Hilltops walk with Elias

Saskatoon picks up 52-26 road win over Wildcats

Fifth-year captain Brexton Elias has settled in as the Hilltops starting QB.

For a time, it seemed like fate was going to prevent Brexton Elias from ever starting at quarterback for the Saskatoon Hilltops.

The 22-year-old spent his first four seasons as a backup signal caller for the storied CJFL club including the past two seasons as the number two guy behind star starter Trey Reider. After Reider’s graduation from the squad following the completion of the 2024 campaign, Elias was tabbed as the starter at quarterback going into his fifth and final season with the team.

The injury bug proceeded to bite, and Elias was scratched for the Hilltops first two regular season contests. He dressed as the fourth string quarterback in the third game for the venerable CJFL side.

On September 6, Elias finally made his elusive first start for the Hilltops in a clash against their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder at Mosaic Stadium. Elias completed 14-of-25 passes for 188 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in an 18-15 win, which included him guiding the squad on a late fourth quarter touchdown drive that resulted in the game-winning points.

“That was a special moment just to finally get into the game and start a game for this team,” said Elias. “I’ve been working for years on this to finally be able to get in there with the boys and fight for a win felt really good.”

Elias has now won his first three starts helping the Hilltops to improve to 5-1. On Sunday, the Hilltops traveled to Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta., and downed the host Edmonton Wildcats 52-26 in a CJFL regular season clash.

The Hilltops led 23-9 at halftime and went up 52-9 at one point in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats closed out the contest scoring 17 straight points to round out the final outcome.

With the win, the Hilltops have now won five straight to improve to 5-1. Out in Winnipeg on Sunday, the visiting Regina Thunder also improved to 5-1 outgunning the host Rifles 41-40 in a wild classic type Canadian game. Also on Sunday, the visiting Edmonton Huskies got past the host Colts in Calgary 41-30.

The Hilltops sit first in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference thanks to their head-to-head win over the Thunder. The Hilltops and Thunder are guaranteed to finish in the top two positions in the PFC, which means they will both host PFC semifinal contests. They go head-to-head on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field in a contest that has a high probability of deciding first in the conference.

The Wildcats, Colts, Huskies and Rifles are all 2-4 and are tied for third through to sixth in the conference standings. Only two of those clubs will ultimately make the post-season.

Joining the Hilltops after graduating from the Marion M. Graham Falcons Football Team, Elias went on a four-year journey with the Hilltops where his focus was on being a good contributor in the team’s quarterback room leading up to his time in becoming a starter.

Brexton Elias was a Hilltops backup QB for four seasons.

“It has been a long process,” said Elias, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 190 pounds. “Just for me, it has been a mental game for the last four years just learning everything.

“I had a great guy to learn under in Trey Reider. He was a great QB. It was awesome to be able to watch him play and learn everything that he did well.

“It has been a mental game for the last four years.”

With all the work Elias has put in since joining the team, legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said he was super excited when the veteran signal caller got to start.

“I am proud of his patience and how hard he has worked to get to this spot,” said Sargeant. “We’re going to keep developing this offence catering to his skill set.

“He did a great job of moving the chains and getting the ball to the right people.”

Sargeant added that all the years of study and work Elias committed to in the quarterback room are paying off now.

“He is a student of the game,” said Sargeant. “He puts the time in.

“He pays attention to detail, and it has paid off. He struggled with that injury at the beginning of the year. It was very frustrating for all of us, but he kept his cool and kept learning and kept growing.

“Now that he is getting live snaps, he has been more than up to the challenge. He has been very, very effective in moving the chains for us.”

Elias’s first start included him moving the ball like a game manager. Against the Thunder, Elias showed poise, and he ensured he took care of the football.

“It felt like that was the plan,” said Elias. “Our O-line is awesome, the running backs are awesome, our receivers are awesome, so my goal was just to get in there, don’t make mistakes and let my playmakers make plays.”

In his second start against the Calgary Colts on September 14 at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary, the Hilltops opened the playbook a little more for Elias. He completed 15-of-22 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions before giving way to backup Griffin Sander in a 51-3 romp.

“Against the Colts, we were able to throw the ball a lot,” said Elias. “My O-line protected me well.

Brexton Elias brings poise to the quarterback position.

“I haven’t been sacked yet this year. My O-line is doing an awesome job, and it felt good to get the arm going a bit.”

While he has been working well from the passing pocket, Elias believes he can be a bit more dynamic from the quarterback position when the time calls for it.

“I’m able to get out of the pocket and run around a little bit,” said Elias. “I haven’t had to do that much, because my O-line’s been awesome.

“I can play from the pocket, but I can also get out and run around, if I need to.”

Elias also took initiative when it came to joining the Hilltops. He sent Sargeant a text message asking about becoming one of the team’s quarterbacks.

Sargeant invited Elias to come tryout, and that started the signal caller on his long journey to becoming the team’s starter. Over the years, Elias earned an appreciation for how special the culture is with the team.

“I love the family bond that all these guys have together,” said Elias. “We spend a lot of time together.

“All these guys, they’re awesome, and the coaching staff, we come together well over the season.”

When the Hilltops went into the off-season following the 2024 campaign, Elias was well aware he would get the chance to guide the team’s fortunes on the field offensively.

“In the off-season, “Sarge” told me that I was the guy coming into the season, so I was obviously mentally and physically preparing to take that role this season,” said Elias. “The coaches, we worked over the winter a little bit.

“I was getting reps as the main guy, so I’m feeling good.”

When Elias was forced to miss time at the start of the season due to injury, Sargeant said the coaches were not going to deviate from their plan to allow the veteran, who is a team captain, to be the starter.

“We’re such an open book,” said Sargeant. “Communication was always on.

“He was always in the film room. He was with us every step of the way. He just couldn’t play.

Brexton Elias plans to cherish his time with the Hilltops.

“Last year, he got in enough meaningful opportunities and was able to play enough that he is ready for these moments now.”

As the campaign moves on, Elias has it stored in the back of his head that he is playing out his final season of CJFL eligibility. Out of the Hilltops 16 players who are playing out their final campaign, Elias spent his entire career with 10 players out of that group as members wearing the blue and gold. He focuses on staying in the moment as each day goes on and doesn’t dwell on the inevitable end that is coming.

“I don’t even want to think about that,” said Elias. “I’ve grown my last five years with all these guys.

“They’re awesome, awesome buddies of mine, and I don’t even want to think about moving on from this. I want to enjoy every moment of this last year.”

Johnson to speak at End Zone Dinner

Evan Johnson in action for the Roughriders on July 15, 2023.

One of the CFL’s all-time steady veterans on the offensive line is coming to the Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner.

Evan Johnson, who played seven CFL seasons from 2017 to 2024, will be the guest speaker for the annual event that raises money for the Hilltops scholarships and bursaries. The End Zone Dinner is slated for Saturday, September 27, at the main hall in the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building located on the south end zone of Saskatoon Minor Football Field on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds.

The doors open at 4:15 p.m. and the dinner follows at 5 p.m. A ticket to the End Zone Dinner includes a ticket to that night’s regular season contest against the Hilltops provincial rivals the Regina Thunder. That game is slated for 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

Johnson graduated high school from Regina’s Campbell Collegiate and moved on to play football in the U Sports ranks from 2012 to 2016 with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He would be selected in the first round and ninth overall by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2017 CFL Draft.

From 2017 to 2019, Johnson played 52 regular season games with the Redblacks making starts at left guard, right tackle and left tackle. He suited up for the Redblacks in their 27-16 loss to the Calgary Stampeders in the 2018 Grey Cup played at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alta.

From 2021 to 2023, Johnson played 48 regular season contests with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He moved on from the Roughriders to appear in 10 games with the Hamilton Tigers-Cats in 2024.

Johnson, who is 31-years-old, is married to Dallis (Aiken) Johnson, who is a former defensive back with the powerhouse Saskatoon Valkyries of the WWCFL. They reside in Saskatoon where Evan Johnson works for an engineering firm.

Tickets for the Hilltops 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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Hilltops are getting healthy, preparing for Wildcats

Hilltops HC Tom Sargeant, left, talks with Charles Sawi, centre.

When it comes to injuries, legendary Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant hopes the storm has passed over his Saskatoon Hilltops.

On Sunday, the Hilltops head on the road to face the Edmonton Wildcats at 1 p.m. at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. Heading into their sixth regular season contest, the Hilltops might be the most healthy they’ve been at any part of the campaign.

Before the 2025 CJFL campaign began, the Hilltops lost starting star 22-year-old safety Dalton Urban for the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, when Urban was playing a CFL pre-season game for the Saskatchewan Roughriders on May 30 at Mosaic Stadium. Urban has been on the Hilltops sidelines helping out the team’s defence with coaching tips.

The Hilltops are still without backup quarterback Charlie Molder, who was hurt in the team’s first regular season contest, when the Hilltops fell 31-11 to the Rifles in Winnipeg on August 10.

During the season, starting quarterback Brexton Elias, star running back Corbin Ebben, star middle linebacker Isaac Michayluk and fifth-year receiver David Boyd Jr. all missed time due to injury and returned to action with the team.

Sargeant would love the development of the returnees to be a sign that the worst of the injury woes are behind his club.

“I sure hope so,” said Sargeant. “I’ve also learned you have to embrace adversity.

“It is always the next man up. We had a lot of players step up and perform their roles. David Boyd Jr. didn’t play the first two games because of injury.

“It allowed other people to show up. All you’re doing is you are building depth, you’re building that veteran presence and that confidence within everyone’s game.”

Since returning from injury, Elias has given the Hilltops their most poised play from the quarterback position. The 22-year-old missed his team’s first two regular season games and dressed as the fourth string quarterback in the third contest.

Brexton Elias (#6) has brought poise to the QB position.

He made his first start of the campaign and played the role of game manager in an 18-15 win over Thunder at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on September 6. In that contest, Elias completed 14-of-25 passes for 188 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Hilltops opened things up more in the passing game in Elias’s second start this past Sunday, when Saskatoon crushed the Colts 51-3 at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary. Elias completed 15-of-22 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

During his first four seasons with the Hilltops, Elias was a backup quarterback, and he was slotted in as the team’s starter after star Trey Reider exhausted his CJFL eligibility following the completion of the 2024 campaign. Elias is focusing on constant improvement as the campaign moves on.

“Every day I am trying to get better with these guys,” said Elias. “Week by week, I am trying to focus on the team that we’re playing on Sunday and just preparing for them every week.”

Sargeant said Elias is taking steps forward every time he gets into game action.

“We’re excited to get on the bus and play the Edmonton Wildcats this weekend and see him grow his game and let his personality keep taking over on this offence and becoming more impactful,” said Sargeant. “Each game that he plays, it makes us better.”

Sunday’s game is another big one for the Hilltops, who have a 4-1 record after winning their last four straight and were rated third in the CJFL’s Top 10 Power Rankings released on Thursday. They hold first place in the CJFL’s Prairie Football Conference over the 4-1 Thunder due to posting a head-to-head victory in the lone meeting to date between the two sides.

The contest is a big one for the Wildcats, who are in a heated race for third and fourth place in the PFC and the conference’s final two post-season berths. At 2-3, the Wildcats, Winnipeg Rifles and Calgary Colts are all tied for third to fifth in the conference. The Edmonton Huskies sit in the basement of the conference standings but are still in the mix at 1-4.

Sargeant wants to see his team continue to take steps forward in their upcoming clash with the Wildcats.

“We played our best game of the year against the Calgary Colts on Sunday,” said Sargeant. “We’re looking to improve that and enjoy the next contest against the Edmonton Wildcats.

“As long as my fifth years keep playing hard and being the best players on the field, the blue and gold are going to be in good shape.”

Mix of four nab PFC players of the week nods

Four different players picked up nods as PFC players of the week on Wednesday.

Regina Thunder running back Peter Boersch and Edmonton Huskies quarterback Wesley Neitz were both claimed honours as the offensive player of the week.

Boersch had another big game last Sunday when the Thunder downed the visiting Winnipeg Rifles 25-12 at Leibel Field. He carried the ball 24 times for 181 yards and caught one pass for 30 yards. On the season, Boersch leads the PFC in carries (124) and rushing yards (967).

Neitz had a huge outing last Sunday as his Huskies fell 33-20 to the visiting Edmonton Wildcats at Jasper Place Bowl. In that contest, Neitz completed 27-of-43 passes for 365 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions.

Thunder defensive back Cooper Filazek was named the defensive player of the week for his efforts in his team’s win over the Rifles. Filazek made six defensive solo tackles, three defensive tackle assists, one pass knockdown and two interceptions.

Wildcats receiver Mekhi Tyrell was tabbed as the special teams player of the week. In his club’s win over the Huskies, Tyrell returned two punts for 84 yards, which included running one punt back for an 80-yard touchdown. He returned one kickoff for 28 yards and caught one pass for six yards.

Johnson to speak at End Zone Dinner

Evan Johnson in action for the Roughriders on July 15, 2023.

One of the CFL’s all-time steady veterans on the offensive line is coming to the Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner.

Evan Johnson, who played seven CFL seasons from 2017 to 2024, will be the guest speaker for the annual event that raises money for the Hilltops scholarships and bursaries. The End Zone Dinner is slated for Saturday, September 27, at the main hall in the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building located on the south end zone of Saskatoon Minor Football Field on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds.

The doors open at 4:15 p.m. and the dinner follows at 5 p.m. A ticket to the End Zone Dinner includes a ticket to that night’s regular season contest against the Hilltops provincial rivals the Regina Thunder. That game is slated for 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

Johnson graduated high school from Regina’s Campbell Collegiate and moved on to play football in the U Sports ranks from 2012 to 2016 with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He would be selected in the first round and ninth overall by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2017 CFL Draft.

From 2017 to 2019, Johnson played 52 regular season games with the Redblacks making starts at left guard, right tackle and left tackle. He suited up for the Redblacks in their 27-16 loss to the Calgary Stampeders in the 2018 Grey Cup played at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alta.

From 2021 to 2023, Johnson played 48 regular season contests with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He moved on from the Roughriders to appear in 10 games with the Hamilton Tigers-Cats in 2024.

Johnson, who is 31-years-old, is married to Dallis (Aiken) Johnson, who is a former defensive back with the powerhouse Saskatoon Valkyries of the WWCFL. They reside in Saskatoon where Evan Johnson works for an engineering firm.

Tickets for the Hilltops 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.

Menghestab earned status as Hilltops favourite

Saskatoon crushes Colts in Calgary 51-3

Nahom Menghestab reacts to getting a sack on August 24.

Nahom Menghestab is the Saskatoon Hilltops player everyone wants to hang out with.

As physical as he can play on the field from his nose tackle position on the defensive line, the 22-year-old has an easy to approach feel good vibe away from the game. He can flash a smile, and it feels like everything in the world at that point in time is as it should be.

“He is easy going,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “He can relate to anyone.

“With just how hard and aggressive he plays on the field, he is the opposite off the field. He is just very laid back. He has just sort of got a smile on his face and is just happy to be in the place and happy to be here, which makes me happy to be here.

“It is just one of those realities.”

Often, it catches Menghestab off guard when it materializes how much his teammates love him. On the field, a lot of the respect that comes his way is due to the fact he frequently attracts double teams to free up his teammates to make plays.

During the 42-15 victory over the Winnipeg Rifles on August 24 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Menghestab was reminded that his teammates care about him a tonne. When he got a quarterback sack late in the fourth quarter of that contest, all the Hilltops players on the field exploded with excitement and the Hilltops sidelines jumped into full jubilation.

The pumped up reaction by his teammates caught Menghestab off guard.

“I don’t even realize that,” said Menghestab. “I think I just made so many friends, and I always make sure we make it like a good brotherhood around this team.

Nahom Menghestab is playing out his final CJFL season.

“I’m happy they got hyped up with that sack. I definitely was and everyone was just telling me like we were all turned up and everything. I was like, “I appreciate you boys.””

The sack celebration by the team was one of the highlights for Menghestab in his fifth and final campaign with the team. Another came on September 6 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina against the host Thunder. On that night, Menghestab knocked down a pass attempt from Thunder quarterback Adam Mosher with 1:24 left in the quarter on a third down gamble that ultimately allowed the Hilltops to turn an 18-15 lead into an 18-15 victory.

More good memories were made by Menghestab and the entire Hilltops team on Sunday. They traveled to Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary and crushed the host Colts 51-3 in a CJFL regular season contest. Saskatoon jumped out to a 20-3 lead at halftime and cruised from there.

With the victory, the Hilltops push their winning streak out to four games improving to 4-1, while the Colts fall to 2-3. The Hilltops finish a stretch of playing three straight games on the road traveling to Sherwood Park, Alta., this coming Sunday to face the host Edmonton Wildcats (2-3) at 1 p.m. at Emerald Hills Regional Park.

Menghestab wants every moment in his final campaign to be cherished.

“I think it is just realizing how fast everything went by,” said Menghestab, who stands 6-feet and weighs 300 pounds. “My first year, I was enjoying it and everything.

“In the second year, I got hurt and missed my season. I had the rest of the three years, and it is just coming to my last year CJFL is amazing, but it goes by so fast. I make sure everyone knows that to enjoy it.”

Sargeant said Menghestab is a great Hilltops success story. The sideline boss remembers when Menghestab came to the Hilltops as an 18-year-old graduate of the St. Joseph High School Guardians Football Team in 2021 that the defensive tackle had a lot of potential to grow in a lot of different ways.

Nahom Menghestab (#69) is lined up next to Johnathon Stevens.

From that beginning, Menghestab became a starter on the Hilltops defensive line in his third year in 2023, when Saskatoon went 12-0 overall to win a 23^rd CJFL championship. Sargeant said it has been great to see Menghestab become a dominant run stopper and sort of like a team favourite.

“He is such a nice guy and wants to do well and wants to be respected by his teammates,” said Sargeant. “More importantly, I think he has gained respect of the league now.

“He is absolutely one of our top run defenders. Him and John Stevens inside the A and B gapers make the game so difficult for the opposition.”

Sargeant said Menghestab is big time appreciated by the team’s coaches for his relentless work taking on double teams and filling the role that sees others make plays and pile up statistics. With that said, Sargeant added Menghestab is finding ways to make plays.

“He has got the toughest job,” said Sargeant. “He is drawing double teams all the time.

“Not only is he taking two guys on to free up our linebackers to allow them to run to the ball, he is doing all the dirty work. What makes him so unique is he has got an unreal ability to get off those blocks and make plays. (In the win over the Rifles), he got a big sack and you know he is always getting eight to 10 defensive points, which as a nose, you don’t see that in the rest of the league.

“He is a very unique talent, and I’m sure glad he is on our team and just how he goes about business. He is in the film room leading guys and asking questions. He is always growing.”

Nahom Menghestab (#69) is skilled at getting past blockers.

Menghestab has never shied away from the contact side of the game. He has always enjoyed that aspect of the sport from when he started playing in the Kinsmen Football League in Saskatoon in Grade 5. He is always up for the challenge of facing a double team, which is something he has been dealing with since his high school days.

“I’ve definitely got used to it because of Joe’s and everything,” said Menghestab. “I was always played as a nose (tackle).

“I think just with (defensive line) coach “Fish” (Dave Fisher), coach “Sarge” (Tom Sargeant) and (defensive coordinator) coach Jeff (Yausie) telling me like it is a selfless job (helps). You have to be helping your linebackers not getting touched. I think it is that feeling knowing that I have that as something on my shoulders that gives me strength to do it.

“I do have those times where I do want to take that one guy and just get it. I definitely am happy that my linebackers can get that chance to get that tackle.”

Looking back on his entire football career, Menghestab said he has fond memories playing high school football with the Guardians. He still believes the team could have done great things in his Grade 12 year, which was nixed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that gripped the world. Still, that didn’t take away from the memories he already made.

“When I was playing at St. Joe’s, there were amazing players there,” said Menghestab. “We had Trey Reider.

“We had a crazy running back in Kayden Miller and Nathan Jule and Chase Tataryn. Our team was really good and stacked. It is just with the coach and everything it was like a new feel, a new vibe.

“I wish we still had that year in Grade 12 to dominate again, but Grade 11 definitely made an impact in that. I’m glad to have Dalton (Urban) and some of the guys here from Joe’s to play with.”

Nahom Menghestab is living in the moment with the Hilltops.

As the 2025 campaign goes forward, Menghestab is all about staying in the moment. 

He believes that is the best way to go about enjoying his final season with the team.

“I’m definitely trying to make sure I go game by game like every week,” said Menghestab. “I try not to go overhead and think about the future and all that.

“It is something where I do want to win it all, because it is the last year with me and Johnny (Stevens) and Ryan Adamko. Those guys were with me since first year. It is just trying to win that “ship” one more time.”

Johnson to speak at End Zone Dinner

Evan Johnson in action for the Roughriders on July 15, 2023.

One of the CFL’s all-time steady veterans on the offensive line is coming to the Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner.

Evan Johnson, who played seven CFL seasons from 2017 to 2024, will be the guest speaker for the annual event that raises money for the Hilltops scholarships and bursaries. The End Zone Dinner is slated for Saturday, September 27, at the main hall in the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building located on the south end zone of Saskatoon Minor Football Field on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds.

The doors open at 4:15 p.m. and the dinner follows at 5 p.m. A ticket to the End Zone Dinner includes a ticket to that night’s regular season contest against the Hilltops provincial rivals the Regina Thunder. That game is slated for 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

Johnson graduated high school from Regina’s Campbell Collegiate and moved on to play football in the U Sports ranks from 2012 to 2016 with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He would be selected in the first round and ninth overall by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2017 CFL Draft.

From 2017 to 2019, Johnson played 52 regular season games with the Redblacks making starts at left guard, right tackle and left tackle. He suited up for the Redblacks in their 27-16 loss to the Calgary Stampeders in the 2018 Grey Cup played at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alta.

From 2021 to 2023, Johnson played 48 regular season contests with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He moved on from the Roughriders to appear in 10 games with the Hamilton Tigers-Cats in 2024.

Johnson, who is 31-years-old, is married to Dallis (Aiken) Johnson, who is a former defensive back with the powerhouse Saskatoon Valkyries of the WWCFL. They reside in Saskatoon where Evan Johnson works for an engineering firm.

Tickets for the Hilltops 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.

Rifles face test of resilience

After a 2-0 start, the Rifles have dropped two straight to fall to 2-2.

Will the uprising of the Winnipeg Rifles vanish as quickly as it started?

During the early part of the CJFL regular season, the Rifles were the darlings of the circuit jumping out to a 2-0 start. The excitement over that start was strengthened by the fact the Rifles hammered the visiting Saskatoon Hilltops 31-11 on August 10 at Maple Grove Rugby Park in the Manitoba capital city.

The encounter was the first regular season contest for both squads in the 2025 campaign, but seeing the powerhouse and storied Hilltops lose big to someone other than the Regina Thunder was surprising. All of a sudden, there were visions the Rifles could be the first team to win the Prairie Football Conference title outside of the Hilltops and Thunder since the Edmonton Wildcats took the conference title in 2009.

The Rifles suffered their first loss of the campaign on August 24 dropping a 42-15 decision to the Hilltops at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. At first, an optimist would view that contest as a learning experience in knowing how much you need to raise your level of play when you beat an all-time great club like the Hilltops badly and face them again just a couple of weeks later.

Returning home to host at the Calgary Colts, who were 1-2 at the time, at Maple Grove Rugby Park this past Sunday, it looked like for at least 30 minutes the Rifles had got back on course. At halftime, they led the Colts 21-0 and held a 235-to-109 edge in total yards.

All of a sudden, the wheels fell off for the Winnipeg side.

Calgary scored 10 unanswered points to cut Winnipeg’s lead to 21-10 in the third quarter. After the Rifles got a punt single and the Colts put up a touchdown with 7:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, Winnipeg’s lead sat at 22-17.

With 78 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Rifles kicker Gabriel Yaipen hit a 23-yard field goal to push his club’s lead out to 25-17. The Colts responded with quarterback Noah Makkreel hitting receiver Kione Roberson with a 75-yard touchdown strike with 63 seconds remaining in the frame. Calgary wasn’t able to add the two-point convert allowing the Rifles lead to hold at 25-23.

The Colts would get another possession, and with 21 seconds to play in the fourth quarter, kicker Lucas Hyrniuk hit a 52-yard field goal to put the Colts up 26-25. That outcome would hold up as the game’s final score allowing the Colts to improve to 2-2, while the Rifles fell to 2-2.

For the Rifles, the way that loss to the Colts played out could be a turning point that sees the Winnipeg side venture in the wrong direction. The Rifles last made the CJFL Playoffs posting a 4-4 mark in 2022 to finish fourth in the PFC’s regular season standings and fell in the post-season to the Thunder, who would win the conference title.

In 2023, the Rifles missed the post-season with a 2-6 mark, and they finished last in the PFC in 2024 with a 1-7 record.

On Sunday, the Rifles travel to Regina to take on the Thunder at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field. The Thunder fell to 3-1 after falling 18-15 to the visiting Hilltops at Mosaic Stadium last Saturday. Regina is rated fifth in the CJFL Top 10 Power Rankings, and the Rifles are rated 10^th.

It is always a tough task to take on the Thunder after a loss, especially when they are playing at home. The Rifles will have their backs to the wall.

If the favoured Thunder win that contest, the Rifles losing streak will be extended to three games, and one has to wonder if the tailspin is on. If the Rifles pull out an upset, it would cement a notion that the PFC is still very much wide open, and the conference is in the midst of arguably one of its most exciting seasons.

We will soon find out how much resilience the Rifles actually have.

Rifles/Colts clash pulls in all PFC player of the week nods

Kyler Banfield was named the PFC’s defensive player of the week.

The Winnipeg Rifles and Calgary Colts played one of the most compelling games of the CJFL campaign, and as a result, all of the awards for the various PFC players of the week go to athletes who were in that contest.

Last Sunday, the Rifles jumped ahead 21-0 over the visiting Colts at halftime in a CJFL regular season contest at Maple Grove Rugby Park. The Colts rallied to pull out a 26-25 victory. Colts kicker Lucas Hyrniuk nailed the winning field goal from 52-yards out with 21 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to put Calgary ahead for good.

Thanks to that amazing effort, Hyrniuk took home honours on Wednesday as the PFC’s special teams player of the week. The 52-yard winner was the only field goal Hyrniuk hit going one-for-two in that department in the contest.

Hyrniuk made both of his one-point conversion attempts. He punted the ball six times for 251 yards for an average of 41.8 yards per kick. Hyrniuk kicked off five times for 285 yards for an average of 57 yards per kick.

Colts running back Zion Brown-Dogbe claimed honours as the PFC’s offensive player of the week carrying the ball 20 times for 181 yards and one touchdown. His rushing major came from a 75-yard romp.

Rifles outside linebacker Kyler Banfield claimed honours as the defensive player of the week. Banfield recorded seven total defensive tackles, one quarterback sack, one pass knockdown, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Hilltops quarterback situation appears set

Brexton Elias is healthy and is the Hilltops starting QB.

With the fear of attracting further bites from the injury bug, the Saskatoon Hilltops quarterback situation appears to be set.

The Hilltops started the 2025 CJFL campaign with fifth-year signal caller Brexton Elias on the shelf due to injury. Elias had been slotted in as the Hilltops starter in the pre-season.

Saskatoon proceeded to lose second-year pivot Charlie Molder to injury in their first regular season contest that was a 31-11 loss to the Rifles in Winnipeg on August 10.

As a result of those developments, the Hilltops added Clark Snider before their second regular season game. Snider, who is in his final season of CJFL eligibility, played the 2024 campaign with the Kamloops Broncos.

Before their third regular season game, the Hilltops brought Griffin Sander on board. Sander had been a reserve quarterback with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team and is in his fourth campaign of CJFL eligibility.

Elias dressed as the Hilltops fourth-stringer for their 42-15 victory over the Rifles on August 24 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. He started in their 18-15 victory over their provincial rivals in the host Regina Thunder last Saturday at Mosaic Stadium.

At the moment, the Hilltops are carrying five quarterbacks. Elias is the starter. The club’s active roster includes reserve signal callers Jace Martins, who is in his rookie season in the CJFL after graduating high school in Sylvan Lake, Alta., and Sander.

Rookie pivot Kyren Houmphanh, who is a graduate of Saskatoon’s Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints football team, is on the practice roster. Molder is still out with injury, but he is listed on the practice roster.

Hayden McMahon is no longer on the Hilltops roster. He had been in his third year with the club and was the starting quarterback for the squad’s first two regular season victories of the 2025 campaign. Snider is also no longer on the roster.

Elias gave the Hilltops their most solid quarterbacking effort of the campaign in their road win over the Thunder. Unless the injury bug comes biting again, it appears the offence will be Elias’s to lead.

The Hilltops (3-1) are in Calgary on Sunday to face the Colts (2-2) at Shouldice Athletic Park at 1 p.m. Saskatoon is rated third in the CJFL’s Top 10 Power Rankings, while the Colts are listed in the ninth position.

Johnson to speak at End Zone Dinner, other notes

Evan Johnson in action for the Roughriders on July 15, 2023.

One of the CFL’s all-time steady veterans on the offensive line is coming to the Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner.

Evan Johnson, who played seven CFL seasons from 2017 to 2024, will be the guest speaker for the annual event that raises money for the Hilltops scholarships and bursaries. The End Zone Dinner is slated for Saturday, September 27, at the main hall in the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building located on the south end zone of Saskatoon Minor Football Field on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds.

The doors open at 4:15 p.m. and the dinner follows at 5 p.m. A ticket to the End Zone Dinner includes a ticket to that night’s regular season contest against the Hilltops provincial rivals the Regina Thunder. That game is slated for 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

Johnson graduated high school from Regina’s Campbell Collegiate and moved on to play football in the U Sports ranks from 2012 to 2016 with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He would be selected in the first round and ninth overall by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2017 CFL Draft.

From 2017 to 2019, Johnson played 52 regular season games with the Redblacks making starts at left guard, right tackle and left tackle. He suited up for the Redblacks in their 27-16 loss to the Calgary Stampeders in the 2018 Grey Cup played at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alta.

From 2021 to 2023, Johnson played 48 regular season contests with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He moved on from the Roughriders to appear in 10 games with the Hamilton Tigers-Cats in 2024.

Johnson, who is 31-years-old, is married to Dallis (Aiken) Johnson, who is a former defensive back with the powerhouse Saskatoon Valkyries of the WWCFL. They reside in Saskatoon where Evan Johnson works for an engineering firm.

Tickets for the Hilltops End Zone Dinner can be purchased by clicking right here.

• Winnipeg Rifles outside linebacker Kyler Banfield leads the PFC with 78 defensive points. Banfield hit that point total by piling up 26 solo defensive tackles, 12 defensive tackle assists, two quarterback sacks, one pass knockdown, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
• Regina Thunder running back Peter Boersch leads the PFC in carries (100) and rushing yards (786) in what has been a breakout season. He also has three rushing touchdowns on the campaign.
• On Tuesday, I had new content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe Sports Complex. I put together a feature on Saskatoon football lifer Jeff Yausie. Yausie is the current CEO of Football Saskatchewan and the defensive coordinator for the Saskatoon Hilltops. The piece on Yausie can be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that is anchored by images from the fun that can be had at the FSIN Adult Fastball Championships, which were held August 29 to 31 on the Complex’s grounds. The photo roundup also contains photos from baseball, football and softball. 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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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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Urban arrives as Hilltops newest star on defence

Safety gets two picks to help Saskatoon go 6-0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dalton Urban has four interceptions this season.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hilltops End Zone Dinner set for Sept. 30

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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