Defence delivers first place in PFC to Hilltops

Saskatoon improves to 6-0 downing Huskies 36-16

The Hilltops defence corrals Huskies RB Brandt Burzuk.

    The Saskatoon Hilltops unleashed the beasts on defence.

    On Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops defence forced 10 turnovers and recorded a pair of sacks powering Saskatoon to a 36-16 victory over the Edmonton Huskies before 762 spectators. The win in the Canadian Junior Football League regular season encounter allowed the Hilltops, who have won the last four straight CJFL titles, to improve to 6-0 to clinch first place in the Prairie Football Conference.

    Saskatoon has won its last 14 games in a row including action in the regular season and playoffs.

    The Huskies fell to 4-2 to remain second in the PFC.

The Hilltops defence takes down Huskies starting QB Tommy Yanchuk.

    With two weeks to play in the regular season, the Huskies would be unable to pass the Hilltops for top spot in the conference due to Sunday’s loss. By winning the only regular season clash between the two sides in 2018, the Hilltops control the standings tiebreaker with the Huskies.

    The first place finish allows the Hilltops to play at home throughout the 2018 CJFL playoffs including the Canadian Bowl league championship game.

    “It is nice knowing that we don’t have to go out on the road for playoffs,” said Hilltops defensive tackle Jesse McNabb. “It is always nice to play in front of our home crowd and give the hometown people a show.”

    It seemed like everyone on the Hilltops defence was stepping up to make plays in the win over the Huskies. Still, the Hilltops were only able to slowly pull away in the contest due to the fact the Huskies defence forced four turnovers of their own.

Huskies backup QB Brendan Guy, left, is sacked by Hilltops DB Logan Bitz.

    Early in the first quarter, a blocked punt by Hilltops linebacker and ace special teamer Riley Keating allowed Saskatoon’s offence to start on Edmonton’s 22 yard-line. A short touchdown drive ensued with Hilltops star quarterback Jordan Walls hitting receiver John Brown with a 10-yard touchdown catch to give the hosts a 7-0 lead.

    An interception by Hilltops middle linebacker Bobby Ehman would turn into a 41-yard field goal from kicker David Solie to give the Toppers a 10-0 edge.

    Edmonton forced Saskatoon to concede a safety right before the first quarter expired, and Saskatoon returned that favour in the second quarter to see the hosts hold a 12-2 edge.

    Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said his defensive unit’s success was due to an outstanding game by the defensive line. Star defensive tackle Jesse McNabb had six tackles, defensive tackle and captain Garth Knittig had three tackles, three assisted tackles and one sack and defensive end Connor Guillet had one tackle, three assisted tackles and two fumble recoveries.

 

MLB Bobby Ehman knocks down a pass for the Hilltops.

  “The D-line, we really challenged them all week,” said Sargeant. “It was great to see them come out and perform up to the level of standard that we expect.

    “They were the difference makers today no question. They just controlled the line of scrimmage, so it was awesome to see. I couldn’t be more proud.”

    While the Hilltops defence had the big highlights of the day, the Hilltops offence still delivered a critical play right before halftime. After forcing the Huskies to turn the ball over on downs, Walls hit receiver Keegan Dicks for a 70-yard pass-and-run touchdown with 23.9 seconds to play in the first half to give the Hilltops a 19-2 lead.

DB Jared Giddings intercepts a pass for the Hilltops.

    Dicks finished the contest hauling in three passes for 112 yards including his one catch for a major score.

    “That was massive,” said Sargeant. “Any time with less than a minute you get something over the top like that, you don’t anticipate that.

    “Keegan is a special player. He has got lots of growing and learning to do. He certainly has that gift of making some big time plays.”

    In the third quarter, the Huskies cut the Hilltops lead to 19-9 scoring a kickoff single from kicker Cole Sabourin and seven-yard rushing touchdown from running back Brandt Burzuk. Edmonton failed to score on a two-point conversion attempt after Burzuk’s touchdown.

    Solie hit a 35-yard field goal for the Hilltops to extend their lead to 22-9 by the end of the third quarter.

RB Brandt Burzuk scores a touchdown for the Huskies.

    Early in the fourth quarter, Hilltops star outside linebacker Cody Peters came up with an interception. Saskatoon proceeded to drive down for another major score as Walls hit fifth-year star receiver Jason Price for a nine-yard touchdown toss to give the hosts a 29-9 lead.

    “I felt like we played unreal out there,” said Peters. “We overcame adversity.

    “They brought it to us, but we answered back with a good response.”

    Burzuk scored on a one-yard plunge for Edmonton to cut Saskatoon’s lead to 29-16 with 6:47 to play in the fourth quarter.

    The Huskies forced the Hilltops offence to go two-and-out to get the ball back. Edmonton’s offensive drive came to an end when starting quarterback Tommy Yanchuk tried to run for a first down on a third-and-seven gamble in his own end only to get drilled short of the first down marker by McNabb.

    After that turnover on downs, the Hilltops scored their final major on an 11-yard run from star running back Joshua Ewanchyna to cement the final at 36-16.

RB Josh Ewanchyna piled up 201 yards rushing for the Hilltops.

    “It was pretty physical,” said Peters of Sunday’s game. “They a little dirty out there to be honest with you, and they like to hit a little bit.

    “It is OK. We answered back out there. I like a team that likes to get a little dirty.”

McNabb appreciated the physical approach of the Huskies as well.

    “It was pretty good,” said McNabb. “There was always lots of good contact in there.

    “You are always playing hard to the whistle, no dirty stuff after. You can’t ask for anything else than that.”

    Walls completed 15-of-25 passes for 243 yards, three touchdowns and zero interception for the Hilltops. Ewanchyna ran the ball 27 times for 201 yards and one touchdown.

    Defensive back Logan Bitz had four tackles, three assisted tackles, one sack and a forced fumble for the Hilltops. Fellow defensive back Jared Giddings had an interception for the Toppers. Saskatoon’s defence forced Edmonton to turn the ball over on downs on five occasions in the contest.

Jordan Walls (#19) threw three touchdown passes for the Hilltops.

    Yanchuk completed 17-of-26 passes for 213 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. Burzuk ran the ball 23 times for 144 yards and two touchdowns.

    Huskies linebacker Jassen Brown had six tackles and a fumble recovery.

    “At the end of the day, this was a big game, a key, critical scenario, and we are able to execute the mission,” said Sargeant referring to his club’s first place finish in the PFC. “That feels pretty good.

    “It is not very often you do that after six games. They are a worthy opponent. They are a good football team.

The Hilltops celebrate a 70-yard TD catch from Keegan Dicks, left.

    “It was a good, physical aggressive game. Ultimately, we were able to get the two points (in the standings) that were extremely needed.”

    The Hilltops return to action this coming Sunday, when they travel to Edmonton to take on the Wildcats (2-4). That will be the Toppers final road trip of the 2018 campaign.

    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, Huskies to battle in first place showdown

Expect the Hilltops to come out fired up for a first place showdown.

    In the 2018 season to date, it will be the biggest game in the Prairie Football Conference and arguably the biggest game in the Canadian Junior Football League.

    On Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Saskatoon Hilltops will take on the Edmonton Huskies for first place in the PFC in what will be the only regular season meeting between the two sides. The Hilltops currently hold top spot in the PFC with a 5-0 mark, while the Huskies sit second at 4-1.

    If the Hilltops win this contest, they will lock up first place in the PFC. If the Huskies win, they will sit in first place due to holding the standings tiebreaker with the Hilltops.

    Edmonton’s schedule gets quite a bit easier after facing Saskatoon over the final two weeks of the regular season. The Huskies close their regular season slate hosting the Calgary Colts (0-5) on Oct. 6 and the Edmonton Wildcats (2-3) on Oct. 14.

    The squad that finishes first in the PFC locks up home field advantage though the entire CJFL playoffs including the Canadian Bowl national title game.

    “This is really our first playoff game at the end of the day, because it is major ramifications for what takes place,” said Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “Every team wants home field advantage.

    “That is certainly a goal we have set, so we’re going to do everything in our power to come up with a great game plan, make sure the players come out and execute it well and see where it takes us. Film study tells us the Edmonton Huskies are a well-coached, physical football team.”

    The Hilltops and Huskies had a major rivalry in the 2000s with the two sides combining to win the CJFL title in five straight seasons. The Hilltops claimed three straight national titles from 2001 to 2003, while the Huskies won back-to-back national titles in 2004 and 2005.
    The Huskies hit a downturn, but they have returned to their powerhouse form from the past in recent years finishing 6-3 in 2016 and 7-1 last season. Their recent clashes with the Hilltops have been hard fought.

    In the only meeting between the two sides in 2016, the Hilltops pulled out a 29-20 win in Edmonton in Week 2.

Joshua Ewanchyna, right, has been piling up yards for the Hilltops.

    Last season, the two clubs met in the final week of the regular season in Edmonton with first place on the line. The Huskies held a 14-10 lead at halftime before the Hilltops stormed back for a 38-28 victory.
    “We’ve been looking forward to this especially after the game we had against them last year,” said Hilltops star fifth-year receiver Jason Price. “That game was so intense trying to get that first place last year too.

    “This one we’re amped up. We’re ready. We’re going to throw the ball around and fire it up and hopefully take it to them.”

    The Hilltops, who have claimed the last four straight CJFL titles, enter the contest having won their last 13 straight games including action in the regular season and playoffs. Saskatoon has been impressive so far in 2018 having trailed on the scoreboard for just a total of 81 seconds through five outings.

    Fifth-year star quarterback Jordan Walls leads the PFC with 1,270 yards passing having completed 78-of-126 throws for 10 touchdowns and two interceptions.
    Price leads the PFC with 422 yards receiving on 19 catches scoring two touchdowns.

    Hilltops third-year running back Joshua Ewanchyna sits second in the PFC with 442 yards rushing coming off 58 carries and scoring six touchdowns.

    Defensively, sophomore defensive end Connor Delahey leads the Hilltops with three sacks, while defensive tackle Jesse McNabb and linebacker Cody Peters each have two-and-a-half sacks.

    Huskies second-year quarterback Tommy Yanchuk has completed 80-of-148 passes for 1,108 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. Yanchuk’s yardage total ranks third in the PFC.

    Edmonton’s second-year running back in Brandt Burzuk leads the PFC in rushing having run the ball 67 times for 488 yards and scoring five touchdowns.

    Sam Clayton leads the Huskies in receiving hauling in 21 passes for 301 yards and scoring four touchdowns.

    Defensive lineman Kolton Densmore leads the Huskies with three sacks. Defensive back Oshane Samuels has been outstanding making 32 total tackles and one interception.

    Sargeant has a lot of respect for the Huskies.

Cody Peters, left, and Tristan Hering get set to rush the passer.

    “They’re good,” said Sargeant. “Trust me, that is what the film tells you.

    “They do everything proper. They’ve got good plans, and they work hard to execute them.

    “Their defence has always given us fits. They run a thirty-four, a different look than what we are used to, so we have lots of things to sort out and figure out compared to how we played in earlier parts of the year.”

    The Huskies last visited SFM Field way back on Sept. 20, 2015 in a campaign where they failed to make the CJFL playoffs. The Hilltops cruised to a 49-17 blowout victory in that encounter.

    That contest in 2015 seems like a distant memory now.

    In Sunday’s upcoming encounter, Price believes his side will rise to the occasion with a big performance again, because the Hilltops coaching staff prepares their players like they are going to play a powerhouse squad every week.

    “We feel like our team is big enough and strong enough to take it to them,” said Price. “We’re just going to have to play the game that we know we can play and just let our play do the talking.”

    The Hilltops will be powered by some extra emotion in Sunday’s game. Last Friday, legendary Hilltops executive and Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Don McDonald passed away at age 86. McDonald first joined the Hilltops as a player in 1951 and 1952.

    The majority of members on the team found out about his passing right before facing the Regina Thunder at SMF Field last Saturday posting a 48-24 victory. The Hilltops found themselves down 17-16 for a short time before surging to the win.

    A celebration of life for McDonald is set for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Saskatoon Inn, and the Hilltops will take the field against the Huskies the following day.

    “We’re going to play with him (McDonald) in our hearts,” said Price. “We’re going to come out there and play hard for him.

    “(He is) an alumni, director and like a big deal in this community. We’re going to go out there with him in our hearts and play Hilltop football the way he would want us to play it.”

    Sargeant said it is hard to find the words to describe what McDonald meant to the team.

Don McDonald, left, with Lyle Hislop in 2016.

    “There will be a lot of emotion through that, because he has been such an impactful and key leader for the Saskatoon Hilltops,” said Sargeant. “As I said, there is a lot of pride and blessing knowing and working with him. 

    “He is one of the big reasons the Saskatoon Hilltops are on the map. We appreciate what all he has done for us. It was good enough to get him into the (Canadian Football) Hall of Fame.

    “That certainly makes all of us feel pretty prideful about that. We also know that we have a job to do. (There is) a little more incentive to keep honouring his name and doing the right things the way the Saskatoon Hilltops are supposed to be doing them.”

    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 thump Thunder thanks to second half surge

Saskatoon improves to 5-0 with season sweep of archrivals

Hilltops RB Joshua Ewanchyna powers past Regina Thunder LB Davin Williamson.

    For the first time all season, the Saskatoon Hilltops found themselves in an unfamiliar spot.
    On Saturday night at a snowy Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the Hilltops jumped out to a 16-3 lead on their archrivals the Regina Thunder only to see the Thunder roar back with a pair of touchdowns to go in front 17-16 with 2:28 to play in the first half.
    Regina’s go-ahead touchdown came on a 96 yard pass and run play by veteran receiver Greg Lamb, who caught a long streak pass from quarterback Brock Sich.

Hilltops DT Jesse McNabb hits a Thunder ball carrier.

    With those developments, the Hilltops found themselves behind in a game for the first time in the 2018 Canadian Junior Football League regular season.

    The slim deficit didn’t last long.

    With 67 seconds remaining in the first half, the Hilltops forced the Thunder to concede a safety due to bad field position to go ahead 18-17. Hilltops kicker David Solie booted a 21 yard field goal with 6.5 seconds remaining in the first half to give the Hilltops a 21-17 halftime advantage.

    Saskatoon took off in the second half and romped to a 48-24 victory to improve to 5-0 on the campaign. The Hilltops swept the two regular season encounters with the Thunder, who fell to 2-3 with the setback, and claimed the Shrine Bowl Trophy as a result.

QB Jordan Walls threw three touchdown passes for the Hilltops.

    “We needed to face some adversity,” said Hilltops star quarterback Jordan Walls, whose squad locked up a playoff berth with the win. “We definitely didn’t handle it well in the first half, when they started to punch us in the throat.

    “We came back and made our plays, so I was pretty happy with the way that we responded. Our defence stepped up. Our offence made some plays.

    “All in all, it was a good second half.”

    The Thunder seemed intent on pulling out all the stops in trying to manufacture an upset. They tried to recover a short kickoff to open the game only to have the Hilltops field the ball.

    Saskatoon proceeded to drive down and score a touchdown as Walls hit receiver Tanner Rhode with a 27-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead.

Safety Brant Morrow returns a kick for the Hilltops.

    The Thunder responded with a 28 yard field goal from Eric Maximuik on their opening series to cut the Hilltops edge to 7-3.

    With 11.5 seconds remaining in the opening quarter, Walls hit fifth-year star receiver Jason Price with a 24-yard touchdown toss to extend Saskatoon’s advantage to 14-3.

    Regina was forced to concede a safety early in the second quarter to put Saskatoon up 16-3.

    At that point, the visitors came to life offensively. The Thunder scored their first major on a gadget play.

    Sich handed the ball to receiver Lee Brown on an apparent jet sweep, but Brown proceeded to throw the ball to offensive lineman Chad Teskey in the Hilltops end zone for a four yard touchdown pass to cut Saskatoon’s lead to 16-10.

    From there, the Thunder went ahead on Lamb’s big pass reception.

    “In the first half, we had a lot of little mistakes that led to some points and momentum for them,” said Hilltops safety Brant Morrow, who had a key fumble recovery in the first quarter. “In the second half, we came out strong.

OL Chad Teskey hauls in a touchdown catch for the Thunder.

    “We just played our game and kept playing hard the whole second half.”

    After the Hilltops went ahead 21-17 at halftime, they opened the second half scoring 27 unanswered points to go up 48-17.

    In the third quarter, star running back Joshua Ewanchyna capped a long Hilltops scoring drive with a nine yard touchdown run, and Solie hit field goals from 12 and 24 yards out to give Saskatoon a 34-17 advantage.

    On the first play of the fourth quarter, Walls found receiver Keegan Dicks for a 33-yard touchdown toss to put the hosts up 41-17. The Toppers surge was capped by six-yard touchdown run from running back Ben Abrook.

    The Thunder rounded out the contest’s scoring when backup quarterback Blake Scherle hit receiver Michael Letts on an eight-yard touchdown toss with 67 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Hilltop DB Logan Bitz sacks Thunder QB Brock Sich.

    Walls didn’t have his best game regarding completing percentage connecting on 13-of-30 passes in the contest. With that said, his 13 completions resulted in 266 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

    The fifth-year veteran said the passing game got better as the game went on.

    “I think it was just the guys finding spots,” said Walls. “That is their job to get open.

    “It is pretty easy for me to find them when they do, so they did their job. Definitely, I wanted to get Jason Price the ball a bit more, and we did so that was nice to have that.”

    Ewanchyna had a big night carrying the ball 18 times for 168 yards and scoring a touchdown. He also caught one pass for 21 yards.

The Hilltops celebrate a touchdown catch from Jason Price (#83).

    Price had the biggest night amongst the Hilltops receivers hauling in four passes for 92 yards and one touchdown.

    Sich completed 16-of-27 passes for 244 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Lamb led the Thunder with 111 yards receiving on two catches, which included his long touchdown reception.

    Linebacker Cody Peters had five solo tackles and one sack for the Hilltops. Defensive back Logan Bitz had a sack for Saskatoon, while Jared Giddings and Evan Kretzer had interceptions.

    Williamson had six total solo tackles and six assisted tackles for the Thunder.

    The Hilltops piled up 257 yards rushing and 287 yards passing as a team. 

Evan Kretzer runs back an interception for the Hilltops.

    The Thunder put up 313 yards passing as a team but were held to 97 yards along the ground.

    Saturday’s encounter had the feel of a rivalry game as it included a lot of extracurricular activity and chippy play on both sides.

    “It is hard not to get mixed up in it,” said Walls. “It is just prairie football.

    “We’ve know these guys for a long time, and we are going to have some of that. It was a little bit chippier than we’ve had in the past, but I like the way we played.”

    “Our coaches always try to get us to stay out of that,” said Morrow. “I really appreciate that about our coaches.

    “They like us to just be out here to play football, so that was what we are doing. I think that kind of gave us an edge.”

    The Thunder return to action on Sept. 30, when they host the Edmonton Wildcats (2-3) at 1 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

The Hilltops celebrate their victory over the Thunder.

    The Hilltops could potentially lock up first place in the Prairie Football Conference in their next outing against the Edmonton Huskies (3-1) on Sept. 30 at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Huskies need to beat the Winnipeg Rifles (2-2) on Sunday in Edmonton for that scenario to happen.

    “We’re focused on winning the national championship,” said Morrow. “To do that, we just have to play good every week.

    “We just have to look at the team we are playing every week and we have to beat them. We are on to Edmonton now.”

Hilltops announce passing of legendary executive McDonald

Don McDonald, left,with Lyle Hislop in 2016.

    Before Saturday’s game, the Hilltops announced that legendary team executive Don McDonald had passed away.

    McDonald joined the Hilltops as a player suiting up for two seasons in 1951 and 1952. After hanging up his cleats, McDonald became an executive with the team.

    Along with being a Hilltops director, McDonald fulfilled many roles with the club over the decades, which included a stint serving as the team’s president. He was the commissioner of the CJFL for eight years and has had a long involvement with Football Saskatchewan, which included serving eight years as president.

    McDonald was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2016 as a builder. Only two other persons with ties to the Hilltops are members of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame including the late Ron Atchinson, who was inducted as a player in 1978, and the late Ed Henick, who was inducted as a builder in 2003.

    McDonald also overcame at least four major health issues in about the last 15 years of his life. Through those challenges, his mind remained as sharp as ever.

    The Hilltops held a moment of silence before Saturday’s game to remember McDonald. Funeral arrangements are still pending.

Player. Director. Builder. Legend.

It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Don McDonald. To his family & friends, we extend our deepest condolences. Know that the blue & gold will be with you always.

Thank you Don. RIP. pic.twitter.com/WI0EJQlyFR

— Saskatoon Hilltops (@SaskHilltops) September 23, 2018

    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’ Ehman takes lessons to heart from long ago rookie season, Colts crushed 79-7

LB Bobby Ehman has brought intensity and leadership to the Hilltops.

    When Bobby Ehman first joined the Saskatoon Hilltops way back in 2014, he discovered he was an immediate good fit with the team.

    “The first year feels like a long time ago, but it was awesome,” said Ehman, who is a jack of all trades linebacker. “The vets were really welcoming.

    “Right away, I felt like a part of the family. I lucked out and got to travel in my first year, and that usually doesn’t happen. I just try to make the most of it.

    “I am still here.”

    On Saturday night in Calgary, Ehman had a couple of pass knockdowns as the Hilltops improved to 4-0 in the current campaign thrashing the Colts 79-7 at McMahon Stadium. The Colts fell to 0-4.

    Now in his fifth and final season with venerable Canadian Junior Football League club, Ehman said the time has flown by. The 22-year-old graduate of Saskatoon’s Aden Bowman Collegiate has watched Saskatoon Minor Football Field undergo a totally reconstruction during his time with the Hilltops, which includes playing on a field turf field, in front new stands and press boxes and getting the opportunity to dress in a new clubhouse facility at that site.

    At the Hilltops practice field, he saw the team play their final campaign last season out of their old clubhouse and play the current campaign out of a newly built state of the art clubhouse.

    Of course, Ehman has enjoyed the fact he has helped the Hilltops win the CJFL championship in every season he has been with the team. He has stockpiled memories he will carry with him for the rest of his life in those championship journeys.
    Ehman said some of the most important lessons came out of that first season back in 2014. He was mainly playing the special teams and trying to gain a handle on the Hilltops defensive system.

    On top of that, Ehman learned how to persevere and keep working hard, when things go bad. The Hilltops started out 1-2 in the regular season in that campaign having lost twice to their provincials rivals the Regina Thunder. The Thunder were the defending CJFL champions at that time.

Bobby Ehman (#48) took over as starting middle linebacker for the Hilltops.

    It was a position the Hilltops rarely ever found themselves in and everyone on the club was doing soul searching trying to figure out what type of team they were.

    Ehman recalls that Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant wasn’t really happy at that point in time. After that slow start, the Hilltops rolled of eight straight wins between the regular season and playoffs, and that run was capped by a 39-14 victory over the host Langley Rams in the CJFL championship game, the Canadian Bowl.

    “He (Sargeant) kind of set us straight,” said Ehman. “Honestly, I think that really helped us grow as a team.

    “The vets just started leading the way, and it brought us a championship that year. I kind of figured it out pretty quickly how we are supposed to play the Hilltop way. I’d say I’ve greatly improved.”

    Now as the wily old veteran, special teams captain and starting middle linebacker, Ehman has come full circle as a player and now helps the fresh faced rookies who have joined the Toppers out of high school. Ehman said he is impressed with the skill that the newcomers have.

    “It is quite a bit different,” said Ehman. “It sounds like they played a lot more football.

    “These kids are coming in pretty talented.”

    Hilltops defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jeff Yausie said the team has benefitted greatly from the fact Ehman has a motor that doesn’t quit. Besides being an ace on special teams, Ehman has played in every spot at the linebacker position.

    He mainly played at one of the outside spots before moving into the middle this season due to the graduation of veteran star Cameron Schnitzler.

    Yausie has been pleased with Ehman’s play and continued improvement during his time with the team.

Bobby Ehman celebrates a Hilltops big play.

    “He (Ehman) has been an emotional and energy leader for our team,” said Yausie. “It is a complicated game, especially when you move up a level and you play good opponents, and sometimes players slow down.

    “He doesn’t do that. He plays faster and brings energy and brings confidence to your team. That is the reason he excels as a leader by how he plays.”

    Away from the game, Yausie said Ehman does a great job in keeping things light and loose in the team’s clubhouse.

    “Off the field, he (Ehman) is a fun guy,” said Yausie. “He is just a natural leader, because he is always cracking jokes and he just brings a relaxed atmosphere to the team.

    “We practice hard and we coach hard. Some players quiet down and shut up, but Bobby is just Bobby. He is a leader, because he has a great personality and he is a really good person.”

    Going into this season, Ehman realizes the Hilltops can accomplish something significant, if they can win a fifth straight CJFL title. He said the team has the veteran leadership that can keep things focused on the task at hand.

    “It is in the back of my mind,” said Ehman. “It can honestly become more of an obstacle than we want it to be.

    “We really just have to stay focused.  We have the vets that have been here. We know what it takes to win.

    “We have to do that before we start worrying about the championship.”

    Ehman said he would like to keep playing next season and will keep his options open. He said he thought a lot about the fact he was going into his final CJFL campaign before the regular season started.

    After the Hilltops played their first regular season game, Ehman said he has kept his thoughts in the present from that moment on and is just enjoying the final ride.

    “I really just try to take it in each day,” said Ehman. “It is going by quick.

    “Every day is just kind of a blessing to come out with the guys. I just really try to savour every moment.”

    In Saturday’s wipeout of the Colts, the Hilltops stormed out to a 36-0 lead with 4:22 to play in the first quarter. Saskatoon romped through the rest of the game to close things out.

Bobby Ehman (#48) aims to enjoy his final CJFL season.

    The Hilltop had 363 yards rushing and 234 yards passing as a team in that contest, while the Colts had 29 yards rushing and 147 yards passing.
    Running back Joshua Ewanchyna carried the ball 17 times for 155 yards and scored three touchdowns for the Hilltops. The Toppers received a big performance from running back Ben Abrook, who carried the ball 10 times for 118 yards and scored one touchdown.

    Hilltops starting quarterback Jordan Walls completed 13-of-18 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns.

    Safety Brant Morrow and defensive back Colton Holmes each had one interception for Saskatoon. Including action in the regular season and the playoffs, the Hilltops have won their last 22 straight games on the road.

    The Hilltops return to action this coming Saturday when they host the Thunder (2-2) at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

    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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Klisowsky fits in as new O-line starter, Hilltops hammer Colts

Ryder Klisowsky, left, is the Hilltops new starting left guard.

    Ryder Klisowsky was ready to be a starter on the Saskatoon Hilltops offensive line, but that still didn’t prevent him from being attacked by pre-game nerves.
    On Saturday, the fourth-year Watrous, Sask., product made his second career start for the Hilltops slotting in at the left guard position on the offensive line. Klisowsky and the Hilltops first offensive unit piled up 354 yards of offence and a 45-0 lead by halftime of a Canadian Junior Football League regular season clash with the Calgary Colts.
    With the offensive starters getting a rest for the second half, the Hilltops cruised to a 59-1 victory before 1,065 spectators at Saskatoon Minor Football Field to improve to 2-0 on the campaign. The Colts fell to 0-2.
    Klisowsky went the distance in the Hilltops 41-7 regular season opening win over the Thunder in Regina on Aug. 18. The 21-year-old has enjoyed the anticipation that comes, when a start closes in.

Ryder Klisowsky, right, forces a Colts pass rusher into a double team.

    “It is a big change,” said Klisowsky, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 318 pounds. “It was kind of nerve-racking the first couple of games, because I’ve never really started.
    “It was an interesting thing to play a whole game and start off. I like it, and it feels good to start finally.”
    When he attended Winston High School in Watrous, Klisowsky played six-man football. He was placed in a pure offensive line position in the six-man game, which he said eased his transition to the 12-man game.

    In the six-man game, some offensive linemen can become pass receivers.
    “It wasn’t that bad of a change,” said Klisowsky. “It was kind of easier coming, so you didn’t have to run patterns or anything.
    “It was just straight up blocking.”

Ryder Klisowsky, left, protects the Hilltops pass pocket.

    In his preparation to become a starter with the Hilltops, Klisowsky said he was able to refine his game due to the help of the club’s long time offensive line coach in Donnie Davidsen.
    “He (Davidsen) has been a good help,” said Klisowsky. “He is a nice coach. He is great on the line.
    “He knows his stuff. He helps us out a lot. It is nice to have him around.”
    Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant was pleased by the effort put in by the Hilltops starting offensive line on Saturday. The four other starters include Kirk Simonsen at right tackle, Taylon Elderkin at right guard, Patrick Arno at centre and Mason Ochs at left tackle.
    Simonsen, Elderkin and Ochs were all Prairie Football Conference all-stars last season, while Simonsen and Ochs earned nods as CJFL all-Canadian all-stars. 

Ryder Klisowsky (#61) gets set at the line of scrimmage.

    Simonsen took home honours as the PFC’s most outstanding lineman last season as well.
    “Ryder (Klisowsky) is fantastic, and they all played great,” said Sargeant. “We know we are physical.
    “We know we can run and pass for the most part. The tape we are putting out is pretty good tape right now.”
    Klisowsky faced the challenge of fitting in as the only new starter on the Hilltops offensive line replacing Jack Sloboda, who exhausted his CJFL eligibility at the end of last season, coming into the current campaign.

Joshua Ewanchyna (#18) ran for a pair of touchdowns for the Hilltops.

    “I had to kind of mesh with them better, but I think we are doing well as a unit so far,” said Klisowsky. “We need to work on some more things, but I think we’re getting to that point that we are feeling good as a unit.”
    During his time with the Hilltops, Klisowsky has helped the club win CJFL titles in his first three campaigns with the team. He said that has been a highlight along with being around the rest of the players on the squad.
    “It is a blast,” said Klisowsky. “We are all a good group of guys.
    “It is all fun. We all have a good time on and off the field. It is nice to start and be a part of it all.”

    The Hilltops are trying to win an unprecedented fifth straight CJFL title this season, but Klisowsky said no one on the team is dwelling on the “drive for five” concept.

Keegan Dicks secures a catch near the sidelines.

    “It is in the back of everyone’s mind for sure, but we try to focus on our next game,” said Klisowsky. “That is our most important is the next game coming up.”
    The Hilltops stormed out to a 17-0 lead with just 6:12 elapsed in Saturday’s game as running back Joshua Ewanchyna ran in major scores from three and 20 yards out respectively and David Solie booted a 46 yard field goal.
    Saskatoon’s edge expanded to 31-0 by the end of the first quarter thanks to a one-yard plunge by fullback/defensive tackle Garth Knittig and a 12-yard touchdown reception from receiver Tanner Rhode, which was thrown by star quarterback Jordan Walls.
    In the second quarter, Walls hit receiver Keegan Dicks with an eight-yard touchdown toss and ran in a major score from 10 yards out to give the host side a 45-0 lead.
    Hilltops backup quarterback Tyler Hermann started the second half. In the third quarter, he connected with receivers Dillan Heintz and Carter Norrish on respective 31 and 27 yard touchdown passes to give the Hilltops a 59-0 advantage.

Hilltops DT Garth Knittig stops Colts RB Vad Wayne Kiana.

    Shortly before the third quarter expired, Colts kicker Dylan Pye scored a single on a missed 31-yard field goal attempt to round out the 59-1 final score.
    Walls connected on 14-of-19 passes for 231 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Ewanchyna ran the ball 11 times for 98 yards and scored two touchdowns.
    The Hilltops piled up 163 yards rushing and 348 yards passing of gross offence as a team.
    The Colts had 109 yards rushing and 80 yards passing of gross offence.

    Defensive tackle Jesse McNabb had four tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery for the Hilltops. 
    Backup defensive end Connor Delahey had a pair of sacks for the Hilltops, while fellow backup defensive end Jordan Seipp also had a sack.

    Safety Brant Morrow had an interception for Saskatoon.

Hilltops receiver Carter Norrish (#88) zips to the end zone after a catch.

    “We certainly challenged our team that we want to come out and play at a high level of great execution on offence, defence and specials teams, and we did that,” said Sargeant. “At the end of the day, it was fun to watch, fun to coach and fun to play.

    “More importantly, we got to build some capacity and got a lot of players on the field and that is only going to make us practise better and compete better and make this team better in the long run.”

    The Hilltops return to action on Sept. 2, when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Rifles (1-1).

    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 rumble past Thunder for fourth straight PFC title

DL Garth Knittig (#59) dives in for a Hilltops touchdown.

    Garth Knittig got to live a defensive lineman’s dream at a critical point of a championship game.

    On Sunday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, the third year defensive tackle for the Saskatoon Hilltops was called upon to carry the ball on a first-and-goal from the one yard-line. The Hilltops were holding a slim five-point lead on the Regina Thunder with less than two minutes to play in the fourth quarter of the Prairie Football Conference final.

    Knittig, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 285 pounds, made no mistake diving over a pile of bodies at the line of scrimmage to score the touchdown that put the Hilltops up 36-24 with 96 seconds to play. That score held up as a final as the Hilltops claimed a fourth straight PFC championship.

    “All I knew was that I couldn’t be stopped,” said Knittig. “I just had to motor through anyone who was in my way.

    “The O-line had an unreal push, and they gave me a nice place to go through. It was my first touchdown ever in my life, so it was unreal. I will never forget it.”

Garth Knittig lines up at defensive tackle for the Hilltops.

    The 20-year-old from Delisle, Sask., was pumped he could help his Hilltops down their provincial rivals for another conference title.

    “It is an unreal feeling right now,” said Knittig. “I can’t even put it into words. It is unreal having this experience with the boys.”

    Knittig’s touchdown capped a hard-fought battle of a game that has become a trademark of the clashes between the Hilltops and Thunder.

    Just 90 seconds into the contest, Hilltops running back Adam Machart burst through the middle of the Thunder defence on a 48-yard touchdown run to put the hosts up 7-0. The Hilltops lead increased to 9-0, when fifth-year defensive lineman Tom Schnitzler forced a Thunder safety.

    Schnitzler knocked the ball out of the hands of Thunder star quarterback Sawyer Buettner, when the signal caller was throwing out of his own end zone.

Safety James Vauses runs back an interception for the Hilltops.

    Thunder offensive lineman Logan Ferland dived on the loose ball, and he was downed in the end zone, when Schnitzler tagged him in attempting to recover the ball as well.

    Regina responded with a 10-point surge to pull ahead 10-9. With 37.7 seconds to play in the first quarter, rookie kicker Eric Maximuik booted a 28-yard field goal to give the Thunder their first points. Early in the second quarter, Buettner hit star receiver Levi Paul with a 14-yard touchdown pass to give the visitors a one-point edge.

    The Hilltops answered back. Facing a third-and-one from the Thunder 40 yard line, the Toppers elected to gamble. Sophomore running back Joshua Ewanchyna broke a short-yardage play into a 40-yard touchdown run to give Saskatoon a 16-10 advantage.

    With 23.3 seconds to play in the first half, the Hilltops added another major score coming from a one-yard touchdown plunge from fullback Colin Stumborg to surge in front 23-10.

QB Sawyer Buettner threw for 325 yards for the Thunder.

    Regina wouldn’t allow Saskatoon to run away with the contest. Early in the third quarter, the Hilltops fumbled the ball on a punt return, and it was recovered by Regina defensive lineman Ryland Gibb.

    Buettner quickly drove the Thunder downfield on a short drive that was capped with a 13-yard touchdown pass to receiver Lee Brown to cut the Hilltops lead to 23-17.

    The Hilltops pushed their edge back out to 29-17 before the third quarter ended, when fourth-year safety/kicker James Vause hit field goals from 33 and 36 yards out respectively. Vause had a big night for the Hilltops making six solo tackles and a second quarter interception.

    The graduate of Saskatoon’s Aden Bowman Collegiate was pleased he was able to come through with a big performance.

    “It was really good,” said Vause. “Honestly, I’ve had a tough year. I really just dialed in mentally this week, and I just did my job.

    “Those field goals have to go in. They are big points. I’m glad I could contribute that for the team as well.”

Joshua Ewanchyna (#18) ran for 81 yards on eight carriers for the Hilltops.

    With 7:55 to play in the fourth quarter, the Thunder cut the Hilltops lead to 29-24 with a diving one-yard touchdown run by star running back Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette.

    That set the stage for Knittig’s score near the end of the fourth quarter.

    “That was one of the most intense games I was a part of,” said Vause. “You have to be focused every play. It was a battle.

    “Give full credit to Regina. They battled back like they always do. We just have to stay the course and react and come back stronger every time they have a nice drive or a touchdown.

    “We pulled it together. I couldn’t be happier for the guys.”

    Buettner had a big day for the Thunder completing 29-of-39 passes for 325 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Paul topped all Thunder receivers hauling in nine passes for 86 yards to go with his major score.

Adam Machart (#20) ran for a massive 206 yards for the Hilltops.

    Regina linebacker Tanner Smith had nine solo tackles and two assisted tackles in the contest. The Thunder finished the season with a 6-4 overall record.

    The Hilltops did most of their damage offensively on the ground piling up 297 yards as a team rushing. Machart carried the ball 22 times for 206 yards to go with his rushing touchdown.

    With Hilltops fifth-year star running back Logan Fischer not dressed due to a lower body injury, Machart wanted to come through with a big outing and was pumped about another conference title win.

    “It feels amazing,” said Machart. “Our guys are super pumped. It feels really, really good.

    “This game meant a lot to the team and to our coaches. To come out and have a good game and get the “W” just feels amazing.”

The Hilltops begin celebrating their PFC title win.

    Ewanchyna had 81 yards rushing on eight carries to complement Machart’s efforts.

    Hilltops quarterback Jordan Walls completed 11-of-17 passes for 117 yards. Tom Schnitzler and middle linebacker Cameron Schnitzler both had sacks for the Hilltops.

    With the win, the Hilltops, who are 9-1 overall, have won 11 straight playoff games having claimed the last three straight Canadian Junior Football League championships. Saskatoon’s last post-season loss came back in the 2013 PFC final by a 21-16 score to the Thunder at Griffiths Stadium on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan.

    The Hilltops will host a CJFL national semifinal match this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. at SMF Field against the Vancouver Island Raiders (8-3-1), who are based in Nanaimo, B.C.

The Hilltops raise the PFC championship trophy.

    Last Saturday, Raiders downed the Westshore Rebels 21-7 in Langford, B.C., to capture the British Columbia Football Conference title.

    The winner of the match between the Hilltops and Raiders advances to the CJFL championship game – the Canadian Bowl. The Canadian Bowl will be held on Nov. 11 in Ontario against the winner of the Ontario Football Conference.

    The Windsor AKO Fratmen (8-1) host the Hamilton Hurricanes (6-3) in the OFC final, and the schedule of that clash is still to be announced.

    In the present, Machart is pumped his team gets to play the Raiders this coming Sunday.

    “I couldn’t be happier right now,” said Machart. “I love this sport, and we wanted to win today, and we got that.

    “To continue on in our season just feels awesome.”

    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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