Canada West Hockey Preview

ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS
CW Rank: #1
2009-10 CW Record: 23-4-1
2010 CW Playoffs: 4-1, 1st
2010 CIS Tournament: 2-1, 2nd
Last CW Title: 2010
Last CIS Title: 2008

Key returnees: Chad Klassen, Derek Ryan, Kyle Fecho, Real Cyr
Key additions: Johnny Lazo, Alex Rodgers, Ben Lindemulder, Jesse Craige
Key departures: Travis Yonkman, Tyler Metcalfe, Jesse Gimblett, Ian McDonald, Dale Mahovsky, Brian Woolger

EDMONTON - When the University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey team takes to the Clare Drake ice this weekend for their 75th Canada West season, they will do so with 14 different faces in the line-up from the team that collected silver in last season’s CIS championship game.

Two-thirds of Alberta’s top two scoring lines remain intact as reigning Canada West MVP Chad Klassen is back for his fifth-year, along with center Derek Ryan. Newly minted team captain Eric Hunter will skate with CIS All-Rookie team member Sean Ringrose, giving the Bears plenty of pop in their top two.

Sixth-year head coach Eric Thurston brought in 11 WHL players as part of his biggest recruiting class ever, and from that group, expect Johnny Lazo and Alex Rodgers to fill in on top two lines. Linden Rowat and Kurtis Mucha will look to supplant third-year Real Cyr in the Alberta crease, and new defencemen Ben Lindemulder, Jesse Craige, Jarrett Toll and Drew Nichol round out the swelling defence corps.

Two-time defending Canada West defenceman of the year Kyle Fecho anchors the group, and is closely followed by veteran Jason Fransoo, and sophomores Ian Barteaux, Colin Joe. All four can add offence, and effectively move the puck from Alberta’s zone.
www.bears.ualberta.ca


UBC THUNDERBIRDS
CW Rank: #7
2009-10 record: 8-19-1
2010 CW Playoffs: N/A
2010 CIS University Cup: N/A
Last CW title: 1971
Last CIS title: N/A

Key returnees: Matthew Schneider, Tyler Ruel, Justin McCrae
Key additions: Nolan Toigo, Mike McGurk
Key departures: François Thuot, Jeff Lynch

VANCOUVER - Two top recruits will patrol the blue line. Nolan Toigo, who joins the Blue and Gold fresh from the Edmonton Oilers’ preseason roster where he was a late cut and OHL veteran, Mike McGurk, are both significant additions to a UBC defensive corps that brings back their top four.

Up front, the T-Birds will rely on many returning players. In particular, the Thunderbirds will look to the men down the middle to carry the load. First and foremost of those is fifth-year center and last year’s team MVP, Matthew Schneider. The Thunderbirds’ captain finished 2009-10 with 18 points in 28 games, and will play a key role this year.

The ’Birds are also very confident in centre Justin McCrae, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect, who had nine goals in 22 games last year. On the wing, the ‘Birds hope for another big year from Tyler Ruel, who led the Blue and Gold with nine goals and 21 points in 26 games last season.

In net, the ‘Birds were dealt a surprise when would-be starting goaltender Torrie Jung, who had committed to UBC, decided to play pro just before the pre-season. Sophomore Jordan White, who saw a lot of action as a rookie last season, appears to be the No. 1 goalie.
www.gothunderbirds.ca


CALGARY DINOS
CW Rank: #5
2009-10 CW Record: 13-9-6, 4th
2010 CW Playoff Record: 0-2, t-3rd
2010 CIS University Cup: N/A
Last CW Title: 1996
Last CIS Title: N/A

Key returnees: Reid Jorgensen, Brock Nixon, Torrie Wheat
Key additions: Jevon Desautels, Kris Lazaruk, Colton Grant, Kodie Curran
Key departures: Brett O’Malley, Aaron Richards

CALGARY –Reid Jorgensen enters his fourth year for Calgary and leads the attack up front for the Dinos. Jorgensen ranked fourth in Canada West in assists last season with 23. Torrie Wheat enters his fifth year with the Dinos, and adds a strong and steady level of play to the Dinos’ front line. Sixth in the conference in goals at 13, the Nanaimo, B.C. native will be counted on both for his calming influence on the ice as well as his penchant for finding the back of the net.

Manitobans Brock Nixon and Teegan Moore return for their third and fourth years, respectively, while forward Jevon Desautels returns to the lineup after a medical red-shirt season in 2009-10.

Dustin Butler remains the de-facto starter in net for the Dinos after a solid 12-win campaign last season, but will be pushed by rookie Kris Lazaruk and veteran Nathan Deobald. The questions for the Dinos are perhaps on defence, where there are only two players in their third year or more, that being Jerrid Sauer and Joel Eisenkirch.
www.godinos.com


LETHBRIDGE PRONGHORNS
CW Rank: #4
2009-10 CW Record: 13-11-4, 5th
2010 CW Playoff Record: N/A
2010 CIS University Cup: N/A
Last CW Title: 1994
Last CIS Title: 1994

Key returnees: Scott Bowles, Dustin Moore, Ryan Pottruff, Andrew Courtney, Brain Matte
Key additions: Taylor Gal, Dan Iwanski, Ryan Letts, Tyler Melancon, Nick Hotson
Key departures: Adam Chorneyko, Jason Roberts, Logan Lavorato

LETHBRIDGE - With only four players gone from last season, the Horns have a good nucleus that is poised for a return to the post-season, but will have to make sure they learned their lesson and not dig themselves an early season hole again. The graduations of Jason Roberts and Logan Lavorato leaves a void in the leadership department and the departure of Canada West rookie of the year Adam Chorneyko to the pro ranks hurts the Horns offensive punch.

Second Team All-Star goaltender Scott Bowles is returning for his fourth season. Fellow Second-Teamer Ryan Pottruff and Andrew Marshall will anchor the blue line.

Up front the Horns will be deep and led by Captain Dustin Moore, who had a breakout season last year, finishing third in conference scoring and earning a First Team All-Star nod. After opening the last season on a tear, leading the conference in goals before a season-ending injury, Andrew Courtney returns for his final season. Second half additions Brian Matte and Winston Daychief will look to build on their productive half seasons after joining the team at Christmas.
www.uleth.ca/horns


MANITOBA BISONS
2010 CW Rank: #2
2009-10 CW Record: 16-10-2, 3rd
2010 CW Playoff Record: 3-3, 2nd
2010 CIS University Cup: 1-1, t-3rd
Last CW Title: 1965
Last CIS Title: 1965

Key returnees: Steve Christie, Mike Hellyer, Jared Walker, Ian Duval, Chad Erb, Blair Macaulay, Tyler Dittmer, Brandon Lockerby
Key additions: Dane Crowley, Myles Rumsey, Jeremy Schappert, Del Cowan
Key departures: Stephane Lenoski, Calin Wild, Rick Wood, David Brown, Kip Workman

WINNIPEG – The Bisons have 18 returning players, led by 2009-10 CIS Goaltender of the Year Steve Christie. Christie returns for his fifth and final season after being the second ranked goalie in the conference and starting in all six playoff games and 27 of the 28 conference games.

Along with Christie, the Bisons are led the team’s top scorer Mike Hellyer (11g, 13a), Jared Walker (5g, 13a), Ian Duval (5g, 13a), Blair Macaulay (8g, 9a), Tyler Dittmer (8g, 6a). On the blueline, Chad Erb (3a), Brandon Lockerby (2g, 12a) and Travis Mealy (4g, 8a) all come back for another chance to make a deep run into the post-season.

Head coach Mike Sirant, in his 15th season with Manitoba, has had another successful recruiting class and has filled the departure on the blueline with several players with WHL experience. Defenceman Dane Crowley played five years in the WHL and last played with the AHL’s Houston Aeros and East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) Phoenix RoadRunners in the 2008-09 season. He was also selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in round six (168th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. Myles Rumsey played for the Bisons for two seasons (2007-08, 2008-09) and returns after a one year absence. He was selected as Bisons Top Defenseman Award winner in 2008-09. Jeremy Schappert finished the 2009-10 season on the blueline with the Seattle Thunderbirds after five WHL seasons. Plus, forward Del Cowan comes to the Bisons after playing for the 2009-10 WHL championship team the Calgary Hitmen in his third WHL campaign.
www.gobisons.ca


REGINA COUGARS
CW Rank: #6
2009-10 CW Record: 9-17-2, 6th
2010 CW Playoff Record: N/A
2010 CIS University Cup: N/A
Last CW Title: N/A
Last CIS Title: N/A

Key returnees: Craig Cuthbert, Dillon Johnstone, Adam Ward, Ryan Bender
Key additions: Brett Leffler, Matt Strueby, Terrance DeLaronde
Key departures: Tanner Schultz, Mark Nelson, Dylan Chapman, Brant Hilton

REGINA - With the University of Regina’s men’s hockey team moving into their new digs at The Co-Operators Centre, it’s only fitting that the Cougars will bring an overhauled roster into the 2010-11 season.

Sixth-year head coach Blaine Sautner brought in a 10-player recruiting class to help bolster the team. Leading the incoming players are forwards Brett Leffler and Matt Strueby, both of whom toiled for the Regina Pats before making the jump to the CIS level. Terrance DeLaronde, who last played for the University of Manitoba, had a strong preseason and also looks to make an impact for the Cougars.

Craig Cuthbert and Dillon Johnstone are the team’s top returning forwards, while Ryan Bender, Cody Thoring and Russ Nielsen are all expected to again be solid on the blue line for the Cougars. In net, fifth-year tender Adam Ward should be the starter with Shayne Barrie and rookie A.J. Whiffen battling for the backup job.
www.reginacougars.com


SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES
CW Rank: #3
2009-10 regular season record: 16-8-4, 2nd
2010 CW Playoffs: 1-3, t-4th
2010 CIS University Cup: N/A
Last CW Title: 2007
Last CIS Title: 1983

Key returnees: Chris Durand, Kyle Ross, Brennan Bosch, Jesse Zetariuk
Key additions: Ryan Funk, Craig McCallum, Ryan Holfeld
Key departures: Jeff Harvey, Chad Greenan, Evan Schafer

SASKATOON - Although the Huskies 2010-11 roster bolsters 20 returning players, just four are in their fourth or fifth year of eligibility. Head coach Dave Adolph, who enters his 18th year at the helm, spent the off-season looking for recruits to compliment top-skilled players.

Fourth-year forward Kyle Ross, who after transferring from the University of Regina Cougars last year to enter the College of Law, led the Huskies with 22 assists. Second-year Brennan Bosch and third-year Chris Durand will also be looked at for big things – both finished among the top scorers in the conference and their team.

Defensively, returners Matt Swaby Jesse Zetariuk and Zach Sim will be asked to set up into a larger role after the departure of Canada West All-Star Chad Greenan who led Huskie defenceman with 20 points in 2009-10.

David Reekie played in 13 games as a rookie in net for the Huskies tallying a 2.59 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. He will be joined by former Medicine Hat Tiger Ryan Holfeld between the pipes. The team lost three-time Adam Kryzcka Award winner Jeff Harvey to graduation.
www.huskies.usask.ca


About Canada West Universities Athletic Association
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), winning at least 10 CIS national titles every year since 1997-98. Comprised of 14 schools, from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada West produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games.

Football Thursday

A pair of 9-man high school football games on teh schedule today. Foam Lake @ Melfort 4:00pm Lumsden @ Melville 4:00pm I'm looking forward to see if the Cobras can be the first team to score a point against the stingy Lumsden defense. This is the Devils toughest test so far.

Huskies search for win on gridiron

(from http://huskies.usask.ca)

After two straight losses and dropping out of the CIS football top 10 for the first time since 2007, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies look to turn things around in the 2010 Canada West football season.

The Huskies will faceoff against the University of Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton Friday – the site of their only 2009 regular season loss.

Both Alberta and Saskatchewan enter Week 4 of Canada West action after a loss – the Huskies losing 37-26 to the University of Regina Rams and the Golden Bears 23-14 to the University of Calgary Dinos. The Huskies have won 12 of their last 16 games against Alberta, dating back to 1999. Last year, the Golden Bears handed the Huskies their only loss of 2009 with a 27-7 upset. Later in the year, Saskatchewan won 39-3 over Alberta in Saskatoon.

The conference standings certainly are an interesting mix, as road teams have won six of the nine games so far, and unpredictable results have Alberta, Calgary, and Regina all tied at 2-1, with Saskatchewan, UBC, and Manitoba tied at 1-2.

Alberta quarterback Julian Marchand is third in the Canada West, averaging 224 passing yards with six touchdown passes and five interceptions. Out of the backfield Matt Jarvis has run into fourth place in the conference averaging 100 yards per game with one touchdown on 51 carries. Marchand’s main targets have been Jess Valleau, Laine Rogers and Ryan Meraw. Valleau has two touchdowns and averages 18.6 yards per catch, while Rogers adds 13.2 yards per catch and Meraw has found the end zone three times.

On defence freshman Golden Bear linebacker Tyler Greenslade has led his team and sits second in conference tackles with 21.5. Safety and Saskatoon native Jason Hetherington had three picks against the Huskies in one game last season and now has five total in three games against the U of S. He has two interceptions and 11.5 tackles.

Huskie veteran quarterback Laurence Nixon averages 220 passing yards per game and has thrown three touchdown passes but in each of the last two losses has been replaced in favour of rookie Trent Peterson late in the game. Ben Coakwell has led on the ground averaging 7.3 yards per rush and more than 100 yards in a game. Receiver Jade Etienne has become a deep ball threat having caught eight passes for 235 yards including an 82-yard play and a 76-yard play.

Defensively, the Huskies have three players in the top 10 for tackles in the conference, led by third-year safety Bryce McCall with 18. Defensive back Keenan MacDougall follows with 17 and linebacker Tony Michalchuk with 16.

Kick off is set for 7 p.m. Friday. The game can be heard live on CK750 or www.ck750.com.

Thursday football scores

Nipawin Bears 16 Humboldt Mohawks 49
Swan Valley Tigers 0 Lumsden Devils 90
Kamsack Spartans 8 Fort Qu'Appelle Marauders 65
Esterhazy Warriors ? Sacred Heart Saints ?

South 20 top 10

1(1) Lumsden Devils (2-0)
2 (4) Humboldt Mohawks (1-0)
3(2) Foam Lake Panthers (1-1)
4(5) Delisle Rebels (3-0)
5(6) Sacred Heart Saints (3-0)
6(7) Martensville Royals (2-1)
7(3) Swan Valley Tigers (2-1)
8(9) Assiniboia Rockets (3-0)
9(NR) Kindersley Kobras (2-1)
10(NR) Melville Cobras (2-1)

www.south20.ca

Former Klipper Jordan Braid will skate in Columbus

By Stuart Webber | Cottonmouths Sports Information
Published: September 22, 2010

The Columbus Cottonmouths welcome three newcomers for the upcoming season as Jordan Braid, Lorne Tessier and Bret Tyler have signed with the Snakes. The Cottonmouths have now signed nine newcomers and nine returning players for the 2010-11 season.

Braid, 21, comes to the Snakes for his professional debut after three seasons with the Kindersley Klippers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The six-foot forward picked up 137 points in 124 games with the Klippers. Braid hails from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the same hometown as Snakes forwards Dan and Levi Lind.

Tessier spent two seasons (2007-09) with the Couchiching Terriers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, recording 26 points in 77 games. He also spent time with the Collingwood Blues (OJHL) in 2008-09, recording seven points in eight games played. The 5-foot-11 defenseman hails from Penetang, Ontario and will be joining the Snakes for his rookie season.

“Jordan Braid’s name has been mentioned to me by two or three people, so when it came up the last time I had to bring him in,” head coach Jerome Bechard said. “He is a talented forward who scores goals and can play defense in a pinch. Tessier is another puck-moving defenseman. He put up good numbers throughout his junior career and I am hoping for that to continue in his professional career.”

Tyler spent last season with the Missouri Mavericks of the Central Hockey League, and played the 2008-09 season with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the East Coast Hockey League. The 5’9” defenseman has collected five goals and 21 assists in 88 games over the last two seasons. Prior to his professional career, Tyler spent four seasons at the University of Maine where he picked up 89 points in 143 games.

“Tyler has some experience at the next level and has played at one of the top Division-1 schools in the country, so we are very excited to have him become a Snake,” Bechard said. “I’ll be looking for him to really elevate our powerplay and help us get the puck out of end a lot quicker. I’m counting on his game to have a positive effect on the rest of our defensive corp.”

Ducharme suspended indefinitely *UPDATED*

This is the update from Josh Lewis of Kindersley Clarion just moments ago via twitter:

@Clarion_Sports SJHL suspends Justin Ducharme indefinitely for Sunday's hit pending further investigation.

UPDATE**

@Clarion_Sports Haaf, Wasden suspended two games each for multiple fight/hit to head. Klippers fined $500 for instigating multiple fights.

Huskies drop out of rankings

OTTAWA (CIS) – The Laval Rouge et Or top the Football Reporters of Canada – CIS rankings for the third straight week following a dominating interlock performance in Halifax.

The seven-time defending Quebec champions, who occupy the No. 1 spot for the 50th time in 54 polls dating back to the start of the 2005 campaign, moved to 3-0 in regular-season play on Saturday with a 45-7 victory over AUS rival Saint Mary’s (0-2). Third-year running back Sébastien Lévesque scored two rushing touchdowns for the third consecutive game and leads the nation with six majors.

The Rouge et Or, who received 42 out of a possible 43 first-place votes in the fourth national poll of the campaign, will try to extend a trio of impressive streaks Sunday when they host the Sherbrooke Vert & Or (1-2), an opponent they’ve already defeated once this fall, 36-6 on the road on Sept. 11. Laval is riding a 38-game overall winning streak at home (since a 14-13 loss to Montreal on Sept. 19, 2004), is 10-0 overall versus Sherbrooke since the Vert & Or joined CIS in 2003, and is looking to start the season with four straight wins for the sixth year in a row.

The rest of the top five also remains unchanged in the new FRC poll with the Ottawa Gee-Gees (4-0), Montreal Carabins (3-0), Calgary Dinos (2-1) and Western Ontario Mustangs (3-1) following in order.

The Regina Rams (2-1) move up three spots to No. 6, Alberta (2-1) and McMaster (2-2) stay put at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively, while No. 9 Bishop’s (2-1) and No. 10 Guelph (3-0) both make their way into the Top 10 for a first time this fall.

Bishop’s was last ranked nationally on Sept. 30, 2008 (No. 9), while Guelph’s previous Top-10 appearance dated back to Oct. 6, 2009 (No. 9).

The only OUA team sporting a 4-0 record, Ottawa received the other first-place nod in the poll following a spectacular, come-from-behind 43-35 win over McMaster. The Gee-Gees erased a 35-17 deficit to prevail.

Montreal, which edged Calgary by a single point in the FRC voting (333-332), kept pace with Laval in the QUFL standings with a 27-10 interlock win over StFX.

Calgary scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat provincial rival Alberta 23-14, while Western doubled Windsor 30-15.

The No. 5 Mustangs visit No. 10 Guelph Saturday in the lone Top-10 match-up of the coming weekend, a duel that can be seen live on The Score Television Network at 1 p.m. The undefeated Gryphons are looking for their first 4-0 start since 1997.

No. 1 Laval (3-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 45-7 win at Saint Mary’s (0-2)… This week: Host Sherbrooke (1-2) on Sunday… Heads-up: Laval leads the all-time overall series 10-0 since Sherbrooke joined CIS in 2003 – including a 36-6 road win earlier this season (Sept. 11) – and is riding a 38-game overall winning streak at home since a 14-13 loss to Montreal on Sept. 19, 2004…

No. 2 Ottawa (4-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 43-35 home win over then-No. 8 McMaster (2-2)… This week: Visit Queen’s (1-2) on Saturday (TVCogeco Local 13, 1 p.m. – tape delayed)… Heads-up: Ottawa quarterback Brad Sinopoli leads CIS in passing yards per game (367.0), passing yards (1,468), TD passes (11), completions (94), attempts (152) and interceptions (9)…

No. 3 Montreal (3-0): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 27-10 win at StFX (0-2)… This week: Host McGill (0-3) on Friday… Heads-up: Since a pair of lopsided losses to McGill (41-0, 58-0) in their first year back in CIS in 2002, the Carabins are 10-0 overall against their cross-town rivals, including a 66-14 win in the lone head-to-head meeting in 2009…

No. 4 Calgary (2-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 23-14 win at No. 7 Alberta (2-1)… This week: Visit Manitoba (1-2) on Saturday… Heads-up: Calgary has won the last three head-to-head meetings – including 35-24 in the lone 2009 match-up – since a 27-5 Canada West semi-final loss in 2007, when Manitoba went on to capture the Vanier Cup…

No. 5 Western (3-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 30-15 win at Windsor (1-3)… This week: Visit No. 10 Guelph (3-0) on Saturday (The Score, 1 p.m.)… Heads-up: Western is 14-1 in its last 15 overall games against Guelph since 1997 (inclusive) – including a 37-18 OUA quarterfinal win and a 41-39 regular-season victory in 2009 – with the Mustangs’ lone loss over that period a 31-17 setback on Sept. 22, 2007…

No. 6 Regina (2-1): Top 10 ranking: Up three positions from No. 9… Last week: 37-26 home win over then-No. 6 Saskatchewan (1-2)… This week: Visit UBC (1-2) on Friday (Shaw, 7 p.m. Pacific Time)… Heads-up: Regina has won its last three head-to-head match-ups against UBC and leads the all-time overall series 8-7 since joining CIS in 1999…

No. 7 Alberta (2-1): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 23-14 home loss to No. 4 Calgary (2-1)… This week: Host Saskatchewan (1-2) on Friday… Heads-up: Alberta split its two-game series with Saskatchewan a year ago, winning 27-7 at home and losing 39-3 in Saskatoon…

No. 8 McMaster (2-2): Top 10 ranking: No change… Last week: 43-35 loss at No. 2 Ottawa (4-0)… This week: Host Windsor (1-3) on Saturday (Cable 14 in Hamilton / TVCogeco 11 in Windsor, 1 p.m.)… Heads-up: McMaster is riding a 14-game winning streak against Windsor – including a 15-14 overtime win in 2009 – since a 37-0 loss on Oct. 5, 1996…

No. 9 Bishop’s (2-1): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week… Last week: 31-16 home win over then-No. 10 Acadia (1-1)… This week: Visit Concordia (2-1) on Saturday (Radio-Canada, 1 p.m.)… Heads-up: Bishop’s lost the first head-to-head match-up of the season 17-14 at home on Sept. 4 but had won their previous two duels with the Stingers…

No. 10 Guelph (3-0): Top 10 ranking: Unranked last week… Last week: 21-15 home win over Queen’s (1-2)… This week: Host No. 5 Western (3-1) on Saturday (The Score, 1 p.m.)… Heads-Up: The Gryphons, who are 3-0 for the first time since 2004 (when they finished 4-4), are looking for their first 4-0 start since 1997, when they won their first six games en route to a 6-2 conference record…

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#4)

Pts (1st place) – Last week

1. Laval (3-0) 499 (42) 1
2. Ottawa (4-0) 434 (1) 2
3. Montreal (3-0) 333 3
4. Calgary (2-1) 332 4
5. Western (3-1) 308 5
6. Regina (2-1) 227 9
7. Alberta (2-1) 129 7
8. McMaster (2-2) 84 8
9. Bishop’s (2-1) 70 * NR
10. Guelph (3-0) 70 NR

* Bishop’s received the highest ranking following tie-breaking procedures.

Other teams receiving votes: Concordia (69), Saskatchewan (59), Sherbrooke (42), Acadia (3), Manitoba (1).

Cloudy, rainy monday

It may be cold, cloudy and raining today but I'd still bet on this being a good week. Here are a few notes from the week that was and the week upcoming.

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Let's quickly touch on the Riders. Everyone and their dog is talking about "The Call".

What's your take?

I was screaming at the TV in my downtown Calgary hotel room when coach Miller sent the punt team out. In the end, it's the coach's call and he's there for a reason and if the punter can make that punt 99 times out of 100 then it's the right call to make. Hindsight is always 20/20.

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In the end the Riders pulled out the win in one of the best games of the season and it's going to be a good week because of it.

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It's also looking like it may be a good week weather wise.

	Tuesday Sep. 21	Wednesday Sep. 22	Thursday Sep. 23	Friday Sep. 24	Saturday Sep. 25	Sunday Sep. 26
Conditions 6am - 6pm
	Variable cloudiness	Cloudy periods	Variable cloudiness	Mainly sunny	Sunny	Sunny
P.O.P.	30%	10%	20%	10%	10%	10%
High	7°C	11°C	12°C	14°C	18°C	19°C
Low	1°C	-1°C	3°C	7°C	6°C	8°C
Wind	NW 20 km/h	S 10 km/h	S 20 km/h	W 25 km/h	S 15 km/h	S 5 km/h
24-Hr Rain	-	-	close to 1 mm	-	-	-

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The Kindersley Kobras are emerging as contenders in the NWFL. The team is 2-1 and sitting in a tie for 2nd place in the conference. Their lone loss came back on week 1 when they were edged 14-12 by Warman. Since then they've been dynamite.

The Martensville Royals are also 2-1 and appear to be right with the 3-0 Delisle Rebels who narrowly edged the Royals earlier this season.

I'm really looking forward to the Delisle/Kindersley match-up on Friday.

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The SWAC clash between Shaunavon and Assiniboia has been moved to this afternoon at 4:30pm.

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After a length of time I can't even comprehend, my blackberry storm has finally been fixed. I have been in the dark without it but I'm back with a vengeance baby!

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The Kindersley Klippers kicked off the 2010-2011 SJHL season over the weekend. The season opened with a victory over their arch rival in the Battlefords North Stars. The next night the team was in La Ronge in what sounds like a gong show.

From what I gather Andrew Dommett was clocked with a viscous hit early with the Klippers leading 2-0. Dommett left the game with a broken jaw and is out indefinitely. One Klipper jumps in a fight breaks out and it moves closer to the Wolves bench where a couple players start tossing knuckles from the bench. The Wolves end up with a 7 minute power play and most of it 5 on 3 and score a few and end up winning the game.

I may be a little off the mark here but I encourage you to check out the Klipper Report. It's the blog of Clarion sports reporter Josh Lewis and it's linked on the left hand side of the page.

The Klippers are in my heart and reading the reports get me riled up.

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I'm putting the finishing details on a major announcement that will hopefully be released by week's end. Stay tuned for that.

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Former NHL goaltender Kelly Hrudy of CBC was spotted by our crew leaving the lobby of our downtown Calgary hotel on Saturday morning.

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There is a little stink over the first South 20 Top 10 rankings of the 9-man high school football season. Some feel the undefeated Assiniboia Rockets should be ranked a little higher than some teams who are not undefeated.

Here's my take:

- the Rockets are undefeated and playing good football. They deserve to be undefeated.

- there are only 3 teams in the conference and if the other two are not very strong it's hard to judge how good the Rockets are.

- last season the Shaunavon Shadows had a fantastic season last year and the same sort of message board posts were made when the Shadows weren't ranked very high. They ended up losing out in the first game of provincials. The ranking fit. They were a good team but the teams that were ranked ahead deserved to be there.

I'd like to see teams play one or two inter-conference games each season. I think it would go a long way and give teams an idea of how other teams are in the province.

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It seems like I've been at the movie theatre quite a bit lately. I love watching movies and here are a few I've seen:

- The Other Guys: 2 thumbs up. I actually went twice and I'd go again.

- Salt: 2 thumbs up. Angelina Jolie was fantastic and this flick has your head spinning.

- Dinner for Schmucks: 1 thumb up. I was laughing at parts but I don't know if I'd see it again or pay full price for it if I could do things over. Wait until it hits the rainbow.

- Expendables: 2 thumbs up. Shut the brain off and watch things blow up. Great.

I've seen a few other new ones but I'll leave it for another day when I have nothing to write.

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The U of S Huskies football team is in unfamiliar territory. The 1-2 Huskies are in the Canada West basement and look to claw their way out when they take on Alberta this week.

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That's all for now. Have a great week.

dd

On our way home

Thankfully the only rain we seen came today on our way back home.

There's a blog entry coming in the morning.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

Rams top Huskies

Adrian Charles had two touchdown runs and Mark McConkey had career highs in both catches (13) and receiving yards (154) as the University of Regina Rams registered a 37-26 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies on Saturday night in a Canada West game at Mosaic Stadium.

Charles also rushed for 152 yards, while Marc Mueller was 25-for-33 with two touchdown passes and racked up 353 passing yards. The win improves Regina's record to 2-1 on the season, as the Rams sit tied with both Alberta and Calgary for first place in the conference.

Matt Yausie led the Rams defence with 7.5 tackles, two pass breakups, and a sack, while Chris Sciog had six tackles and a pair of sacks. Jamir Walker had a huge 87-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter, and Steve Famulak and Mike Kerr both had six total tackles in the secondary for Regina.

For Saskatchewan, Ben Coakwell had 17 carries for an even 100 yards as the third-year back hit triple digits in rushing for the third consecutive contest. Laurence Nixon completed 21 of his 31 passes, including a 76-yard touchdown pass to Jade Etienne in the second quarter. Tony Michalchuk had two solo and 12 assisted tackles to lead the Huskies' defence, as Saskatchewan (1-2) drops into a three-way tie for fourth in Canada West.

The Huskies opened the scoring midway through the first quarter, capping a nice 11-play, 69-yard drive with a 29-yard Stephen McDonald field goal.

­­The Rams looked like they were going to score the game's first major on the ensuing possession after they drove from their own 35-yard line to the Huskies' one-yard line in just five plays, but the Saskatchewan defence stopped the Rams on all three of their attempts to get into the end zone. The momentum shift was short lived, however, as a fumble by the Huskies gave Regina the ball back on the three yard line. The Rams immediately took advantage, as a three-yard touchdown run by Charles put the Rams up 6-3.

Regina scored again five minutes into the second quarter after a 41-yard pass from Mueller to Brenden Owens set the table for a six-yard touchdown pass to McConkey, extending the Rams' lead to 10. The Huskies then scored nine points in the next 27 seconds to cut the deficit to one, as a conceded safety by the Rams was immediately followed by the 76-yard touchdown bomb Etienne. The Rams had a reply on the next possession, as Mueller fired a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jason Price, who caught it despite heavy pressure from the Saskatchewan defender.

Chris Bodnar kicked a 15-yard field goal in the final minute of the half, and a Saskatchewan rouge following a missed McDonald field goal put the Regina lead at 23-13 at halftime and capped off a second quarter that saw both teams combine for 27 points scored.
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The third quarter was all Rams. They started out with an impressive eight-play, 70-yard scoring drive that was finished off by another three-yard touchdown run by Charles. Jamir Walker then broke into the University of Regina record books and put the Rams up 37-13 with an 87-yard pick six, the longest interception return in school history.

The Huskies tried to make it interesting in the fourth quarter, as a McDonald field goal was followed by an interception return touchdown by Nico Higgs with six minutes left and another McDonald field goal with 2:25 left to pull within 11, but that was as close as Saskatchewan would get. With the Rams threatening to score another touchdown in the final seconds of the game to increase the scoring margin for the head-to-head series, the Huskies were able to come up with their second goal-line stand of the game to keep the lead at 11.

The Rams piled up 493 yards of total offence, but were penalized 13 times for a total of 140 yards. Saskatchewan had 362 yards of total offence and had just five penalties.

Both teams will be back in action next Friday. Saskatchewan will travel to Alberta (2-1), while the Rams will hit the road for a game at UBC (1-2).

Huskies' game day in the Queen City

(from the Huskie Outsider)

Saturday, September 18, 7:00 p.m.
Mosaic Stadium, Regina, Saskatchewan
Broadcasts available: www.ck750.com (pregame show at 6:30 p.m.). The Rams broadcast is available at www.620ckrm.com. The game will also be available to view on SaskTel Max Local On Demand mid-week.

Records coming in: Regina 1-1, lost to the University of Calgary 24-21 in week two (ranked ninth overall in the FRC-CIS Top Ten Poll); Saskatchewan 1-1, lost to the University of British Columbia 31-12 in week two (ranked sixth overall in the FRC-CIS Top Ten Poll).

Head to head history: Saskatchewan has 12 regular season wins to Regina’s four since 2000.

What’s on the line: The Rams want to keep momentum and win at home in their quest to prove the Canada West coaches wrong. The pre-season Canada West coaches pollranked the Rams fifth of six in the conference. The Rams were offended by this, thinking their recruits along the defensive line improved the team significantly, and enjoyed success with a blowout win over Manitoba in week one before losing a close game to Calgary (who were without the services of All-Canadians such as Erik Glavic, Anthony Woodson and Andrea Bonaventura). All-in-all, this has been a very positive start to the season for the Rams and they would like to continue this with a win over their provincial rivals.

The Huskies need to get back on track, and nothing would help this more than a win in Regina. They found out the hard way last week that there are no easy games or sure wins on the schedule this year, and if they are to repeat their first place finish from last season and live up to expectations, they will need to win decisively in Regina.

Key players: Ben Coakwell will be the Huskies’ starting running back for the next couple of games, and he has earned his playing time. In each of the first two games this year, Coakwell has eclipsed the 100 yard mark and currently sits third in the Canada West with 213 yards and first in average yards per carry amongst running backs with 8.2 yards. Jade Etienne leads the receivers with 119 yards receiving and one touchdown through two games, and his speed and tremendous hands give the Huskies yet another deep receiving weapon. Saskatchewan’s mid-range possession game is also strong thanks to the strong play of Garrett Bolen, who is second on the team with seven catches, most of those in the middle where he is difficult to defend and even more difficult to bring down.

The Rams defence has played well in their first two games, with the replacements for departed veterans Thomas Irving and Brandon Ganne, Chris Scoig and Steve Famulak, proving to be the most important additions to the Rams front seven. Scoig is tied for fifth in the conference with 13 tackles while Famulak, who is deployed as a dimeback or rover similar to the way Nico Higgs is used with the Huskies, has a conference-leading 3.5 sacks after two weeks. Former Huskie Matt Yausie leads the Rams with 15.5 tackles, 12 of those coming in the previous game against the Dinos.Daniel Knaus has taken over from Jeff Lukomski at cornerback after Lukomski broke his collarbone in the game against the Bisons and has an interception and 5.5 tackles to show for it.

Defensively, the Huskies will provide the Rams with a much stiffer test than they have faced in their first two games this season. The team speed is excellent, from the defensive line on down, with players like Zach Hart, who has 10 tackles, including three for a loss, and Joel Seutter, who has 8.5 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, constantly in the offensive backfield. Levi Steinhauer provides even more speed off the edge, with two of his three tackles so far being for a loss. Linebackers Tony Michalchuk, with eight tackles, and Nico Higgs, with nine tackles and one forced fumble, are disruptive to the pass and quick to the ball on draw plays. And one player who gets little notice but impresses every time he is near the ball, is cornerback Cody Halseth. In two games, he has two breakups, two passes defended and 6.5 tackles, including one for a loss.

The Rams offence is pass happy, as they usually are. Fourth-year quarterback Marc Meuller leads the Canada West with 530 yards and two touchdowns through two games, while his top target, slotback Brenden Owens, has conference-leading 214 yards and caught both of those touchdowns. First year slotback Rory Copithorn has been a regular contributor to Ram’s passing attack and sits tenth in yards received at 98. Surprisingly, the Rams have displayed an ability to run the ball, as well, with new running back Adrian Charles, the former Saskatoon Hilltops star who has gained notoriety on and off the field, sitting second in the conference with 218 yards and two touchdowns.

Roster moves: The Rams come in relatively healthy, with the only major injury thus far to starting cornerback Jeff Lukomski. Slotback Jared Janotta also broke his collarbone in practice and will not be available.

The Huskies will be missing several regulars including centre Darren Hinds (ACL) and slotback Jeff Moore (collarbone), who are lost for the season. Fullback Alex Balogun has a broken leg and will be out indefinietly. Linebacker Peter Thiel (broken hand) and running back Jeff Hassler (bruised heel) will be sitting this game out, but are likely to return against Alberta next week or Manitoba at home. Dathan Thomas (broken fibula) is close to starting training.

Key matchups: The Huskies passing game will include something the Rams have not seen so far this season: a quarterback not making his first start in the CIS. After facing Manitoba’s Khaleal Williams and Calgary’s Eric Dzwilewski, fifth-year veteran Laurence Nixon will be a bigger challenge. Nixon will be looking to rebound from a bad outing last week and has a healthy set of veteran receivers to throw to. Slotback Braeden George had two huge games to end the season and begin the playoffs against the Rams, putting up 215 yards and three touchdowns in those two games. Rory Kohlert, Jade Etienne and Garrett Bolen, all Regina natives, will all want to put on a good show in their old stomping grounds. They will be facing a Rams secondary that dominated its first week, with four interceptions (including two that went for touchdowns) and kept the Dinos off the board for almost the entire first half of last week’s game. The second half of that game saw the field open up for the Dinos when the Ram’s pass rush lost steam, however, with Calgary putting up many yards through the air on the Rams. It will be interesting to see how the Huskies inside receivers play against veteran safety Matt Yausie, who was moved to the position when Kirby Kezama was moved to halfback.

The other key battle will be along the line of scrimmage when the Rams have the ball. The Huskies currently sit last in the conference with one sack after playing games against Eric Glavic and Billy Greene, who both run and scramble as well as they pass. While Meuller presents less of a threat to run, getting to him could be tough, as the Rams have a big and experienced offensive line that includes tackles John Hashem and Chris Mercer. The Huskies are due for a breakout and will put some big pressure on the Ram’s quarterback as the speed of the defensive ends and linebackers are more than the Rams have seen from their opposition so far. Even with Thiel out, the Huskies should be on their game and will be up to the task of disrupting the Rams offensive plans. After watching the tape from the past two weeks, don’t be surprised if the Rams give Meuller the green light to rush if things open up in front of him or on an option play. The Huskies should be ready for this and may even benefit from a coverage sack or two.

What to expect: Take what you’ve seen from the first two weeks of the season, throw it out and forget about it. For all intents and purposes, it was still preseason and teams should now start to show their true colours while the surprising results from across the conference should be less frequent.

An effort like last week’s will lead to certain defeat for the Huskies, as the Rams will be prepared and will be on top of their game, as they usually are against the Huskies. The Rams would love to show they are for real, and one of the best ways to make a statement is to beat the Huskies, who are usually the favourites when these teams meet. The Huskies know the Rams will be pulling out all the stops to beat them, especially after their terrible game against UBC, and they realize all eyes are on them, waiting to see if they are the team that beat Calgary or the team that lost to UBC.

A lot has been made of the Ram’s defensive line recruits, and through two games, they seem to be better. They’re not the forces of nature many made them out to be and although they are good athletes, they shouldn’t expect to dominate the Huskies offensive line, which has some large, elite athletes in its ranks, as well. There will be some solid battles along both lines of scrimmage, but this is an area that favours the Huskies, as they have the balance of experience and depth between the clubs.

This game should be much closer and could be a back-and-forth battle for the first half or first three quarters. The end result could hinge on special teams play, something the Huskies struggled with in the wet and windy conditions last week, but excelled at in the wet and windy conditions the week prior. The Rams have yet to have a good game on special teams, returning the 17 balls punted to them in the first two weeks a combined 79 yards. They also gave up a 76 yard punt return for a touchdown in last week’s game, and gave up an average of 18.2 yards on 10 punt returns. This is an area the Huskies worked on during the week in the hope of returning to the form they showed in Calgary, when they returned 13 punts and kickoffs for 268 yards.

Friday 9-man scores / one game today

Here in Calgary I've received a few scores from yesterday's action back home.

Wynyard 18 Tisdale 8

Humboldt 12 Foam Lake 6

Meadow Lake 19 Kindersley 38

As results for the other two games come in I will do my best to get them posted.

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One game this afternoon and it's a SWAC contest. Shaunavon will travel to Assiniboia to take on the Rockets. Assiniboia is looking to improve to 3-0.

9-man games today

Friday, September 17

Conference 1: North East Football League

Humboldt Mohawks

Foam Lake Panthers

4:00 PM

Melfort Comets

Nipawin Bears

4:00 PM

Wynyard Bears

Tisdale Tornadoes

7:00 PM

Conference 4: North West Football League

Unity Warriors

Delisle Rebels

4:00 PM

Meadow Lake Spartans

Kindersley Kobras

4:00 PM

Martensville Royals

Warman Wolverines

4:00 PM

Huskie alumni classic this begins today

The University of Saskatchewan Huskie men's hockey team will host the annual Huskie Hockey Alumni Classic beginning Friday at Rutherford Rink.

The tournament will feature Canada West foes the University of Regina Cougars and the NAIT Ooks. It runs from Friday to Sunday. All games will be played at Rutherford Rink. The Huskies are 1-1 in non-conference tournament action after earning a 8-2 win over the Portage College Voyyaguers and suffering a 4-2 loss to Manitoba Bisons last weekend in Regina.

Huskie Hockey Alumni Classic Schedule

Friday, September 17
7 p.m. - Regina Cougars vs NAIT Ooks

Saturday, September 18
7 p.m. - NAIT vs Saskatchewan

Sunday, September 19
6:30 p.m. - Regina vs Saskatchewan

Thursday results

The Sacred Heart Saints are 3-0 after a 44-20 win over the Swan Valley Tigers Thursday afternoon. The Saints lost out to Swan Valley in last year's playoffs. The Saints went on to play for the provincial championship losing to the Lumsden Devils.

With the loss the Tigers fall to 2-1.

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Elsewhere the Lumsden Devils improved to 2-0 with a 78-0 win over the Fort Qu'Appelle Marauders. The Devils have yet to allow a single point against defensively and have scored 153 points in the two games.

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No word out of Melville or Esterhazy. The Cobras and Warriors were scheduled to play yesterday but no score has been sent in as of yet. I will track something down today and pass it along.

Off to Calgary

I'm off to Calgary for the weekend. A little chance to get some R&R plus it's my girlfriend's birthday on Sunday.

Football scores will be posted once they come in plus you can still check out SaskGridiron.com for the latest.

Thursday football schedule

There are three games this afternoon in 9-man high school football.

Sacred Heart Saints @ Swan Valley Tigers 3:30pm
Fort Qu'Appelle Marauders @ Lumsden Devils 4:0pm
Esterhazy Warriors @ Melville Cobras 4:00pm

I'm looking forward to the Sacred Heart/Swan Valley clash. Both teams are 2-0 and somethings gotta give. These two teams were close last year with Swan Valley eventually coming out on top. I think this year may be a different story.

Although I won't be able to be there I will have the results right here and on SaskGridiron.com once they're forwarded on to me. You can look forward to that.

Dinos' set to announce addition of Wickenheiser

CALGARY -- The University of Calgary women's hockey team is expected to announce Thursday that Hayley Wickenheiser will play for the team this season.

Wickenheiser, captain of the Olympic team and Canada's all-time leading scorer, has enrolled in classes at the university, according to a source.

The Dinos have scheduled a news conference for Thursday to announce the addition of a player from the Olympic gold-medal team. The women's team is coached by Wickenheiser's former Canadian teammate Danielle Goyette.

Wickenheiser has played for the Oval X-Treme club team in Calgary between Olympic Games, but that team is no longer operating in the Western Women's Hockey League. She has also played men's pro hockey in Europe.

Dinos' coach suspended

EDMONTON – The Canada West Complaints Committee has reviewed and ruled on a complaint submitted by the University of Saskatchewan regarding the conduct of the University of Calgary’s head football coach Blake Nill during a Canada West football game in Calgary versus the Saskatchewan Huskies on September 4, 2010.

The Committee reviewed all submissions received from both parties, the head official of the game and actual game footage of the Shaw Television broadcast. Upon review of the submitted information, it is the opinion of the Committee that the actions of Coach Nill constitute a violation of Canada West Code of Conduct, specifically By-Law Article 8.1.3.2 Coaches Conduct, and warrant further sanction.

The Committee acknowledged that Coach Nill has taken responsibility for his actions and understands that he has violated Canada West Code of Conduct, but the actions warrant a further sanction for Coach Nill from CWUAA:
A one (1) game suspension to be served at the University of Calgary’s next scheduled Canada West football game.

As a result, Coach Nill will not be permitted to participate in the Calgary Dinos contest at the Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton on Saturday, September 18, 2010.

The Committee also dealt with a second complaint concerning a hit during the game and determined that no sanctions were needed.

About Canada West Universities Athletic Association
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), winning at least 10 CIS national titles every year since 1997-98. Comprised of 14 schools, from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, the CWUAA produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games. For more information, visit www.canadawest.org; follow “cwuaa” on Twitter.

South 20 top 10

Back for another season is the South 20 Dodge, Chrysler & RV Centre Top 10. The South 20 Top 10 ranks the top 9-man high school football teams in the province each week. Here is the first rankings of the season:

1(1) Lumsden Devils (1-0)
2(4) Foam Lake Panthers (1-0)
3(2) Swan Valley Tigers (2-0)
4(3) Humboldt Mohawks (0-0)
5(6) Delisle Rebels (2-0)
6(9) Sacred Heart Saints (2-0)
7(NR) Martensville Royals (1-1)
8(NR) Meadow Lake Spartans (1-1)
9(NR) Assiniboia Rockets (1-1)
10 (NR) Nipawin Bears (1-0)

The rankings are a presentation of South 20 Dodge, Chrysler & RV Centre in Humboldt.

Huskies fall in CIS rankings

Pts (1^st place) Last week

1. Laval (2-0) 500 (40) 1

2. Ottawa (3-0) 435 3

3. Montreal (2-0) 357 7

4. Calgary (1-1) 328 5

5. Western (2-1) 313 8

6. Saskatchewan (1-1) 253 2

7. Alberta (2-0) 168 NR

8. McMaster (2-1) 86 6

9. Regina (1-1) 68 9

10. Acadia (1-0) 57 NR

T-Birds upset #2 Huskies

The visiting UBC Thunderbirds capitalized on six turnovers to upset the No. 2 ranked University of Saskatchewan Huskies 31-12 Friday in Saskatoon’s Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park.

Turnovers came on strong defensive play by the T-Birds blocking one field goal, recovering four fumbles and nabbing one interception. Each time UBC was able to score at least a field goal earning 16 points off the turnovers.

“We weren’t ready for this game,” said Huskie head coach Brian Towriss. “The turnovers hurt us but credit goes to UBC for making us pay for our mistakes and playing a tough road game.”

It is the first win for the T-Birds over the Huskies since a 2000 44-21 win. Since 1998, UBC has only beat the Huskies four times including Friday’s win. Other wins came 30-24 in 1999 and 13-11 in 1998. All four of those wins have come in Griffiths Stadium. The loss is also the first at home in a regular season game since 2007 when the Rams won 34-31 in the final game of the season.

The Huskies found themselves in scoring position on their first two possessions of the game but rookie kicker Denton Kolodzinski missed two field goal attempts from 37-yards and 34-yards. One field goal resulted in a single point.

From there, UBC took over defensively and was able to find offence on the strength of kicker Billy Pavlopoulos’ leg. The second-year kicker found the uprights five times in the game.

UBC got on the board after a fumble by Huskie Travis Gorski on his own six-yard line after a Pavlopoulos missed field goal. UBC needed just one play – a six-yard pass to Spencer Betts from quarterback Billy Greene to make the game 7-1 at 7:01 in the first quarter.

The Huskies got the next points in the game scoring on a 19-yard Kolodzinski field goal at 8:45. UBC quickly answered back when Greene found Ryan Couper in the end zone after a seven play, 72 yard drive at 1:42 in the second quarter. UBC added more just one possession later when Jeff Effah recovered a block punt on the Huskies 24 yard line. Pavlopoulos made the game 17-4 with a good 42-yard field goal with 17 seconds in the second quarter.

After another Saskatchewan rouge, Pavlopoulos found the uprights again this time from 35-yards out with 9:55 left in the third frame. He again hit another field goal from 30-yards at 11:04 in the fourth quarter after a safety to make the game 25-5 in favour of the T-Birds. The 30-yard field goal came after a Trent Peterson fumble on his own 27-yard line.

Saskatchewan finally found the end zone with a Mitch Stevens nine-yard touchdown with 8:06 left in the final frame to bring the game within 13 points. But UBC didn’t let the comeback last long marching down the field and kicking a 19-yard field goal with 4:39 in the game. He added his fifth from 35-yards out to make the final 31-12 with no time left on the clock.

UBC’s Greene completed 15-of-29 passes in the game for 163 yards two touchdowns and one interception. Dave Boyd led his team on the ground with 115 yards on 24 carries. Spencer Betts and Victor Marshall led T-Bird receivers with 45 and 44 yards respectively.

Huskies starting quarterback Laurence Nixon completed 12-of-23 passes for 108 yards before being pulled near the end of the third quarter in favour of backup Peterson. Peterson finished out the game 7-for-11 with one touchdown pass, however, UBC was able to sack him four times. Receiver Rory Kohlert led with seven receptions and 64 yards for the Huskies, while running back Ben Coakwell finished with 104 yards on 16 carries.

Defensively, UBC shone with six sacks on the night. Linebacker Nathan Kanya led the way with nine tackles – seven of those solo – and two sacks. Mark Bailey followed with five tackles. Zach Hart led the way for the Huskies with 7.5 tackles, followed by Bryce McCall and Keenan MacDougall with five apiece.

Both the Huskies and T-Birds now sit at 1-1 in the standings. The University of Calgary Dinos and the University of Regina Rams also sit with the same record after a 24-21 Dinos victory Friday night. The University of Alberta Golden Bears and University of Manitoba Bisons face off Saturday afternoon, if Manitoba wins all teams in the Canada West will have a 1-1 record.

The Huskies will hit the road in Week 3 to take on provincial foe the University of Regina Rams Saturday, September 18 in Mosaic Stadium. UBC returns home to host the University of Manitoba Bisons on the same day at Thunderbird Stadium.