Hilltops 33, Huskies 18
One play made all the difference.
With the score knotted at 18-18 in what was a tense and tight Prairie Football Conference playoff game, the Edmonton Huskies were looking at a 46-yard field goal to take a 21-18 lead for a possible upset in semifinal action Sunday at SMF Field in Saskatoon.
Instead, kicker Laine Santos missed the mark and Charles Sawi weaved his way down the entire field for a 112-yard touchdown return. That gave the host Hilltops a huge boost and decisive lead as they went on for a 33-18 Thanksgiving weekend victory.
They now advance to the league final next Saturday, at home, against the rival Regina Thunder.
“Honestly, that was THE play — that was THE play,” stressed fellow Hilltops kick returner and receiver Datiel Fountaine.
“It was a close game – but Charles went and made a big play. That was unbelievable.”
Sawi single-handedly turned the game around, tipping it in the Toppers’ favour.
“No question about it,” said Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “Charles has got that dynamic ability. That’s who he is. It was needed. It was timely. And it got all the momentum and energy back on our team and we took it from there.
“Charles was absolutely super on that return.”
In the end, the final score flattered the Hilltops, who needed some game-ending heroics to prevail.
“No question,” agreed Sargeant, “but they (Huskies) are a good football team. You saw it today. They know how to play football. They know how to coach. We’ve had so many competitive games with these guys over the last three or four years, so there’s a lot of pride on their end. It was obvious. But, at the end of the day, champion heart kicked in and we were able to walk away with this win.”
In the end, Saskatoon’s defence stood tall to deny Edmonton of any sort of comeback.
PFC all-star Isaac Michalyuk led Saskatoon with seven solo tackles, three assists, one pass knockdown, a fumble recovery and an interception.
Noah Gedir added six solo tackles, one assist, two pass knockdowns and a fumble recovery.
Jackson Dean also recorded an interception and forced fumble for the Hilltops, who finished the regular season undefeated with an 8-0 record while the Huskies were 3-and-5.
Zaden Taylor had five solo tackles and one assisted tackle on defence and a special teams stop to go along with two pass knockdowns.
Offensively, Hilltops quarterback Trey Reider completed 12 of 18 passes for 113 yards and two TD majors. He also ran the ball seven times for 85 yards.
However, Reider gave up one interception and fumbled the ball on a strip sack by Westley Johnsen that led to a 36-yard fumble recovery for a TD by Edmonton defender Mathew Alloway.
“We knew we drew the hard seed because they’re physical,” noted Sargeant. “They play a certain brand that matches up well against us. Football is about match-ups and they match up well. They got underneath us at times and they took it to us. It’s live and learn, and grow. Like I said, we’ve got to get better for next week. Good thing is we’re playing at home.”
Hilltops running back Corbin Ebben was a workhorse, rushing the ball 30 times for 177 yards and a TD major.
Drake Douglas had four receptions for 24 yards.
Fountaine added two catches for 48 yards and a TD.
“My touchdown was just another stepping stone to win this game,” shrugged Fountaine.
“I think it was a battle of adversity. We just came back. We had the players. We had the plays. Obviously it wasn’t going our way but we came back and we did our thing and that’s what’s important.”
Huskies quarterback Wyatt Matson completed 17 of 37 passing attempts for 154 yards, giving up a pair of interceptions. He also scrambled for 58 yards on seven carries as the team’s leading rusher.
Carson Eddy added 30 yards on 13 carries and one catch for six yards.
William Campbell was the main target, hauling in five of 10 passes his way for 52 yards.
Overall, Saskatoon racked up 364 yards in total offence. Edmonton tallied up 238 yards.
“We won and that’s all that matters,” said Sargeant, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Another week to grind and get better. Obviously, there are lots of things to improve on. Offensively, we didn’t help ourselves. We put our team and defence in bad spots. The defence responded and reacted like a championship defence. Special teams were huge — they made a lot of plays today too. Once we get that offence cooking with gas, you know what? This will be a team people won’t want to play.
“Happy Thanksgiving.”
EXTRA TOPPINGS: Saskatoon product Tanner Berezowski, a PFC all-star on the Edmonton Huskies, recorded four solo tackles, two assists and a tackle for a loss in Sunday’s PFC semifinal game against the Hilltops.
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