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Volume 3 Issue 9

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"The Canadian Junior Football League provides the opportunity for young men aged 17 to 22 to participate in highly competitive post-high school football that is unique in Canada. The goal of the league is to foster community involvement and yield a positive environment by teaching discipline, perseverance and cooperation. The benefits of the league are strong camaraderie, national competition and life-long friends." Jordan Botel – Runningback – Island Raiders For the first time this year, BCFC leading rusher and Vancouver Island Raider running back Jordan Botel has been selected at the Offensive Player of the Week. Botel had another terrific game carrying the rock 20 times for a league high 226 yards and scored three touchdowns. Each time he touched the ball he would average 11.3 yards against the Broncos. It’s the third offensive award for the Raiders this year as Jordan Yantz won it back to back in weeks one and two.

Derrick Sorenson – Defensive End – Hilltops The third year veteran defensive end was an integral part of Sunday’s 22-15 win over the Colts. Sorenson had 3 solo tackles, 3 assisted tackles, a pair of special teams stops and a fumble recovery for a 15-point afternoon. The 6’3, 217-pound Saskatoon product has 32 points on the season.

Robbie Yochim – Returner – Sun For the second time this year returner Robbie Yochim is the BCFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Yochim started the scoring for the Sun on Saturday night taking the opening kick-off 104 yards the other way for a touchdown. The TD turned out to be the only scoring the Sun would need and tied a team record (James Green 2003, Matt Scheurwater 2009) for longest return for a touchdown. Yochim, who won this award in Week 4, would also return three punts for 18 yards. It’s the third time a member of the Sun has won this award. DJ Weber won the honour in Week 3. Every year at the Banquet of Champions, which is held in conjunction with the Championship, we tell the story about a man whose E name is attached to a prestigious Canadian Junior Football League recognition award. His name was Ed Henick and he was a remarkable gentleman whose impact on the game of football was enormous. Ed sadly left us on November 24, 2000 shortly after returning home from the Canadian Bowl in .

In 1996, a special Canadian Junior Football League Executive award was named after Ed in recognition of his outstanding service to junior football in Canada. It is called the Ed Henick Meritorious Service Award and it is presented to someone who personally sacrifices a great deal to the cause of football. The award goes beyond all other awards and is synonymous with Hall of Fame criteria. It is not an award that is handed out annually. Ed was the first recipient of the award in1996 and he was surprised and honoured to have an award in his name. There have only been seven other recipients of the award. Bill Prest from Etobicoke and Keith Evans from Calgary in 1999. Ron White, Past Commissioner, in 2004, Paul Bartle, Past President of the Football Conference, in 2005. Don McDonald, Past Commissioner of the CJFL and a long-time supporter and volunteer for the Hilltops, in 2006. Gord Cooke, Past Commissioner, in 2007 and Ken Smith, lifetime member of the BC Football Conference and the CJFL, in 2010.

Ed always stood out as one of the league’s best characters. All those who knew him have a wealth of stories to tell and every one of them enlists a smile. He was the historian for the Hilltops and the Prairie Football Conference and he had a remarkable memory for facts and figure. If you needed an answer to a question about a game or a player you just had to ask Ed. If it was a game, he would know when it was played, the score, the field conditions and the weather. He also had a storehouse of information filed away and he could lay his hands on anything in a moment’s notice. Ed had an amazing home office set up; you could call him anytime of the day or night and he would probably be sitting in front of his computer with a bottle of coke close at hand. Ed was once asked by a reporter on how much time he gives to the game of football. “I work seven days a week on it. I've gone until 3 or 4 in the morning. On three different occasions I've gone three days without sleep." I can personally attest to that statement based on the times I have called him looking for information or documents. He was a meticulous worker and he wouldn't allow anything to leave his hands unless it was perfect.

Ed Henick has been described as the heart of football in . But he was more than that; he was the soul and the conscious being of football in Western Canada. He was an extraordinary man who dedicated his life to the and the Prairie Football Conference for more than fifty years. In 1947, at the tender age of nineteen, Ed wanted to extend his football experience past the high school level. He played high school football at Bedford Road in Saskatoon. He was one of the first players to push for a junior team in Saskatoon. Ed stated at the time, “I wanted to play football even if it was six-man football." Denny Prince, Bill Trim, Marty Steiger and Dave Gertler were among the other players who attended that first Hilltop meeting.

Ed played football for the Hilltops in 1947 and 1948 and then became an assistant coach in 1949 and 1950. Ed stayed on with the club to fulfil other positions and eventually became President of the Hilltops for an unprecedented two-year term in 1963 and 1964. He held every executive position, chairing all committees over the span of his fifty plus years with the team. Besides being one of the founding members of the Hilltops, Ed was instrumental in founding the Saskatoon Minor Flag Football League. He was Commissioner of the Kinsmen Tackle Football League for 10 years.

Ed was elected President of Football Saskatchewan (which oversees the operation of all amateur football in the province of Saskatchewan) in 1973 and in 1974. He was then elected Secretary/Treasurer in 1975. He remained in that position for the rest of life. He was President of the Prairie Junior Football Conference in 1984 and 1985, conference Statistician from 1983 to 1989 and Secretary/Treasurer in 1986 until 1990 then from 1992 until his death in November 2000. He was appointed the Prairie Junior Football Conference Historian in 1992.

Ed was a very humble man who never looked for accolades or awards. His passion was to help young men enjoy the same experiences he had in playing the game of . In 1986, he received the /Canadian Amateur Football Association Award of Merit. He was made a Hilltops life member in 1982 and Canadian Junior Football League Life member in 1987. He was the Kinsmen Sportsmen of the Year in 1981 and inducted into the Saskatoon Hall of Fame in 1986. He received a special Hilltops award in 1986 and then the 45th Anniversary Alumni Award in 1991.

It’s difficult to put into words what Ed meant to amateur football in Canada. He touched the hearts and the souls of hundreds of volunteers and thousands of young men. Football Saskatchewan stated in a special article, dedicated to Ed. “Every organization needs a guy like Ed Henick. Very few actually land one. We at Football Saskatchewan were blessed to have Ed involved in our organization since its inception. Ed played a role in Football Saskatchewan that will never be replaced. He was a once in a lifetime.”

Rick Hopkins, who was President of the Hilltops when Ed died on November 24 2000, stated, “ It was an unbelievable way to write the last page in a chapter to a book of his life…the end of the football season, at our wind up banquet. If you could write the last page in the final chapter that was a fitting way.” Ed Henick died shortly after handing out plaques to each of the Hilltop players who were All Stars in 2000. The game of football was his passion and the young men the catalyst that kept him going. He died doing what he loved, being close to his friends and to the players he cherished.

The Canadian Junior Football League proudly nominated Ed Henick, posthumously, for induction into the builders section of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum. On Friday, September 12, 2003 Ed was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in a very special ceremony in Calgary . Ed's son Mike proudly represented his father on the day.

Ed Henick was the consummate volunteer leader who gave generously of his time and energy to the game of amateur football in Canada. His memory will always remain in the spirit of his award. His amazing accomplishments will remain etched in brass sitting under his bust in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum in Hamilton Ontario.

Ron White

…45 years ago. Aug 27, 1966

Halfback Neil Garvie scored 6 touchdowns and scored 41 points as the Saskatoon Hilltops crushed St. James Rods 65-1 in a -Saskatchewan junior game.

Garvie, moved to the offense in his second year, rushed for 209 yards on 20 carries and another 111 yards on 6 receptions. He also kicked 4 converts and 1 single. www.bcjuniorfootball.ca

Team Record Home Away PF PA Pts 7-0 3-0 4-0 385 61 14 Okanagan Sun 6-1 3-0 3-1 268 98 12 4-3 2-2 2-1 187 118 8 3-4 2-2 1-2 133 264 6 1-6 0-3 1-3 79 309 2 Huskers 0-7 0-4 0-3 60 262 0

BCFC Week Seven Summary By Ryan Watters – BCFC Media Coordinator

Week 7 of the BCFC was the week of the “Road Warriors” as all three visiting teams would record a victory.

The closest game on the scoreboard was between the Langley Rams and Chilliwack Huskers. The Rams came into the night on a three game winning streak, while the hometown Huskers were still searching for their first win of the year.

After a 3-0 Rams halftime lead they would outscore the Huskers 17-7 in the second half on route to a 20-7 win, raising their record to 4-3.

Quarterback Brandon Leyh was good enough to get the victory finishing six of 13 for 93 yards and a touchdown to Nick Downey while back-up Jon Roney was four of five for 75 yards. Downey would make three catches for 76 yards and Daniel English also made three receptions for 49 yards.

On the ground Kyle Albertini had a game high nine carries for 77 yards, while Leyh scrambled seven times for 54 yards and a major.

The Rams defence would record two more sacks and have eight in their last two games. Charles Scott had five tackles while Andrew Dohery and Arie Nakagawa recorded the sacks.

With the win the Rams move into sole possession of third place in the conference.

The 4-3 Rams will host the 3-4 Westshore Rebels on Saturday afternoon.

The Chilliwack Huskers kept the game close as quarterback Adann Hendrickson came off an injury finishing 16 of 37 for 208 yards and a touchdown. He would also run seven times for 52 yards. Hendrickson would connect with Peter Johns four times for 56 yards and the only Huskers TD. Adam Leggott would make three receptions for 72 yards. The shorthanded Huskers “D” would force the lone turnover of the game as James Williams jumped on a fumble and recorded a sack. Curtis Schindel not only forced the fumble, but was one of the players with three tackles each. Cole Herrmann and Levi Weaver were the others.

The 0-7 Huskers will travel to for a battle with the 7-0 Vancouver Island Raiders on Saturday afternoon.

Speaking of the Vancouver Island Raiders, they would flex their offensive and defensive muscle in Kamloops, beating the Broncos 77-4.

The Raiders would gather 673 yards of offence as quarterback Jordan Yantz would play from start to finish throwing 15 of 24 for 284 yards and five touchdowns as well as one on the ground. The veteran would find Dustin Pederson four times for 134 yards and two touchdowns, while Andrew Smith made five catches for 66 yards and a score. Michael Schaper caught three passes, two of them for touchdowns.

The ground game was led by Jordan Botel who had a game high 20 carries for 226 yards and three majors. Aston Galloway ran five times for 52 yards.

The Raiders defence would hold the Broncos to 97 yards and would force four turnovers. Dylon Chapdelaine had a big night with three tackles, three assists, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, a block and a knockdown. Evan Foster had two tackles and a sack.

The 7-0 Raiders will host the 0-7 Chilliwack Huskers Saturday afternoon at 2:00pm.

With the loss the Kamloops Broncos fall to 1-6 after using four quarterbacks against the Raiders. Jesse Neufeld finished three of 11 for 32 yards while Dylan LaPrairie was three of eight for 36 yards.

Devin Csincsa caught two passes for 31 yards, while Brennan Plante made one reception for 15 yards. Plante is featured “In the Huddle” on the BCFC website.

Running back Mike McMaster would face his old team for the second time this season and would carry the rock seven times for 16 yards to lead the Broncos.

The home side would get their points off a Mark Discombe 33 yard field goal and an Aaron Smit single.

Defensively the Broncos were led by Drew Markortoff who made eight tackles and had an interception. Clayton Ludba made six tackles and had two assists while Tyler Lee and Shayne Arthurs each had four tackles. The Broncos will stay in the BC Interior this weekend and will travel to the Okanagan for a date with the 6-1 Sun on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of Murray Mitchell – Kamloops Daily News

Also Saturday night the Okanagan Sun would record just the second BCFC shut-out of the year, blasting the hometown Westshore Rebels 69-0.

The Sun would set the tone right off the first whistle as Robbie Yochim returned the opening kick-off 104 yards for a touchdown. It would be the only kick-off the Rebels would make.

The offence would record 621 yards led by quarterback Jeremy Mraovic who finished 21 of 28 for 429 yards and four touchdowns. He would also run twice and record a major. Mraovic spread the ball around finding seven different receivers. His favourite target was Dan Turek, who would catch a game high eight passes for 227 yards and a major. Tommy Howes made five catches for 94 yards and a score, while Mike Friend made the other touchdown reception.

On the ground the Sun would tally 208 yards led by Arman Bokitch who rushed for 87 yards on 15 carries and scored a touchdown. Evin Polack carried six times for 58 yards and scored.

The offensive success was due in large part to the Sun defence. They would force seven Rebel turnovers, including five fumbles and two picks. Both interceptions were made by Brennan Van Nistelrooy who also ran back one for a touchdown. Beau Barthel against his former team led the Sun with four solo tackles. Steven Doege recorded his sixth sack of year and now has 27 in his career. The CJFL record is 36.5 held by Dave Solie of the Saskatoon Hilltops.

The 6-1 Sun will host the 1-6 Kamloops Broncos Sunday afternoon at the Apple Bowl.

Following the loss the Westshore Rebels fall to 3-4 on the year, clinging to the final playoff spot. They would compile just 146 offensive yards with Mark Black making his first BCFC start at quarterback.

With Cat Todorovich out, Black would finish five of 18 for 70 yards and two picks. Five different receivers would make single catches, as Niles Goguen gathered 40 yards.

On the ground, the Rebels compiled just 140 yards. They were led by the two-time BCFC offensive player of the week Greg Morris who carried 15 times for 113 yards.

Rebels’ kicker Quinn Van Gylswyck punted eight times for 154 net yards, including a booming 52 yarder.

The “D” had a busy night as Michael Hansen had six solo tackles, a knockdown and an interception to lead the club.

Samuel Narkaj and Dane Douglas each had four tackles, as 10 Rebels had multi-tackle games.

The Rebels will travel to Langley in a very important match-up with the 4-3 Rams on Saturday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of Adrian Lam – Times Colonist

BCFC Players of the Week

The Football Conference is pleased to announce their “VidSwap.com Players of the Week” for Week Seven of the 2011 season.

For the first time this year, BCFC leading rusher and Vancouver Island Raider running back Jordan Botel has been selected at the Offensive Player of the Week. Botel had another terrific game carrying the rock 20 times for a league high 226 yards and scored three touchdowns. Each time he touched the ball he would average 11.3 yards against the Kamloops Broncos. It’s the third offensive award for the Raiders this year as Jordan Yantz won it back to back in weeks one and two.

For just the second time this season a BCFC team recorded a shut-out as the Okanagan Sun blanked the Westshore Rebels 69-0. For his efforts in the shut-out Sun defensive back Brennan Van Nistelrooy is the BCFC Defensive Player of the Week. The rookie had two interceptions, including a 35 yard pick-six, a fumble recovery, one solo tackle and an assist. It’s the first defensive award for the Sun this season.

For the second time this year Okanagan Sun returner Robbie Yochim is the BCFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Yochim started the scoring for the Sun on Saturday night taking the opening kick-off 104 yards the other way for a touchdown. The TD turned out to be the only scoring the Sun would need and tied a team record (James Green 2003, Matt Scheurwater 2009) for longest return for a touchdown. Yochim, who won this award in Week 4, would also return three punts for 18 yards. It’s the third time a member of the Sun has won this award. DJ Weber won the honour in Week 3.

Week 8 of the season will see the 7-0 Vancouver Island Raiders hosting the 0-7 Chilliwack Huskers on Saturday afternoon at 2:00pm. Also Saturday afternoon the 3-4 Westshore Rebels are in Langley to face the 4-3 Rams. The lone Sunday matinee will feature the 6-1 Okanagan Sun welcoming the 1-6 Kamloops Broncos at 2:00pm. Follow the BCFC on Facebook.

Photo by Cornelia Naylor Chilliwack Times www.pfcfootball.com

Team Record Home Away PF PA Pts Saskatoon Hilltops 5-0 2-0 3-0 132 73 10 4-1 2-1 2-0 145 47 8 Rifles 3-2 2-0 1-2 209 154 6 2-3 2-1 0-2 126 130 4 Wildcats 1-4 1-2 0-2 58 156 2 0-5 0-2 0-3 78 188 0

PFC Week Six in Review By Tom Hallick – PFC Media Coordinator

Edmonton Huskies 19 @ 30 – September 17 @ Clarke Park

The first half of the season series featuring the co-tenants of Clarke Park played out on Saturday night in a game some were calling “The Black and Blue Bowl”. For both clubs, it was an opportunity to crack the goose-egg in the win column.

The home standing Wildcats took an early 3 -0 lead midway through the first quarter with a 42-yard Ryan Smith field goal, 1 of 3 on the night. The Huskies answered back with a field goal of their own early in the 2nd quarter with a 33-yard kick to tie the contest at 3. Midway through the second quarter rookie QB Jordan Olson tossed a 10-yard TD strike to receiver and part-time pivot Andrew Johnson, putting the Wildcats on top 10-3. A missed field goal by Ryan Smith, resulting in a single point, rounded out the scoring in the first half as the Wildcats went into the locker room up 11 -3.

The Huskies capitalized on a forced fumble early in the third frame, marching the ball down the field, and capping it off with a Ben Gorniak 27-yard strike to Anthony Barrett and the Huskies trailed by a single point. Not to be out done, the Cats put a drive of their own together finishing it off with a Jordan Olson strike to Johnson, his second on the night to pull ahead 17-10. Kicker Ryan Smith added a field goal late in the quarter to up the score to 20-10.

Running back Taylor Souster who ran 25 times for 213 yards gave his club a 17-point lead with a 22-yard dash to daylight. A safety cut the margin to 27-12. Ryan Smith added his third field goal from 30 yards out to make it 30-12. The Huskies scored a late TD by Zack Wilkie to finish off the scoring at 30-19, but it was too little to late as the Wildcats handed the Huskies their 5th straight loss on the season and 29th consecutive defeat. The Wildcats are now 1-4 and are tied with the Regina Thunder for 4th place.

The Wildcats posted 462 yards of net offense with Jordan Olson completing 10 of 23 attempts for 122 yards. Taylor Souster had a breakout game and rushed 25 times for 213 yards and a TD, while Receiver/QB Andrew Johnson rushed 7 times for 35 yards and a TD plus 1 catch of 10 yards for his second TD. The Huskies had 380 yards of net offense with Ben Gorniak completing 12 of 28 for 169 yards and 1 TD. Huskies tailback Skyler Sargent ran 16 times for 117 yards. Receiver Anthony Barrett had 6 grabs for 91 yards and 1 TD.

Zack Brown led the defense posting 12 defensive points, while Ryan Doram and Kurtis Fischer each posted 10 points apiece. Defensively for the Huskies, Chance Hanson led the way with 20 defensive points, while Brandt Kolybaba posted 16 points.

The Wildcats head to Saskatoon next Sunday to play the Hilltops, while the Huskies host Regina at Clarke Park.

Winnipeg Rifles 29 @ Regina Thunder 31 – September 18 @ Mosaic

Sunday’s game at was billed as a battle of the PFC’s premier passers as Rifles pivot Ryan Marsch & Regina quarterback Wyatt Catley went throw for throw. When the last throw was fired, it was the Thunder who emerged with a 31-29 win.

The Thunder got on the board just two-and-a-half minutes into the contest as Will Heward scored his first of three touchdowns as Catley connected with him on a 14-yard strike. Rifles kicker Brad Mikoluff would make good on field goals of 22 & 25 yards to cut the Regina lead down to one after 15 minutes.

Catley and company would put a pair of scores on the board in short order early in the 2nd quarter as Heward latched on to a 19-yard touchdown toss just 36 seconds in. Clay Cooke would follow with a 20-yard catch for a major nearly 4 minutes later to make it a 21-6 lead. Heward would get his third touchdown of the day 7 minutes after that to make it a 28-6 game, then Thunder kicker Ben Koot would add a 19-yard chipshot to give the home club a 25-point cushion. Mikoluff was good on another 25-yard placement to make it a 31-9 game at halftime.

The visitors would come out with all guns blazing to start the second half as three-and-a-half minutes in, Ryan Marsch would connect with Alex Vitt for a 26-yard touchdown toss on a third down and seven gamble. For Vitt, it was his only catch of the day. Mikoluff hit on his 4th field goal of the day from 35 yards away to make it a 35-19 game. And then rookie receiver Kurt Goodrich came up with an 8-yard touchdown grab to pull Winnipeg to within 5 after 45 minutes.

It seemed that only thing that was hotter in the second half than the Rifles offense was a house fire that broke out behind Mosaic Stadium as smoke could be seen rising from the general vicinity of where the Rifles bench was located.

Mikoluff would boom a 54-yard punt single, and then Koot conceded a safety to make it 31-29 with 1:46. Winnipeg drove the ball down to the Thunder 38 in the final minute, but a costly pair of penalties, as well as a pair of incompletions, forced the Rifles into a 3rd and 34 situation. Marsch’s deep throw for Derek Dean would go incomplete & the Thunder would hold on to get the win. Dean would lead all pass catchers with 6 for 113 yards.

Ryan Marsch would complete 24 of 52 passes for 365 yards, throwing for 2 scores & no interceptions, giving him 22 majors on the season. Kurt Goodrich snagged 7 catches for 96 yards, while Matt Lariviere had 6 for 88.

Tailback Martin Hovi had 141 yards on 22 carries. While on defense, rookie linebacker Donovan Gregoire continued his stellar play as he had a single tackle, 4 assists, a special teams stop & special teams assist for 11 points.

Thomas Ringlein had 106 yards on 18 carries for Regina

With the loss, Winnipeg drops to 3-2, but remains third in the conference, 2 points back of the Calgary Colts, who lost their first game of the year at home to the national champion Saskatoon Hilltops 22-15 earlier this afternoon.

Winnipeg hosts the Colts, while the Thunder head to Edmonton to play the Huskies. Both games go next Sunday.

Saskatoon Hilltops 22 @ Calgary Colts 15 – September 18 @ McMahon Stadium The two remaining undefeated teams in the PFC went head-to-head on Sunday afternoon. And it promised to be a defensive battle as the two best in the conference went at it. And it lived up to the billing.

The Colts took a 4-0 1st quarter lead thanks to a safety and a pair of singles from Andrew Fabian. The Hilltops would go on a 15-0 run as tailback Regan Schuler & receiver Chad Braun each scored and throw in a Zach Schmidt single on a missed field goal and the Hilltops led 15-4 at the break. Calgary’s offense couldn’t get untracked in the second quarter as the Toppers forced 6 two-and-outs.

Calgary replied early in the third as Masikewich found Mac Sarro on a 24-yard touchdown strike to pull within 4. Fabian would miss from 41 to round out the third frame.

Saskatoon would seal the deal nearly three minutes into the final quarter as Chase Bradshaw called his own number and dashed 49 yards for the clinching touchdown. Fabian would hit on a 34-yard placement with under 90 seconds left, but the Colts could get no closer.

Both teams would have problems with turnovers as the Colts would commit 4 of them to the Hilltops 2.

Schuler would dash for 105 yards on the day, while Bradshaw completed 14 of 26 for 209 yards. Clayton Masikewich would go 19 for 35 for 225 yards for the Colts. DJ Whetton was Calgary’s leading rusher with 36 yards. Cuong Thai Lieu was stymied as he was held to 33 yards on a dozen carries. Safety Graig Newman, DL Derek Sorensen & LB Dylan Kemp all had stellar games, recording 15 points each. Jase Skelton had 19 points for the Colts, with Stephen Dereniwski recording 17. DB Pat McDonald had 15.

The 5-0 Hilltops return home next Sunday to take on the 1-4 Edmonton Wildcats. The Colts head to Winnipeg to face the Rifles.

PFC Players of the Week

Will Heward – Receiver – Regina Thunder The 3rd-year slotback who had all of 2 career starts prior to Sunday’s 31-29 win over the had a breakout performance as he hauled in 5 passes for 103 yards and scored 3 first half touchdowns. They were his first three touchdowns in his PFC career. The 5’9, 160-pound Regina product is a graduate of Riffel High School.

Derrick Sorenson – Defensive End – Saskatoon Hilltops The third year veteran defensive end was an integral part of Sunday’s 22-15 win over the Calgary Colts. Sorenson had 3 solo tackles, 3 assisted tackles, a pair of special teams stops and a fumble recovery for a 15-point afternoon. The 6’3, 217- pound Saskatoon product has 32 points on the season.

Ryan Smith – Kicker – Edmonton Wildcats The rookie kicker/receiver was good on 3 of 4 field goal attempts from 42, 31 & 30 yards respectively as the Wildcats picked up their first win of 2011 on Saturday as they defeated their Clarke Park co-tenants Edmonton Huskies 30-19. The Bev Facey school product has made 6 of 10 placements this season.

PFC Week Seven Preview By Tom Hallick, PFC Media Coordinator

Calgary Colts (4-1) @ Winnipeg Rifles (3-2) – September 25 @ Noon

A home playoff date will likely be at stake in the first game of the week 7 tripleheader.

This contest is your classic great offense versus great defense matchup as arguably the Rifles sport the country’s top offensive attack with quarterback Ryan Marsch at the controls, with the PFC’s 4 leading receivers at his disposal up against conference sack leader Prince Baffoh and a smothering Calgary defense. The Colts come in to smarting a little following their 22-15 home loss to the Saskatoon Hilltops. Pivot Clayton Masikewich & company were stymied by a swarming Saskatoon defense that forced 4 turnovers in the defeat. Rookie receivers Rodreke Joseph & Mac Sarro stood out as the pair combined for 5 grabs for 84 yards and a major score.

Marsch nearly pulled off an incredible comeback in Regina last Sunday as he rallied his troops from a 31-9 halftime hole to pull within 2 in the game’s final minute. But back-to-back penalties that led up at a 3rd-and-34 Hail Mary that went incomplete squelched any hope of a miracle victory.

The Winnipeg defense is improving steadily after giving up vast amounts of real estate in the first few games, to the tune of 621, 512 & 520 yards respectively. Defensive back Chad Okumura, along with linebackers Mike Hauptkorn & Donovan Gregoire hold down places in the top 15 in defensive points.

This is the first of a pair of seasonal meetings with the second one happening on the final Sunday of the season October 9th in Calgary.

Regina Thunder (2-3) @ Edmonton Huskies (0-5) – September 25 @ 1:00 pm

The Thunder have a golden opportunity to even their record and depending what happens in Winnipeg, can find themselves right back in the mix to host a playoff game with a win on Sunday.

Regina needed the win against Winnipeg, not only to draw within a game of the .500 mark, but to hold onto the 4th and final playoff berth as the Wildcats found the win column with their victory over the Huskies. Slotback Will Heward grabbed Offensive Player of the Week honors as he had a career game with 5 receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown in place of the injured Kolten Solomon. Tailback Thomas Ringlein picked up 106 yards, giving him 379 on the year.

Meanwhile the Huskies, who did pull within a point of the Wildcats in the third quarter of last Saturday’s contest, saw the Wildcats pull away later in the frame and saw their record drop to 0-5. For the Huskies, that was their 29th consecutive defeat.

Rookie linebacker Brandt Kolybaba and veteran ‘backer Chance Hanson stood out in the loss. Kolybaba had 4 tackles, a fumble recovery and added 3 special-teams stops, while Hanson racked up 9 tackles and had a fumble recovery of his own. Tailback Skylar Sargeant ran 16 times for 117 yards, however quarterback Ben Gorniak was held to 169 yards.

Edmonton Wildcats (1-4) @ Saskatoon Hilltops (5-0) – September 25 @ 2:00 pm

The Wildcats got a much needed victory last Saturday night as they downed the Huskies 30-19 in “The Black and Blue Bowl” to keep pace with the Thunder. But the window to make the playoffs is closing fast & the Cats need a win on Sunday to stay in the chase.

The Wildcat offense broke out of their doldrums in a huge way as tailback Taylor Souster ran wild, gaining 213 yards on 25 carries and found the end zone and racked up almost 500 yards of offense.

The Hilltops took command of top spot in the conference with their win in Calgary. The Toppers defence played a huge role as they held the Colts to under 300 yards of offense, keeping Cuong Thai Lieu in check by holding him to only 33 yards on a dozen carries. A trio of Hilltop defenders; Graig Newman, Dylan Kemp & Derrick Sorenson each recorded 15- point afternoons with Sorenson getting the nod as Defensive Player of the Week.

On offense, slotback John Trumpy returned to the lineup after a 2-game absence and led the receivers with 79 yards on 4 catches. Regan Schuler is back to his old self, still in the PFC rushing lead as he had a touchdown while racking up 105 yards along the ground. Quarterback Chase Bradshaw was steady in last Sunday’s win, throwing for 209 yards and a touchdown and getting the game-winning major on a 49-yard 4th quarter run. www.ofcfootball.com

Team Record Home Away PF PA Pts 4-0 2-0 2-0 131 36 8 Windsor AKO Fratmen 3-0 1-0 2-0 88 57 6 St Leonard Cougars 3-1 2-0 1-1 115 49 6 2-1 1-1 1-0 44 50 4 Sooners 1-3 0-2 1-1 78 101 2 Twin Cities Predators 1-3 0-2 1-1 61 86 2 Burlington Braves 1-3 0-2 1-1 66 99 2 Brampton Bears 0-4 0-2 0-2 6 111 0

OFC Players of the Week

Offensive: #14 Matt Francis – QB – Hamilton Hurricanes 21 of 30 for 305 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, in a 27-10 win over Matt Francis, 3rd Year, QB out of Churchill HS, had a terrific day throwing the ball completing 70% of his passes for 305 yards and 4 TD's. The Mohawk College graduate completed passes to 6 different receivers on the day, and threw touchdown passes to Shawn Ward, Matt Coates, and Dan Iafrate with 2. Matt will help lead the 1st place Hurricanes into a showdown with the St. Leonard Cougars on Saturday at 4pm at .

Defensive: #32 Chris Vanmeppelenscheppink – DB – London Beefeaters 4 Solo Tackles, 1 Assist, 1 Pass Defended, 1 Forced Fumble, 2 Fumble Recoveries, 17 Total Defensive Points, in 19-12 win over Twin Cities Predators Chris Vanmeppelenscheppink, 4th Year, DB out of St. Thomas Parkside Collegiate, helped lead the Beefeaters defensively in their come from behind win in Waterloo over the Twin Cities Predators. The 2010 All-Canadian DB had 5 tackles, including 4 solos, 1 pass break-up, forced a fumble, and recovered 2 fumbles on the way to 17 defensive points. This is the 3rd consecutive season that Chris has won Defensive Player of the Week honors, as he won for the weeks of: Aug. 22, 2009 and Aug. 21, 2010. The All-Canadian will try and help lead the Beefeaters when they host the Ottawa Sooners. Game time is set for 8pm on Saturday at TD Waterhouse Stadium.

Special Teams: #3 Beau Lumley – RB – Windsor AKO Fratmen 3 Punt Returns for 90 yards, 1 K/O Return for 14 yards, 15 rushes for 98 yards and a TD, 1 reception for 9 yards, 211 all- purpose yards, in 28-14 win over Burlington Braves Beau Lumley, 1st Year, RB out of Herman HS in Windsor, had 3 punt returns for 90 yards, including one for 65 yards. He also had 1 kickoff return for 14 yards, 15 rushes for 98 yards including a 33-yard TD, and 1 reception for 9 yards. For the 2nd straight week the Herman HS grad broke the 200 all-purpose yard mark, this time with 211. Last week, in winning the OFC & CJFL Offensive Player of the Week awards, Beau amassed 325 total yards. Beau is also the 1st OFC player this season to win POW twice (1 offense, 1 special teams). Beau will look to continue his Player of the Week streak Saturday with a home game vs. the Twin Cities Predators, game time is set for 7:30 pm at Alumni Field. Hosted by the Ontario Football Conference – Saturday November 12th

CJFL Canadian Bowl Trophy