0 in the regular season, ensured their quest for perfection continued. The Huskies, who were 3-5 in the regular season, saw their post-season losing skid grow to seven games.

    To the Huskies credit, they managed to finish on a high. During the final week of the regular season, they were on the brink of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2000.

    On Oct. 30, the Huskies traveled to Regina to play the winless University of Regina Rams in the final regular season contest for both teams. The Huskies had lost three straight to fall to 2-5 entering that match and would be eliminated from the post-season picture with another setback.

    The Rams held a 34-11 lead late in the third quarter of that tilt at Mosaic Stadium, and it looked like the party was over for the Dogs. Miraculously, the Huskies rallied for a 38-37 victory, when running back Jarvis James ran in from a yard out with about 20 seconds to play in the fourth quarter.

    In the playoffs, the Huskies looked for the longest time that they could pull off a huge upset against the Dinos. The Dogs held a 16-8 lead at halftime and a 22-19 edge early in the fourth quarter before the Dinos offence hit high gear and took the game away.

Donovan Dale gets a sack for the Huskies.

    U of S showed heart at the end. That likely dampened some of the critics that watch Saskatoon’s most followed sports team.

    The critics in the stands became vocal last year at Griffiths Stadium, when the Huskies held a 37-18 lead over the University of Manitoba Bisons in a Canada West semifinal match only to fall 47-39.
    Some of the spectators started heaping jabs at the Huskies in a style similar to the jabs some of the fans of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders fire at that club when things are not going well.

    The Huskies started 2015 by stumbling out of the gates dropping their first two regular season games. The first setback was a 34-28 decision at Griffiths to the Bisons, and the second was a 38-26 loss in Edmonton to the University of Alberta Golden Bears. In the home opening loss, the critics in the crowd could be heard again and a couple of voices said that legendary Huskies head coach Brian Towriss, who is the all-time leader in CIS victories, should retire.

    U of S rebounded to even its mark at 2-2, but fell to 2-4 after being bombed twice by the Dinos.

    At that point, the 59-year-old Towriss and his staff showed they still have the ability to right the ship. Veteran fourth-year quarterback Drew Burko lost his starting position to sophomore Kyle Siemens. Burko had thrown nine interceptions over his six starts and a number of those were not of the good variety.

    Siemens completed 44 of 67 passes in his first start for 520 yards, three touchdown passes, while being intercepted once in a 41-36 loss to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at Griffiths. That defeat before the campaign’s smallest home crowd of 3,179 spectators, dropped the Huskies to 2-5 but hope started to be restored.

Huskies receiver Mitch Hillis tries to burst past a tackler.

    In the rally over the Rams, Siemens completed 23-of-41 passes for 422 yards, two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Against the Dinos in the playoffs, Siemens continued his solid play completing 29 of 46 passes for 356 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

    With Siemens at the controls, the Huskies offence appeared less likely to self-destruct. Actually, Siemens was throwing at the level of a franchise quarterback, and his rise might help restore high aspirations for the team in the future. In the off-season, the Huskies need to find some recruits to strengthen a defence that was extremely leaky throughout the campaign.

    Things are not all bad for the Huskies, but they are also not all good.

    Some big work needs to be done in the off-season, but on the bright side, wholesale changes are not needed.

The rewarding life of a Blades billet family

Blades captain Brett Stovin battles Medicine Hat's Steven Owre for a faceoff.

    I was back in the Saskatoon Express this week, with a cool behind the scenes feature.

I caught up with recently graduated Saskatoon Blades captain Brett Stovin, and he talked about what it was like to live in the home of Scott and Mel Frey during his years with the WHL franchise. The Freys just became a Blades billet family, when they welcomed Stovin, who now players for the University of Manitoba Bisons men’s hockey team, into their home shortly before his 17^th birthday. 

    He played four full seasons with the Blades, which included being part of the squad that hosted the 2013 Memorial Cup.

    The experience was rewarding for both Stovin and Freys. You can check out that story 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.

Huskies dominate on the ground

The Huskies defence stuffs Rams tailback Atlee Simon.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies weren’t going to get beaten on the ground this time.

    In opening the Canada West football season with two straight losses, the Huskies gave up an average of just over 260 yards rushing in each of those contests. On Friday night at Griffiths Stadium, the Dogs game up only 53 yards rushing to the visiting University of Regina Rams in earning a 33-18 victory before 6,476 spectators.

    Rams star tailback Atlee Simon, who ran for 396 yards in his club’s first two games, only managed 33 yards running on 11 carries against the Huskies. The U of S starting defensive line of Evan Machibroda, Liam Graham, Tristian Koronkiewicz and Donovan Dale needed to answer the bell, and they did.

    On offence, the Huskies hit top gear with their running attack piling up a season high 230 yards rushing as a team. Feature back Tyler Chow collected 124 yards on 15 carries, while change of pace back Shane Buchanan ran the ball 14 times for 87 tough yards between the tackles scoring one touchdown.

    The effectiveness of the Huskies rushing attack allowed fourth-year quarterback Drew Burko to have his most effective game of the season completing 19-of-30 passes for 243 yards, three touchdown strikes and no interceptions. Receiver Mitch Hillis was the main target catching nine passes for 135 yards and two scores.

    The Huskies (1-2) weren’t perfect and did make mistakes, but Friday’s effort was a total team victory, which caused the Rams to remain winless at 0-3.

    Early on, it appeared the Huskies struggles were going to continue. The Rams opened the scoring in the first quarter on a nine play, 95-yard drive culminating in a two-yard TD run by Simon. The score was set up when Rams quarterback Noah Picton hit Riley Wilson on a 31-yard post pattern that set the visitors up on the Huskies two.

Shane Buchanan rumbles downfield for the Huskies.

    The Dogs cut the gap to 7-5 on a field goal and safety before the game’s momentum really swung in their favour. On the ensuing kickoff after the Rams gave up a safety to make the contest a two-point game in the second quarter, Yol Piok had a monster return for the Huskies to set the hosts up at the Rams 15. Two plays later, Burko hit Hillis for a 15-yard scoring strike to put the Huskies up 12-7.

    A short time later, Huskies defensive back Chris Friesen intercepted Picton and returned the pick 42 yards to the Rams 15. Two plays later, Burko hit Piok for a 13-yard scoring toss to put the Huskies up 19-7.

    The Rams kicked a field goal just before halftime to cut the Huskies edge to 19-10. That set the stage for the Huskies to overcome another bad trend.

    In their first two contests, the Dogs scored a total of 14 combine points in the second halves of both those outings. They matched that total in the second half against the Rams.

    After U of S linebacker Dane Bishop recovered a Rams fumble in the third quarter, the Huskies manufactured a seven play, 65-yard scoring drive that was capped by a two-yard Buchanan TD run.

The Huskies kick cover unit takes down Ryan Schienbein of the Rams.

    Early in the fourth quarter, the Huskies recovered a Rams fumble on a punt return and turned that gift into another seven points, when Burko hit Hillis for a nine-yard scoring strike to put the hosts up 33-10.

    The Rams closed the game’s scoring when Noah Picton hit Mitchell Picton on a 37-yard scoring strike, and the two proceeded to connect on a two-point convert attempt.    

    Noah Picton had success through the air completing 28 of 43 passes for 422 yards, which included hitting Wilson six times for 141 yards. The Rams couldn’t survive the turnovers they committed and the fact they couldn’t run the ball.

    The Huskies looked better than they had all season and took a big step forward. They will try to keep taking steps forward in the current Canadian Interuniversity Sport season this coming Friday, when they travel to Vancouver to face the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

    Following that clash, the Huskies face the powerhouse U of Calgary Dinos (3-0) in a home and home series. The Huskies and Dinos meet on Oct. 3 in Calgary and again on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium.

    If you want to pass along any comments about this blog post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. Check out Twitter for more game photos @StanksSports.

It's must win time for Huskies football

Huskies RB Tyler Chow  breaks away from the Bisons.

    It may only be Week 3 of the Canada West football season, but the University of Saskatchewan Huskies have to play with some urgency now.

    After dropping a 38-26 decision to the University of Alberta Golden Bears last Friday in Edmonton, the Huskies, who entered the 2015 campaign with expectations of challenging for the Vanier Cup, fell to 0-2. If they fall to the University of Regina Rams (0-2) this coming Friday on home turf at Griffiths Stadium (7 p.m. start) in a battle of winless teams, the Huskies would be an unthinkable 0-3.

    It is hard for anyone to recall the last time the Huskies opened a football campaign at 0-3. They last missed the post-season in 2000 with a 2-6 mark but started out 2-2 before closing out on a four-game skid in the final season with star Vanier Cup winning quarterback Ryan Reid calling signals.

    It is still possible for a team to dig itself out of an 0-3 hole, win Canada West and challenge for a Canadian Interuniversity Sport title, but that is a very hard road to travel. It is more optimal to be 1-2 going into the final five games of the Canada West regular season.

    After going 6-2 in 2014 and hosting a home playoff game for the first time since 2010, big things were expected of the Huskies this season. They improved as the 2014 campaign moved on and returned a large number of veterans for the 2015 campaign.

    Unfortunately, it seems like the hangover from last year’s post-season loss to the University of Manitoba Bisons in the Canada West semifinal round is still present. In that contest, the Huskies held a 37-18 third quarter lead before falling 47-39.

    The comeback came because the Bisons scored 14 points off a pair of interceptions including a pick-six, a major off a blocked punt, a field goal off a fumble and a safety caused by a bad snap. The setback was also the sixth in a row in the post-season for the Dogs.

The Huskies have had big troubles making run stops like this.

    The Huskies began 2015 by thumping the Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks 33-10 in an August exhibition tilt at Griffiths Stadium. U of S proceeded to open the Canada West regular season dropping a 34-28 decision at home on Sept. 4 to the Bisons before losing last Friday in Edmonton. A couple of disturbing trends could be seen in both games.

    In the opening week loss to the Bisons, the Huskies only scored six points in the second half, and they surrendered 514 yards of total offence in the contest including 246 yards on the ground. Fourth-year quarterback Drew Burko threw four costly interceptions for the Huskies, which turned out to be the key factor in the loss.

    Burko was up front saying he had to learn from his mistakes during various media interviews leading up to the clash with the Golden Bears. He handled the aftermath of the loss to the Bisons better than most professional quarterbacks.

    Huskies head coach Brian Towriss was also great with the media in his classic and accountable tell it like it is style, which included pointing out the Bisons made a couple of outstanding plays on two of Burko’s picks.

    Burko couldn’t be faulted in the setback to the Golden Bears. He completed 30 of 51 passes for 333 yards without throwing an interception. The Huskies led 18-0 at halftime before the wheels fell off.

    Playing before 3,200 spectators at Foote Field, the Golden Bears outscored the Huskies 38-8 in the second half in a surprising comeback win. U of A also piled up 583 yards of offence including 283 yards on the ground.

    The Huskies inability to score in the second half and the fact they are allowing opponents to gain way too many yards – especially on the ground – is startling. The huge rushing totals the Dogs are giving up basically means their defensive line is being dominated at the line of scrimmage. If they don’t get tougher on the defensive side of the ball, the 2015 campaign will become a long one on the adversity front.

    When the offence hits a rut, they might want to take a page out of their past to get out of it. In the early 2000s when the offence stalled, the Huskies would give the ball to power back Tyler Siwak, who ran through people gaining five and six yards in a cloud of dust. So impressive were Siwak’s power runs that the crowds at Griffiths routinely rose to their feet and saluted with loud ovations.

Power runner Andre Lalonde has been a seldom used option by the Huskies.

    The Dog have that type of back in Andre Lalonde, who was nicknamed “The Bowling Ball” during his time with the Canadian Junior Football League’s Saskatoon Hilltops. Lalonde has four touches over two games, and he needs to be utilized more. Tyler Chow is a great feature back, but Lalonde brings a change of pace that is much needed.

    The Huskies need to get the bad trends turned around now in their next game against the Rams. If they don’t, the Dogs may face an avalanche they won’t be able to recover from.

    In a twist, the Rams fell by close margins in their first two games, so they need to be feeling some urgency as well. The U of R fell at home in Week 1 to the Golden Bears 29-22 and dropped a 27-20 decision in Week 2 to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in Vancouver.

    U of S needs to be the more desperate team on Friday, if they hope to take the first step to turn things around and start meeting high expectations.

    If you have any comments you want to pass on about this blog post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

Bisons "D" busts up Burko, Huskies

Huskies QB Drew Burko (#2) threw four picks in Friday's loss to the Bisons.

    Drew Burko will want to destroy the video of that contest.

    The fourth year starting quarterback for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team did not have his best day throwing four costly interceptions Friday night in a 34-28 loss to the University of Manitoba Bisons at Griffiths Stadium before 6,457 spectators. Burko threw two of his interceptions inside of the final two minutes of the CIS regular season opening contest for both squads. 

    Fifth-year veteran Zack Sandelescu made the first late pick for the Bisons with 1:21 to play, while fourth-year vet Cam Teschuk came up with the second pick that iced the game for the visitors with 31 seconds to play.

    On at least three of his interceptions, Burko was locked in on his intended receiver for a lengthy time, which allowed the Bisons defensive backs to zero in on the throw.

    While the picks late in the fourth quarter punctuated the loss, the veteran signal caller’s two second quarter interceptions were just as costly. Just before the halfway point of the second stanza with the Huskies up 20-14, Burko threw an interception at the goal-line to Bisons defensive back Tyler Fong.

    After the U of M went ahead 24-22 late in the second quarter, Burko drove the Huskies downfield only to get picked at the Bisons three by Eric Plett with 16 seconds remaining before halftime.

    Burko completed 24-of-46 passes for 318 yards, which included hitting Gilmer, Texas, product Tevin Godfrey for a 30-yard score that gave the hosts a 20-7 lead early in the second frame.

    Bisons quarterback Theo Deezar connected on 17-of-28 attempts for 268 yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions. After the Huskies went ahead 20-7, Deezar immediately responded by engineering a quick five-play, 80-yard drive that was capped with an acrobatic 27-yard touchdown catch by receiver Alex Vitt to cut the Huskies edge to 20-14.

Rookie Jamel Lyles shreds the Huskies defence on a run.

    Early in the fourth quarter with the Huskies holding a 28-24 lead, Deezar connected with Lerenzo Ihanza on a 58-yard positive bounce touchdown pass to put the Bisons in front 31-28. Ihanza caught a deep pass that deflected off the hands of a Huskies defensive back and proceeded to run in for the winning score.

    The Huskies had other opportunities that slipped through their fingers. Leading 8-0 in the first quarter, they blocked a punt to start a drive 12 yards away from the Bisons end zone. The hosts were held to a field goal in going up 11-0.

    Up 11-7 after a three-yard TD run by Bisons running back Cameron Fox, the Huskies were stopped on a third-and-goal gamble from a yard out, when back-up quarterback Kyle Siemens couldn’t find his way to paydirt against a tough Bisons front. Siemens had the game’s first major on a one-yard sneak.

    The Dogs had to lament their missed chances, but the Bisons have to be given full credit for taking the game away from the host side.

    The visitors also held a huge edge along the ground piling up 246 yards rushing to the Huskies 116. Bisons rookie tailback Jamel Lyles led all ground gainers with 155 yards on 11 carries, which included a lightning fast 58-yard dash in the second quarter that cut a 22-14 Huskies edge to 22-21. Tyler Chow topped the Huskies in rushing with 109 yards on 17 carries.

Preston McIntyre recovers a Bisons fourth quarter fumble for the Huskies.

    Ryan Jones hit a 29-yard field goal to give Manitoba a 24-22 lead at halftime. Saskatchewan kicker Sean Stenger hit a 17-yard field goal early in the third quarter and 28-yard field goal on the first place of the fourth quarter to put his side up 28-24.

    After Ihanza’s touchdown catch, Jones nailed a 10-yard field goal to put the Bisons up 34-28.

    Saskatchewan appeared to be poised for some last minute heroics, when sophomore defensive lineman Preston McIntyre recovered a Bisons fumble at the Huskies 26 with 1:49 to play. Burko’s final two interceptions ended any hopes of a two-minute drill win.

    The Huskies return to action this coming Friday, when they travel to Edmonton to face the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

Farewell to Dom

    It was a result that can only be labeled as unfair.

    On Thursday, Dominic Rooney, who was less than a month and a half away from his third birthday, passed away after almost a two-year battle with acute myeloid leukemia. Dominic was the son of Sean and Trish Rooney of Medicine Hat, and Sean was my sports editor at the Medicine Hat News.

    During Dominic’s battle with cancer, Sean documented his family’s journey with a spectacular and heart-wrenching blog. After doctors said Dominic’s condition was terminal, he defied the odds by continuing to live for 36 weeks.

    Just hours after Dominic’s passing, Sean crafted one his best pieces ever to report his son’s final moments. That specific post can be found here.

    As the Rooney family went through their journey, they were warmly supported by the citizens of Medicine Hat through a variety of fundraisers. In his valiant fight, Dominic inspired many and brought out the best in the Gas City.

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

Saskatoon will always have a heart for the Hilltops

Logan Fischer runs the ball at the Hilltops spring camp scrimmage.

    Love for the Hilltops junior football club is alive and well in Saskatoon, and it feels like that might be something that never changes.
    As the population of the Bridge City and surrounding suburbs has ballooned to 300,000 due to an influx of at least 50,000 people over the last nine years, the Hilltops still have a loyal fan base. The supporters might not always be present for games at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, which was known as Gordie Howe Bowl for most of its life, but they are alert to what the team is up to.
    On Oct. 26 of last year, the Hilltops hosted another Prairie Football Conference title game and looked dynamic in disposing of the surging Calgary Colts 27-7. An appreciative crowd of 1,014 cheered the blue and gold to victory that day. While the Hilltops have played before much bigger crowds in their history, news of their win and the fact they advanced to another national final spread quickly over social media lines.
    Soon, the Hilltops were the talk of the town. A day after that victory, they hosted the Riderville North Quarterback Luncheon in conjunction with the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders at TCU Place. The event was packed, and it gave the Hilltops a warm kick off towards two weeks of preparation for the CJFL title game, the Canadian Bowl.
    The Toppers proceeded to travel to Langley, B.C., where they disposed of the host Rams 39-14 on Nov. 8. A healthy following of supporters made the trip to B.C. to witness the championship victory.

The Hilltops offensive and defensive lines battle in the trenches.

    On Sunday, the Hilltops hosted a Blue and Gold scrimmage game at Saskatoon Minor Football Field to conclude a three day spring camp. The scrimmage attracted a large gathering of supporters. The followers won't go away.
    The storied franchise has won 17 Canadian Junior Football League championships since the modern version of the club was formed back in 1947. The Hilltops actually appeared in their first national final in only their second season falling 14-10 to the host Hamilton Wildcats in the 1948 title game.
    Saskatoon would capture its first national title in 1953, when the Hilltops thumped the Windsor AKO Fratmen 34-6. Since that first win, the Hilltops have captured at least one national championship in every decade that followed. When Tom Sargeant became head coach in 1998, the Hilltops would go on to win eight of their national titles, including four in the last five years.
    Pretty much every generation that has grown up or moved to become part of the Saskatoon community has a memory of a Hilltops championship run. In a lot of ways, the Hilltops symbolize how the citizens of Saskatoon like to see themselves. The Hilltops work hard, carry themselves with respect, are disciplined and are tough.

Davis Mitchell hauls in a pass.

    The tough aspect is something Saskatoon citizens really love about the Toppers, who play their contests out of what is considered the tougher part of town in the city's west side. The reverence for that characteristic of the club is similar to the reverence citizens of Pittsburgh have for the blue-collar Steelers of the NFL.
    Saskatoon residents have enjoyed the fact the Hilltops have fielded tough as nails players like Ron Atchison and Larry Wruck in their distance past and Jorgen Hus and Graig Newman in recent years.
    They can also win with flare and style. Sheldon Ball called signals for an explosive and dynamic offence for the team as a quarterback in the 1990s. He has now been the team's offensive coordinator for about a decade, and the players he guides can put up points in a hurry.
    That was seen last year when starting quarterback Jared Andreychuk put up 300-yard passing games in the PFC final and the Canadian Bowl, when the Hilltops looked fairly smooth.
    During the 1980s and early 1990s, the once very healthy CJFL saw a number of franchises fold. It was once the premier league for amateur football in Canada, but it hasn't held that distinction for at least four decades.
    Over that time, the Hilltops have remained healthy. A hard working board of directors has ensured the team continued to be a first-class franchise.
    Going into the 2015, the Hilltops will return most of their players from the year before. Only four players exhausted their eligibility following the 2014 campaign, and a handful veterans will be displaced by incoming rookies.
    Optimism is high the Hilltops will have another exciting campaign. Their loyal following will be there, and hopefully, they can share news of the team's exploits to attract new followers. That will ensure the team will be engrained in the community's fabric for decades to come.

Huskies aim to erase recent disappointments

Mitch Hillis sprints downfield at the Huskies spring camp scrimmage.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team knows all they can do is worry about the present and not worry about the recent past.
    The Dogs concluded their spring camp with a Green and White scrimmage on Sunday, and they went through the weekend just focusing on the business at hand. The annual Dogs' Breakfast on Thursday morning opened the weekend's festivities as 25 new recruits were revealed to a crowd of about 2,000 at Prairieland Park.
    Most of the roster from the squad that went 6-2 during the 2014 regular season will return in 2015, and the returnees looked good. In the early going, the Huskies have to be considered a favourite to win the Canada West title.
    When thoughts turn to the post-season, expectations get tempered. U of S has lost its last six straight playoff contests and is 1-9 in its last 10 post-season games. They last won the Canada West title in 2006.
    The Huskies improved steadily during the course of last season and hosted their first playoff game since 2010. They took a 37-18 lead in the third quarter of a Canada West semifinal contest against the U of Manitoba Bisons, but the Bisons rallied for a 47-39 victory.
    The comeback came because the Bisons scored 14 points off a pair of interceptions including a pick-six, a major coming off a blocked punt, a field goal off a fumble and a safety caused by a bad long snap.
    During the spring camp, not much was said about the post-season implosion against the Bisons. The Huskies players and coaches just focused on getting better and getting the newcomers used to the team's systems.

Drew Burko unloads a pass at the Huskies spring camp scrimmage.

    Veteran quarterback Drew Burko, who is entering his fourth year of eligibility, looked good during his reps in the scrimmage. Second-year signal caller Kyle Siemens looked really good. The offence once again has a huge stable of standout running backs.
    The defence also came through with big stops, and it will be anchored by veterans like linebacker Dylan Kemp and defensive back Chris Friesen, who will both be entering their fifth and final years of eligibility. The biggest addition is linebacker Justin Filteau, who starred with CJFL's Hilltops.
    When main training camps rolls around August, the Huskies have to follow the old cliché in taking each week as it comes and also hope the injury bug is kind. When the post-season arrives, it is expected to be a wide open with regards who could win it all, because most of the other teams in Canada West have gone through big changes in the off-season.
    The Huskies continuity might give them a big edge.

    If you have any comments about this blog, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com. To see more pictures of the Hilltops and Huskies respective scrimmages, check out Twitter @StanksSports.