For the third time this season, the Saskatoon Hilltops and the Regina Thunder of the Canadian Junior Football League will face off. But this time, it’s for a spot in the Canadian Bowl Conference Finals.
Though the Hilltops have won both previous bouts, it’s been by a slim margin.
READ MORE: Saskatoon Hilltops extend streak with 43-9 win over Edmonton Wildcats
In their first victory, they edged the Thunder 20-18. The second time these teams met, Saskatoon was down 26-16 with 2:21 left in the game, but a touchdown from Mike Sam and a drive from Joshua Ewanchyna into the end zone would end in a 30-26 win for the Toppers.
For fifth year Hilltop quarterback Jared Andreychuk, playing the cross province rival is a welcomed challenge.
“You always kind of want to go through them. It’s never more than a point or two difference between us and that’s what the fans want and what we want”.
Third year linebacker Cody Peters recognizes that Saskatoon has a target on their backs.
“It’s definitely going to be tough, because I know the Thunder have a lot of motivation right now,” Peters said.
“They think they can take us.”
Head coach Tom Sargeant has prepared for them endless times in his 26 years with the Hilltops, but won’t be changing his game plan this weekend.
“We’ve shown them everything over the last four or five years … at the end of the day we have to come out and play Hilltops football,” Sargeant explained.
READ MORE: Saskatoon Hilltops secure 1st place with 44-14 win over Winnipeg Rifles
Saskatoon’s only loss of the season comes at the hands of the Calgary Colts, who until two weeks ago, seemed like a lock on first place in the conference at 7-0. But after dropping matches to the Edmonton Huskies and Regina, Saskatoon claimed the Prairie Football conference regular season title.
“To finish in first place is a feather in your cap. We can defend home turf all the way to the Canadian Finals”.
“It wasn’t exactly on our plate mid-season, but now that it’s here, we’re definitely going to enjoy it,” added Logan Fischer, who rushed for 631 yards this season.
A big question on everyone’s mind is the fate of Cole Benkic, the 2015 Defensive Player of the Year, who was sidelined earlier this season after he injured his ankle in a biking accident.
“Coles been battling all year, trying to get going. He’s been moved off the playoff roster. It’s unfortunately for such a great player,” explained Sargeant at practice on Wednesday evening.
“The team just rallies around each other and finds out how to do things in a different way”.
One of those players is third year Jason Price, who leads the team with 763 reception yards.
“Our coaches are going to get the plays to win, we have the team to do it. Everybody’s clicking right now.”
Kickoff is at 1 p.m CT on Sunday at SMF Field.
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