Last-year players lament lost opportunity.
Andre Lalonde’s career with the Saskatoon Hilltops saw him win three national championships and establish a new single-season franchise rushing record.
“There’s definitely a lot of great things I take away from this,” said Lalonde, a fifth-year running back. “It’s a bit of a sour taste right now.”
A 21-16 loss in the Prairie Football Conference final to the Regina Thunder on Sunday marked the end of Lalonde’s junior football eligibility.
Joining Lalonde are 15 other graduates that can no longer wear Hilltops’ blue and gold next year.
Keenan Carrier, Tanner Cooke, Kyle Gordon and Tristain Hoath leave the offensive line with big holes.
Nolan Graham departs along with Lalonde in the backfield.
Quarterback Mat t Karpinka; receivers Graham Unruh, John Trumpy and Coleman Young; defensive backs Chris Friesen, Colin Keys and Taylor Rehn; linebacker Vince Riley; defensive lineman Derrick Sorenson; and lineman/linebacker Brett Pisio will also move on from the Hilltops.
Cooke, Gordon, Trumpy, Sorenson all missed the PFC final due to injury, while Karpinka left the game in the second quarter after receiving a hard hit.
“They’re great, quality players. They’re great leaders. They deserve better than this,” head coach Tom Sargeant said. “They did everything they needed to do to be successful. It’s upsetting, but it’s life. We’ll deal with it.
“This team, for the most part, just did great things on the field,” he added. “Off the field they represented us with tremendous class and dignity.
“It’s sad to see them go, but they can hang their heads high with all the loyalty and service they’ve given us over those five years.”
That’s what a disappointed Friesen was trying to do after the loss.
“I’m proud of all these guys,” said the safety. “We fought till the very end. We had a great season up till now. It’s upsetting that it had to stop short.”
Lalonde shared that sentiment.
He broke Adrian Charles’s rushing record as he racked up 1,367 yards on the ground this season.
Throw in three PFC and Canadian junior titles and he has a lot to be proud of.
“I’m sure in a few days I’ll look back on my career with the Hilltops with a lot of great positives,” he said. “Right now, it’s a tough situation to be in. We expected more, but congratulations to Regina.”