Regina Thunder pull away from Sasktoon Hilltops, claim PFC title

The Regina Thunder got a measure of revenge as they claimed the 2026 Prairie Football Conference title on Sunday over the Saskatoon Hilltops.

Regina, who had a 7-1 regular season record, got plenty of big plays late to pull away from their interprovincial rivals to claim a 44-19 win.

It was a moment members who were on last year’s Thunder team were hoping for after losing 30-27 in overtime to the Hilltops last season at Mosaic Stadium.

“We said we were going to come back with vengeance. It’s a big rivalry and it’s always a good game against them. We just wanted this really bad,” said Thunder receiver Carywn Williams, who had a 100-yard kick return and 86-yard receiving touchdowns in the game.

While the Hilltops had an up-and-down season finishing with a 4-4 record, Saskatoon head coach Tom Sargeant believed his team did have every opportunity to pull off the upset.

“We fell short. That directly falls on my shoulders and I needed to do better and do more and didn’t put my players or coaches in the best spot to be successful,” Sargeant said. “I have to live with that, not them. I know they played hard and gave their best foot forward but certainly wasn’t good enough today.”

The Regina Thunder were able to outlast the Saskatoon Hilltops and pull away with a 44-19 win. (Wanda Harron Photography/Submitted

Saskatoon got out to a 9-0 lead thanks to a Thunder-conceded safety and a touchdown pass from Griffin Sander to Charles Sawi.

But Regina grabbed the momentum as Williams ran back the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to get the Thunder within two points.

Hilltops kicker, Ryden Gratton, kicked a 42-yard field to give Saskatoon a 12-7 lead.

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Thunder head coach Scott MacAulay said he wasn’t worried by the start his team had.

“I was just going in the flow. It’s the beginning of the first half and I believe in my players and believe in my coaches and my job is to make sure on the sidelines things are even-keeled and make sure they understand the most important play is the next play,” MacAulay said. “I knew they would come through in the end. I wish it was a little bit earlier in the game but at the end of the day, we are a young team. The fact is that sometimes you have to go through those lulls and you have to learn how to come out of them quickly and they came out of it at the right time.”

But the Thunder would control the game the rest of the way.

In the second quarter, Thunder defensive back Marcus Butz picked off Sander and ran the ball back 68 yards for a touchdown. It was his fifth pick-six this season after getting four in the regular season.

“I just did my job and trusted in my systems and flew around and trusted myself as well,” Butz said.

Sargeant said it was those two plays that really swung things in the way of Regina.

“Football is a game of momentum. We had it early and they controlled after that,” Sargeant said. “They have been the class of the league all year and they certainly displayed that this afternoon. Full credit to coach MacAulay and his group for playing a great game and now going on to represent the PFC. I wish them nothing but great success in the future.”

Regina would score the next 16 points in the game as well with Thunder quarterback Jayden Zelionka connecting with Lucas Di Iorio for a two-yard score while Peter Boersch punched it in from two yards out a play after a massive 78-yard rush. The Hilltops conceded a safety during this time as well.

Saskatoon found some life as it faked a short-yardage run with running back Brody Komarnicki and he threw to Donovan Harkness for a 65-yard touchdown.

Regina put it away with the long catch-and-run by Williams as well as another pick-six, this one courtesy of linebacker Dylan Paskiw.

The Thunder will now travel to Sault Ste. Marie to take on the Ontario Football Conference champion Sault College Cougars. The winner of that will head to B.C. to take on the B.C. Football Conference champions, which will be decided on Oct. 24 between the Westshore Rebels and Langley Rams.