SASKATOON 37
WESTSHORE 25
In the end, experience won out over enthusiasm.
The Saskatoon Hilltops defeated the Westshore Rebels 37-25 in Saturday鈥檚 Canadian Bowl at Westhills Stadium, claiming their third straight Canadian Junior Football League championship, their sixth in seven years and a nation-leading 19th overall.
Special teams were costly as the Rebels surrendered a 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Joshua Ewanchyna and took a too-many-men penalty on a punt return that kept another Saskatoon drive alive and led to a another score.
Logan Fischer capped that drive off with a seven-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Jared Andreychuk, who completed 15 of 20 passes for 220 yards and three TDs, but also gave up two interceptions in the first half.
One came in the Rebels鈥� end zone and the Hilltops also fumbled the ball in the scoring area, or the 16-12 halftime advantage could have been much more lopsided.
The Hilltops pounded out yardage along the ground all day, Fischer in particular, as he racked up 202 yards rushing, the seventh highest total in CJFL championship history.
Saskatoon took some comments from the Rebels to heart, with Westshore believing they could exploit the Hilltops with their size.
鈥淲e let people talk because we know we鈥檙e just going to come out and play football. You can be big and you can be mean, but in the end, it comes down to technique and who has more heart,鈥� said Fischer, who was named offensive player of the game as he also added 43 yards receiving and two scores through the air.
It was his third championship and he still has two more years of eligibility. It was Andreychuk鈥檚 fourth title.
鈥淚t was a real sweet win because they鈥檙e a real good football team,鈥� Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said of the Rebels. 鈥淎t times, they had us reeling, but these guys responded to what was in front of them, gut-checked and kept believing.
鈥淚 thought we could exploit them on the run, but it鈥檚 one thing to think it and another to do it. At times we got what we wanted and at others we had to step up and throw. We cater more to the offensive line because they were getting great movement and No. 21 [Fischer] was on, and when he鈥檚 on, you give him the ball.鈥�
Ewanchyna added a nine-yard rushing major, but stunned the jam-packed crowd with the 105-yard return immediately after the Rebels took their only lead, 19-16.聽 Jason Price had two catches for 89 yards, including a 47-yard TD.
Rebels starting quarterback Ashton Mackinnon ran for 60 yards, including a one-yard major and completed 12 of 21 passes for 181 yards with one interception. He was injured late in the game and his replacement, Devoun Hallums, also scored from one yard out.
Mackinnon鈥檚 younger brother, Byron Mackinnon, had the other Westshore major as he rumbled 66 yards for an interception return as he snuffed out a screen pass from Andreychuk, who had tossed back-to-back picks in the first half.
Unfortunately, Byron Mackinnon was also injured, leaving the game in the second quarter with a concussion.
鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of these kids. They care and we care. It鈥檚 a great testament to the game of football and what it can do to young men,鈥� said Rebels head coach J.C. Boice, who shed some tears.
鈥淚t was a great game 鈥� some costly mistakes. We have to continue to mature as a program and as players, but again, you鈥檙e here reporting on a championship game and no one thought we could do that.鈥�
The Westshore offence never truly got untracked until late when the Toppers softened their defence in prevent in the waning minutes. The Rebels totalled 401 yards, but only had 101 at halftime. Jamel Lyles was kept to 16 yards rushing on six carries in the first 30 minutes before finishing with 141 on 16 attempts, again a lot came late.
Saskatoon piled up 518 net yards (480 in total offence, 313 of which came in the first half) on what began as a windy day, but subsided in the second half.
鈥淎t the end of the day, they came up with some big plays on special teams and penalties on our half. It鈥檚 always a dream to go out on top, but it doesn鈥檛 always go your way,鈥� said sombre veteran Rebels offensive lineman Connor Bryan, one of a handful of Westshore players ending their junior careers.
鈥淭hey had a solid game plan, keyed on Jamel all game. Defensively they played it well. They made sure they stopped the run and hats off to them for doing it.鈥�
Saskatoon鈥檚 Cody Peters, with nine tackles, was named defensive player of the game in a matchup that featured big numbers. The 105-yard kick return was tied for the third longest in CFL championship history and the 66-yard interception return for a touchdown was also third longest.
EXTRA POINTS: The Ontario Football Conference will return to the CJFL in 2017 with six teams and it鈥檚 expected that it will host the Canadian Bowl next year
Twitter/tc_vicsports
