Football all about brains and brawn for Hilltops’ Hartz

Daylen Hartz has rounded into top form for the Hilltops.

Daylen Hartz said you need to have both brains and brawn, when it comes to playing football.

The defensive end has become a force on the defensive line with the Saskatoon Hilltops. While Hartz enjoys slugging it out in the trenches against offensive linemen and hitting quarterbacks and running backs, he is mindful of tactics and game plans used in the sport.

That includes figuring out ways to beat blocking schemes that are used against him in line play to overall defensive schemes that are used to stop various plays and looks opposing offences comes up with.

“It is not always about contact,” said Hartz, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 245 pounds. “It is the strategy behind everything too.

“It is almost like the chess of sports. Every move has strategy behind it. You’re trying to like counteract each other with what they are doing, but also hitting is fun too.”

Strategy could play a part in the Hilltops (1-0) upcoming game when they host the Edmonton Huskies (1-0) on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

The last time these two clubs played was in a PFC semifinal last season that saw the Hilltops pull out a 33-31 victory in an all-time classic at SMF Field on November 7, 2021. Saskatoon claimed victory when quarterback Damon Dutton hit receiver Dillan Heintz with a five yard game winning touchdown toss with 21.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Daylen Hartz, right, had two sacks for the Hilltops last Sunday.

Last season marked the first time Hartz hit the field in a starting role for the ’Toppers. He led the team with four sacks during the eight game regular season, while collecting five solo tackles, six tackle assists and a forced fumble.

In the Hilltops three playoff games, Hartz had one sack, nine solo tackles and one tackle assist. His sack came in the CJFL semifinal, which the Hilltops fell to the Rams in Langley 17-14. The Rams advanced from that contest to win the Canadian Bowl to become CJFL champions.

Hartz was pumped to get on the field as a starter.

“It was awesome,” said Hartz, who is a graduate of Saskatoon’s Holy Cross High School Crusaders Football Team. “I loved having the opportunity to start after being on the sideline for a while.

“It was exciting to get in there. Obviously, I did a lot of bad plays. I had a couple of good plays.

“I had a lot to learn still, and I’m happy with how it went.  It didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but we learned a lot.”

Hartz got the 2022 campaign and his final CJFL season off to a hot start picking up a couple of sacks in the Hilltops 19-10 regular season opening victory this past Sunday at SMF Field over the Winnipeg Rifles. Legendary Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said Hartz has grown a tonne since first coming on board with the team in 2018.

Daylen Hartz, right, can stop the run and rush the quarterback.

“Coming out of Holy Cross, I think he was their top defensive player, and he is a player that has evolved here,” said Sargeant. “For the first couple of years, we weren’t sure where he was going to fit in.

“We knew he has some ability and some talent. He did his part in getting bigger, stronger and faster. Last year, he was our top sack leader, and he is an excellent run stopper.

“He doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to stop the run. He’s been very, very productive last year and the beginning of this year. We’re excited for what the rest of the season looks like.”

Hartz remembered he got a reality check that he had to work on strategy and technique when he first joined the Hilltops. During his rookie season in 2018, Hartz had an eye opening experience the first time he went up against star fifth-year right tackle Kirk Simonsen in practice.

“He (Simonsen) picked me up with one arm and just threw me to the ground,” said Hartz. “I wasn’t even 200 pounds back then, so I knew that it was just a massive reality check.

“I’m not that good. I have to get better.”

Hartz worked to get better and learned from the veterans as the Hilltops posted undefeated seasons in their 2018 and 2019 CJFL championship winning campaigns. He was looking forward to big things in his third season until the 2020 CJFL season was wiped out by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

Daylen Hartz topped the Hilltops with four sacks last season.

While the Hilltops practised together for six weeks as a team in September and October of 2020, Hartz kept his focus the best he could on training, but he admitted you reach the point you need to play a game.

“I had so much time to like prepare and get stronger, but it felt weird like having that summer where there was nothing really going on,” said Hartz, who will turn 22-years-old in December. “You have to keep the mentality of training.

“You always have to remember that you still have to like work on technique, because that is one thing a lot of people I think would have neglected. You always have to have a technique day, because I know even I neglected a lot of technique. I got back in my fourth year there, and my footwork was bad.

“I was way too high, so it was a big adjustment there.”

Still, Hartz kept playing better as the 2021 season motored along, and he started his final campaign in 2022 with a head turning performance. Sargeant believes Hartz has the potential to have a special season.

“You could look at the game film on Sunday, and he was determined that no one could block him,” said Sargeant. “At times, he was dominant.

“We need more of that. Hopefully, he builds on the confidence that he created for himself last weekend and the whole defence did. This team will never be satisfied.

Daylen Hartz got extra motivation after a CJFL semifinal loss in 2021.

“We’ll always want more. We’ll always have extremely high expectations for anyone who is in a starting role. Daylen Hartz is starting to certainly become an impact player in the PFC.”

Hartz said the CJFL semifinal loss to the Rams last year has provided extra motivation to become an even better play. He has put in a lot of time studying the game film of that setback to figure out how he can improve and drive forward into the 2022 campaign.

“I’ve watched that game a few times now, and I’ve rewatched a bunch of the plays,” said Hartz. “I see what we did well.

“I see what we did wrong. I want to get better, and I know we can be better specifically like me too. There were some plays that I blew, and I want to get better at that.”

Johnson named PFC defensive player of the week

Konner Johnson was the PFC’s defensive player of the week.

Konner Johnson’s all-star form from 2021 has carried over into 2022 resulting in a weekly award honour.

On Wednesday, the Saskatoon Hilltops veteran outside linebacker was named the PFC’s defensive player of the week for his work in his team’s 19-10 regular season opening home victory this past Sunday over the Winnipeg Rifles. In that contest, Johnson recorded 4.5 total tackles, one quarterback sack, one interception and two pass knockdowns.

Johnson and the Hilltops defence shutout the Rifles in the second half of last Sunday’s contest.

Last season during the Hilltops eight regular season games, Johnson recorded 26 defensive tackles, 13 defensive tackle assists, 12 special teams tackles, three special teams tackle assists, one quarterback sack, five pass knockdowns, one fumble recovery and five interceptions in being named a PFC all-star.

Before joining the Hilltops this season, Johnson attended training camp with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Green takes PFC’s weekly special teams player honour

Connor Green (#4) was the PFC’s top special teams player for the week.

Connor Green’s impressive debut handling all the kicking duties for the Saskatoon Hilltops helped land him the honour of capturing a weekly award.

On Wednesday, Green, who is playing his first year with the Hilltops, was named the PFC’s special teams player of the week for his work in the Hilltops 19-10 regular season opening home victory this past Sunday over the Winnipeg Rifles. Green hit on 4-of-5 field goal attempts connecting from 46, 20, 45 and 37 yards out.

He made his one conversion attempt, kicked off twice for 111 yards and punted four times for 123 yards for an average of 30.8 yards per punt.

Green accounted for 13 of the 19 points the Hilltops scored in their victory over the Rifles.

Regina Thunder receiver Isaac Foord claimed PFC offensive player of the week award honours on Wednesday for his work in his team’s 57-15 romp over the Edmonton Wildcats at Leibel Field in Regina. Foord hauled in nine passes for 179 yards and scored three touchdowns in that contest, which was played one day after his mother passed away.

Roughriders alum Hughes to speak at End Zone Dinner

A Roughriders promo picture of Neal Hughes.

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.

-------

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.

Hilltops greats Filteau and Kozun perfect fit for CJFL all-decade team on defence

Justin Filteau in action with the Hilltops in 2014. 

    The Saskatoon Hilltops only needed two selections to overfill the quality of the CJFL’s all-decade team on defence.

    The CJFL has been determining its all-decade team via a fan vote over the last four weeks for the period of years from 2010 to 2019. The Hilltops won three straight CJFL title capturing the Canadian Bowl from 2010 to 2012 and the last six straight championships starting in 2014.

    On Saturday, the offensive members of the all-decade team were announced via the CJFL’s Instagram account, and five Hilltops were selected including quarterback Jared Andreychuk, running backs Logan Fischer and Andre Lalonde and offensive linemen Kirk Simonsen and Mason Ochs.

    On Sunday, the defensive members of the all-decade team were announced via the CJFL’s Instagram account. They included two of the best that ever donned Hilltops jerseys in the late Justin Filteau at linebacker and defensive tackle Matt Kozun.

    Filteau played for the Hilltops from 2010 to 2014 and was a member of three straight CJFL championship wins from 2010 to 2012 and in his final season in 2014. He picked up 43 per cent of the fan votes, which was tops among all linebackers.

    Following his time with the Hilltops, Filteau played for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team in the U Sports ranks from 2015 to 2017.

Justin Filteau (#45) enjoys the Hilltops PFC title win in 2014.

    In 2017, he joined the coaching staff of the Saskatoon Valkyries, who are a powerhouse squad in the Western Women’s Canadian Football League, as a linebackers coach. He was coaching the team’s defensive line last season before tragically passing away in a plane crash at age 26 before the Valkyries final regular season game.

    The Valkyries went on to win the WWCFL title dedicating the rest of their season to him finishing their 2019 campaign with a perfect 9-0 record.

    Filteau coached minor football at different levels and with the Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints.

    He was born and raised in Moose Jaw and became a high school football star at A.E. Peacock Collegiate. Filteau joined the Hilltops after graduating from high school.

    Standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing 214 pounds, Filteau didn’t look like a linebacker. When he hit the field, you realized quickly looks were deceiving. He was the underdog who made it.

    During his five seasons with the Hilltops, Filteau’s best campaign might have been during his final season in 2014. After the Hilltops got out to an uncharacteristic 1-2 start losing twice to their provincial rivals in the Regina Thunder, Filteau played a big role in rallying the team off the field to help his teammates get into a better head space mentally.

Justin Filteau, left, works as a Valkyries assistant coach in 2019.

    The Hilltops proceeded to win their final eight games of that campaign between the regular season and playoffs to capture the Canadian Bowl as CJFL champions.

    Filteau was honoured as a CJFL all-Canadian all-star on defence registering 37 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one pass knockdown in the Hilltops eight regular season games.

    Last season, the Hilltops coaches did a great job of teaching their current generation of players how much Filteau meant to the provincial football scene. The Hilltops posted a 12-0 overall record in the 2019 campaign winning a sixth straight Canadian Bowl and posting a second straight perfect season.

    One person that was fully aware of Filteau’s impact on the provincial football scene before the 2019 CJFL season started was Hilltops fifth-year middle linebacker Jadyn Pingue. As a rookie in 2015, Pingue began wearing the old #45 jersey Filteau wore and at the moment is the only Hilltops player to wear #45 after Filteau.

    Pingue brought up the suggestion that maybe #45 should be retired by the team. The coaches asked Pingue to continue wearing #45 as one way to keep Filteau’s memory alive.

    In a fitting tribute to Filteau, Pingue went on to have an individual season that saw him win the award as the CJFL’s most outstanding defensive player in 2019.

Matt Kozun (#53) enters Saskatoon Minor Football Field in 2015.

    While Filteau turned heads at linebacker, Kozun was a force on the defensive line for five seasons with the Hilltops from 2011 to 2015 coming straight to the club from Bishop James Mahoney High School. Kozun picked up 46 per cent of the fan votes, which led all defensive players.

    He was a member of four CJFL championship teams with the Hilltops in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015.

    Kozun, who stood 6-foot-6 and weighed 280 pounds, was a gifted athlete and played on the team’s short-yardage package on offence as a tight end. He had a touchdown reception in the 2015 PFC final that the Hilltops claimed with a 38-16 victory over the Calgary Colts.

    Kozun’s best two seasons with the Hilltops were his final two campaigns with the team. In the Hilltops 2014 CJFL championship season, Kozun was named an all-Canadian all-star after piling up 15 sacks, seven tackles, five tackle assists, two pass knockdowns and one fumble recovery in eight regular season games.

    He was named an all-Canadian all-star again in the Hilltops 2015 CJFL championship campaign. In eight regular season games, Kozun recorded nine tackles, five tackle assists, 2.5 sacks, two pass knockdowns and one forced fumble.

Hilltops DT Matt Kozun (#53) chases down a Winnipeg Rifles QB in 2015.

    Kozun was a member of a freakishly good starting defensive line in 2015 that included fifth-year defensive tackle Blake Adams, third-year rush end Tom Schnitzler and third-year boundary end Blake Hermann.

    That foursome on the Hilltops defensive line could crush opposing team’s offensive units all by themselves.

    Following his time with the Hilltops, Kozun joined the Huskies for two seasons before his playing days came to an end.

    During their time with the Hilltops, Filteau and Kozun left their marks as two of the team’s all-time greats, and their legacies with the squad continue to live on long after they last played for the venerable and storied club.

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

-------                                     

    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.

Hilltops’ family feeling continues to live on, key in “drive for five”

Josh Ewanchyna and Garth Knittig share a funny moment.

    The Saskatoon Hilltops have a real family feeling, and it powered them to complete the “drive for five.”

    Most elite sports teams shoot to have a family feeling, and very few reach what the “Hilltop family” has. The family feeling the Hilltops have is one that has been built since the modern day version of the club formed in 1947.

    As soon as new players become part of the venerable Canadian Junior Football League team, the Hilltops family feeling quickly becomes part of who you are. You quickly begin to genuinely care about everyone who is part of the organization.

    Everyone from the alums, players, coaches, training staff, directors, volunteers and the cheerleading team all see each other as family.

    That family feeling was one of the reasons the Hilltops had an incredible 2018 campaign that resulted in an unprecedented fifth straight CJFL title.

    The Hilltops capped their “drive for five” going 11-0 to complete the fourth perfect season in team history and first since 2003.

The Hilltops fifth-years get set to accept the Canadian Bowl.

    Saskatoon concluded the 2018 season with an impressive 58-21 victory over the Langley Rams in the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl – held last Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.

    Between the regular season and playoffs, the Hilltops trailed on the scoreboard for a combined 81 seconds.

    In posting an 8-0 regular season, the Hilltops outscored their opponents 402-70. Looking at all 11 games they played, the Hilltops closest margin of victory came in the PFC final, when they downed the Edmonton Huskies 28-9.

Hilltops QB Jordan Walls (#19) calls signals in short yardage.

    Everyone involved with the Hilltops knows how to keep each other accountable, and criticisms are always taken constructively. Everyone in this family wants to see each other get better and improve.

    When you see members with the Hilltops interact with each other, the ease and the high comfort level with those interactions are amazing. It creates some humourous looking moments too like when star defensive tackle Garth Knittig sat on lap of Josh Ewanchyna, who is the team’s star running back, and shared a laugh in the final minutes of a 58-5 victory over the Winnipeg Rifles in a Prairie Football Conference semifinal contest at SFM Field.

LB Cody Peters backpedals into pass coverage.

    The collection of people involved with the Hilltops come from all sorts of backgrounds, and being part of the “blue and gold” unites them.

    In 2018, the family feeling within the squad hit new heights like the impressive performance of the team on the field. There were very few valleys in this campaign.

    Hilltops legendary head coach Tom Sargeant and his staff deserve boatloads of credit for what took place.

    With that said, the family feeling was really set by the group of players Sargeant dubbed “The Great Eight,” who happened to be the eight members of the club who were in their fifth and final years of CJFL eligibility.

    Sargeant always says the goal of the Hilltops each season is to play for the fifth-years and help them graduate from the CJFL as league champions. It was pretty easy to get motivated to play for the fifth-year group in 2018.

    Quarterback Jordan Walls, receiver Jason Price, right tackle Kirk Simonsen, receiver Adam Ewanchyna, defensive end Connor Guillet and linebackers Cody Peters, Bobby Ehman and Adam Benkic are all gems.

Hilltops receiver Adam Ewanchyna goes up and over a Rams tackler.

    Besides being great players and great sportsmen on the field, all are outstanding persons away from the game. Wherever they go, the atmosphere in any play they enter becomes more positive.

    At the team’s annual awards banquet held on Thursday at the Radisson Hotel, the fifth years were appropriately honoured and that included winning six of the possible seven team awards they could take.

    Walls, who is the club’s star quarterback, claimed the Ron Atchison “True Grit” award. During his first three years with the Hilltops, Walls played behind star quarterback Jared Andreychuk.

    Taking over as the starter last season, Walls showed he was more than ready for his opportunity. Compiling a 22-1 career record as the team’s starting quarterback, Walls showed great command of the offence and was the composed Joe Montana type leader that everyone wanted to follow.

MLB Bobby Ehman springs into action for the Hilltops.

    The Blue and Gold Award for dedication and commitment went to Price, who came through with big plays for the team game after game as a star pass catcher. Price built a big reputation for being a consistent deep threat.

    Simonsen claimed the Ray Syrnyk Trophy as the team’s top lineman. He has been one of the anchors on a standout offensive line and was the longest serving starter on that unit dating back to the beginning of the 2016 campaign.

    The Courtice Inspiration Award went to Ehman. During his first four seasons with the team, Ehman was a standout on special teams and stepped in wherever he could on defence. After star middle linebacker Cameron Schnitzler graduated for the club following the 2017 season, Ehman stepped into that vacated role for his well-deserved moment in the sun.

    The Don and Jim Seaman Memorial Award for the top linebacker went to Benkic, who fought through a number of injuries in his career to either often hold a starting spot or be a regular in the linebacker rotation.

RT Kirk Simonsen, left, gets set to lock on a block for the Hilltops.

    The Drs. Landa-Doig Award as the team’s most outstanding graduate was presented to Peters. Peters was named the top defensive player in the CJFL in 2018.

    He attended the training camp for the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and was on the Roughriders practice roster before rejoining the Hilltops for his final CJFL campaign. Peters deserves another shot to crack a CFL roster in 2019.

    Ewanchyna would fill in at any receiver position and became a strong kick returner for the team. He enjoyed getting to play three seasons with and see Josh, who is his younger brother, grow into a star.

    Guillet built an inspirational story returning to play in all of the Hilltops games in the 2018 season after missing the entire 2017 campaign with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Guillet had 2.5 sacks in the regular season and one to conclude his career in the fourth quarter of the Canadian Bowl win over the Rams.

Connor Guillet (#76) and friends pose for pictures with the Canadian Bowl.

   It is the fitting this group holds the distinction of being the only players to win five CJFL championship rings during their playing careers.

    Defensive back Evan Mantyka took the Past President’s Trophy as the team’s rookie of the year. In Mantyka and the rest of the Hillltops returning players, the team’s future is in good hands.

The Hilltops will be in the “mix for six” in 2019.

    While attention will begin to turn to the next CJFL season, the contributions of “The Great Eight” fifth-year players from 2018 will live on in Hilltops lore forever.

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

-------

    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.

Hilltops’ fifth years hammer home “drive for five”

Saskatoon wins fifth straight Canadian Bowl, 21^st CJFL title

The Hilltops players get five fingers up for five straight CJFL title wins.

    It was only fitting head coach Tom Sargeant sent the all of the Saskatoon Hilltops fifth years on to the field for the final snaps of the Canadian Bowl.

    On Saturday at Saskatoon Minor Football Field with a 58-21 final cemented on the scoreboard in favour of the Hilltops over the visiting Langley Rams, all eight of the Hilltops fifth year players were sent on to the field to take the final kneel down snaps in a dominant Canadian Junior Football League championship performance. 

    When fifth-year star quarterback Jordan Walls took a final knee with zeros on the scoreboard clock, the Hilltops completed a perfect 11-0 season and became the first team to ever win five straight CJFL titles.

The Hilltops fifth-year players lead the team on to the field.

    At that moment, the Hilltops fifth-year players in Walls, receiver Jason Price, right tackle Kirk Simonsen, receiver Adam Ewanchyna, defensive end Connor Guillet and linebackers Cody Peters, Bobby Ehman and Adam Benkic all got to be first to celebrate and experience the euphoria of the win.

    “It is special,” said Walls, who finishes with an overall 22-1 career record as the Hilltops starting quarterback. “We’ve spent a lot of time together and shared a lot of moments.

Hilltops DE Tristan Hering sacks Rams QB Duncan Little.

    “That was definitely one I will never forget. This will be for the rest of my life.

    “I am going to go and definitely enjoy this one, celebrate, and I look forward to see what happens next.”

    With the win, the Hilltops added to their lengthy list of growing accomplishments. They captured their eighth CJFL championship in the last nine years and 21^st CJFL title in team history.

    The Toppers extended their current overall winning streak to 19 games and post-season winning streak to 16 games. They only trailed on the scoreboard for a combined 81 seconds all season.

    Finishing at 11-0, the Hilltops completed their fourth perfect season in team history. Saskatoon pulled off that feat for the first time since going 12-0 in 2003. The two other perfect seasons came in 1978 at 12-0 and 1958 at 11-0.

Hilltop RT Kirk Simonsen blocks out a Rams pass rusher.

    In Saturday’s, romp the Hilltops piled up the second most points ever in a CJFL title game. The 2003 Hilltops team holds the record for scoring the most points in a CJFL title game having crushed the Victoria Rebels 59-0 in the Canadian Bowl in Chilliwack, B.C., that season.

    Saskatoon showed very little signs having gone 19 days between playing games after downing the Edmonton Huskies 28-9 in the Prairie Football Conference final at SMF Field on Oct. 28.

    Playing before 1,465 spectators on Saturday, the Hilltops started making big plays on the game’s second play, when fourth year defensive lineman Tristan Hering came off the edge and nailed Rams quarterback Duncan Little with a thunderous sack deep in the Langley end of the field.

Hilltops receiver Jason Price slips out of bounds after a 44-yard reception.

    The Rams, who finished at 10-4 overall, had to concede a safety two plays later due to the bad field position to give the Hilltops a 2-0 lead.

    The big plays continued and ended with Hilltops star third-year defensive tackle Garth Knittig recovering a fumble inside of the final two minutes of the fourth quarter to set up the series, where the Hilltops ultimately ran out the clock with kneel downs.

    “These kids weren’t going to be denied today,” said Sargeant, who picked up his 15^th CJFL title win with the Hilltops including 12 victories as head coach, two as an assistant coach and one as a player. “It was pretty obvious.

    “As I said, I couldn’t be more proud of the coaching staff and the players to accomplish a tremendous goal. To win five, you think that is easy. Come on now. That is unreal, because those are unreal kids.”

Jordan Walls finished his CJFL career 22-1 as the Hilltops starting QB.

    After falling behind 2-0, the Rams put up a fight in the first quarter against the Hilltops. They stopped Saskatoon on the goal-line and Rams defensive back Nathan Murray made an interception deep in his own end to stall another Hilltops offensive series.

    At that point, the flood gates opened.

    Hilltops star running back Josh Ewanchyna, who would be named the game’s most valuable offensive player, ran in a major score from a yard out to give the Hilltops a 9-0 lead late in the first quarter. It was the first of three rushing touchdowns Ewanchyna would score on the afternoon.

    Kicker David Solie added a single early in the second quarter from a missed 32 yard field goal to bump the Hilltops lead up to 10-0.

The Hilltops celebrate defensive TD by Logan Bitz (#23).

    The Hilltops then proceeded to complete a three play drive that covered 102 yards that resulted in the game’s second touchdown. On the drive, Walls hit Price with a deep 44-yard pass, Ewanchyna broke a 44 yard run and receiver Keegan Dicks hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Walls.

    With 2:25 remaining before halftime, Hilltops defensive back Logan Bitz, who would be named the game’s most valuable defensive player, returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown to give the host a 24-0 advantage.

    The Rams showed life, when on the ensuing kickoff, kick returner A.J. Blackwell ran the ball back 100 yards for Langley’s first major score to cut the Hilltops lead to 24-7.

    Saskatoon responded to that score with a seven yard rushing major from Ewanchyna coming with 14.9 seconds remaining in the first half giving the Hilltops a 31-7 lead.

    “It was like anything,” said Sargeant. “We were going to be aggressive.

Josh Ewanchyna, left, darts home on a 40-yard touchdown run.

    “Certainly, that (102-yard scoring drive) was good, and then I also liked the answer at the end of the half, when they got the kick return, and we answered back and scored. It is just a group of men that they knew what they needed to do and how they needed to do it.

    “It is one thing talking about it, and it is another thing to execute it. They were locked in and focused. It is a great game by our coaches and players.”

    Early in the third quarter, Solie hit a 32-yard field goal to put the Hilltops up 34-7.

    The Rams answered back when Little hit star receiver Jevon Cottoy with a 42-yard touchdown pass to cut the Hilltops edge to 34-14.

The crowd at SMF Field cheers on the Hilltops.

    Saskatoon answered by piling up 24 straight points to surge ahead 58-14.

    Ewanchyna ran in a major from 40 yards out, Solie hit a 38-yard field goal and Walls hit receiver John Brown with a 41-yard touchdown pass to give the Hilltops a 51-14 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

    Knittig was inserted in at fullback on offence in a short yardage situation near the start of the fourth quarter and he ran in a touchdown from a yard out to round out the Hilltops scoring increasing their lead to 58-14.

    Cottey ran in a touchdown from four yards out for the Rams with 3:57 to play in the contest to conclude the 58-21 final.

 

DE Caleb Haight gets a strip sack for the Hilltops.

  Guillet was pumped about the fifth straight championship win at game’s end.

    “I’m speechless,” said Guillet. “I don’t know how to put it into words to be completely honest.

    “It is just an incredible feeling.”

    The veteran defensive end, who was playing his final CJFL game, was pleased to get a quarterback sack in the fourth quarter, when the Rams put in a package that featured Cottoy at quarterback.

    “It felt pretty good to get that sack,” said Guillet. “They put (Jevon) Cottoy back there.

    “It was a special formation that they use once in a while. It felt pretty good to stop that.”

    Walls completed 16-of-21 passes for passes for 247 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Ewanchyna ran the ball 28 times for 245 yards and scoring three touchdowns.

    Price was the Hilltops leading receiver hauling in three passes for 75 yards.

    Bitz had making four total tackles to go with his 48 yard interception return for a touchdown. Defensive ends Connor Delahey and Caleb Haight each had sacks for the Toppers.

Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant contemplates a play call.

    Little completed 20-of-31 passes for 265 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Rams. He was knocked out of the game due to injury late in the third quarter on Delahey’s sack.

    Cottoy hauled in five passes for 109 yards to go with his major score through the air and on the grounds.

    The Hilltops defence held the Rams to 40 yards rushing total as a team.

    Following the game, Simonsen had a blooper moment, when the Canadian Bowl broke apart at the neck during the Hilltops on field celebrations.

    “I don’t know what happened there,” said Simonsen with a laugh. “I just lifted it, and it fell apart.”

    He was overjoyed to help the Hilltops win five straight CJFL titles and be part of all those wins.

The Hilltops fifth-year player take the final kneel down play.

    “This is crazy,” said Simonsen. “When you start, you are never thinking you are going to win five for five.

    “No one has ever done it, so that is an awesome feeling for sure.”

    Sargeant admitted it seemed fitting that the Hilltops capped their “drive for five” with a perfect season.

    “It is real cool and very deserving, and we are very proud of that,” said Sargeant. “To go to our new facility, you just don’t know how things are going to go.

    “These kids, they just locked in. They are a tough team. They are tough and physical. 

The Hilltops celebrate with three parts of the Canadian Bowl.

    “They really went after things today. I’m very proud.”

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

-------

    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.

Bring on the Rams – Hilltops set for Canadian Bowl

HC Tom Sargeant, centre, and the Hilltops are ready to rock and roll.

    On the verge of what could be one of their greatest moments in team history, the Saskatoon Hilltops are approaching Saturday’s appearance in the Canadian Bowl with the same quiet confidence they have with anything they have taken on.

    The Hilltops will be trying to win an unprecedented fifth straight Canadian Junior Football League title on Saturday, when they host the Canadian Bowl at 1 p.m. against the Langley Rams (10-3).

    Saskatoon heads into the contest with a 10-0 overall record, which means the Hilltops are trying to complete their fourth perfect season in team history and first since going 12-0 in 2003. In 2003, the Hilltops crushed the Victoria Rebels 59-0 in the Canadian Bowl in Chilliwack, B.C.

    The two other perfect seasons came in 1978 at 12-0 and 1958 at 11-0.

    The current Hilltops can keep building on their current overall winning streak of 18 games and post-season winning streak of 15 games.

    They are also trying to capture their eighth CJFL championship in the last nine years and 21^st CJFL title in team history.

    Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said all the milestones his team has accomplished and has a chance to accomplish are by-products of doing things the right way, or as he often says, “The Hilltop way.”

The Hilltops offensive line aims to have another big game.

    That means the players have to respect their opponents and focus on what they can control in practices and games to get better and put out their best performance on game day.

    “We’re wired to be in these situations,” said the Hilltops legendary sideline boss. “As I told my leadership group, this is where we put all our time and energy.

    “They’re built for this. We understand what is in front of us. We understand what we need to do.”

    The Hilltops and Rams are familiar foes in the Canadian Bowl as they will meet in the CJFL title game for the third time in seven years.

    The previous two encounters were both held in McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C.

    In 2012, the Hilltops claimed one of the all-time classic CJFL title encounters downing the Rams 23-21. In 2014, the Hilltops ran away with a 39-14 victory, which started their current run of winning four straight CJFL championships.

    The Hilltops will be trying to win their 21^st CJFL title in their upcoming Canadian Bowl clash with the Rams.

QB Jordan Walls has had a stellar campaign for the Hilltops.

    “I think every time you get to this game it is always special,” said Hilltops fifth-year star quarterback Jordan Walls, who has a 21-1 overall record as the team’s starter. “You never know how many more you are going to get.

    “Our fifth-year group has been fortunate enough to be in all five of these. It is going to be fun.”

    The Rams head into the Canadian Bowl with the makings of being a very dangerous team riding a nine-game winning streak. Off the field, they have to overcome the resignation of head coach Matthew (Snoop) Blokker during the course of the season. Blokker was the Calgary Colts head coach and resigned last season and took over the same role with the Rams.

    Rams general manager Howie Zaron took on the head coaching duties after Blokker left this season, and Langley has rolled with a roster that contains a number of talented recruits courtesy of Blokker, who is one of the CJFL’s all-time coaching greats.

    On offence, the Rams are guided at quarterback by Duncan Little, who is a former member of the Colts.  Little had a stellar year completing 185-of-308 passes for 2,611 yards, 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions during the regular season.

    Little’s favourite target was 22-year-old receiver Jevon Cottoy, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 230 pounds. Cottoy was a British Columbia Football Conference all-star hauling in 39 passes for 657 yards and nine touchdowns in nine regular season games.

Cody Peters (#44) and Connor Delahey (#70) aim to make big plays.

    On the ground, running back Maximilian Joseph was named a BCFC all-star carrying the ball 64 times for 428 yards and scoring five touchdowns in seven regular season games.

    Rams offensive linemen Ross Baykay and Niko Lazarakis were named B.C. conference all-stars.

    On defence, Rams defensive lineman Skye King was named a CJFL all-Canadian all-star recording 10 defensive solo tackles, four sacks and a fumble recovery. Defensive back Kyle Clarot was also named a CJFL all-Canadian all-star piling up 27 defensive solo tackles, one sack and four interceptions.

    Linebacker Isaiah Okoli led the Rams with 41 defensive solo tackles, three sacks and one interception.

    “You just hear how they are talking,” said Sargeant. “They are a very proud organization, a proud franchise.

    “They are not coming out here to not come out and play their best game of the year. They are hungry. They are motivated.

    “You know what, they got the skill, the talent and the coaching level to do good things. As I said, they have our respect, and hopefully, we come out there on Saturday and earn their respect with how we coach and how we play.”

Garth Knittig and Jesse McNabb are powerful on defence.

    The Hilltops have trailed for a total of just 81 seconds in all their games so far in the 2018 campaign. They have numerous standouts on their roster.

    On offensive, the Hilltops have their version of the “The Triplets” in Walls, running back Josh Ewanchyna and receiver Jason Price.

    Walls had an outstanding campaign completing 122-of-197 passes for 2,010 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions in the regular season. He was named the most outstanding offensive player and the most valuable player of the Prairie Football Conference.

    Ewanchyna appeared in seven regular season games carrying the ball 134 times for 1,007 yards and 14 touchdowns. He led the PFC in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and was named the PFC’s offensive player of the week on four occasions.

    Price was by far the PFC’s most productive pass catcher. During the regular season, he hauled in 31 passes for 709 yards and scored four touchdowns. The fifth-year veteran collected the most receiving yards in the PFC.

    Ewanchyna and Price have been named CJFL all-Canadian all-stars along with offensive tackles Kirk Simonsen and Mason Ochs. Simonsen and Ochs are part of an elite and veteran offensive line that contains right guard Taylon Elderkin, centre Patrick Arno and left guard Ryder Klisowsky.

Jason Price looks to make some big catches on Saturday.

    On defence, linebacker Cody Peters was named a CJFL all-Canadian all-star recording 26 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception during the regular season. He was named the PFC’s most outstanding defensive player.

    Defensive tackles Garth Knittig and Jesse McNabb were also named CJFL all-Canadian all-stars. Knittig had 16 defensive solo tackles and 2.5 sacks during the regular season, and McNabb had 16 solo defensive tackles and 4.5 sacks.

    In the secondary, defensive backs Jared Giddings and Colton Holmes were PFC all-stars. Giddings and eight solo tackles and two interceptions during the regular season, while Holmes had 18 total tackles, one sack and one interception.

    During the campaign, the Hilltops offence has displayed great balance, and Walls said that will be key in facing the Rams.

    “It doesn’t matter what the weather conditions are,” said Walls. “We can throw the ball, we can run the ball whatever we need for that specific game, and we’ve been able to show that. 
    “It makes the defence a little bit off-balance when they don’t know what to expect. I expect our O-line and Josh (Ewanchyna) to have big day. Myself and the receivers need to be sharp as well.”

Josh Ewanchyna has piled up stellar efforts for the Hilltops.

    Overall, Sargeant is expecting his players to be at the top of their game on Saturday.

    “Ultimately, it is game 11 of 2018, so it should be your best game of the year,” said Sargeant, who was named the PFC’s coach of the year this season. “It is that simple.

    “We are at home in front of a great crowd and a great environment. As I said, everything is in front of us. Now we just have to control our emotions, we have to be disciplined, focused and if we keep all those things together, you should see a pretty nice product come Saturday.”

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

-------

    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.