Ben Abrook rushed for 246 yards on 44 carries with two touchdowns to lead the Saskatoon Hilltops to a 30-14 win over the visiting Edmonton Huskies to capture a sixth straight Prairie Football Championship.
The conditions dictated a tough game in the trenches with ice pellets all over Saskatoon Minor Football Field. The Hilltops put the game in the hands of the P-F-C’s leading rusher early and Abrook helped put the Toppers in field position for back-to-back field goals from Rylan Kleiter from 27 and 34 yards to give Saskatoon an early 6-0 lead but Edmonton stormed back late in the first quarter.
The Huskies took a 7-6 lead on Adner St Hilarie’s seven yard touchdown catch from Declan O’Flaherty and the visitors carried a 7-6 lead into the second quarter.
The Hilltops never surrendered the lead after Keegan Dicks made a great adjustment to the football on Tyler Herman’s 10 yard touchdown toss less than a minute into the second quarter. It was also the final scoring play of the first half as an interception at the one yard line and a fumble deep in Edmonton territory denied the Toppers from extending their 13-7 lead.
Abrook did extend the lead ten minutes into the third quarter going into the end zone standing up on third-and-goal from the one yard line on a drive that started on the Hilltops 27 yard line following a forced fumble recovered by Tristan Hering.
However the Huskies answered back with O’Flaherty hitting Sam Clayton with a 20 yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the quarter, cutting Saskatoon’s lead to six points.
The Hilltops answered a Huskies interception in the fourth quarter with Brant Morrow’s pick. Morrow was hit out of bounds at the end of the play by Clayton and the Huskies also took an objectionable conduct penalty in the scrum that ensued giving the Toppers the ball at the 23 yard line. Kleiter was good on a short field goal attempt moments later but a roughing the kicker call gave the Hilltops first and goal at the three yard line. Abrook punched it over for his second touchdown of the game on another third-and-goal plunge from the one yard line.
Kleiter sealed the victory with a 14 yard field goal with just over a minute remaining with the Toppers killing the clock after a turnover on downs with :35 remaining.
The Hilltops forced five turnovers recovering two fumbles with two turnovers on downs. The Huskies recovered one fumble and had two interceptions.
Head coach Tom Sergeant told the post-game show audience on 92.9 THE BULL he was proud of how his team battled through the elements and adversity to prevail against a very good Huskies team and looks forward to preparing for next weekend’s CJFL semifinal in Ontario.
Defensive lineman Caleb Haight said it was satisfying to win his final home game as a Hilltop and was happy for fellow fifth-year veteran Colton Holmes who has missed the four games with an injury and could return next weekend.
Abrook credited the offensive line for giving him running room throughout the game.
The Hilltops will play the winner of Sunday night’s Ontario Conference final between the Windsor A-K-O Fratmen and the London Beefeaters.
The game will be broadcast on 92.9 THE BULL.
