Hilltops capture sixth straight PFC title with 30-14 win over Edmonton Huskies

The Saskatoon Hilltops are Prairie Football Conference champions once again.

Saskatoon beat the visiting Edmonton Huskies 30-14 at SMF Field on Sunday to capture its sixth consecutive PFC title and continues an unprecedented quest for a sixth straight Canadian Bowl championship.

Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant was especially appreciative of Sunday’s result — not just for extending his team’s playoff dominance, but to do so in a year with few easy victories.

“To win one is unreal, to win six in a row, you don’t even understand it,” Sargeant said. “A lot of pressure on these guys this year, and you know what? They figured it out.”

Aiding Saskatoon’s victory was a handful of Huskies miscues or game-changing penalties that kept Saskatoon’s slim lead alive all afternoon.

First, it was a botched snap on a field goal attempt that kept the Huskies trailing early in the game. The second instance was an interception thrown at midfield with the Huskies down 20-14 in the fourth quarter. Making matters worse were two major penalties on the play — a 15-yard unnecessary roughing and an objectionable conduct penalty — that gave the Hilltops the ball at Huskies 24-yard line.

The miscues turned into a full meltdown when the ensuing drive looked to end in a Hilltops field goal attempt only to be extended further by a roughing the kicker penalty that eventually gave the Hilltops a 27-14 lead late in the game.

“We didn’t play great today. We didn’t play great at all, but we won and that’s all we ask for. At the end of the day, look at the guts, look at the pride — (the players) weren’t going to be denied today,” Sargeant said.

Leading the way for the Hilltops was Ben Abrook. The PFC rushing leader had 247 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 44 attempts.

“Days like this, weather like this, you got to own the line of scrimmage. Our O-line outplayed their front seven, hands down. I think that was the difference-maker for sure,” he said.

Abrook’s second touchdown on the day came on a third-down, one-yard plunge late in the game with 3:58 remaining to put his team up 27-14. Sargeant said there was no way he was going to kick a field goal. It wasn’t a surprise to Abrook.

“When know when we’re on the one-yard line we’re going for it,” Abrook said. “We’re going to score. Having that confidence behind us pushes us over the goal line.”

The Hilltops trailed 7-6 after the first quarter before taking the lead back for a 13-7 score at halftime.

Saskatoon built its lead to  20-14 after three quarters.

Keegan Dicks scored the other touchdown on a 10-yard catch. Rylan Kleiter was the other scoring Hilltop, converting all three of his field goals and all three converts.

“We stayed disciplined. First half we weren’t, then we ran away with it with those (Huskies) penalties,” defensive back Brant Morrow, who had a key interception that sealed the victory, said following the win.

Hilltops quarterback Tyler Hermann completed eight of 17 passes for 124 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Huskies quarterback Declan O’Flaherty completed 23 of his 39 pass attempts for 231 yards, one interception and two touchdowns.

His teammate Brandt Burzak had 111 yards on 18 carries, as well as 11 yards receiving on two catches.

The Hilltops will travel to London, Ont. to face the London Beefeaters, the Ontario Football Conference champions, for its game next week in the Canadian Junior Football League semifinal. A win will have them playing in British Columbia for a sixth straight Canadian Bowl.

The undefeated Toppers extended its winning streak to 29 games with the win.

“Obviously there’s something in the water that we’re drinking that’s different than anywhere else in Canada,” Sargeant said.