PFC Week 4 Summary

Photo courtesy of the Winnipeg Rifles

The PFC’s Rivalry Week lived up to the hype on Saturday with three very exciting games as the Hilltops stayed undefeated and the Huskies and Rifles get their win of the season.

HILLTOPS 35 – THUNDER 17

The Game of the Week was played under very wet conditions in Saskatoon as the Hilltops stayed undefeated while handing the Regina Thunder their first loss in a 35-17 victory in the rain.

When Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, running the football is usually the game plan and the Hilltops ran it to near perfection collecting 350 yards against a very good run defence.  The offensive line played their best game this season allowing Logan Fischer to run wild.  He tallied 32 carries for 293 yards and had a touchdown.  Lineman Drayke Unger and quarterback Jared Andreychuck also scored majors in their only run attempts of the game.

Through the air Andreychuck had just nine completions for 158 yards, but did throw a pair of touchdowns to Chad Braun and Evan Kopchynski.

Defensively the Toppers allowed just three points in the second half.  Cole Benkic was outstanding with four tackles, a knockdown and fumble recovery return of 45 yards.  Both Derek Sadownick and Arnold Osam intercepted passes and Cameron Schnitzler led the club with five tackles.

The Hilltops (4-0) snap a Thunder (3-1)four game winning streak in Saskatoon and will try to do it all over again on Saturday night when they face the Thunder again in the second half of a home and home.

This past weekend was the first set back for the Thunder this season despite collecting 373 total offensive yards.  The PFC’s leading rusher Colton Klassen carried 17 times for just 83 yards, averaging 4.8 yards a carry.

Quarterback Jaeden Marwick finished 15 of 25 for 184 yards and threw two touchdowns and a pair of picks.  He found Kasim Ocaya four times for a game high 97 yards, and connected with Klassen and Thomas Bresciani for majors.

Linebacker Paul Toth had a monster game compiling a Conference high 10 tackles and two assisted tackles.  Matthew Williams had the lone sack while Jarrett Seck and Travis Pelletier jumped on fumbles.

The Thunder (3-1) will get another crack at the Hilltops (4-0) in the PFC’s lone Week 5 game on Saturday night in Regina.

RIFLES 40 – COLTS 30

The Winnipeg Rifles and head coach Jason Park got their first win of the campaign in the rain as they held on to beat the Calgary Colts 40-30.

Despite the Colts outgaining the Rifles in total offence 511-195 the Rifles scored 29 points in the second quarter on route to their first win.

Running back and former VI Raider Michael Ritchott against his former head coach rushed 22 times for 182 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns.

With starter Jamie Ybarra Jr. on the bench, back-up quarterback Jonathan Remple completed just three passes for 20 yards.  One of those completions was a one yard TD flip to Timothy Demidiuk.  Remple also rushed for a touchdown on 10 carries.

One of the game highlights was a 71 yard punt return for a touchdown by Odun Ogidan.

The Rifles defence was on the field a lot and bent but somehow were able to play just well enough despite allowing 511 yards of total offence to the Colts.  Chris Brown-Fillion led the way with six solo tackles and Caleb Kane Goudie intercepted a pass.  Logan Thacker collected 1.5 sacks and Brandon Roberts had the other half sack.

Next weekend the Rifles (1-3) will have the week off before preparing to host the Regina Thunder (3-1) on September 20th.

The Calgary Colts are still asking themselves how they let their third win of the season slip away, collecting 278 yards through the air and 261 yards on the ground.

Quarterback John Kiesman finished 16 of 34 for 246 yards and threw touchdown pass to Cole Meyer.  Kyle Brick caught other TD pass, a 32 yard strike from Meyer.

On the ground both Xavier Ramsay and Dylan Minshull rushed for over 100 yards, Minshull collected a major as well.

The Colts defence was led by Jakub Jakoubek and his six tackles. Akida Lewis tallied a pair of sacks and Adam Folz had a sack and fumble recovery return of 44 yards.

This coming weekend the Colts (2-2) will have a bye, then host the Edmonton Wildcats (1-3) on September 19th.

HUSKIES 27 – WILDCATS 20

The battle of Edmonton Part 2 was another exciting game as the Huskies recorded their first win of the season 27-20 over the Wildcats.

The Huskies tallied 464 yards of total offence, led by 363 yards on the ground.  Jimmie Airey rushed 22 times for 183 yards, while quarterback Bradley Launhardt rushed six times for 109 yards.

Through the air Launhardt was 10 of 21 for 118 yards and threw three touchdowns, finding Dylan Stanton, James Aldred and Brennan McNeil.

Kicker Cole Sabourin continues to be perfect connecting on two more field goals.

Defensively the Huskies allowed just three points in the second half and recorded six takeaways led by Daniel Loggale’s eight tackles.  Chase Paylor, Brandon Mellen and Micheal Getzinger picked off passes and Mellen and Stephan Paleniuk recovered fumbles.  Both Brandon Stewart and Hayward Beasley each had a pair of sacks.

The Huskies (1-3) head into the bye and will prepare for the Saskatoon Hilltops (4-0) on September 20th.

Despite a solid game from quarterback Jordan Olson the Edmonton Wildcats dropped their third straight.  He finished 13 of 23 for 144 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Tristan Schutlenkamper.  Olson also rushed 10 times and scored a touchdown.

Joel Mulkendi had a big game rushing 16 times for 120 yards.

The Cats defence was led by Tony Savchuk who collected five tackles and had an interception return of 55 yards.  Marcus Goods had the lone sack and Evin Kochisarli collected a team high six tackles.

The Wildcats (1-3) enter the bye week and will begin preparation to face the Colts (2-2) in Calgary on September 19th.