Dutton, Sawi keep Hilltops season alive

Saskatoon advances to PFC final with 20-15 win

Charles Sawi, right, speeds to the end zone on his winning TD run.

The X-factors kept the Saskatoon Hilltops season alive.

With the Hilltops offence seemingly stuck in quicksand in the second half of a PFC semifinal with the Edmonton Huskies on Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the host side turned to a couple of players who had been watching the proceedings from the bench for a lot of the day. Midway through the third quarter, the Hilltops inserted 22-year-old veteran quarterback Damon Dutton into the game in place of 20-year-old starter Trey Reider.

In the fourth quarter, the Hilltops starting substituting dynamic 17-year-old rookie running back Charles Sawi at tailback to change up the pace with 21-year-old star power running back Boston Davidsen.

Charles Sawi, middle, had 63 yards rushing on four carries.

With 2:37 remaining in the fourth quarter, Huskies kicker Ethan Hartman booted a 31-yard field goal to give the visitors a 15-13 lead.

With Dutton at the controls, the Hilltops started on a two-minute drill drive from their own 35 yard line. On the second last play of the march, Dutton hit veteran receiver Presley Peterson with a pass over the middle in traffic for a 19-yard gain. Dutton and Peterson were both teammates with the North Battleford Comprehensive Viking Football Team before joining the Hilltops.

On his big 19-yard catch against Edmonton, Peterson held on to the ball after getting decked by a couple Huskies defenders setting the Hilltops up on the Edmonton 33 yard line.

Damon Dutton engineered a winning two-minute drill drive.

On the very next play, Dutton gave the ball to Sawi, who creased the Huskies with an electrifying 33-yard touchdown run to put the Hilltops up 20-15 with 65 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

The Huskies ended up with two more possessions before the game ended but Hilltops star weak side linebacker Konner Johnson and standout defensive back Steve Gilewicz came up with drive killing interceptions. Those efforts preserved the 20-15 score as a final outcome in the CJFL post-season match in favour of the Hilltops.

“The heart of a lion stepped up today,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, whose team has won four straight games. “Our fifth year players were outstanding.

“We just hung and we stuck together, and we played hard. Full credit to the Edmonton Huskies, holy cow, were they on point. We knew what they were going to do, and we couldn’t stop them.

Boston Davidsen scores the Hilltops first TD on a one-yard run.

“You know what, we willed ourselves to a win, and it was great to see Damon Dutton step up – the North Battleford connection him to (Presley) Pederson. Then Charles (Sawi) made that big splash play, and then the defence dug deep and found a way to finish the game off for us.”

Sawi finished the contest with 63 yards rushing on just four carries, which included his 33-yard touchdown run. The graduate of Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High School Crusaders Football Team was pumped to come through with the winning score.

“I don’t think I’ve ever done that before in my life,” said Sawi. “That is probably one of the happiest moments I’ve ever had in my life in football.”

Alex Gayle ran for 175 yards for the Huskies.

The youngster was happy his Hilltops survived to play another week.

“I honestly thought we were going to lose this game,” said Sawi. “I was very worried.

“As soon I got in there, I gave it my all and just played like it was my last.”

Dutton was also elated the Hilltops survived. He is one of 20 Hilltops players who will graduate from the storied CJFL club once the team’s 2022 post-season run comes to an end.

The veteran signal caller said the graduating players did not want Sunday’s PFC semifinal to be their last game. Last year, Dutton engineered a two-minute drill drive to beat the Huskies 33-31 in a PFC semifinal played at SMF Field.

Jemanie Watkis had a 32-yard TD catch for the Huskies.

He thought he and his team were locked in on Sunday, especially when it came to making that game-winning two minute drill drive that ended in Sawi’s winning run.

“We just have to stay cool,” said Dutton. “We run the two-minute drill in practice every night.

“We’ve been here before. We just have to stay within ourselves and do our thing. You can’t get too excited.

“You can’t get too down. You just have to stay level headed and try to make some plays.”

The Hilltops got out to a fast start in Sunday’s contest going ahead 10-0 by the 9:16 mark of the opening quarter thanks to a 23-yard field goal from kicker Connor Green and a one-yard touchdown run by Davidsen.

Huskies QB Jordan Lane, left, throws a pass under pressure.

The game’s complexion proceeded to turn as the Huskies put together a scoring drive that covered about 105 yards in length. The march ended on the final play of the first quarter, when Huskies starting quarterback Jordan Lane hit receiver Jemanie Watkis with a 32-yard touchdown pass on a go route down the right sideline to cut the Hilltops lead to 10-7.

In the second quarter, the Hilltops had to concede a safety due to bad field position to allow the Huskies to close to within 10-9. On the final play of the second quarter, Hartman hit a field goal from 16 yards out to give the Huskies a 12-10 lead at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, Green had a chance to put the Hilltops back in front, but he hit the upright on a 27 yard field goal attempt. A short time later, the Huskies had a 15-yard touchdown run by Epharh Oyama nullified due to an illegal participation penalty.

Hilltops receiver Drake Douglas, left, breaks past a defender.

After that scoring play was nixed due to a penalty, Hartman had a chance to extend the Huskies advantage, but his 21-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Hilltops defensive back Evan Mantyka.

At that point in the game, the Hilltops inserted Dutton in at quarterback for Reider. Reider completed just 4-of-12 passes for 26 yards, while throwing two interceptions. Dutton gave the Hilltops offence a little more poise as he completed 4-of-6 passes for 46 yards, and his completions came at critical times.

“That is the heart of a fifth-year player,” said Sargeant. “He stepped up, and he made a couple of big plays and got us going.

“Damon Dutton doesn’t go in there we don’t win this football game. It is about as simple as that. As I said, he is a proven commodity.

Riece Kack (#47) celebrates a fumble recovery.

“We know what to expect. It is great to see him rise up and answer to the challenge.”

On the final play of the third quarter, Hilltops defensive end Riece Kack recovered a Huskies fumble about 40 yards away from the Edmonton end zone.

The Hilltops ensuing offensive series to start the fourth quarter ended with Green hitting a 26-yard field goal to give the host side a 13-12 advantage. That set the stage for the dramatics in the game’s final three minutes.

“I was just happy to be able to help this team win,” said Dutton. “The defence played amazing.

“The offence was rolling. We just needed one last kick, and I was happy to be part of it.”

Hilltops DB Evan Mantyka (#15) makes a big hit in the secondary.

Davidsen led the Hilltops with 114 yards rushing coming on 28 carries including his major score run. Rookie receiver Drake Douglas was the Hilltops top pass catcher making four catches for 36 yards.

Jordan completed 15-of-27 passes for the Huskies for 150 yards and one touchdown, while throwing three interceptions.

Huskies star running back Alex Gayle led all ground gainers carrying the ball 34 times for 175 yards. Edmonton posted 207 yards rushing as a team.

Johnson had three solo defensive tackles, five defensive tackle assists, three solo special teams tackles and one pass knockdown to go with his one interception. Veteran defensive tackle Jaxon Funk had six solo defensive tackles and six defensive tackle assists.

Hilltops DB Joe Yausie makes a diving tackle from behind.

Hilltops cornerback Joe Yausie came up with a fourth quarter interception.

Linebacker Teryll Sherman had a big day for the Huskies making five solo defensive tackles, three defensive tackle assists, one solo special teams tackle and one interception. Defensive back Paul Loggale also had an interception for the Huskies, who finished the 2022 campaign with a 5-4 overall record.

The Hilltops, who are 6-3 overall, advance to the PFC final to face their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder. The Thunder downed the Winnipeg Rifles 23-14 in Sunday’s other PFC semifinal held at Leibel Field in Regina.

Damon Dutton fires a pass downfield for the Hilltops.

Due to challenging winter storm conditions in Saskatchewan, the contest between the Thunder and Rifles originally slated to start at 1 p.m. local time didn’t begin until 2:45 p.m. local time as parents, players, fans and volunteers cleared a large snowfall to allow the game to be played.

The Rifles finished with a 4-5 overall record, while the Thunder improved to 9-0 overall.

The PFC final between the Thunder and Hilltops is slated to be held this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. The Hilltops won last year’s PFC final played between the two sides 29-9 at Mosaic Stadium.

“We’ll get in the lab and start getting ready for that,” said Sargeant. “We live another week and that is all I care about.”

NOTES – On Saturday at the Apple Bowl in Kelowna, B.C., the host Okanagan Sun blanked the Westshore Rebels 38-0 to win the BCFC title. The Sun improved their overall record to 12-0, while the Rebels complete the 2022 campaign with an 8-4 overall mark.

The Huskies and Hilltops shake hands after Sunday’s game.

Also on Saturday at Acumen Stadium in Windsor, Ont., the host St. Clair Saints dumped the London Beefeaters 38-7 to win the OFC championship. The Saints improve to 10-0 overall, while the Beefeaters conclude the 2022 campaign with a 7-3 overall mark.

The Saints will host the Sun this coming Saturday in a CJFL semifinal at Acumen 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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Hilltops’ Sawi explodes against Huskies in 38-10 victory

The Hilltops celebrate a second TD by Charles Sawi on Sunday.

Charles Sawi was humble and appreciative from the love he received from his Saskatoon Hilltops family.

He said his teammates made his first two career CJFL touchdowns feel that much more special and Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field a day he will never forget. In the first quarter of the Hilltops clash with the Edmonton Huskies, the 17-year-old rookie running back scored on a 40-yard swing pass reception and 31-yard run off a reverse helping power his squad to a 38-10 CJFL regular season victory.

On both plays Sawi got into the end zone, the Hilltops players on the field and on the bench burst into joyful cheers and charged towards the shifty open field runner offering pats on the back, hugs, applause and congratulations.

Charles Sawi blows past a defender on a 40-yard TD reception.

“There is no other better feeling than that,” said Sawi, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 170 pounds. “Like oh my gosh, it was probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in such a long time.

“I thought this would not happen at all. It felt really good. I’m really happy that my team is excited for me.”

On the day, Sawi touched the ball just five times, but he still put up 113 all-purpose yards. He had three carries for 52 yards and his one rushing major, 40 yards receiving on his one catch that went for a major and one kickoff return for 21 yards.

“The kid’s got a gift,” said legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant about Sawi. “Number one, he is a great kid.

Charles Sawi bursts his way to a 31-yard TD run.

“He came out today. We added him up into the offensive plan. He has certainly produced and did some good things.

“Now, we’ll expand the repertoire even more and put him in more situations where he can give us that explosive element that certainly is fun to watch.”

On a day when the scoreboard malfunctioned at SMF Field causing the officials to relay the time on the clock to the coaching staffs on both teams, Sawi might have been able to blow out the scoreboard had it been working properly on a sunny day with temperatures reaching 34 C.

Just over five minutes into the first quarter, Hilltops quarterback Damon Dutton dumped a pass out to Sawi in the left flat, and Sawi burst, spun and weaved his way to a 40-yard scoring reception giving the Hilltops a 7-0 lead.

Charles Sawi had 113 all-purpose yards on five touches on Sunday.

“I caught it, and instantly I was just like go to the end zone, go to the end zone, go to the end zone,” said Sawi. “That is what I did.

“I exploded past the other defenders and got in the touchdown area.”

Just over four minutes later, the Hilltops pushed their lead out to 10-0 off a 21-yard field goal from kicker Connor Green, who is in his first year with the Hilltops.

At that point, the Hilltops defence came through with a big play, when defensive end Riece Kack intercepted Huskies quarterback Carson Neitz. Kack returned the interception 25 yards setting the offence up deep in Huskies territory.

Charles Sawi is overjoyed by the support he gets from his teammates.

Kack said he anticipated the Huskies were going to run a short pass play he saw in film study and dropped into the area he expected the ball to thrown to. After catching the ball, Kack said he had visions of going all the way to the end zone, but those visions faded as he didn’t feel like a running back or a receiver running down the field.

“I was hoping for the first five seconds,” said Kack, who had a sack and three total tackles on Sunday. “As soon as I started running, I felt like Vince Wilfork (who was a very large run stopping defensive tackle in the NFL) running it.

“The main goal was to not fumble it, so I kind of just went down. It would have been pretty special to get in.”

Riece Kack had an interception and a sack for the Hilltops.

A short time later, Sawi scored his second touchdown of the game with this coming on a reverse run, where he made a spectacular 31-yard jaunt, bursting, spinning and breaking out of tackles on his way to pay dirt give the Hilltops a 17-0 lead. Sawi said that once he had the ball in his hands that once again all he thought about was getting into the end zone any way he could.

He didn’t think he would get his first two career CJFL touchdowns in just his second career CJFL game.

“It felt really good,” said Sawi. “I was not expecting it within my rookie year.

“I thought it was going to be next year. Otherwise, yeah, it felt really great. I’m really happy that I scored for the Hilltops.

“I couldn’t do anything better than that.”

Boston Davidsen runs for tough yards up the middle.

Following Sawi’s touchdown, the Hilltops got a rouge on an 85-yard kickoff single from Green to make their lead stand at 18-0 heading into the second quarter.

After the teams played through a scoreless second quarter, the Huskies hit the scoreboard at the 4:58 mark of the third quarter with a 38-yard field goal from kicker Laine Santos to trim the Hilltops edge to 18-3.

If there were any thoughts of a comeback, the Hilltops quickly dashed them. Before the third quarter ended, the Hilltops got a 38-yard field goal and Dutton hit second-year receiver Noah Flaman with an eight-yard touchdown pass to surge the Hilltops lead out to 28-3.

The Hilltops offence was set up with a short field for the Flaman touchdown after third-year backup linebacker Andy Scrivens blocked a punt and the ball was recovered by second-year defensive lineman Ben Marce.

Damon Dutton completed 18-of-21 passes for 212 yards and three TDs.

Just 58 seconds into the fourth quarter, Dutton hit third-year receiver Boden Marley with a 27-yard touchdown toss in increase the host side’s advantage to 35-3. That score saw both teams begin substituting in their backup players for the rest of that frame.

With 4:35 remaining in the fourth, the Huskies were able to get a major score on a four-yard run from backup running back Mikey Pang to cut the Hilltops lead to 35-10.

Abel-Douglas rounded out the 38-10 final score booting a 22-yard field goal for the Hilltops with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

A pair of Hilltops players combine on a special teams tackle.

Overall, Sargeant like Sunday’s performance by his team better than their 19-10 Week 1 win at home over the Winnipeg Rifles.

“We really had a much better week of practice,” said Sargeant. “I think that first game Winnipeg exposed some things on us, so we were able to correct and coach.

“This week it was a bit better performance by everyone. Saying all that, I can’t wait to get back to the drawing board and make this team even better. I saw a lot of good things, and I feel real positive with the effort.

“At the end of the day, we got to play all our kids, and that is awesome.”

Dutton completed 18-of-21 passes for 212 yards, three touchdowns and without an interception for the Hilltops. Power running back Boston Davidsen topped the Hilltops with 62 yards rushing on 11 carries, and Marley lead all receivers with eight catches for 91 yards to go with his touchdown reception.

Boden Marley scores a major on a 27-yard reception.

The Huskies started Neitz at quarterback, but they rotated him at that position with Jordan Lane. Neitz completed 10-of-18 passes for 101 yards, while throwing his interception to Kack. Lane connected on 6-of-11 passes for 79 yards.

Star running back Alex Gayle was the Huskies most productive offensive producer running the ball 21 times for 109 yards, and he caught four passes for 34 yards. Receiver Adner St. Hilaire led the Huskies with 37 receiving yards coming off two catches.

Middle linebacker Matt Wist led Saskatoon with 5.5 total tackles. Defensive back Maurice Dubois topped the Huskies with seven total tackles, while defensive lineman Jacob Hegerfeldt had a sack for the Edmonton side.

Trey Reider throws a pass for the Hilltops.

The Hilltops improved to 2-0 with the win, while the Huskies fell to 1-1.

Kack was pleased his defensive unit had strong performances in the first two weeks of the season. He admitted the final score against the Huskies surprised him a little, and the games between the Hilltops and Huskies for about the last six years have been hard fought.

Sunday’s game marked the only regular season meeting between the two sides in 2022, and Kack believes the Huskies will be a stronger team, if the two sides should meet in the post-season.

“We thought that it was going to be probably closer than it was,” said Kack. “Next time if we do end up seeing them again, I’m sure they will give us a better fight.”

The Hilltops return to action this coming Sunday when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the 0-2 Rifles. While the Hilltops were beating the Huskies, the Rifles dropped a 24-22 heartbreaker to the Thunder in Regina.

The Hilltops and Huskies shake hands after Sunday’s game.

Sargeant said the Rifles are a legit strong team, and he didn’t mind the fact his Hilltops have to play them twice in the first three weeks of the 2022 campaign.

“At the end of the day, we learned a tonne, and we have a tonne to do to improve for that,” said Sargeant. “As I said, we are going to enjoy this one, because this was a big effort today.

“I challenged the guys during the week to sort of man up and just practice harder and better. As I said, I saw what I needed to see today to move this team forward the way it needs to be moved.”

Roughriders alum Hughes coming to End Zone Dinner

Neal Hughes gets pictured with a couple of small fans in 2011.

Saskatchewan Roughriders alum Neal Hughes will be the special guest speaker at this year’s Saskatoon Hilltops End Zone Dinner.

The End Zone Dinner will be held on Saturday, September 10 at the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. Doors open for the dinner at 4:15 p.m. with food to be served at 5:15 p.m. The funds raised at the dinner go towards the Hilltops scholarship fund.

Hughes, who is from Regina, played 11 CFL seasons at fullback for the Roughriders from 2004 to 2014 helping the team to Grey Cup wins in 2007 and 2013. The 2013 championship was won at the Roughriders historic home park in Taylor Field.

During his time with the Roughriders, Hughes mainly focused on blocking duties as a fullback or from a tight end position and covered kicks on special teams. He also showed his versatility in being able to make big plays running the football, catching it out of the backfield or punting it when required.

Before joining the Roughriders, Hughes played six seasons with the Regina Rams as their star running back. He suited up for the Rams as a rookie in 1998, when they played their final season in the CJFL capturing their 15^th and final CJFL championship.

Hughes played with the Rams during their first five seasons in the U Sports ranks as the University of Regina Rams helping them advance to the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup – in 2000. The Rams fell 42-39 in that contest to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.

Following the End Zone Dinner, the Hilltops will face their provincial rivals in the Regina Thunder at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, which is right next to the Gordie Howe Sports Centre on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds.

Single tickets for the dinner are $100 or a table of eight can be bought for $725.

Tickets can be purchased online by clicking on a link 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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