Recent Prairie Conference News
The Regina Thunder win the Prairie Conference
Photo courtesy of Wanda Harron Photography
The Regina Thunder are the Prairie Conference champions after an upset win in Saskatoon on Sunday.
Regina Thunder 24
Saskatoon Hilltops 19
It turns out third times a charm for the Regina Thunder. After falling to the Saskatoon Hilltops in their first two meetings this season, they won the game that counted most and became the Prairie Conference champions for the second time in three seasons.
They would lead the game the entire way after scoring a touchdown six minutes into the game on 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ethan Hugg to Zak Woidyla. Amazingly that would really be the only success the Thunder would find through the air as Hugg and Carter Moberg combined to throw for only 64 yards. The ground game would do the rest of the damage offensively gaining 321 tough yards against a very strong Hilltop defence.
The two-headed monster or Sadik Sadik and Ryland Leichert was virtually unstoppable. Sadik ran 28 times for 178 yards and scored touchdowns in the second and fourth quarters while Leichert rushed 20 times for 118 yards.
Defensively the Thunder bent but didn’t break holding the Hilltops highflying offence to just three points in the first half. Then in the second they clamped down just in time and held on for the victory even with the Hilltops on the door step looking for the winning score.
As a matter of fact, on the final play of the game, after quarterback Trey Reider bobbled the snap, his throw to the end zone was broken up by the Thunder secondary to preserve the win. The Thunder forced four turnovers including a turnover on downs late in the game that was key moment in the contest. Tristan Bergquist made seven tackles and had three knockdowns and Mitchell Tanchak had the lone interception.
Both Hilltops touchdowns where scored by running back Corbin Ebben. In the third quarter he had a 14-yard run for a major, then caught a 14-yard pass from Reider in the fourth for a score. Oddly enough, both 14-yard scores, came 14 minutes into the respective quarter.
Reider was outstanding on the afternoon completing 23 passes for 305 yards and threw the touchdown to Ebben. He also rushed nine times for 102 yards.
The loss was the only one of the season for the Hilltops who have their season come to a end.
The Thunder advance to the CJFL National Semi-Final game and will host the Okanagan Sun on Sunday afternoon at 1:00pm at Leibel Field. It’s a rematch of the 2022 Canadian Bowl with the winner heading to Ontario for the 2024 national championship game.
The Hilltops entertain the Thunder on Sunday
Photo courtesy of Wanda Harron Photography
Regina Thunder @ Saskatoon Hilltops – Sunday October 20, 1:00pm – SMF Field | WATCH HERE
The Prairie Conference title will be settled on Sunday afternoon when the #1 Hilltops host the #2 Thunder in another classic battle of Saskatchewan. This will be the fourth straight season they meet in the Conference final; the Hilltops winning last year, and the Thunder in 2022.
These two teams love playing each other and usually brings out the best in both squads. The rosters are littered with Conference All-Stars and Outstanding Player award winners so this should be a dandy of a game.
During the regular season the Hilltops won both meetings by scores of 29-15 and 36-11. Most believe the final score in this championship game will be much lower, although the weather looks like a fantastic fall day eliminating any natural elements.
Offensively the Hilltops averaged over 40 points a game led by the Conference’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player in quarterback Trey Reider. He completed 64% of his passes for 1685 yards and threw 17 touchdowns, mostly to Drake Douglas who caught eight of them.
The Thunder on the other hand have a pretty potent offensive attack as well averaging over 34 points a game. Quarterback Carter Moberg threw a Conference high 1688 yards and added 11 touchdowns. When they need yards on the ground the deadly combination of Sadik Sadik and Ryland Leichert are battle tested and are ready to carry the load against a hard-hitting Hilltops defence.
These teams love to rely on their defences and getting turnovers. The Hilltops are a +24 while the Thunder are +15 with both teams intercepting 19 passes. A pair of dominating linebackers will plug the middle and be all over the field as Conference Most Outstanding Defensive Player Stephen Smith of the Thunder and Hilltops All-Star Isaac Michayluk will no doubt lead by example this coming Sunday.
They know each other so well and this could come down to the last possession or even the last second on the clock. Regardless its going to be fun to watch and there is plenty on the line with the winner hosting the CJFL National Semi-Final game on Sunday October 27th against the champion from the BC Conference.
A recap of the Prairie Conference semi-finals
Photo courtesy of Wanda Harron Photography
Sunday afternoon the home teams in the Prairie Conference sent the visitors home with a loss and hungry as the Hilltops and Thunder advance to the Conference title game.
Saskatoon Hilltops 33
Edmonton Huskies 18
The Hilltops rode a 16-point second quarter to victory beating the Huskies at SMF Field to advance in the Canadian Bowl playoffs.
On the ground they gained 223 yards led by Corbin Ebben who rushed 29 times for 172 of those yards and tallied a fourth quarter touchdown. Through the air MVP Trey Reider completed 13 of 19 passes for 117 yards and threw touchdown passes to Datiel Fountaine and Hayden Day.
The most exciting play of the game came from Charles Sawi halfway through the fourth quarter as he returned a missed field 112 yards for a touchdown.
Defensively the Hilltops played steady and solid forcing seven turnovers. Linebacker Isaac Michalyuk made seven solo tackles, helped on four others, intercepted a pass, had a knockdown and forced and recovered a fumble.
The Huskies dug themselves into a second quarter hole they could not climb out of.
Their first of two touchdowns on the day didn’t come until the third quarter with time ticking away. Linebacker Matthew Alloway forced a fumble, recovered it and sprinted 36-yards for a major. Then with just over four minutes to play Carson Eddy scored with a five-yard rush into the endzone.
The Hilltops advance to the Conference final where they will host the Regina Thunder this coming Sunday afternoon.
Regina Thunder 64
Calgary Colts 7
Despite the power outages at Leibel Field the Thunder’s power wasn’t affected as they dominated the visiting Colts recording 578 yards of total offence.
They handed the Colts a heavy dose of the run game to the tune of 425 yards. Ryland Leichert was spectacular with 182 yards on 22 carries and tallied three touchdowns and Jakeb Cortus ran for another. Peter Boersch rushed 12 times for 115 yards.
Back-up quarterback Ethan Hugg had an impressive game completing nine passes, three of which went for touchdowns after Carter Moberg threw one of his own. Ben Walz hauled in three of those touchdowns and Tanner Donovel collected one as well.
Defensively the Thunder didn’t allow much as the Colts only touchdown came as the second quarter began when quarterback Isaiah Klein threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Quinn Fedoroff.
The Thunder will now visit the Saskatoon Hilltops for the 2024 Prairie Conference finale on Sunday afternoon.
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