Wildcats defeat Bears for berth in city final

The Johnson Wildcats are off to the Regina Intercollegiate Football League’s Stewart Conference final after winning their first playoff game in 15 years.

In semifinal contests on Wednesday at Mosaic Stadium, Johnson rallied to defeat the Balfour Bears 36-29, while the Balgonie Greenall Griffins bested the Sheldon-Williams Spartans 27-6.

Johnson and Greenall will meet Monday at 6 p.m. at Mosaic Stadium in the city 3A final.

On Wednesday, Johnson’s Stephen Woit accounted for five touchdowns, throwing for three scores and rushing for two more.

Woit completed 23 of 30 passes for 332 yards in addition to rushing 15 times for 112 yards. DeShawn LeJour also had a big game for Johnson, catching 14 passes for 234 yards and three TDs.

Johnson, which trailed 28-7 at halftime, scored the game-winning touchdown with 55 seconds left in the fourth quarter on a 26-yard reception by LeJour.

Balfour (6-1) finished first in the regular-season standings. Johnson, Sheldon and Greenall all had 5-2 records. The Wildcats were the fourth seed in the playoffs.

Johnson won 7-0 when the Wildcats and Griffins met in the regular season on Sept. 29.

In the Schwann Conference final, the Campbell Tartans will attempt to dethrone the LeBoldus Golden Suns, the five-time-defending city and provincial 4A champions.

In semifinal games on Thursday, LeBoldus scored 15 unanswered fourth-quarter points to defeat the Miller Marauders 29-15, and Campbell downed the Riffel Royals 35-7.

Campbell got two touchdowns from Bennett Stusek (on a reception and an 83-yard kickoff return) and Jaxon Ford (on two scoring runs, including a 23-yard scamper after a fake field goal).

Josh White added a TD reception and a fumble recovery for Campbell, which tied LeBoldus 1818 in the regular season on Sept. 20.

In the other semifinal contest, Golden Suns QB Josh Donnelly threw TD passes to Ben Camplin and Ryker Frank and also scored on a one-yard run.

Frank rushed 12 times for 93 yards and a TD. Camplin had five receptions for 89 yards.

Miller’s Luke Hornung threw a TD pass to Kieran Poissant and ran for a 12-yard major.

Carson Sombach (six carries for 69 yards) and Emmett Steadman (seven catches, 89 yards), Michael Clow (quarterback sack for a safety) and Kyle Goertzen (four defensive tackles, one sack) also had strong games for Miller.

In Thursday’s Ken Picot Bowl, the Winston Knoll Wolverines defeated the O’Neill Titans 19-11.

O’Neill’s Nic Zimroz rushed for a touchdown and made nine defensive tackles.