Thunder and Hilltops in rubber match for the title

The Edmonton Huskies were left feeling Thunder-struck on Sunday.

The Regina Thunder journeyed to the Alberta capital and posted a come-from-behind 24-21 victory over the Huskies to advance to the 2017 Prairie Football Conference final against the Saskatoon Hilltops. In Sunday’s other semifinal, the Hilltops outlasted the visiting Winnipeg Rifles 28-21.

By defeating the Huskies, the Thunder avenged a 62-30 regularseason loss in Edmonton. Next in line is Sunday’s championship game in Saskatoon.

“I’m just excited for our players,” Thunder head coach Scott MacAulay said. “They’ve been working hard all off-season and during the year. We’ve definitely had our ups and downs, but all the guys really pulled together (on Sunday). We had some solid game plans and we were able to go out there and execute.”

MacAulay coached the Thunder, which made its PFC debut in 1999, to its first league title in 2013. That season’s edition of the Thunder went on to capture the Canadian Junior Football League championship.

That was the lone interruption during a seven-season stretch in which the Hilltops won six league and national titles.

“We’re excited to go to Saskatoon,” MacAulay said. “The environment is always great up there. It’s going to be loud and boisterous. Just being there, you’re probably automatically down by 14, so our guys are going to have to find a way to climb back right from the get-go and get into the game.”

Saskatoon and Edmonton both had 7-1 regular-season records. The Hilltops got the nod for first place on the basis of head-to-head play. Regina (5-3) was third.

During the regular season, the Thunder and Hilltops split two games. The visiting team won on both occasions — with Saskatoon prevailing 37-20 and Regina coming out on top by a 29-26 count.

When the teams met Sept. 9 in Saskatoon, the Thunder overcame a 20-6 deficit and scored a gamewinning touchdown with a minute left. Regina also trailed by double digits (11-1) on the road Sunday before rallying to defeat Edmonton.

“Championship teams find ways to win,” MacAulay said. “When you look at teams that have won, like the Thunder in 2013 or the Saskatoon Hilltops the last three years, they find ways to do it. I think it speaks volumes for our guys, and I’m just excited for them.”

The winner of Sunday’s game will advance to a showdown with the B.C. junior league’s champion.