Four Sask. players named to Canada world junior hockey championship team
11h ago
Berkly Catton, Brayden Yager, Caden Price and Tanner Howe were all named.
Colton Klassen has had a lot of time to contemplate his return to Griffiths Stadium.
The fifth-year University of Saskatchewan Huskies receiver will join the rest of his teammates for the first Canada West football game in Saskatoon in 714 days with some added motivation.
The last time Klassen played at Griffiths he was carted off the field with a broken leg and ankle in the first half of a game against the University of Alberta Golden Bears.
Nearly two years later, the play, the game and the injury are all fresh in his mind.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it,” Klassen said. “I’m grateful to be back out here. Every day I take it the same — just blessed to come and play football again.”
In the moments after the injury, the former Regina Thunder star wondered if he would ever be able to play football, let alone hear the roar of the hometown crowd.
“In the first 48 hours it was definitely in my mind but the third and fourth day after (the injury) that was out of my mind and I knew I could get back out there,” Klassen said.
Months of rehabilitation and recovery followed as Klassen fought to get back on the field last season, but with COVID-19 looming, Canada West ultimately opted not to hold a season.
His fifth and final year of U Sports eligibility had to wait until 2021, and his return to the field has been nothing short of outstanding.
Klassen has four touchdown receptions in two games to lead all receivers in the conference so far this season.
After two road games — an opening-week 34-20 loss in Calgary and a 43-15 win in Vancouver — head coach Scott Flory can hardly wait to be back in a familiar setting for Saturday’s 2 p.m. kickoff.
“Just to be back here, putting on those home uniforms, sleeping in our own beds and all that stuff that goes along with it — it’s pretty special,” Flory said.
There’s also something to be said about avoiding the added stress of organizing a trip across Western Canada.
“Not having to travel and worry about leaving a (pair of) shoulder pads or a helmet behind … hiccups with planes and buses. You don’t have to worry about that sort of stuff,” Flory said.
Saskatchewan piled up 626 total yards of offence with quarterback Mason Nyhus throwing for 351 yards and three touchdowns in the win over UBC.
Another four players had at least 100 yards from scrimmage in the dominant win.
Flory feels that performance resembles the team he was expecting to see as opposed to the disjointed team that had trouble handling Calgary’s offence to start the season.
“We’re going to be more us. Week 1 I don’t think was us and Week 2 was more like us,” Flory said.
The Golden Bears are looking to earn their first win in Saskatoon since the Canada West semifinal in 2010.
Saskatchewan, Alberta, Calgary and Regina are all tied for second place with 1-1 records in a six-game season where every game has even more importance.
“We know we’re going to be in for a physical battle. You’ve got to be better than the guy across from you and if we do that consistently and more often than our opponent then we’ll be in a great position to win the football game,” Flory said.
With the stage set, Klassen has his sights set on running out of the dressing room and onto the field Saturday.
“I’m just so excited to play in this game,” he said. “I just hope on Saturday it’s a packed barn and I just hope it’s loud. That’s what you live for as a player.”