Saskatoon Hilltops defeat Regina Thunder in PFC showdown

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Only one team could leave Mosaic Stadium undefeated on Saturday night.

It was the Saskatoon Hilltops, the reigning Canadian junior football champions, who beat the Regina Thunder 29-15 in a showdown of Prairie Football Conference rivals.

“Our game plan was the same as in the past,” said Hilltops receiver Drake Douglas, who turned a pass from quarterback Troy Reider into a 48-yard touchdown that put the visitors ahead 20-8 midway through the third quarter. “We had to make big plays on offence and stop them on defence because they’re a great team and we knew we were playing a special game.

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“I went to Balfour (Collegiate in Regina), so when I’m looking around this stadium, I’m sad that it might be my last game here.”

Because the intraprovincial games traditionally draw bigger crowds, the game was moved from the Thunder’s usual venue at Leibel Field into massive Mosaic Stadium.

“The stakes are bigger, 100 per cent, when we play them,” said Thunder running back Sadik Sadik. “But we’re not going to put them on a pedestal. I can’t wait for that next game or for the next two games, because I expect to meet them in the playoffs.”

Regina and Saskatoon boasted 3-0 records heading into the contest, plus the Thunder had shut out its last two opponents.

“These teams know each other very well,” said Hilltops defensive back Dean Jackson. “We know they’ve got a phenomenal defence We think we have a pretty good defence, too. Their offence was very strong so we had to slow down their running game.”

The victory leaves the Hilltops alone atop the six-team PFC and gives them — so far — an advantage when the postseason standings are finalized. The Thunder visits Saskatoon on Sept. 28.

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“This is the best game you can play,” said Reider. “I want to see them again.”

Knowing Sadik led the PFC with 358 rushing yards and five touchdowns in three games, the Hilltops seemed intent on limiting Regina’s running game, forcing quarterback Carter Moberg to throw deep passes. Saskatoon’s Jace Mowles had two interceptions — the first set up a first-quarter touchdown run by Reider and the second snuffed Regina’s final possession.

“That’s exactly what their plan was, to stop the run,” said Sadik. “I wanted to get more yards, but if they’re trying so hard to stop the run, we have lots of other weapons we can use.”

Moberg threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Zak Woidyla in the fourth quarter to pull the Thunder within 22-15. Minutes later the Hilltops were lined up to kick a 21-yard field goal that would have clinched the victory. The kick was blocked by the Thunder, but the home team couldn’t move the ball, punted it away and subsequently surrendered a decisive 31-yard touchdown catch by Datiel Fountaine.

“There’s a lot more passion when we play this team, a lot more than when we play other teams,” said Woidyla. “They slowed down our running game, but we did pretty well throwing.

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“We just had too many two-and-outs. Even after we blocked that field goal, our next series was a two-and-out.”

Each team surrendered a safety. Regina kicker Shawn Green had two field goals and a convert while Saskatoon’s Teijon Abel-Douglas kicked two field goals and three converts.

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