“Pound the rock!” – Hilltops wise to keep focus on running game

Hilltops RB Corbin Ebben makes a jump cut past a defender.

By tradition, the Saskatoon Hilltops have always strived for balance on offence, but they are synonymous with the power running game in their history.

While the Hilltops overall are having a strong season running the ball, there have been a couple of hiccups that have caused concern. In their 38-13 regular season opening victory at Saskatoon Minor Football Field over the Edmonton Huskies, the Hilltops as a team posted 116 yards rushing coming off 25 carries.

That included rushing touchdowns from quarterback Trey Reider from 41 and six yards out and a one rushing plunge from power running back Corbin Ebben. Ebben topped the team with 60 yards rushing as an individual, but it is rare when the Hilltops don’t have a player record at least 100 yards rushing in a game.

On September 7 taking on the Thunder in Regina at Mosaic Stadium, the Hilltops collected only 78 yards rushing as a team on 26 carries for their fourth regular season outing. Reider recorded the lone major on the ground from five yards out on a scramble out of trouble run.

The Hilltops prevailed 29-15 thanks to Reider’s passing. He completed 17-of-27 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing one interception.

Out of the Hilltops first four contests, they had two outings where their running game wasn’t up to their sturdy form. Following their CJFL championship win last season, the Hilltops graduated star power running back Boston Davidsen, who closed out his junior football career with back-to-back regular season of rushing for 1,000 or more yards.

One had to wonder if the Hilltops running game was taking a step backwards due to the fact Davidsen was no longer with the team.

Last Sunday, the Hilltops did their best to work out their struggles on the ground against the winless Winnipeg Rifles. In a 57-14 romp, the Hilltops as a team ran the ball 34 times for 253 yards and five touchdowns.

Corbin Ebben, left, celebrates scoring a TD for the Hilltops.

Ebben led the way for the Hilltops on the ground carrying the ball 17 times for 132 yards and one touchdown. Saskatoon’s rushing statistics also got a boost in that contest from a 70-yard run by backup fourth-year quarterback Brexton Elias.

The Hilltops running attack looked like it was back in form as the team improved 5-0. They will aim to keep perfecting their work on the ground this coming Sunday as they host the Edmonton Wildcats (0-5) at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Wildcats need to win to keep their post-season hopes alive.

Ebben currently sits second in the Prairie Football Conference with 470 yards rushing coming off 80 carries. He has reached the end zone on the ground three times.

On Wednesday, Ebben, who is in his third-year of CJFL eligibility, was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week for his efforts in the Hilltops latest victory of the season over the Rifles. On top of his rushing totals, Ebben had one catch for 15 yards against Winnipeg last Sunday. 

On the season, the 20-year-old has caught 10 passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns. He has been named the offensive player of the week for the PFC twice.

Ebben, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 205 pounds, is one of the most popular players in the Hilltops dressing room, because he brings a strong work ethic into every practice and game. The graduate of the Delisle Composite High School Rebels nine-a-side football program is really coachable too. He missed time in the second half of the 2023 regular season due to injury, but he made it back for the post-season.

Still, the Hilltops were hoping to get the ball a little more than they did to Ebben in 2023. One wonders if those missed repetitions with the ball by Ebben might have contributed to a slower start on the ground.

Ebben did record his first 100-yard rushing game of the campaign in the Hilltops second regular season contest on August 18, when they downed the Rifles in Winnipeg 47-1. He ran the ball 20 times for 104 yards and one touchdown in that contest.

The Hilltops have always aimed to be 50/50 team on offence, because they are playing football in Canada. When the temperatures get colder at the end of the regular season and through the post-season, the elements often force teams to have success running the ball.

Last season, the snow and cold was only a partial concern for the team. The Hilltops had to win a pair of games in absolute monsoon like rainy conditions.

Corbin Ebben sits second in the PFC with 470 yards rushing.

On September 30, 2023 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops grinded out a 19-10 victory over the Thunder. In a constant downpour, the Hilltops won by running the ball 40 times for 152 yards.

In the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl – played on November 11, 2023 at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C., against the Westshore Rebels, the Hilltops again played in rain that came down in Biblical proportions. Saskatoon posted a 17-10 victory for a 23^rd CJFL title in team history. As a team, the Hilltops ran the ball 30 times for 187 yards and one touchdown.

While the weather calls for a mix of sun and could and a high of 20 C for the Hilltops upcoming home clash against the Wildcats, you never know when Mother Nature is going to add a surprise in the contests that follow.

Due to that possibility, the Hilltops are wise to keep their focus on continually improving their game on the ground.

Clark to appear at End Zone Scholarship Dinner, other notes

Dan Clark calls signals for the Roughriders in 2019.

Dan Clark will be the special guest at the Annual Hilltops End Zone Scholarship Dinner set for September 28.

Clark was a star centre for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2009 to 2022. He was on the Roughriders practice roster in 2009 and 2010 and was on the main roster from 2011 to 2022 appearing in 131 games. During his years on the Roughriders practice roster, Clark was playing for the CJFL’s Regina Thunder.

Clark gained fame catching an eight-yard touchdown pass from legendary Roughriders quarterback Darian Durant in a 37-0 romp over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a game played at historic Taylor Field on July 21, 2013. Following that contest, Clark and the Roughriders would later win the Grey Cup with a 45-23 victory over the Tigers-Cats on November 24, 2013 at Taylor Field.

In 2019, Clark was the unanimous selection as the Saskatchewan Roughriders Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. He was also named a CFL all-star.

The Annual Hilltops End Zone Scholarship Dinner will be held in the main hall of the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building located at the south end of Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The doors for the dinner will open at 4:15 p.m. and dinner will be served at 5 p.m.

The presenting sponsors of the event are TCU Financial and SaskTel. It is hosted in conjunction with the Hilltops community partners in the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation. The official beverage sponsor is the Crossmount Cider Company.

All proceeds of the event go towards the Saskatoon Hilltop Scholarship Fund.

Single tickets for the event are $100, and a table of eight goes for $725. Ticket purchases include admission to that night’s CJFL regular season contest between the Hilltops and the Regina Thunder set for 7 p.m. at SMF Field. Tickets for the End Zone Dinner can be purchased by clicking right here.

• On Wednesday, Calgary Colts defensive back Cody Anglo was name the PFC’s defensive player of the week for his performance in his team’s 24-16 victory over the visiting Edmonton Huskies at Shouldice Athletic Park. Anglo recorded seven defensive solo tackles, four defensive tackle assists, one special teams solo tackle, two pass knockdowns and one interception.
• On Wednesday, Regina Thunder linebacker Devin Baumann was named the PFC’s special teams player of the week for his performance in his club’s 51-16 victory over the visiting Edmonton Wildcats at Leibel Field. Baumann blocked two punts and recovered one for a touchdown to go along with two special teams tackle assists.
• The Saskatoon Hilltops topped the CJFL’s Top 10 Power Rankings that were released on Thursday. The Regina Thunder were rated fourth, the Calgary Colts placed eighth and the Edmonton Huskies came in at 10^th.
• The Saskatoon Hilltops are wearing decals on the back of their helmets to honour the memory of long time director Jeff Gould. Gould passed away on August 26 at age 73 due to complications following a recent cancer diagnosis. Gould was serving in his 15^th year as a Hilltops director and was the team’s game day convener and was also a vice-president of the PFC. Gould also held roles in the past as the Hilltops manager and team president.
• The Winnipeg Rifles (0-5) need to beat the Calgary Colts (3-2) in order to keep their post-season hopes alive. The two squads meet at 1 p.m. local time on Sunday at Maple Grove Rugby Park in Winnipeg.
• Rob Vanstone, who is the senior journalist and team historian of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, put together a fabulous piece on Saskatoon Hilltops power running back Corbin Ebben. The feature goes into Ebben’s beginnings in the sport of football with the Delisle Composite High School Rebels nine-a-side team. That piece can be found by clicking right here.
• Darren Zary, who is outstanding forever sports writer at the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, put together a great emotional piece on legendary Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant undergoing open-heart, double-bypass surgery this past March. After the surgery, Sargeant successes in being able to return to the Hilltops sidelines for the start of the current campaign. That piece 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 where they should be in latest CJFL title quest

Trey Reider slings a pass for the Hilltops.

Pegged as the outright favourites to repeat as CJFL champions, the Saskatoon Hilltops are again living up to lofty expectations.

The defending CJFL champions have started the 2024 campaign with a 3-0 record outscoring their opposition 137-33 along the way. They have occupied the top spot in the CJFL’s Top 10 Power Rankings in every week that the rankings have been released.

Every team in the CJFL dreams of knocking the Hilltops off the mountain top. That has been easier said than done when it comes to the venerable and storied squad. The Hilltops have won 23 CJFL titles in their history and claimed 10 of the last 13 CJFL championships that have been contested dating back to 2010.

Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant and his assistant coaches know what it is like to be the hunted team on the circuit. They know how to help their players deal with the noise that can range from people on the outside putting the team on pedestal or to negative comments coming the Hilltops players’ way via social media trying to tell them they are overrated and not that great.

When the Hilltops come off their bye week, they will travel to Regina to face the 3-0 Thunder at 7 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday, September 7. If the Hilltops fall in that contest, they will hear noise predicting that their attempt to win another CJFL title in 2024 won’t pan out.

So far for the Hilltops, their worst game of the campaign has been their regular season opener back on August 11 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. In that contest, they were flat but still beat the visiting Edmonton Huskies 38-13. To be fair, the Huskies and the officials were also flat in that contest creating one of those opening day games that can go all over the map, which does happen quite a bit in football.

The Hilltops have looked strong and exciting in their two road wins since. On August 18 at Maple Grove Rugby Park in Winnipeg, the Hilltops rolled over the Rifles 47-1. Last Sunday at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary, the Hilltops crushed the Colts 52-19.

Drake Douglas has made numerous big plays for the Hilltops.

While the Hilltops are once again showing great balance in their passing and running attacks on offence, quarterback Trey Reider has been excellent so far playing out his final campaign of CJFL eligibility. Reider has completed 38-of-60 passes for 521 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. He has run the ball nine times for 76 yards and two major scores.

Hilltop receiver Drake Douglas, who is also playing out his final CJFL campaign, is making a case that he might be the most exciting player in all of Canadian junior football. He has caught 17 passes for 319 yards and four touchdowns.

Douglas tops the PFC in punt returns (18) and punt return yards (229). He has a 34-yard touchdown pass to his credit coming off a fake field goal in the win over the Colts.

Corbin Ebben is rounding into the power running back the Hilltops hoped the third-year player from Delisle Composite School Rebels nine-a-side Football Team could be. Ebben has carried the ball 51 times for 304 yards and two touchdowns.

While it might sound strange, the Hilltops most memorable “splash” play comes via a couple of first-year players. During mop up time in the win over the Colts, rookie signal caller Charlie Molder hit receiver Hayden Day for a 70-yard pass and run touchdown on a picturesque steak pattern play. Molder was a star with Saskatoon’s Aden Bowman Collegiate Bears Football Team, while Day starred for Balgonie’s Greenall High School Griffins Football Team.

On the other side of the ball, defensive end Kai Kukurudza and defensive tackle Johnathon Stevens have wreaked havoc on opposing offences. Kukurudza has three sacks and an interception, while Stevens has two sacks and a fumble recovery.

Defensive back Nathan Young, who is in his fourth season of CJFL eligibility, has made the highlight reels returning two interceptions for touchdowns to go along with a fumble recovery.

Kai Kukurudza (#73) closes in on a tackle for the Hilltops.

If the Hilltops can beat the Thunder in their upcoming clash, it should set Saskatoon up well going into the second half of the PFC’s regular season schedule. In the Hilltops final four regular season contests, they will play at home on three occasions. Playing frequently like that at SMF Field should aid the Hilltops considerably in big games down the stretch.

With the PFC champion scheduled to host a CJFL semifinal this season, the Hilltops could find themselves playing even more at home when the post-season comes around.

The Hilltops are again living up to their high standards, and at the moment, there is no reason to expect that to change.

Ebben tabbed as PFC Player of the week

Corbin Ebben (#34) was the PFC offensive player of the week.

Saskatoon Hilltops power running back Corbin Ebben did his best impression of Roger Craig, and he was recognized with a weekly CJFL award for his efforts.

On Tuesday, Ebben was named the offensive player of the week of the Prairie Football Conference for his performance in the Hilltops 52-19 victory over the Colts at Shouldice Athletic Park in Calgary last Sunday. Ebben carried the ball 18 times for 140 yards and hauled in four passes for 67 yards and three touchdowns.

On the season, Ebben has carried the ball 51 times for 304 yards and two touchdowns. His rushing yardage total ranks third in the PFC.

Craig gained fame becoming the first play in the history of the NFL to have over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in one season coming in 1985 with the San Francisco 49ERS.

Edmonton Huskies defensive back Owen MacNeil claimed honours as the PFC’s defensive player of the week for his performance in his team’s 27-8 victory over the Edmonton Wildcats at Emerald Hills Regional Park in Sherwood Park, Alta. MacNeil had three interceptions to go with five solo defensive tackles and a pass knockdown.

Winnipeg Rifles defensive back Cohen McCluskey captured the PFC’s special teams player of the week nod for his efforts in team’s 30-0 loss to the Thunder at Leibel Field in Regina last Sunday. McCluskey had five special teams solo tackles in that loss.

Hilltops’ director Gould passes away

Jeff Gould, right, talks with Topper in August of 2023.

The sidelines of Saskatoon Hilltops home games won’t be the same for some time with the passing of director Jeff Gould.

Gould passed away on Monday at age 73 due to complications following a recent cancer diagnosis. Gould was serving in his 15^th year as a Hilltops director and was the team’s game day convener and was also a vice-president of the PFC.

As the Hilltops game day convener, Gould was a fixture on the sidelines during Hilltops games. It was common to see him visiting with anyone who roamed the sidelines, and he often visited with Hilltops players on the sidelines who weren’t dressed due to injury. Gould also held roles in the past as the Hilltops manager and team president.

He was a person that lifted the atmosphere of any room he stepped into. Gould had a great sense of humour and good and often off-colour jokes.

Along with his work with the Hilltops, Gould enjoyed being involved in the community and contributed countless hours to the Kinsmen Club of Saskatoon, K-40 and the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival.

Gould was super proud of his family. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Hope, daughters Kara (Ralph) Deters and Kelly (Jeret) Bode, grandchildren Hayden, Olivia, Nora and Iris, siblings, nieces, nephews and countless others who had the privilege to know him.

Gould’s celebration of life will be planned for a date in October. His obituary from Saskatoon Funeral Home 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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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.