Huskies fifth years go down fighting in final bow

U of S playoff run ends in Mitchell Bowl loss

QB Kyle Siemens and the football Huskies had a remarkable playoff run.

    It was Vanier Cup or bust for the fifth-year players on the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team.

    Going into the Mitchell Bowl semifinal game of the U Sports playoffs, the Huskies faced their biggest challenge in their run of post-season upsets taking on the defending Vanier Cup champion University of Western Ontario Mustangs in London, Ont., last Saturday.

    U of S was trying to break up what had been a projected Vanier Cup rematch at the start of the season between the Mustangs and the powerhouse Universite Rouge et Or.

    Earlier in the day on Saturday, the Rouge et Or made short work of the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in the other U Sports semifinal game – the Uteck Bowl – in Quebec City, Que., romping to a 63-0 victory. The X-Men finished the campaign at 8-3.

Tyler Chow had a huge touchdown run for the Huskies last Saturday.

    The Huskies ensured there was intrigue in their encounter with the Mustangs posting leads of 7-0 and 17-14 in the game’s first half. The two sides entered halftime locked in a 17-17 tie. Western pulled away in the second half earning a 47-24 victory on the strength of scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter before 3,536 spectators at TD Stadium.

    In the process, the Mustangs ran their overall winning streak to 23 games. They will travel to Quebec City, Que., this coming Saturday to face the Rouge et Or in a battle of 11-0 teams.

    Western and Laval were rated first and second respectively in the final U Sports Top 10 football rankings. Last year, the Mustangs dumped the Rouge et Or 39-17 in the Vanier Cup.

    The Huskies, who finished the campaign at 7-4, did everything in their power to try and appear in the Vanier Cup for the first time since 2006 and the fifth years led the charge. Like Rocky in his first encounter with Apollo Creed, U of S’s graduating players came out swinging.

Tristian Koronkiewicz had two sacks for the Huskies last Saturday.

    Fifth-year star quarterback Kyle Siemens completed 26-of-35 passes for 256 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Fifth-year star running back Tyler Chow carried the ball 21 times for 143 yards and scored one touchdown. Fifth-year defensive lineman Tristian Koronkiewicz had a pair of sacks.

    Early in the first quarter, the Huskies manufactured and eight-play touchdown drive that covered 76 yards. The march was capped, when Siemens hit Colton Klassen with a 22-yard touchdown pass to put the visitors up 7-0.

    Western tied things up at 7-7 before the first quarter ended, when receiver Harry McMaster hauled in a 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chris Merchant. Merchant hit McMaster with a 31-yard touchdown pass just 72 seconds into the second quarter to give the Mustangs a 14-7 advantage.

    The Huskies answered back. Fifth-year star kicker Sean Stenger booted a 41-yard field goal to cut the Mustangs lead to 14-10. With seven minutes to play in the second quarter, Siemens hit Klassen with an eight-yard touchdown pass to put the Huskies up 17-14.

Sean Stenger booted on last field goal for the Huskies on Saturday.

    Klassen caught nine passes for 107 yards to go along with his two receiving majors.

    On the final play of the first half, the Mustangs tied things up at 17-17 with a 37 yard field goal from kicker Marc Liegghio.

    At that point, Western started to take control. Merchant ran in a touchdown from four yards out and the Huskies had to concede a safety due to bad field position giving the Mustangs a 26-17 lead at the end of the third quarter.

    Running back Alex Taylor ran in a major from 48 yards out to give the Mustangs a 33-17 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

    Chow stuck back for the Huskies rattling off an electrifying 71-yard touchdown run to cut Western’s lead to 33-24 with 9:56 to play in the fourth quarter. It appeared there was a chance the comeback would be on.

    The Mustangs then sealed victory on a 16-yard touchdown run by Taylor and a four-yard touchdown run by Cedric Joseph. Western piled up an unreal 319 yards rushing as a team against the Huskies.

QB Kyle Siemens is the Huskies all-time leader in completions.

    Merchant completed 17-of-28 passes for 251 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He ran the ball 10 times for 82 yards including his rushing major.

   The setback brought an end to the playing careers of Siemens, Chow, Koronkiewicz, Stenger, defensive back Lance Bashutsky, offensive lineman Ryan Breadner and linebackers Brendan Ernst and Brad Kotania. All eight played five seasons for the Huskies.

    Siemens 604 total career pass completions in the regular season rank first on the Huskies all-time list and his 7,932 career yards passing in the regular season rates second overall in team history. He completed 604-of-998 passes for 7,932 yards, 55 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

    Chow sits third all-time on the Huskies career regular season rushing yards list having carried the ball 385 times for 2,372 yards and 13 touchdowns.

    Those regular season accomplishments look greater now that they are backed by a long playoff run.

    U of S also loses defensive back Arnold Osam to graduation. He came to the Huskies after spending four seasons with the powerhouse Saskatoon Hilltops of the Canadian Junior Football League.

HC Scott Flory and his staff did a stellar job guiding the Huskies.

    The graduating players helped the Huskies take huge strides in a playoff run that included a 31-28 overtime victory over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in a Canada West semifinal match on Nov. 3 in Vancouver, B.C., and a 43-18 victory over the University of Calgary Dinos in the Canada West final on Nov. 10 in Calgary, Alta.

    The Huskies were rated sixth in the final U Sports Top 10 football rankings.

    Since the Huskies hadn’t ventured this far in the post-season since falling in the Vanier Cup 13-8 at Griffiths Stadium to Laval in 2006, the excitement for U of S’s playoff run this year felt new again.

    The drought of not winning a playoff game since 2009 and the team’s eight-game post-season losing streak heading into this season’s playoffs are now a distance memory.

Guard Mattland Riley and the Huskies O-line was strong in 2018.

    The playoff run gives extra reinforcement to the organizers of team fundraisers that their efforts are worth it. The fundraisers include the annual Dogs’ Breakfast and the various coaches’ kickoff luncheons that are held during the season. Members of the Huskies Football Foundation will likely have an extra jump in their steps this off-season.

    Head coach Scott Flory and his staff did an amazing job. In his second season guiding the Huskies, Flory is showing he has a style that is a mix of star head coaches he had in his playing career including Huskies legend Brian Towriss, “The Don” in late-great Don Matthews and Marc Trestman.   
    The latter two men coached Flory in his CFL days with the Montreal Alouettes.

    From the outset, Flory created a feeling of belief inside the team that the Huskies could win and have success now. That feeling was shared inside the team, even when those on the outside didn’t think success would be possible for the Huskies.

Colton Klassen scored two touchdowns for the Huskies on Saturday.

    In Flory’s first season as head coach in 2017, the Huskies were rated fifth in the Canada West pre-season coaches’ poll and missed the playoff with a 2-6 record. Entering the 2018 campaign, the Huskies were ranked last in the Canada West pre-season coaches’ poll.

    For those that didn’t believe, the Huskies proved they are back in a big way. They can again compete with and beat the big teams in U Sports.

    The dream is alive again like in 1990, 1996 and 1998, when the Huskies won their Vanier Cup titles.
    Their best years lie ahead in the future and the graduating fifth-years left a new high bar to shoot for and exceed.

    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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Huskies’ Chow going out in a blaze of glory

U of Saskatchewan faces Western in U Sports semifinal

Tyler Chow had a monster game for the Huskies in the Hardy Cup.

    Tyler Chow saved his greatest homecoming game in his final U Sports football appearance in Calgary.

    Last Saturday, Chow had his most memorable game to date with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. The star running back, who is in his fifth and final season with the Huskies, carried the ball 24 times for 222 yards and scored two touchdowns. The alumnus of Calgary’s Notre Dame High School Pride football team hauled in two passes for 19 yards for the Huskies as well.

    Thanks to Chow’s efforts, the Huskies pulled off a huge 43-18 upset over the previously undefeated University of Calgary Dinos in the Canada West Conference championship game – the Hardy Cup at McMahon Stadium. The Huskies, who improved to 7-3 overall, claimed the Canada West title for the first time since 2006.

    The Dinos, who finished the campaign at 9-1 overall, were trying to win a third straight Canada West title and their ninth conference crown in the past 11 seasons before falling to the Huskies.

    Chow, who stand 5-foot-11 and weighs 195 pounds, thrilled a large contingent of family and friends he had in the crowd of 1,877.

    He had a touchdown on a one-yard run late in the second quarter to give the Huskies an 18-8 edge on the Dinos.

    With the Huskies holding a 25-18 edge, Chow had the game’s defining play running in a touchdown from 23 yards out just 91 seconds into the fourth quarter to give the Huskies a 32-18 lead.

Tyler Chow was named a Canada West all-star this season.

    That started an 18-point surge for the Huskies to close the game. The surge was completed by a kickoff single from kicker Sean Stenger, a 42-yard field goal from Stenger and a one-yard touchdown run by Adam Machart.

    On Wednesday, Chow was named the U Sports offensive player of the week for his efforts against Calgary. Stenger took the U Sports special teams player of the week award making 2-of-3 field goals for the Huskies and averaging 41.5 yards on four punts landing one of those kicks inside the Dinos 20 yard line.

    Coming into this season, there were questions marks surrounding how effective Chow might be. He missed four games last season and was limited in four other contests due to a lower body injury.

    He carried the ball 100 times for 640 yards and scored two touchdowns to earn Canada West all-star honours and help the Huskies post a 5-3 regular season record in 2018.

    During his regular season career with the Huskies, Chow carried the ball 385 times for 2,372 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.

    The Calgary, Alta., product just edged Tyler Siwak for third on the Huskies career rushing yards list.

Tyler Chow is the Huskies third all-time leading rusher.

    Siwak was a red shirt during the Huskies last Vanier Cup winning season in 1998 and he carried the ball 361 times for 2,365 yards and scored 11 touchdowns during a five year career as an active player from 1999 to 2003. During his time with the Huskies, Siwak was a fan favourite due to being a power tailback that could crush up to six would be tacklers on any running attempt.

    Doug Rozon is the Huskies all-time leading rusher piling up 4,086 yards playing from 1995 to 1999. Terry Eisler sits second on the Huskies’ all-time rushing list with 2428 yards playing in 1985 and 1987 to 1989. David Stevens rounds out the Huskies career top five rushing leaders with 2,276 yards playing from 2001 to 2005.

    Entering the 2018 post-season, Chow had never been part of a playoff win with the Huskies unlike the other four top five rushers in team history, who all had a hand in various playoffs runs that saw the Huskies reach the Vanier Cup. In Rozon’s case, he helped the Huskies win two Vanier Cups in 1996 and 1998 running behind an offensive line that contained a star named Scott Flory, who is now the Huskies head coach.

    Chow was able to dump the unwanted distinction of never being part of a playoff win on Nov. 3 in Vancouver, B.C., when he helped the Huskies post a 31-28 overtime upset victory over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

Tyler Chow scored two touchdowns in the Hardy Cup.

    In that contest, Chow had a solid outing grinding out 89 yards rushing on 21 carries and running home touchdowns from one and 16 yards out. He hauled in six passes for 54 yards to go along with his efforts on the ground.

    Combine that game with his efforts against the Dinos in a Canada West title winning game for the Huskies, Chow has created his own storied playoff run and has vaulted his name firmly into the conversation of who are the top all-time running backs in the history of the U of S football program.

    While the Huskies have pulled out two giant upsets at this point in the U Sports playoffs, they now face their greatest David versus Goliath match.

    The coming Saturday, the Huskies travel to London, Ont., to face the defending Vanier Cup champion University of Western Ontario Mustangs in the Mitchell Bowl, which is one of two U Sports semifinal playoff games. The Mitchell Bowl will be shown live at 3 p.m. Saskatchewan time on Sportsnet.

    The Universite Laval Rouge et Or (10-0) host the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men (8-2) in the other U Sports semifinal - the Uteck Bowl – also on Saturday in Quebec City, Quebec.

    The Mustangs enter their match with the Huskies ranked as the top rated team in the final U Sports Top 10 rankings and have won their last 22 games overall in a row.

Tyler Chow and the Huskies fifth-year are having a memorable final run.

    Western’s last loss came back on Nov. 12, 2016 in the Yates Cup, which is the Ontario University Athletics conference championship game, to the Wilfred Laurier University Golden Hawks 43-40. The Mustangs led that contest 40-19 in the fourth quarter, before the Golden Hawks pulled out an incredible comeback.

    Western thumped the mighty Rouge et Or 39-17 in last year’s Vanier Cup.

    So far, Chow and the Huskies have shown the role of giant killer fits them just fine.

    It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Chow and the Huskies come up with another giant performance, and if they do, they might be heading to the Vanier Cup to be held on Nov. 24 in Quebec City, Quebec.

On to the Mitchell Bowl.#HuskiePride #HardyCup82 pic.twitter.com/lGXPX5gkF0

— Huskie Football (@skhuskies) November 11, 2018

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

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Huskies playoff upset of T-Birds a monumental one

Sean Stenger (#23) hit the OT playoff winning field goal.

    Sean Stenger made the kick that was heard around the U Sports football world.

    On Saturday at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver B.C., the fifth-year kicker and all-time leading scorer for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team booted a 38-yard field goal in overtime to give his squad a 31-28 victory over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in a Canada West Conference semifinal playoff match.

    Stenger’s kick before 738 spectators gave the Huskies their first post-season victory since November 7, 2009, when they downed the University of Regina Rams 53-23 at Griffiths Stadium in a Canada West semifinal match. In the process, the Huskies ended a playoff losing streak that had spanned eight games.

    Before Saturday’s game, the Huskies were 1-11 in their previous 12 post-season contests.

    Both the Huskies and the Thunderbirds posted 5-3 regular season records heading into their playoff clash. UBC earned second place in the conference and home field advantage for the post-season encounter due to beating the Huskies 20-10 in the lone regular season encounter between the two sides on October 12 in Vancouver.

    While the two sides had identical records, this was a game the Huskies, who failed to make the post-season last year, weren’t supposed to win.

Jesse Kuntz caught the TD pass that forced overtime.

    Their playoff struggles since last making the Vanier Cup and falling to the Universite Laval Rouge et Or 13-8 at Griffiths Stadium on November 25, 2006 have been well publicized.
    The playoff stumbles weren’t the only thing standing in the Huskies way.

    They were heading on the road to play a Thunderbirds team that has Blake Nill as head coach. Nill’s teams had made the Canada West title game – the Hardy Cup – for the last 10 straight years and claimed victory on seven of those occasions.

    That run included seven straight appearances with the University of Calgary Dinos from 2008 to 2014 and three straight appearances the past three years with the Thunderbirds.

    Going into the playoffs this season, the Thunderbirds had won their last three straight games. Despite their early struggles, it appeared UBC had righted the ship.

    Teams coached by Nill just don’t lose at this point in the U Sports playoffs. Playing at home and riding a hot streak, it was supposed to be impossible to see an opponent come out with a victory.

    The Huskies were expected to put in a good effort and proceed to bow out into the off-season with the fifth-year grads crying tears of sadness.
    The Dogs defied all odds and came away winning a post-season classic that the Huskies players will remember for the rest of their lives.
    After falling behind 10-0, the Huskies stormed back to take a 20-10 lead in the third quarter. UBC forced a 20-20 tie early in the fourth quarter, but the Huskies went in front by a single point 21-20 on a 46-yard punt single by Stenger.

Kyle Siemens delivered a TD toss that forced overtime.

    It appeared that would be the last U of S lead on the day.

    The Thunderbirds mounted an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ended with star fourth-year quarterback Michael O’Connor hitting standout receiver Trivel Pinto with a four-yard touchdown pass with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. The two connected on a pass for a two-point convert to give the Thunderbirds a 28-21 advantage.

    On the ensuing Huskies possession, Thunderbirds defensive back Stavros Katsantonis intercepted fifth-year Huskies star quarterback Kyle Siemens at the UBC 33 yard line with 75 seconds remaining in the frame.

    Thanks to having a couple of timeouts to use, the Huskies forced the Thunderbirds to punt after two running plays. On the punt, a no yards penalty and an unnecessary roughness facemask penalty on the Thunderbirds allowed the Huskies to start a march at the UBC 47 yard-line with 51 seconds remaining on the clock.

    Siemens drove the Huskies offence that distance in four plays and connected with receiver Jesse Kuntz on a 14-yard touchdown reception with 21 seconds to play in the stanza to tie things up at 28-28 and force overtime.
    In the shootout style overtime format, the Thunderbirds had the first possession. UBC kicker Greg Hutchins missed a 33-yard field goal and Huskies running back/receiver Colton Klassen ran the ball out of the end zone to ensure the score remained tied at 28-28.

Tyler Chow ran in two major scores for the Huskies.

    Stenger hit his winning field goal on the Huskies ensuing possession.

    This was a win where the Huskies found a way to get it done.

    O’Connor completed 28-of-41 passes for 435 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Besides throwing a touchdown toss to Pinto, O’Connor threw major scores to Ben Cummings from 25 yards out and Blake Whiteley from 24 yards out.

    Siemens, who has thrown the second most passing yards in the history of the Huskies program, had a more pedestrian day hitting on 19-of-31 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

    Fifth-year running back Tyler Chow grinded out 89 yards rushing on 21 carries and ran home touchdowns from one and 16 yards out. He hauled in six passes for 54 yards to go along with his efforts on the ground.

    Hutchins hit field goals from 12 and 21 yards out to round out UBC’s scoring.

    Stenger hit field goals from 33 and 37 yards out in regulation for the Huskies.

    Defensively, Bowan Lewis had 10.5 total tackles for the Huskies, while linebackers and brothers Thomas and Ben Whiting had nine and seven total tackles respectively.

Thomas Whiting had nine tackles for the Huskies.

    Under second-year head coach Scott Flory, this playoff victory by the Huskies was monumental and a big step forward for the football program.
    The Huskies showed they can finally win again in the U Sports football post-season, and they knocked off a team guided by a head coach in Nill, who continually guides teams on long playoff runs.

    Now, the Huskies get to travel to Calgary, Alta., to face the Dinos, who are a combined 9-0 in the regular season and post-season, in the Hardy Cup final to determine the Canada West champion this coming Saturday at McMahon Stadium at 1 p.m. Calgary time.

    The Dinos took the other Canada West semifinal 37-13 last Saturday in Calgary against the University of Manitoba Bisons. U of C will be appearing in the Hardy Cup final for the 11^th straight year.

    U of S is once against faced with the task of manufacturing another monumental upset.

    Still, it appears you can’t count these football Huskies out. The belief is there that anything is possible.

Here's your game-winning kick from Sean Stenger 🔥#HuskiePride #WinTheWest pic.twitter.com/B6a7NntrSb

— Huskie Football (@skhuskies) November 4, 2018

Hilltops to face Rams in Canadian Bowl

Congratulations to the @LangleyRams on advancing to the 2018 Canadian Bowl with a 39-14 victory over the @CanesFootball63 in the #CJFL National Semi-Final pic.twitter.com/3GxYgY4Kw6

— CJFL News (@CJFLnews) November 4, 2018

    The Jevon Cottoy show powered the Langley Rams into the Canadian Bowl.

    On Saturday in Langley, B.C., the 22-year-old receiver hauled in nine passes for 190 yards and scored three touchdowns, ran in a major from a yard out and kicked a 54-yard punt single to power the Rams to a 39-14 romp over the Hamilton Hurricanes in a Canadian Junior Football League national semifinal contest. Quarterback Duncan Little hit Cottoy with the three touchdown tosses in the semifinal game at McLeod Stadium in Langley, B.C.

    With the win, the Rams, who improved to 10-3 overall, advance to the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl – to face the four time defending champion Saskatoon Hilltops on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Hilltops are 10-0 overall on the campaign and trying to complete their fourth perfect season in team history and first since 2003.

    The Hurricanes finished the 2018 campaign with a 10-1 overall record.

    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 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.

    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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Huskies’ defence bashes Bisons – U of S playoff bound

Tristian Koronkiewicz (#90) celebrates his defensive touchdown.

    Tristian Koronkiewicz lived out a defensive lineman’s dream.

    On Saturday at Griffiths Stadium, Koronkiewicz’s University of Saskatchewan Huskies jumped out to a 20-4 second-half edge on the University of Manitoba Bisons after the two sides were locked in a 4-4 tie at halftime of their U Sports regular season clash.

    With the Huskies defense having knocked Bisons starting quarterback Des Catellier out of the contest with an injury, Bisons backup quarterback Jamie Ybarra fumbled the ball away late in the fourth quarter, while under pressure.

    Koronkiewicz, who plays defensive end, scooped up the loose ball and raced 39 yards for a touchdown to put the Huskies up 27-4 with 2:33 to play in the fourth quarter. That score held up as the final outcome to the delight of most of the 2,440 spectators in attendance.

Huskies LB Thomas Whiting nails Bisons RB Jamel Lyles.

    “During an interview earlier in the week, I said no words describe a sack,” said Koronkiewicz, who is in his fifth and final year of eligibility with the Huskies. “No words describe that feeling.

    “I saw the ball on the ground, picked it up and I just gave all I got to get to that end zone.”

    Koronkiewicz’s major score provided some amusement for Huskies head coach Scott Flory.

    “The first think he (Koronkiewicz) said to me was how about that ball security,” said Flory with a chuckle. “We work on that every day one.

    “I’m really proud of Tristan (Koronkiewicz) and the way he has responded this season. He absolutely deserves all the accolades he gets for what he has done for this football team without a doubt.”

    While Koronkiewicz’s touchdown capped a solid afternoon performance by the Huskies, the victory they earned was a key one.

The Bisons defence corrals Huskie RB Tyler Chow (#5) in the early going.

    Their win combined with the fact the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds downed the University of Alberta Golden Bears 30-11 in Vancouver, B.C., also on Saturday allowed the Huskies lock up a playoff berth. U of S returns to the post-season after a one-year absence.

    The Huskies and Thunderbirds have identical 4-3 records, but the Thunderbirds hold the Canada West Conference standings tiebreaker winning the lone regular season encounter between the two sides. UBC sits second in Canada West, while the Huskies are in third place.

    The Bisons fell to 3-4 to sit fourth in Canada West, but they clinched a playoff berth with the Golden Bears loss to the Thunderbirds. 

The Huskies celebrate a safety from LB Thomas Whiting.

    The Golden Bears fell to 2-5, but with one regular season game to play, they can’t catch the Bisons, who won both regular season clashes between the two squads to gain the standings tiebreaker.

    For Koronkiewicz, the chance to return to the post-season is special.

    “It is my last kick at the can, so I want to be able to prolong my career as much as I can,” said Koronkiewicz. “We seized that opportunity today.

    “Now, I have that for sure two more weeks of football, and we just have to keep it riding.”

QB Kyle Siemens completed 22-of-26 passes for 262 yards.

    Overall, the Huskies defence had a dominate performance on Saturday limiting the Bisons to 298 yards of total offence, while piling up four sacks. Koronkiewicz along with linebacker Thomas Whiting, defensive tackle Evan Machibroda and defensive end Riley Pickett all had one sack each.

    Catellier completed 12-of-18 passes for the Bisons for only 142 yards before being knocked out of the game on Machibroda’s sack in the fourth quarter. Bisons star running back Jamel Lyles carried the ball 10 times for just 26 yards.

    Bisons backup running back Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette managed to cause some headaches gaining 108 yards rushing on eight carries.

    Koronkiewicz collected three individual tackles to go with his sack and scoop and score.

    “We had a fantastic game plan coming in, and we need to contain Jamel Lyles,” said Koronkiewicz. “I think we did that early.

RB Tyler Chow dives into the end zone for a touchdown.

    “That made them try to pass the ball a little more, and then we got after the quarterback and contained him. Des (Catellier) is a great athlete.

    “He flies around. He extends plays with his legs. We kept him from doing that today, and I think that helped a lot for sure.”

    The Bisons did get on the board first, when kicker Brad Mikoluff nailed an 18-yard field goal to cap an 82-yard offensive drive with 4:16 to play in the first quarter.

    Before the first quarter ended, the Huskies forced Mikoluff to concede a safety due to bad field position to cut the Bisons lead to 3-2.

    Early in the second quarter, Mikoluff scored a rouge off an 84-yard punt with a strong wind to give the Bisons a 4-2 edge.

    With 1:59 to play in the second quarter, the Huskies tied things up at 4-4, when Whiting sacked Catellier in his own end zone for a safety.

The Huskies defence stops Bisons RB Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette.

    Flory wasn’t surprised neither side was able to break out in the first half.

    “That is a good football team,” said Flory referring to the Bisons. “In the first half obviously, it was tight.

    “There was a lot of good defensive effort on both sides. We have to find a way to put the ball in the end zone. I challenged the offence a little bit at halftime, and they responded as well as the defence.”

    The Huskies went ahead with 5:22 remaining in the third quarter, when fifth-year star running back Tyler Chow took a short eight-yard pass from fifth-year star quarterback Kyle Siemens into the end zone for a major score. The drive ending in Chow’s touchdown catch covered 107 yards in seven plays and gave the Huskies an 11-4 lead.

The Huskies faithful get into singing “Sweet Caroline.”

    Early in the fourth quarter, Huskies star kicker Sean Stenger missed a 30-yard field goal, but the hosts scored a rouge off that miss to go up 12-4.

    U of S proceeded to put together another long scoring drive that covered 97 yards in nine plays and was capped by a Chow touchdown run from three yards out to give the Huskies a 19-4 advantage.

    Chow ran the ball 17 times for 82 yards and caught three passes for 26 yards to go with his two major scores.

    “I couldn’t have done it without the O-line,” said Chow. “They’ve been playing stellar all year.

“I have to thank them. I wouldn’t be anywhere without them.”

    Stenger scored another rouge on the ensuing kickoff following Chow’s touchdown run to put the Huskies up 20-4.

Joseph Trumpy (#82) secures a catch for the Huskies.

    That set the stage for Koronkiewicz to cap the win with his defensive touchdown.

Siemens completed 22-of-26 passes for 262 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He ran the ball six times for a team high 84 yards.

    Before Saturday’s game, the Huskies had lost their previous two games and Siemens was pulled in the squad’s last outing, which was a 20-10 setback to the Thunderbirds on Oct. 12 in Vancouver. 
    Siemens said it was big for the Huskies to end their two-game skid.

    “We have a great group of guys,” said Siemens. “Adversity has hit us a lot throughout this season.

Colton Klassen (#7) looks to turn upfield for the Huskies.

    “We’ve responded well every single time. I’m pretty proud of that and pretty proud of the guys.”
    The Huskies close the regular season this coming Friday, when they travel to Regina to face the University of Regina Rams (1-6) at 7 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium. 

    The Rams had to forfeit three wins this season due to using an ineligible player.

    U of S can finish second in Canada West and host a conference semifinal playoff game with a win over the Rams combined with a Thunderbirds loss to the Bisons, when those two teams meet this coming Saturday in Winnipeg, Man.

    Chow said his Huskies just have to worry about their next task at hand in playing the Rams.

The Huskies and Bisons shake hands after Saturday’s game.

    “We are not going to take them lightly,” said Chow. “The Rams are a great team, and we just have to stay focused.”

    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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Huskies hold off Rams rally on end zone pick by Lewis

Machart grinds out 121 yards on the ground for U of S

Bowan Lewis, left, holds up the game-saving interception ball.

    Bowan Lewis came up golden when the University of Saskatchewan Huskies desperately needed a play.

    On Friday night at Griffiths Stadium, the Huskies jumped out to a comfortable 30-3 lead in the third quarter of a U Sports regular season clash over their provincial rivals the University of Regina Rams only to see that edge shrink to 30-20 with 11:16 to play in the fourth quarter.

    The Huskies fumbled the ball away on their ensuing offensive series after their lead dwindled to 10 points.

    The Rams proceeded to drive down to the Huskies seven yard line for a first and goal opportunity and appeared poised for another score.

    Rams star quarterback Noah Picton fired a pass into the end zone only to see the ball deflect off the intended receiver into the hands of Lewis with 7:06 to play in the fourth quarter.

Adam Machart piled up 121 yards rushing for the Huskies.

    With that opportune interception, the third-year defensive back swung the momentum back on the Huskies side where it stayed.

    The ensuing Huskies drive ran 4:31 off the clock and resulted in a 26-yard field goal by star kicker Sean Stenger to cap a 33-20 victory before 2,715 spectators.

    The win allows the Huskies, who were rated ninth in the U Sports top 10 rankings, to sit alone in second place in the Canada West Conference with a 3-1 record. The Rams, who were rated eighth in the U Sports top 10 rankings, fall to 2-2 to sit in a tie with the University of Manitoba Bisons for the third and fourth positions in Canada West.

    The Huskies have to be given full marks for not losing their cool, when it seemed everything was going the Rams way.

    When Rams standout running back Kyle Borsa dashed home on a 27-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to cut the U of S lead to 10 points, the Huskies appeared to tighten up a little bit.

Kyle Borsa (#22) scored two touchdowns for the Rams.

    After Rams linebacker Danny Nesbitt recovered a Huskies fumble at the U of R’s 37 yard line, it appeared everything was unraveling for the host side.

    Lewis’s interception ensured the Rams surge came to an end.

    A composed Huskies offence guided by star quarterback Kyle Siemens went to work on a clock eating drive that covered 72 yards in eight plays resulting in Stenger’s short field goal.

    U of S’s defence rose to the occasion on the Rams next offensive series. The Rams gambled on a third-and-one at their own 48 yard line and Picton’s quarterback sneak was stuffed by the Huskies.

    Overall, the Huskies received key contributions from a number of different players. Running back Adam Machart, who helped the Saskatoon Hilltops win CJFL titles the past three seasons, had his best game with the Huskies carrying the ball 16 times for 121 yards and catching four passes for 19 yards.

Kyle Siemens threw three touchdown passes for the Huskies.

    Siemens had a solid night completing 23-of-33 passes for 283 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Running back Colton Klassen hauled in six of Siemens passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns.

    Rookie receiver Jesse Kuntz, who previously played for the CJFL’s Calgary Colts, hauled in seven passes for 96 yards and scored one touchdown.

    The Huskies received a pair of sacks from defensive end Tristian Koronkiewicz and single sacks from Riley Pickett, Evan Machibroda and Nathan Cherry.

    Defensive back Josh Hagerty had an end zone interception for the Huskies on the Rams first offensive series of the contest.

    Third-year defensive back Jacob Solie intercepted a tipped pass for the Huskies and ran it back 64 yards for a touchdown with 42.7 seconds to play in the second quarter. Solie’s major gave the Huskies a 21-3 lead at halftime.

    Stud linebacker Ben Whiting topped the Huskies with nine solo tackles.

Rams QB Noah Picton is chased by Huskies DE Riley Pickett.

    With how the game played out, one almost forgets the Rams actually held a 3-0 lead, when rookie kicker Aldo Galvan hit an 11-yard field with 3:08 to play in the first quarter.

    The first quarter ended with Siemens hitting Klassen with a 14-yard touchdown pass to start a run where the Huskies scored 30 straight point. The surge included the Huskies causing the Rams to concede a safety early in the third quarter.

    Picton completed 21-of-34 passes for 271 yards, but his three interceptions proved costly.

Borsa ran the ball 16 times for 96 yards and scored two touchdowns for the Rams. U of R made some suspect play calls in the red zone and likely could have given more touches to Borsa in that area of the field.

    Rams slotback Kyle Moortgat hauled in nine passes for 136 yards on the night.

    Galvan had a 17-yard field goal on the final play of the third quarter to go with his boot in the first quarter.

    The win will likely give the Huskies, who play three of their final four regular season games on the road, a big shot in the arm. U of S likely needs to win just one more contest to qualify for the playoffs.

Huskies DB Jacob Solie (#6) gets set to intercept a tipped pass.

    The Huskies return to action on Sept. 29, when they travel to Calgary, Alta., to face the University of Calgary Dinos.

    The Rams will try to get back on track in their next game on Sept. 29, when they travel to Winnipeg, Man., to face the Bisons in what will be a key contest for both sides.

    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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Huskies gain a measure of respect in loss to Dinos

DB Clovis Lumeka (#18) defends a pass for the Huskies.

    In defeat, all the University of Saskatchewan Huskies had to do was look at the University of Calgary Dinos to know they made a mark.

    Going into Friday’s U Sports regular season football tilt at Griffiths Stadium, the Huskies and Dinos were sporting identical 2-0 records. 

    There was a chance that this could have been the game where the Dinos, who have won eight of the last 10 Canada Conference championships, brought the Huskies down to earth. U of S missed the post-season a year ago with a 2-6 mark.

    The Dinos won the game 37-28 before 5,114 spectators, but they didn’t look like victor after the contest. They departed the field looking a bit sombre as opposed to looking quietly satisfied in posting another victory in a match they were favoured to win.

QB Adam Sinagra threw for 569 yards for the Dinos on Friday.

    Dinos star quarterback Adam Sinagra had an insane great night completing 32-of-40 passes for 569 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Even with those spectacular numbers, the Dinos seemed to know they had hiccups on their side and could have been beaten had the Huskies made a couple of big plays.

    On a night where the Huskies honoured their retired Canadian Football Hall of Fame head coach Brian Towriss and announced the street that runs past Griffith Stadium will now be known as “Brian Towriss Crescent,” the hosts came out with good jump in their annual homecoming game.

    The Dogs had the first possession of the game and drove 59 yards in four plays and capped the march with a seven-yard touchdown reception by running back Colton Klassen.

    In powerhouse form, the Dinos responded with three major scores of their own to go ahead 21-7. U of C running back Jeshrun Antwi ran in a major score from 69 yards out and receivers Karl Hunter and Jalen Philpot hauled in respect touchdown catches from nine and 12 yards out.

Colton Klassen muscles his way into the end zone for a Huskies touchdown.

    At that point, the Dinos appeared to get ahead of themselves in trying to manufacture a blowout. They were stopped on a third-and-one gamble from the Huskies 48 yard line and a third and five fake punt pass at the Huskies 51 yard line.

    Those turnovers on downs resulted in two field goals by Huskies star kicker Sean Stenger, which cut the Dinos edge to 21-13 at halftime. Had the Huskies manufactured a touchdown on one of those chances, they would have really tightened things up on the night.

    Stenger kicked a third field goal on the Huskies first possession of the second half to further trim the Dinos edge to 21-16.

    The Dinos seemed to restore order with a field goal from star kicker Niko DiFonte and a 50-yard touchdown reception for Philpot to go up 31-16 at the end of the third quarter.

Jalen Philpot goes into the end zone for a Dinos major score.

    Philpot caught eight passes for 135 yards to go along with his two major scores.

    With 11:20 to play in the fourth quarter, DiFonte hit another field goal to put the Dinos up 34-16, but the Huskies refused to go away.

    On the second play on their ensuing offensive possession, Huskies fifth-year quarterback Kyle Siemens hit Klassen with a 72 yard touchdown pass to cut the Dinos edge to 34-23. Klassen caught seven passes for 134 yards to go with his two major scores through the air and ran the ball once for 11 yards.

    U of C’s edge shrank to 34-25 after conceding a safety due to bad field position with 9:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. A DiFonte 42-yard field goal with 2:10 to play in the fourth put the Dinos up 37-25 and pretty much sealed the victory.

The Huskies kick cover unit wraps up Dinos returner Brycen Mayoh (#84).

    On the final play of the contest, Stenger hit a 27-yard field goal to ensure the Huskies lost by just nine points. That play might be an important one in the future, if the Huskies win the Sept. 29 encounter between these two sides in Calgary and the points scored in the two head-to-head clashes possibly becomes a regular season standings tiebreaker.

    With Friday’s game in the books, the Dinos remain the only undefeated team in Canada West with a 3-0 record, while the Huskies fall to 2-1 to sit in a tie for second in the conference with the University of Regina Rams (2-1).

    Of course when the Huskies look at the video of Friday’s game with the Dinos, they will see missed plays and mistakes they need to correct going forward.

    Siemens was unable to connect on at least three deep passes that could have potentially gone for touchdowns due to timing issues with the intended receivers.

Dinos pass rushers close in on Huskies QB Kyle Siemens, right.

    Still, the Huskies proved they won’t be pushovers. They are also playing with house money, because they were listed last in the Canada West Conference pre-season coaches’ poll.

    All they can do is try to keep creating a new excitement around the team. The Huskies next opportunity to do just that occurs this coming Friday, when they host the Rams at 7 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium.

    NOTE – The Huskies were without head coach Scott Flory for Friday’s game. Flory was in Hamilton, Ont., being inducted in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame for his storied CFL career as an offensive lineman with the Montreal Alouettes that spanned 15 seasons from 1999 to 2013.

What a great night to recognize two great @skhuskies coaches. Congratulations BT and Scott! pic.twitter.com/g34ip8lITB

— Usask President (@UsaskPresOffice) September 15, 2018

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

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