Perfect Hilltops prep for playoffs after routing Rifles to end season
The Winnipeg Rifles found themselves between a huddle and a hard place Sunday against the Saskatoon Hilltops.
With their quarterback depth totally decimated, the Rifles were down to using emergency-only fifth- and sixth-stringers — a receiver and defensive back — at the quarterback position.
The end result wasn’t pretty against the powerhouse Hilltops, who closed out the Prairie Football Conference regular season with a convincing 48-7 victory Sunday at SMF Field and a perfect 8-0 record in Canadian Junior Football League action this season.
Saskatoon and Winnipeg will meet again next Sunday in PFC semifinal action at SMF Field. By then, the Rifles are expected to have one or two of their regular quarterbacks back in action for the playoffs.
“The best part of their team has always been their defence,” Toppers head coach Tom Sargeant said of the Rifles, who finished the PFC regular season in fourth place with a 3-5-0 record.
“We knew we had some heavy lifting and work there and, ultimately, it (not having any regular QBS) wouldn’t be a good scenario for anyone and I thought their coaches did a pretty nice job of figuring it out in a short period of time to make it happen,” he said.
“Credit to them, but we know it’s going to be different next week. They’ve got another week to practise. They’ve seen us. I’m excited for the playoffs. It’s here and 8-and-0 means nothing. It’s 3-0 (in playoffs) that we’re hunting for next.”
Saskatoon finished the regular season by outscoring its opponents 402-70 through eight games — nearly pitching a second straight shutout.
“It’s pretty unusual,” Sargeant said. “This team, in this league this year, has been pretty impressive, but now at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. Now we get into the real stuff.
“The line we’re using with this football team is nothing’s given and everything ’s earned.
“We’ve earned the right to have a great tradition and we’ve earned the right to play at home and we’ve the right to have another week of practise and play our best game of the year next week.”
Running back Josh Ewanchyna led the way Sunday against the Rifles, running the ball 27 times for 177 yards and four touchdown majors to finish the regular season with 1,007 rushing yards.
The Hilltops kept Ewanchyna in the game a little longer to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark, much to the running back’s delight.
“We ended up getting it and it’s a great feeling,” said Ewanchyna, whose brother, Adam, was one of seven graduating Hilltops honoured prior to the game.
“I didn’t think it was a realistic goal at the start of the season but, with our O-line up front, they made it happen for me. It was awesome.”
Saskatoon had 485 yards in total offence compared to 296 for Winnipeg, which trailed 27-zip at halftime.
Jordan Walls completed 15 of 20 passing attempts for 277 yards and three TDS.
Jason Price led the way with five catches for 123 yards.
David Solie, Ryland Kleiter and John Brown each had a TD catch for the Hilltops.
Rifles QB Gabriel Grenier, who scrambled eight times for 118 yards, scored the lone major for Winnipeg on a 91-yard scamper. He made good on 12 of 27 passing attempts for 145 yards. TOP-UPS: Topper graduates Walls, Price, Adam Ewanchyna, Connor Guillet, Adam Benkic, Kirk Simonsen and Cody Peters were introduced prior to the game alongside their parents.