Photo courtesy of Louis Christ Photography

This past season the Saskatoon Hilltops won their 24th CJFL Canadian Bowl continuing to add to their storied and celebrated franchise, but it wasn’t overly easy in 2025.

For the first time in recent memory the Hilltops lost their very first game of the season, dropping a 31-11 score at the Winnipeg Rifles. Following the setback, they rattled off five straight wins including a three-point victory at Regina, their provincial rivals. 

The Thunder responded however and handed the Hilltops their second loss of the season to snap their five-game winning streak.   The loss also kept the Hilltops from earning homefield advantage in the Prairie Conference meaning if they wanted to advance, they would need to find a way to win on the road in the playoffs.

All season long the Hilltops looked for consistency at the quarterback position.  Unlike previous years, they didn’t have one pivot that stepped up to really take the reigns.   Hayden McMahon opened the season in Winnipeg before losing the starting role to Brexton Elias at Regina in their three-point win.  However, Elias was somewhat inconsistent, so the team turned to Griffin Sander who took over in a big way in the Conference final leading to a start in the Canadian Bowl.

Despite all the movement under the centre, the offensive line and running attack remained the focal point.  Running back David Collins began to emerge as one of the top runners in the CJFL and would finish the season with 1028 yards and led the Conference with 13 rushing touchdowns.  Charles Sawi provided the Hilltops with an outstanding 1-2 punch as he collected an impactful 356 yards and scored six more touchdowns on the ground.   They were able to run behind another big, tough offensive line led by First Team All-Canadian Jack Erlandson and All-Rookie Team member Matt Elash.

The run game definitely made up for any lack of aerial assault but make no mistake when the Hilltops needed yards through the air, they were able to succeed with excellent play calling.  The best example of this was during the Conference championship game in a fourth quarter comeback.

After losing twice during the regular season the Hilltops needed to visit the Thunder in Regina with not only the Conference title on the line, but the right to host the 2025 Canadian Bowl.  Heading into the fourth quarter they found themselves down by 10-points and needed to score quickly so went to the air.  With Sander under centre he began to work methodically finding holes in the Thunder secondary to move the ball down the field.  He and the offence executed and put up 15 points in the quarter forcing the game into overtime with a touchdown pass and successful two-point conversion through the air with under a minute to play.  Then in the extra session it was another passing play into the end zone to capture the victory and the berth in the Canadian Bowl.   Sander finished with 206 passing yards playing about a quarter and a half.

The success through the air late in the season gave the Hilltops an excellent balanced offence heading into the national championship game on their home field and ultimately their 24th Canadian Bowl title.

While plenty was made about their offence, the Hilltops defence didn’t give up many easy points following the first game of the year when they coughed up 31.  After that loss they locked in and held teams in their next seven games to 13 points a game.

They were loaded on the defensive side giving up the fewest amount of points in the Conference and recorded 36 turnovers.  Three members of the defence were named a CJFL All-Canadian showing that this was a “team first minded” defence with hard hitting, talented players at each position.  Perhaps the two players that stood out the most were defensive lineman Johnathon Stevens and linebacker Isaac Michayluk.

Stevens started the season with the eventual Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Rough Riders playing in an exhibition game.  He finished the CJFL season with three sacks, 11 tackles, 18 assists and a fumble recovery.  Michayluk had an incredible final season making 32 tackles, had 22 assists and intercepted three passes. He was also named the Defensive Player of the Canadian Bowl making a game high nine solo tackles. Both players were named an All-Canadian in 2025.

It was another storied season for the Hilltops as they captured their 24th Canadian Bowl title and 11th since 2010…truly remarkable.  When the season opens in 2026 the Hilltops will be the #1 ranked team on the CJFL Power Rankings as they begin their quest to win back-to-back championships. 
 

Photo courtesy of Louis Christ Photography 

The CJFL champion Saskatoon Hilltops captured their 24th Canadian Bowl this past Sunday and used the ground game to near perfection.

Running back David Collins capped off his wonderful regular season with an outstanding national championship game rushing for 143 yards and two touchdowns pacing the Hilltops to victory as the Offensive Player of the Game. The Minnesota native has an interesting story in how he became a Hilltop for his only season of eligibility in the CJFL.

He talks with Ryan Watters about the season, the transition from a US field to a Canadian one and the thrilling Canadian Bowl championship in Saskatoon.