PFC champion Toppers set to take on Beefeaters
Two days before flying out to Ontario, the Saskatoon Hilltops were feasting on cinnamon buns, courtesy of offensive lineman Ryder Klisowsky’s mom.
Oh, it’s been a sweetened football diet for those reigning five-time Canadian Bowl champion Hilltops, who are two wins closer to a sixthstraight Canadian Junior Football League title.
The Prairie Football Conference champions will tonight face the Ontario Football Conference champion London Beefeaters — named after the Tower of London guards and not the animal protein diet — in London, Ont.
Those two programs last met back in 2012 when the Hilltops hammered the visiting Beefeaters 51-7 in CJFL national semifinal action.
Toppers head coach Tom Sargeant is well aware of the 2019 edition and he’s not resting on his laurels. These won’t be football strangers.
“We know lots,” said Sargeant, whose Hilltops have 21 national titles to their credit since 1953.
“We know (the Beefeaters) are a team on the rise. To finish third in your league and all of a sudden to win your (OFC) trophy, that’s a team with a lot of grit, resiliency and toughness. Their coaches did a hell of a job of getting these guys believing in their systems and process. First-year coaching staff, obviously they know what they’re doing. To get everything ready in the end, it says a lot. The tape they put out tells me they’re athletic, well-coached and they play hardnosed football.”
London features a beefed-up offensive line with OFC outstanding offensive lineman Mat Bettencourt and fellow OFC all-star George Panagiotopolous.
Running back Tazie Vang-bell, who had 39 carries for 414 yards and six touchdowns, and receiver Spencer Foster, who led his team with 16 receptions for 237 yards and five TDS, are fellow OFC all-stars.
Defensively, all-star D-lineman Soren Hallschmid and all-star defensive back Tanner Gaskill-cadwallader, who recorded 16 tackles, two assists, two sacks, two knockdowns, three interceptions and one TD, lead the way.
“Defensively they only gave up about 75 points,” noted Sargeant. “That’s about eight to 10 points a game. They only gave up 3.4 yards a rush. Listen to the Windsor coach who said they lost because they got out-physicaled. They’re just real physical. I really like their guard (Bettencourt). They’ve got two good guards, a real strong running game, a good quarterback and good throw game, so they do a lot of things really well and make coaches burn the midnight oil to get this thing right.”
Hilltops middle linebacker Jaydn Pingue calls the Beefeaters a “talented” team with some talented running backs and big receivers.
“Right now, we’re going to go out there and stop the run first, and then the pass, so our offence can keep control of the ball and we can get off the field as much as possible on defence, and capitalize off the turnovers,” Pingue said.
“They look like a pretty good team, so far. They made it out of the OFC and there are some good teams over there, so we’re looking forward to playing them.”
TOP-UPS: The winner of today’s CJFL semifinal matchup will play for the 112th Canadian Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 16 against either the Langley Rams or Westshore Rebels.