Watch above: The Saskatoon Hilltops enter the 2015 season with their entire receiving core intact from last season. Jack Haskins looks at two of the returning veterans.
SASKATOON – Big time players make big time plays, and the Saskatoon Hilltops have a pair of receivers who do just that: Evan Turkington and Evan Kopchynski. The two receivers have completely different playing styles, but both are highly effective against the opposition.
Kopchynski is the Toppers deep ball threat. He led the Prairie Football Conference (PFC) in yards per catch last year, averaging 27.24 yards per reception. Kopchynski is a burner who uses his speed to slip behind coverage, and when he gets open, it is lights out for the opposing team.
“It’s kind of why I play football,” said a smiling Kopchynski. “Those are the kind of plays that I live for. There’s no feeling really like it, when you catch the ball and you have time to actually do something with it.”
READ MORE: Hilltops win 17th junior Canadian football title
Kopchnski’s fellow fifth year receiver Evan Turkington is Saskatoon’s red zone threat.
At six-foot five, Turkingon towers over opposing defensive backs, and is nearly impossible to cover. But Turkington isn’t just a big target, he’s deceptively fast, and has great hands.
Big Turk also has a nose for the end zone; he caught five TD passes last season, just one shy of the league leader Kurt Goodrich.
The Hilltops air assault team is locked and loaded for 2015. The Hilltops will welcome back every single one of their starting receivers from last year’s championship squad.
Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant believes this year’s receiving core has the potential to be something truly special.
“I’m telling you, we got as good of a receiving package as we’ve had in a long, long time, and we’re just excited to get it out there and let’s see how teams are going to try and figure out how to stop us,” said Sargeant.
The Saskatoon Hilltops will hold their “Blue and Gold” scrimmage Thursday night, starting at 7 p.m. at SMF Field.
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