Rams were a play away from their biggest upset

Rouge et Or claim Mitchell Bowl to end Cinderella run

The University of Regina Rams are likely not over the stunned and numb feelings yet.

On Saturday at Mosaic Stadium, the Rams nearly pulled off the biggest upset likely ever seen in U Sports football. With 3:45 remaining in the fourth quarter, second-year running back Marshall Erichsen ran home a touchdown from 36 yards out to give the Rams a 14-10 lead over the visiting and ultra-power Universite Laval Rouge et Or in the Mitchell Bowl, which is a U Sports semifinal playoff game.

The Rouge et Or responded putting together an 11-play touchdown drive that covered 85 yards. With 79 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, star quarterback Arnaud Desjardins hit receiver Isaac Gaillardetz with a five-yard touchdown toss that put the Rouge et Or up 17-14.

The Rouge et Or proceeded to force the Rams to turn the ball over on downs in their next offensive series. Laval than ran out the clock ensuring the 17-14 advantage help of as the contest’s final outcome.

With the win, the Rouge et Or (10-1) advanced to the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup. They will face the Wilfred Laurier University Golden Hawks this coming Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern Time at Richardson Memorial Stadium in Kingston, Ont.

Earlier in the day last Saturday, the Golden Hawks beat the Bishop’s University Gaiters 48-24 in the Uteck Bowl, which is the other U Sports semifinal. The visiting Golden Hawks (11-0) built a 34-10 lead over the Gaiters (10-1) at Coulter Field in Lennoxville, Quebec, and cruised to victory from there.

For the Rams, they obtained way more success this season than few outside their players and coaches thought they would have.

After opening their U Sports regular season schedule with two straight wins, the Rams proceeded to lose five straight. On the cusp of missing the post-season, the Rams closed the regular season downing the visiting U of Alberta Golden Bears 29-22 in their final regular season contest on October 25 at Leibel Field. U of R was down 22-4 in the third quarter before rallying for the win.

That victory allowed the Rams to finish with a 3-5 regular season record to place fourth in the Canada West Conference and capture the conference’s final post-season berth.

On November 2, the Rams traveled to Winnipeg, Man., and knocked off the U of Manitoba Bisons 28-25 at Princess Auto Stadium. The Bisons had finished first in Canada West with a 7-1 mark. Down 25-21, quarterback Noah Pelletier hit receiver Nicholas Sirleaf with a 16-yard touchdown pass with 19 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Rams their 28-25 victory.

The Rams advanced to the Canada West final to face their provincial rivals the U of Saskatchewan Huskies at Griffiths Stadium. Playing in front of 6,355 spectators, the Huskies jumped out to a 14-1 lead early in the second quarter. The Rams rallied back for a 19-14 victory.

Following the victory over the Huskies, the Rams returned to Regina to face the Rouge et Or at Mosaic Stadium in front of a crowd of 4,532 spectators. Going into the Mitchell Bowl, it was near impossible to find a pundit that gave the Rams a chance against the Rouge et Or, who have won 11 Vanier Cups since first taking the field in 1996.

When the dust settled, the Rams basically needed to make one more play to pick up the win. One of those missed chances came on the Rouge et Or’s final scoring drive of the contest.

Scrimmaging on first down from the U of R 46 yard line, Desjardins threw a pass that was batted in the air by Rams star defensive end Tarick Polius. The ball deflected high in the air, and one of the Rams defenders in the second level just missed making a diving interception. Had that play been made, it might have preserved victory for the Rams.

The players on the Rams defensive line were some of biggest stars of the contest. A tone was set on Laval’s first possession when pressure from the Rams defensive line caused two Desjardins incompletions for a two-and-out.

Polius, fourth-year defensive end Jacob Dakiniewich and nose tackle Toryn Swystun-Bernes showed they were going to be handful for the offensive line of the Rouge et Or. That played a factor for the rest of the game.

After the Rams went up 4-0 in the second quarter on a 20-yard field goal and a 33-yard missed field goal rouge from kicker Isaac Wegner, the Rouge et Or got their only big play on offence in the first half. Desjardins hit receiver Olivier Cool for a 75-yard touchdown pass to give the visitors a 7-4 advantage. Outside of that play, Laval couldn’t get anything done in the first half.

Wegner hit a 14-yard field goal with 1:45 remaining before halftime to even the score at 7-7. That 7-7 draw lasted until there was 7:54 remaining in the fourth quarter when Rouge et Or kicker Felipe Forteza hit a 32-yard field goal to put the Quebec side up 10-7. That set the stage for the dramatics that followed with Erichsen’s touchdown for the Rams and Gaillardetz’s major that won it for the Rouge et Or.

The Rouge et Or coaching staff led by head coach Glen Constantin made some good adjustments at halftime to get around the pressure the Rams defensive line was bringing. On offence, Laval elected to rely on a lot of quick hitters and short passes in the passing game looking to put together eight to 10 play marches to score.

The Rouge et Or would change up their tempo mixing up going between no huddle, to quick huddle to regular huddle in order to cause disruptions to the Rams defence.

During the regular season, the Rams gave up 177 points against, which was the lowest points against total in Canada West. Tonnes of credit has to be given to Rams defensive coordinator Sheldon Gray for how well the U of R played on that side of the ball all season. Gray, who was once a Rams star defensive back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, has turned into an outstanding coach.

Rams head coach Mark McConkey, who was a Rams receiver in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and his squad did a great job of playing to their strengths with their defence against the Rouge et Or.

Offensively, it feels like the Rams aren’t that far from having a big breakout where they consistently put up high point totals. The coaches will have to make decisions if they need to find and add a couple of playmakers via recruiting or believe they have the guys and keeping continuity will result in a breakout in 2025.

Against the Rouge et Or, gritty Rams quarterback Noah Pelletier completed 28-of-44 passes for 356 yards, while throwing one interception. After throwing his interception in the fourth quarter to Rouge et Or defensive back Jordan Lessard, Pelletier made a tackled with his injured left shoulder to take down Lessard.

While you don’t want to throw an interception, Pelletier’s effort in making his tackle on that play using his injured shoulder is one of those things that inspires teammates.

Playing his third year of eligibility, Pelletier began the 2024 campaign as the Rams backup, but he retook the starter’s role when Owen Sieben went down due to injury midway through the U of R’s first regular season contest. Pelletier started all eight of the Rams regular season games and their Canada West semifinal playoff loss in his first year of eligibility in 2022.

He started the Rams first two games in 2023 before being injured. The signal caller returned as the team’s backup and short-yardage quarterback for that campaign.

Having been an academic all-Canadian in the past, it has felt like Pelletier could morph into a big hero one day in his own style. In late September, the Canada West website put together a story about the journey Pelletier was taking off the field to build at stronger connection with his Metis roots. While those from Indigenous communities can relate to that story, it is also something anyone from any culture or ancestry can relate to.

Overall, the 2024 campaign was a huge success for the Rams, who were tied for last along with the U of Calgary Dinos in the pre-season Canada West coaches poll. They hadn’t won a post-season game since 2012 and last won the Canada West Conference title in 2000, when they made the Vanier Cup and fell 42-39 to the U of Ottawa Gee-Gees.

The Rams restored some of their luster.

They will likely hear less of, “Oh, they were great back in the day when Gord Currie and Frank McCrystal were their head coaches and Darryl Leason was their quarterback.”

Of course, that reflects back to the Rams days in junior football when they won 15 CJFL titles and initial campaigns in U Sports and spurts when Teale Orban , Marc Mueller and Noah Picton played quarterback for the team.

In 2024, the Rams provided hope that maybe their best days aren’t just “back in the day.”

Reider named Hilltops top grad

Trey Reider sets to throw a pass for the Hilltops.

Trey Reider piled up the individual awards in the 2024 campaign, so it was no surprise he claimed one last big honour from his Saskatoon Hilltops.

On Saturday, the Hilltops hosted the Saskatoon Hilltops Football Club Honours at the Roxy Theatre. For the second straight year, the Hilltops held an awards show similar in nature to awards shows hosted by the NFL and NHL.

Reider, who is the team’s star 22-year-old quarterback, was named the winner of the Drs. Landa-Doig Award as the team’s most outstanding graduate. In 2024, Reider also claimed honours as a CJFL first team all-Canadian all-star, a PFC all-star, the PFC’s most outstanding quarterback, offensive player of the year and most valuable player.

During the regular season, Reider completed 119 of 185 passes for 1,685 yards and 17 touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions. His 119.8 quarterback rating topped the PFC.

In the Hilltops 24-19 loss to their provincial rivals the Regina Thunder on October 20 at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, Reider did his best to push the Saskatoon side to victory. He completed 23-of-41 passes for 305 yards and one touchdown, while throwing one interception. He also topped the Hilltops with 102 yards rushing on nine carries.

Reider threw up a final Hail Mary jump ball pass on the final play of the game into the Thunder end zone from 22 yards out attempting to win the contest. His final pass was knocked down by Thunder safety Adam King.

Graduating right tackle, Cody Shumanski claimed the Ray Syrnyk Trophy as the team’s top lineman. He was a CJFL first team all-Canadian all-star, a PFC all-star and the PFC’s Most Outstanding Lineman.

The Don and Jim Seaman Memorial Award for the top linebacker went to graduating outside linebacker Noah Gedir. Gedir finished in the top eight for defensive points in the PFC with 92 points coming off of 22 defensive solo tackles, 16 defensive tackle assists, five special teams solo tackles, two special teams tackle assists, six pass knockdowns, two fumble recoveries and one interception in regular season play.

Graduating left guard Erik Barsness claimed the Ron Atchison True Grit Award. Barsness has been the model of consistency for the past two seasons with the Hilltops.

The Jim Courtice Inspiration Award was taken by graduating receiver Drake Douglas. Douglas was a CJFL first team all-Canadian all-star, a PFC all-star and the PFC’s Most Outstanding Receiver. The sure-handed pass catcher picked up nods as a PFC all-star on special teams and the PFC’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.

Justin Adamko, who is a graduating defensive back, claimed The Blue and Gold Award for dedication and commitment. Adamko had five pass knockdowns, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in the regular season.

The Past President’s Trophy as the team’s rookie of the year went to running back Brody Komarnicki. Komarnicki was named to the PFC’s all-rookie team.

Argos Grey Cup run impressive, other notes

The Toronto Argonauts are the holders of one of the most unique and amazing runs in the history of sports.

On Sunday, the Argonauts downed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 41-22 in the 111^th Grey Cup game to become CFL champions playing before 52,349 spectators at B.C. Place in Vancouver, B.C. With the win, the Argonauts have won their last eight straight Grey Cup appearances spaced out over the last 33 yards.

During that run, they won the storied trophy in 1991, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2012, 2017, 2022 and 2024. The last time the Argonauts lost the CFL’s big game was in the 75^th Grey Cup played at B.C. Place. They fell 38-36 to the Edmonton Eskimos in an all-time classic that saw Eskimos icon Henry “Gizmo” Williams return a missed field goal 112 yards for a touchdown.

Speaking of icons, Argonauts icon Michael “Pinball” Clemons has been part of the Argonauts for all of their last eight straight Grey Cup winners. He was a player in 1991, 1996 and 1997, the head coach in 2004 and held an executive position in 2012, 2017, 2022 and 2024.

In Sunday’s win over the Bombers, the Argonauts held a slim 17-16 lead after Winnipeg kicker Sergio Castillo hit a 23-yard field goal with 12:34 remaining in the fourth quarter.

From that point, Argonauts went on a roll and the wheels fell off for Winnipeg. Toronto scored 24 straight points to jump out front 41-16. The Bombers got a rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion from the CFL’s George Reed Most Outstanding Player Award winner in running back Brady Oliveira in “garbage time” to round out the final score.

Argonauts journeyman quarterback Nick Arbuckle was named the MVP of the Grey Cup game. Arbuckle completed 26-of-37 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions. He was starting in place of Chad Kelly, who broke his ankle in the Argonauts East final win.

Argonauts receiver Dejon Brissett was named the game’s Most Outstanding Canadian. He caught three passes for 45 yards and one touchdown. Brissett was one of nine receivers Arbuckle completes passes to.

Bombers have played in the last five consecutive Grey Cups winning in their first two appearances and falling in the past three contests. At the moment, it seems like the majority of CFL followers are remembering the Bombers three straight losses more than their two wins at the start of their current run.

Still, the Argonauts are deserving of the spoils of victory. They have won more Grey Cups than another other team at 19 and have a 19-6 record in the biggest annual football contest played in Canada.

They are the sports team from Toronto that always wins. When the Argonauts make the Grey Cup game, you can almost start engraving their name on the trophy.

• On Thursday, U of Regina Rams graduating defensive back Jackson Sombach was named a second team all-Canadian all-star for U Sports football. Sombach played a key role helping the Rams win their second Canada West Conference title in team history and advance to the Mitchell Bowl, which is a U Sports semifinal game.
• On Thursday, U of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team senior advisor Jerry Friesen was named the winner of the Gino Fracas Award given to the volunteer assistant coach of the year in U Sports. Friesen has a long and storied history with U Sports football and the Huskies.
•  On Thursday, U of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team star running back Ryker Frank claimed the Russ Jackson Award. It is given to a player across U Sports football who best exemplifies the attributes of academic achievement, football skill and citizenship within the community. Frank also captured honours as a U Sports second-team all-Canadian all-star. Huskies linebacker Seth Hundeby and receiver Daniel Wiebe were both named first team all-Canadian all-stars in U Sports.
• Remember a year ago when it seemed like NHL superstar left-winger Alexander Ovechkin was done? The Washington Capitals captain struggled bad at the start of the 2023-24 campaign and finish the campaign with his lowest goal total for a complete NHL regular season at 31 and a tie for his lowest point total for a complete regular season at 65. He failed to record a point in the 2024 NHL Playoffs as the Capitals were swept in four games in the first round by the New York Rangers. This season the 39-year-old shot out of the gate recording 15 goals and 10 assists in his first 18 games. Unfortunately, Ovechkin’s momentum was stopped when he suffered a fractured left fibula that will keep him out four-to-six in the Capitals 6-2 victory over the host Utah Hockey Club in Salt Lake City. Ovechkin has 868 career regular season goals and he is attempting to Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals.

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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Cinderella has horns, Rams in Mitchell Bowl

Rouge et Or won’t be phased by sentimental feelings

An unlikely run by the University of Regina Rams is capturing the imagination of football observers in Saskatchewan.

After opening their U Sports regular season schedule with two straight wins, the Rams proceeded to lose five straight. On the cusp of missing the post-season, the Rams closed the regular season downing the visiting U of Alberta Golden Bears 29-22 in their final regular season contest on October 25 at Leibel Field.

That allowed the Rams to finish with a 3-5 regular season record to place fourth in the Canada West Conference and capture the conference’s final post-season berth.

On November 2, the Rams traveled to Winnipeg, Man., and knocked off the U of Manitoba Bisons 28-25 at Princess Auto Stadium. The Bisons had finished first in Canada West with a 7-1 mark. Down 25-21, quarterback Noah Pelletier hit receiver Nicholas Sirleaf with a 16-yard touchdown pass with 19 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Rams their 28-25 victory.

That marked the Rams first post-season win since 2012 and their first post-season victory since legendary head coach Frank McCrystal retired following the 2014 campaign.

The Rams advanced to the Canada West final to face their provincial rivals the U of Saskatchewan Huskies at Griffiths Stadium. Playing in front of 6,355 spectators, the Huskies jumped out to a 14-1 lead early in the second quarter. The Rams rallied back for a 19-14 victory.

Defensive back Carson Somback returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown to account for the winning score. Somback’s major came with 5:13 remaining in the third quarter and gave the Rams an 18-14 edge.

The Rams proceeded to add a rouge on the ensuing kickoff to make their lead 19-14. U of R’s defence held the fort from there to ensure that 19-14 score in their favour was the game’s final outcome.

Defence has been key to the Rams run. During the regular season, the Rams gave up 177 points against, which was the lowest points against total in Canada West. The stout defence was needed as the Rams scored the fewest points in the conference at 157.

Back when the Rams were in the CJFL winning 15 championships on that circuit or advancing to the 2000 Vanier Cup in their second U Sports season falling 42-39 to the U of Ottawa Gee-Gees, they were best known for their high scoring offence. They never gave the image of being Ray Lewis and the Super Bowl championship winning Baltimore Ravens of 2000 in the NFL.

This year’s Rams placed four defensive players on the Canada West all-star team in defensive lineman Tarick Polius and defensive backs Brandon Wong, Dolani Robinson and Jackson Sombach. Defensive tackle Toryn Swystun-Bernes, who is in his second year of eligibility, battles in the interior making plays and absorbing beatings on double teams in order for his teammates to make plays.

Now the Rams face their greatest challenge when they host a U Sports semifinal contest in the Mitchell Bowl at 2 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium. They will take on the ultra-power Universite Laval Rouge et Or. The winner advances to the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup – slated to be held Saturday, November 23 at noon Saskatchewan time at Richardson Memorial Stadium in Windsor, Ont.

The Rouge et Or are 9-1 overall and have won 11 Vanier Cups since their birth in 1996. Current legendary Rouge et Or head coach Glen Constantin has guided the Laval side to 10 of those Vanier Cup titles as head coach. He is all-time career head coaching wins leader in U Sports history with 218 victories in regular season and post-season play.

On paper, this Mitchell Bowl is the equivalent of the 2011 Denver Broncos with famed born again Christian Tim Tebow at quarterback going into an NFL Divisional Playoff match up against quarterback Tom Brady, head coach Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. 

Brady, Belichick and the Patriots didn’t have any sentimentalities for “Cinderella runs” and proceeded to steamroll the Broncos 45-10.

Darryl Leason in action in 2000 for the Rams.

If Saskatoon StarPhoenix stir the pot columnist Darrell Utley, who was known as “Barney from the bowling alley,” was writing about this game, he would write the Rams better turn to their Catholic Church roots from the days of legendary head coach Gord Currie, who passed away in 2017, and McCrystal to find a hope of beating the Rouge et Or.

(*Side note – Utley loved taking shots and total runs at the Rams back in the day.*)

Utley would also write the Rams would be best to see if Darryl Leason was available to play quarterback. 

Leason quarterbacked the Rams to three straight CJFL title from 1993 to 1995, went to play three seasons with the U of Calgary Dinos, sat out a season and rejoined the Rams in 2000. With the Rams, Leason expertly executed the offensive system devised by the squad’s legendary genius offensive coordinator in Bernie Schmidt.

Before the 2000 season started, Leason vowed the Rams would be in the Vanier Cup. The Rams finished third in the Canada West regular season standings at 4-4. They went on a post-season run with Leason firing lasers everywhere and piling up big games in three wins and the Vanier Cup, which the Rams lost by three points.

So how good was Leason in the 2000 Vanier Cup? He completed 28-of-44 passes for 356 yards and two touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions. He also ran the ball 12 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns.

Still if the defence of the current Rams has a big game, that could seed doubts into the minds of Rouge et Or players making an upset possible.

Also, Rams current head coach Mark McConkey, who was a Rams player from 2007 to 2013, has been able to channel his old head coach in McCrystal and Currie in motivational speeches. While that is an intangible, it has helped the Rams reach another level in their play.

The chance is there the Rams can dial up “1-800-Rams-Win” once again. This generation of the Rams is writing their own story, and they can make the ending a good one win or lose by bringing their best on the field.

They are well into house money now where any extra success from this point is a bonus.

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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Heartbreak for Huskies again in Vanier Cup

Rouge et Or prevail 30-24 in showcase U Sports title game

Mason Nyhus played his final game with the Huskies on Saturday.

If you told the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football Team in training camp that they’d be in position to make a two-minute drill drive at the end of the fourth quarter to win the Vanier Cup, they would take it.

If you told the Huskies they would have to make that drive against the forever powerful Universite Laval Rouge et Or, the Dogs would still take it.

That was the position the Huskies were in on Saturday playing before 8,420 spectators at Western Alumni Stadium in London, Ont. They were actually in that position twice.

Trailing the Rouge et Or 30-24, the Huskies had the ball at their own 18 yard line with 1:44 remaining in the fourth quarter with two timeouts. They needed to drive 92 yards to win the game, but it was something that could be realistically done and had been done in the past.

The Huskies got 21 yards downfield on four plays before turning the ball over on downs. The drive ended when Huskies star fifth-year quarterback Mason Nyhus hit sophomore star second-year running back Ryker Frank with a pass on a third-and-six situation.

Frank initially caught the ball six yards downfield, but took a step backwards looking to make a cut for additional yards. Because of that step backwards, Frank was stopped short of the first down marker and the Rouge et Or took over at the Huskies 39 yard line.

Connor Delahey had 8.5 total tackles for the Huskies.

After the Rouge et Or offence went two and out, they punted the ball to the Huskies, who had the ball at their own 20 yard line with 34 seconds remaining with no timeouts. Needing chunk plays, the Huskies went three and out to turn the ball over on downs.

The Rouge et Or took two kneel downs to end the contest and begin the celebration of their 30-24 victory, and the fact they won the Vanier Cup to become U Sports champions for the 11^th time in team history. Before Saturday’s game, the last time the Rouge et Or won the Vanier Cup was in 2018.

Overall, U Sports football was the biggest winner on Saturday. The 57^th Vanier Cup played between the Huskies and Rouge et Or was an outstanding showcase of the sport of football at the Canadian university level. The fact it was shown live on CBC’s national network made it even better, because people who wouldn’t have normally watched the game would have been pulled in by a compelling encounter.

When the dust settled, the two teams combined for 975 yards of total offence. The Huskies had 469 total yards, and the Rouge et Or had 506 total yards.

Nyhus, who was playing in his final U Sports game, completed 34-of-43 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing one interception due to a tipped pass. Rouge et Or star second year quarterback Arnaud Desjardins connected on 27-of-36 passes for 397 yards. Nyhus was the U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star quarterback, and Desjardins was the first team all-Canadian all-star quarterback.

Daniel Perry had five catches for 85 yards on Saturday.

Ultimately, Saturday’s contest was one of those games that could have gone the Huskies way had the result of two or three plays changed.

The teams were trying to gage what they could do in the first quarter and traded field goals. David Solie hit a 20 yard field goal for the Huskies, and Vincent Blanchard replied with a 15 yard field goal for the Rouge et Or to create a 3-3 tie after 15 minutes.

Early in the second quarter gambling on a third-and-goal situation, Nyhus rolled right and hit third-year receiver Everett Iverson with a three-yard touchdown toss to put the Huskies in front 10-3.

The Rouge et Or answered back on their ensuing offensive series with first-year running back Kalenga Muganda running in a touchdown from three yards out taking a direct snap in the wildcat formation to force a 10-10 tie. The Rouge et Or proceeded to take their first lead when Blanchard booted the ensuing kickoff through the end zone for a rouge and an 11-10 edge.

The Huskies retook the lead on their ensuing offensive series, when Nyhus hit star second-year receiver Rhett Vavra with a three-yard touchdown pass for a 17-11 advantage.

Before the second quarter came to an end, Blanchard hit a field goal from 28 yards out to cut the Huskies lead to 17-14 and knocked home a field goal from 49 yards out with 0.2 seconds to play in the frame to force a 17-17 tie at halftime.

Everett Iverson had the Huskies first TD catch on Saturday.

With 9:07 remaining in the third quarter, the Rouge et Or caught a positive break to avoid falling behind again on the scoreboard. Solie launched a long punt, which Rouge et Or returner Alex Duff allowed to bounce into his own end zone playing the situation like the punt return rules in the United States were in play.

Duff circled back into his end zone to get the ball. As soon as his fingers grabbed the ball, he was hit by Huskies long snapper Jayden Engel. The ball popped out of Duff’s hands and Huskies backup running back Kody Gutek recovered the ball in the end zone for an apparent touchdown.

 The officials correctly called a no yards penalty on Engel, which negated the major score and even the opportunity to pick up a single point.

After surviving that mishap, the Rouge et Or accounted for the only points in the third quarter with a 10-yard field goal from Blanchard to take a 20-17 lead.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Rouge et Or went into the bag of tricks to pull out a major score. Facing a first and goal situation from the Huskies one yard line, star receiver Kevin Mital lined up behind centre in the wildcat formation. Mital faked like he was going to run the ball and looped a one-yard touchdown toss to second-year fullback David Dallaire to increase the Rouge et Or’s lead to 27-17.

Ryker Frank had 65 yards rushing and 30 yards receiving on Saturday.

The Huskies looked like they were going to trim the Rouge et Or’s advantage on their ensuing offensive possession. U of S got the ball down to the Rouge et Or six yard line for a first-and-goal situation.

Nyhus threw a pass in the end zone to third year receiver Caleb Morin. Morin wasn’t able to hold on to the high pass and the ball slipped through his hands into the arms or Rouge et Or defensive back Felix Petit for an interception with 9:27 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The result of the play was an unfortunate one for Morin, who had a strong game leading the Huskies with seven catches for 97 yards.

After the interception, the Huskies defence forced the Rouge et Or offence to go two-and-out. Following a 35-yard punt return by Vavra, U of S started a drive on the Rouge et Or’s 51 yard line.

The Huskies quickly drove the short field and Nyhus hit sure handed second-year receiver Daniel Wiebe with a three-yard touchdown pass to cut the Rouge et Or lead to 27-24 with 4:58 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Nick Wiebe had six total tackles for the Huskies on Saturday.

The Rouge et Or pushed their lead out to 30-24 on their ensuing offensive series with Blanchard hitting a 25 yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter. That field goal was set up mainly by Desjardins hitting Rouge et Or fourth-year receiver Antoine Dansereau-Leclerc with a 55-yard pass. Blanchard made all five of his field goals on the afternoon.

That set the stage for the Huskies final two failed drives as the Rouge et Or made the 30-24 score hold up as the game’s final outcome.

Mital, who won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the player of the year in U Sports football on Thursday, was awarded the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy as the Vanier Cup game MVP. Mital hauled in eight passes for a game high 142 yards to go with his touchdown toss.

The Bruce Coulter Award for the defensive player of the game went to second-year linebacker Charles-Alexandre Jacques. Jacques made 5.5 total tackles for the Rouge et Or in the win.

The Huskies piled up 125 yards rushing as a team in the first half and only nine yards rushing as a team in the second half. Frank carried the ball 12 times for 65 yards and caught five passes for 30 yards.

Teb Kubongo had two carries for 65 yards for the Huskies.

Third-year running back Ted Kubongo ran the ball twice for 65 yards and caught two passes for five yards.

Huskies star fourth-year receiver Daniel Perry had five catches for 85 yards, and Vavra had six catches for 66 yards.

Muganda topped the Rouge et Or in rushing with 19 carries for 76 yards to go with his major score. Dansereau-Leclerc finished the contest with eight catches for 119 yards.

Defensive end Connor Delahey led the Huskies with 8.5 total tackles, while linebacker Nick Wiebe had six total tackles.

Defensive back Maxym Lavallee topped the Rouge et Or with 7.5 total tackles, while defensive lineman Jean-William Rouleau had a quarterback sack.

Rouge et Or head coach Glen Constantin picked up his 10 Vanier Cup win as the team’s head coach and increased his U Sports record for career head coaching wins to 202 with Saturday’s result.

Huskies head coach Scott Flory saw his team’s overall record conclude at 10-2, while the Rouge et Or close out at 11-1 overall. The Huskies went into the game rated fourth in the final U Sports Top 10 rankings, while the Rouge et Or were rated second.

HC Scott Flory saw his Huskies fall after a strong effort.

When Saturday’s game reached its conclusion, it was another lesson in heartbreak in the Vanier Cup for the Huskies. The Dogs were in last year’s Vanier Cup, and they fell 27-21 to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec.

The Huskies last won the Vanier Cup in 1998 downing the Concordia University Stingers 24-17 at the venue then known as the Skydome and now Rogers Place in Toronto. 

The Huskies have returned to the U Sports title game six times since dropping five of those contests by six or fewer points.

One of these years, you have to think the Huskies persistence will result in a U Sports championship. Still with how most of amateur sport in Canada isn’t followed that closely anymore by mainstream media outlets, it was big the Huskies could play well and make the Vanier Cup a showcase game before a national television audience.

The Huskies finish the 2022 campaign with a 10-2 overall record.

If Saturday’s Vanier Cup gets more people talking about U Sports football, that is a big victory for the sport as a whole.

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Huskies versus Rouge et Or might deliver epic Vanier Cup

Teams go at it for first time since 2006 U Sports title game

Mason Nyhus threw for 2,759 yards in the regular season.

The 2022 Vanier Cup is a contest that is perfect for national television, and as a bonus, it will be on national TV.

On Saturday, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies will face the Universite Laval Rouge et Or in the championship game for U Sports football – the Vanier Cup. The two squads will battle at a sold out Western Alumni Stadium in London, Ont. (12 p.m. Saskatchewan time, CBC).

The Huskies and Rouge et Or have a storied past playing four times in key games from 1999 to 2006 where Laval won three of those contests. The last encounter came in the Vanier Cup played at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus on November 25, 2006.

On a frigid day with a high of -19 C, a record crowd of 12,567 spectators turned out at Griffiths Stadium to see the Rouge et Or pull out a 13-8 victory over the host Huskies.

The weather conditions for Saturday’s Vanier Cup encounter will be a lot more pleasant than the clash back in 2006. Environment Canada is predicting a high of 9 C and sunny conditions for London, Ont., on game day. You couldn’t ask for better conditions on a November 26 day anywhere in Canada.

HC Scott Flory has guided the Huskies back to the Vanier Cup.

Thanks to those balmy conditions, both teams will be able to use their entire playbooks.

Both the Huskies and Rouge et Or enter the Vanier Cup with identical 10-1 overall records. 

The Huskies, who were rated fourth in the final U Sports Top 10 Rankings, have won their last four straight, while the Rouge et Or, who were rated second in the final U Sports Top 10 Rankings, are riding an eight-game winning streak.

This contest will feature the quarterbacks that finished first and second in passing yards in all of U Sports in Huskies signal caller Mason Nyhus and Rouge et Or pivot Arnaud Desjardins.

During the Huskies eight regular season games, Nyhus completed 197-of-298 passes for 2,759 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing three interceptions. His passing yardage total was tops in all of U Sports and set a new Huskies team record for most passing yards in one season.

Daniel Perry was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star.

The old Huskies record had been held by Nyhus’s former teammate in Kyle Siemens, who threw for 2,570 yards in the 2017 campaign. Nyhus is finishing his fifth and final year of U Sports eligibility and was named a U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star on Thursday.

Nyhus also took home honours this season as a Canada West Conference all-star and Canada West player of the year.

In the eight regular season games the Rouge et Or played, Desjardins completed 195-of-267 passes for 2,555 yards and 20 touchdowns, while throwing four interceptions. His passing yardage total was second in all of U Sports.

In his second year of U Sports eligibility, Desjardins was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star.

One of Nyhus’s big targets was fourth-year receiver Daniel Perry, who was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star. Perry made 41 catches for 602 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season.

Charlie Ringland, left, makes a pass knockdown for the Huskies.

Desjardins top target was second-year receiver Kevin Mital. During the regular season, Mital led all of U Sports in receptions (58), receiving yards (751) and receiving touchdowns (12).

He was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star and captured the Hec Crighton Trophy as the player of the year in U Sports.

On the ground, the Huskies are paced by second year running back Ryker Frank, who carried the ball 88 times for 562 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season. The Rouge et Or’s rushing yards were spread out through their running back stable, with third-year ball carrier Joanik Masse leading the team with 48 carries for 282 yards.

On defence, linebacker Lane Novak led the Huskies with 47.5 total tackles during the regular season to go with a quarterback sack and three pass breakups. Linebacker Nick Wiebe finished second on the Huskies with 40.5 total tackles to go along with a quarterback sack.

Ryker Frank led the Huskies in regular season rushing yards.

Huskies fourth-year defensive back Charlie Ringland was named a U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star after collecting 24 total tackles and four pass breakups during the regular season.

The Rouge et Or defence is anchored by defensive lineman Jean-William Rouleau, who was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star. Rouleau recorded 3.5 quarterback sacks and 9.5 total tackles during the regular season.

Second-year defensive back Cristophe Beaulieu was also named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star after recording 28.5 total tackles and six pass breakups in seven regular season appearances.

Fourth-year linebacker Alec Poirier was given a U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star nod after posting 22 total tackles and two interceptions during the regular season.

On special teams, Huskies fourth-year place kicker David Solie was named a U Sports second team all-Canadian all-star. During the regular season, Solie connected on 17-of-21 field goal attempts with a long from 44 yards out, while making 23-of-24 converts.

David Solie (#15) got a U Sports all-Canadian all-star nod.

If the Rouge et Or need a key kick, they will look to third-year place kicker Vincent Blanchard. Blanchard hit 15-of-19 field goal attempts with a long from 36 yards out, while making all 28 of his converts.

Both Solie and Blanchard handle the punting duties for their respective teams too.

In the match up of head coaches, you have the legendary old veteran going against a relative young buck. The Rouge et Or are guided by 57-year-old Glen Constantin, who has been Laval’s head coach since December of 2000.

As the Rouge et Or head coach, Constantin has a career record of 201-38 including action in the regular season and post-season, and he became the all-time leader in career wins in U Sports this season. He surpassed the previous record of 196 wins, which was compiled by legendary Huskies head coach Brian Towriss.

Constantin’s record included a 156-25 mark in regular season play and a 55-13 mark in post-season action. He guided Laval to nine of its 10 Vanier Cup championships as head coach. When the Rouge et Or won their first Vanier Cup in 1999, Constantin was the defensive coordinator for the squad that season.

Nick Wiebe had 40.5 total tackles in the regular season.

The Huskies are guided at head coach by alum and former star offensive lineman of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes in 46-year-old Scott Flory. After retiring from the Alouettes in 2013, Flory returned to the Huskies squad he played for from 1994 to 1998. He served as the Huskies offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016 and took over the role of head coach in 2017.

As Huskies head coach, Flory has put together a 33-17 career record including action in the regular season and post-season. Flory’s record includes a 24-14 mark in regular season play and a 9-3 mark in post-season action.

Before Flory became head coach, the last time the Huskies had won the Canada West Conference title and appeared in the Vanier Cup was 2006. Since Flory became head coach, the Huskies have won three Canada West titles and will play in their second Vanier Cup with Flory at the helm on Saturday.

The Huskies were in last year’s Vanier Cup, and they fell 27-21 to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec.

The Huskies hope to celebrate a lot of big plays on Saturday.

On paper, the Huskies and Rouge et Or have the potential to show U Sports football at its best. It is highly likely that their Vanier Cup encounter on Saturday will go down as an epic clash.

Now, they will confront each other for a prize only one can win.

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

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If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Huskies playoff exit stings

Football team agonizingly close to big things

Adam Machart had a record breaking season for the Huskies.

    The family feeling inside of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team might be as strong as it has ever been over the past 10 years.
    It is that family feeling that makes a playoff exit tough to take. On Saturday, the Huskies fell 29-4 to the host University of Calgary Dinos at McMahon Stadium in the Canada West Conference championship game – the Hardy Cup.

    One year earlier the Huskies captured the Hardy Cup 43-18 against the Dinos in that same venue.

    The Huskies went into the 2019 campaign returning a large group of players from the squad that won the conference title one year earlier. Hopes were high amongst the Huskies that they would win the Hardy Cup for a second straight year and maybe advance further on the U Sports post-season trail and capture the Vanier Cup as national champions for the first time since 1998.

Nelson Lokombo was the top defensive player in Canada West.

    The fact the Huskies won’t be gathering for film sessions on Monday and hitting the turf at Griffiths Stadium for a full practice on Tuesday seems numbing.

    Still, the Huskies in the current day are still trying to build a new tradition of success that can link back to the team’s glorious past.

    U of S entered the 2018 post-season having lost eight straight playoff games and having missed the playoffs entirely in 2017.

    When the Huskies won the Hardy last year for the first time since 2006, the success felt new again and excitement was high. The 2018 playoffs came to an end in a U Sports semifinal contest, when the Huskies fell 47-24 to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs in the Mitchell Bowl.

    The Huskies added another playoff win this season, when they downed the University of Alberta Golden Bears 28-23 in a Canada West semifinal game on Nov. 2 at Griffiths Stadium. That was the Huskies first post-season home game since 2014 and first playoff home win since 2009.

Mason Nyhus had a solid campaign as the Huskies starting QB.

    While post-season wins are starting to come, the Huskies are still going to experience some learning and growing pains in attempting to make playoff success a habit again.

    For the second straight year, the Huskies posted a 5-3 record in the regular season, but this time that mark was good enough for a second place finish in the Canada West standings. U of S placed third in Canada West in 2018 with a 5-3 mark.

    The Huskies were at their best when they played at home this season winning all four of their home dates in the regular season and their one home date in the post-season.

    It was a different story on the road, where the Huskies posted a 1-3 record in the regular season and lost their lone road playoff game in the Hardy Cup.

    Looking back at the regular season, the Huskies would likely have some regrets for letting two road contests get away.

    On Sept. 21, they dropped a 19-17 decision to the Golden Bears in Edmonton, Alta., and fell 38-37 to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Oct. 19 in Vancouver, B.C.

Losing Colton Klassen to injury was a blow to the Huskies.

    Had the Huskies won just one of those games, they would have finished first in Canada West due to the fact they held the standings tiebreaker against the Dinos. The two sides met once in the regular season with the Huskies pulling out a 29-15 victory on Sept. 27 at Griffiths Stadium.

    Due to the fact Canada West hosts one of the two U Sports semifinals this season, the Huskies would have had home field advantage in the playoffs with a first place finish in Canada West up until the Vanier Cup.

    Those road losses show how much of a difference a play or two can make towards how a season plays out.

    The Hardy Cup could have played out differently had the Huskies been successful on a third-and-goal gamble from the Dinos two yard line on the final play of the first half.

Evan Machibroda made big plays for the Huskies.

    Had the Huskies been successful, they would have had an 8-4 lead at halftime and might have not been chasing the game like they ultimately did in the second half.

    Also, losing star utility player Colton Klassen to a campaign ending broken right leg in the final contest of the regular season hurt a tonne too.

    Of course, the Huskies had lots of highlights this season. Third-year quarterback Mason Nyhus became the Huskies starter and completed 138-of-228 passes for 1,739 yards, 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The Regina, Sask., product was a highly touted recruit joining the team as a red shirt in 2016 and looks to be on his way to fulfilling star potential.

    Running back Adam Machart had a dream season being named the player of the year for Canada West via unanimous selection. Machart carried the ball 156 times for 1,334 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 20 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns.

    He set a Huskies team record for most rushing yards in a regular season and most combined yards in one regular season at 1,538.

    Fifth-year defensive tackle Evan Machibroda was named the most outstanding lineman for Canada West. Defensive back Nelson Lokombo picked up honours as the most outstanding defensive player.

Mattland Riley, centre, and the offensive line made the Huskies go.

    Linebacker Ramsey Derbas had an unreal season at age 18 picking accolades as the rookie of the year for Canada West via unanimous selection. Derbas led the Huskies with 43 total tackles to go along with an interception and a half sack.

    In his third campaign guiding the Huskies as head coach, Scott Flory took home honours as the coach of the year for Canada West.

    The five individual Canada West awards won by the Huskies this season was an all-time high for the program. All five winners could possibly claim those same accolades at the U Sports national level.

    The future is still bright for the Huskies, and they may accomplish their lofty team goals next season by winning another Canada West title and the Vanier Cup.

    Still in the more immediate aftermath in the Hardy Cup loss to the Dinos, the disappointment lingers of what might have been.

Rouge et Or get tweet of the week

🏈 Hey @WesternMustangs there’s a seat at our table if you wanna join us. pic.twitter.com/FmnT1FEJWB

— Rouge et Or (@rougeetor) November 9, 2019

    You have to love U Sports athletic department Twitter accounts that have a sense of humour.

    Due to the fact main university communications departments keep track was what is posted on the social media accounts of the institutions’ respective athletic departments, humour is often avoided.

    Still, the Universite Laval Rouge et Or posted a total winner in the humour department on Saturday. Since 1999, the Rouge et Or football program has won the Vanier Cup as U Sports national champions 10 times. Laval’s 10 Vanier Cup titles are the most by any U Sports football team.

    The Rouge et Or entered the 2019 season as defending Vanier Cup champions and were hoping to qualify for the U Sports title game for a fourth straight year. Laval plays host to this year’s Vanier Cup.

    In the last two Vanier Cups, the Rouge et Or faced the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, and the Mustangs won the national title in 2017.

    This season Laval topped the Quebec Student Sports Federation conference standings with a 7-1 regular season record. On Saturday, the Rouge et Or fell in the QSSF title game – the Dunsmore Cup – 25-10 to their archrivals the University of Montreal Carabins.

    The Mustangs finished first in the Ontario University Athletics conference standings with an 8-0 record. On Saturday, they fell in the OUA title game – the Yates Cup – 29-15 to the McMaster University Marauders.

    Following their respective U Sports post-season losses, the Rouge et Or sent a tweet the Mustangs way asking if they wanted to join the Quebec powerhouse squad to drink away the sorrows.

    With Laval’s season having come to an end, it should be noted that Rouge et Or head coach Glen Constantin has the second most career wins in the history of U Sports posting a 186-33 record including action in both the regular season and post-season.

Stars’ Kliewer shines on the national stage

KLIEWER WITH THE UNBELIEVABLE PAD SAVE ON MCLEOD @Sask_hockey @HC_NWU18 #U18Nationals #ForTheGame pic.twitter.com/n8XxDWTNQl

— Women's Sports Highlights (@WSportHilites) November 9, 2019

    Arden Kliewer is a natural when it comes to excelling in the spotlight of big games.

    On Satruday, Kliewer, who is a star netminder for the Saskatoon Stars female midget AAA hockey team, played one of her best games ever on national television for Team Saskatchewan at the National Women’s under-18 Championship in Winkler, Man.

    The 17-year-old did her best to steal the gold medal game for Team Saskatchewan turning away 32-of-34 shots sent in her direction. Kliewer had three stops shared on the Women’s Sports Highlights Twitter account.

    While Kliewer had a stellar game, Team Saskatchewan still fell to a powerful Team Ontario Red 3-1, which included an empty-net goal by the Ontario side.

    Kliewer is in her fourth season with the Stars and has posted a 39-9 record, a 1.80 goals against average, a .918 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 49 career SFMAAAHL games. She is the all-time wins leader in the history of the Stars program.

    Kliewer helped the Stars win SFMAAAHL titles in each of the past two seasons and appear in the Esso Cup female national midget AAA championship tournament.

Arden Kliewer in action last season with the Stars.

    The Stars made the championship game of the 2018 Esso Cup falling 2-1 to the Alberta-based St. Albert Slash.

    Kliewer has often been an underrated part of the Stars team as the Stars carried a number of elite level players on their roster like Mackenna Parker, Grace Shirley, Anna Leschyshyn, Joelle Fiala, Ashley Messier and Chase Sperling.

    Kliewer has committed to joining the University of Regina Cougars women’s hockey team next season.

    This season, Kliewer, who is playing her final midget AAA campaign, is doing her best to give her Stars a chance to be in most games as they go through a huge rebuild undergoing a lot of turnover in players and coaches.

    In six regular season appearances in the current campaign, Kliewer has a 1-5 record, a 3.51 goals against average and a .893 save percentage.

    Kliewer was joined on Team Saskatchewan by current Stars teammate Makena Kushniruk and now Stars alums Messier and Sperling. Messier was named the most valuable player of the National Women’s under-18 Championship.

    The silver medal finish marked the first time Team Saskatchewan has earned a medal at the National Women’s under-18 Championship.

    Messier currently plays for the Selects Hockey Academy in Rochester, New York.

    Sperling is playing this season for the Pursuit of Excellance Hockey Academy in Kelowna, B.C.

Clark hat trick powers Canada over U.S.

THROW THE HATS 🎩🎩🎩!!!! @emclark13 fights off Keller and gets it over Burt for Canada's 5th goal #ForTheGame #USAvCAN pic.twitter.com/n3XBtOxpzd

— Women's Sports Highlights (@WSportHilites) November 10, 2019

    Emily Clark had one of her biggest days on the international stage on Sunday.

    Playing for Canada’s senior national women’s hockey team, Clark scored a hat trick to power Canada to a 5-3 victory over the United States in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Clark tallied goals at even strength, on the power play and short-handed in the win.

    Canada was playing a two-game series against the United States taking the first encounter 4-1 on Friday.

An Emily Clark hockey card.

    In Sunday’s encounter, Canada held a 3-0 lead after the first and second periods. Canada was up 4-1 in the third before the United States cut the lead to 4-3.
    Clark sealed the victory scoring her short-handed goal with 4:14 remaining in the third period.

Melodie Daoust and Natalie Spooner netted singles for Canada.

    Kendall Coyne Schofield, Dani Cameranesi and Kelly Pannek replied with singles for the United States.

    Emerance Maschmeyer made 31 saves to pick up the win in goal for Canada. Kaitlin Burt turned away 23 shots to take the setback in goal for the United States.

    Clark, who is 23-years-old, played female midget AAA hockey with her hometown Saskatoon Stars from 2009 to 2012 collecting 45 goals and 46 assists in 82 regular season games.

    The skilled forward played four seasons with the University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team starting in 2015 and wrapping up last season with an NCAA national championship win. Clark piled up 70 goals and 76 assists in 147 overall games with the Badgers.

Will Roughriders versus Blue Bomber CFL West final sellout?

The Roughriders and Blue Bombers will battle in the West final.

    It appears the Saskatchewan Roughriders ticket sellers and marketers received an early Christmas gift.

    The Roughriders, who finished first in the CFL’s West Division with a 13-5 record, will host the West final on Sunday, November 17 at 3:30 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium. To make that contest more enticing, the opponent will be the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (12-7).

    This past Sunday, the Bombers advanced to the West Final by upsetting the defending Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders 35-14 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alta. The Stampeders finished the 2019 campaign with a 12-7 overall record.

    The Roughriders have had strong attendances, but they aren’t selling out as many games as they once did. Their only sellout this season was the Labour Day Classic back on Sept. 1, when they downed the Bombers 19-17.

    The question remains will a sellout crowd of 33,356 spectators attend the West final between the two sides.
    There was a time Roughriders playoff home games would sellout in a matter of hours, especially during the rare occasion when they host the West final.

The Roughriders celebrate their win in the Labour Day Classic.

    The last time the Roughriders hosted the West Final was 2009, when they downed the Calgary Stampeders 27-17 at Taylor Field. Before the 2009 game, the Roughriders previously hosted the West final way back in 1976, when they downed the Edmonton Eskimos 23-13 at Taylor Field.

    Checking the Ticketmaster map of Mosaic Stadium after Bombers beat the Stampeders, there were still lots of tickets available for the West final, especially in the upper decks. The Pil Country standing room section is sold out.

    At the moment, the entire sports industry in Canada is seeing attendance declines. In recent years, people don’t seem to want to attend live football games in cold weather that is slightly cold.

    One would think a West final at Mosaic Stadium between the Roughriders and Bombers would automatically sellout, but these are different times in the current day.

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

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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.