PFC Week 9 Summary (Thanksgiving edition – Oct. 10-11)

The PFC concluded its regular season on Thanksgiving Sunday with the Calgary Colts, Regina Thunder and Winnipeg Rifles each heading home with a win.

COLTS 34 – HILLTOPS 4

The Colts clinched third place with a convincing 34-4 win, handing the Saskatoon Hilltops their first loss of the campaign.

Offensively the Colts piled on 489 total yards and 30 first downs through a very balanced attack.

The run game alone collected 261 yards, led by Dylan Minshull and his 33 carries, 195 yards and three touchdowns.   Quarterback John Kiesman scrambled eight times for 48 yards.

Through the air Kiesman and Bailey Wasdel combined to complete 19 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown.  The major was caught by Kyle Brick who made a game high six receptions for 77 yards.  Cole Bazinett made four receptions for 55 yards.

Defensively the Colts allowed just one field goal.  Defensive back Alex Obgongbemigo had four tackles and a knockdown.  Conner Robinson picked off a pass and J-min Pelley had the lone sack.

The Colts (5-3) will be the third seed heading into the PFC Playoffs next weekend.  The #3 Colts will travel to #2 Regina to face the Thunder (6-2).

The Saskatoon Hilltops fall for the first time this season, allowing many second and third string players to see the field for the first time.  They collected just 161 total offensive yards.

The offence used three quarterbacks as Jared Andreychuk, Brad Schnitzler and Jordan Walls combined to complete 11 of 19 passes for 112 yards and were held without a touchdown pass.  Seven different receivers caught passes including Chard Braun’s three for 33 yards.

Other than a single the only other Hilltops points came off a 37 yard Brett Thorarinsson field goal.

Like the offence the Hilltops defence allowed a number of players to see live action for the first time this season.  Cameron Schnitzler tallied seven solo tackles and Logan Kelsey-Stern intercepted a pass.

The Hilltops (7-1) are the #1 seed heading into the playoffs and will host the #4 seeded Winnipeg Rifles (4-4) next weekend in one of the two PFC semi-finals.

THUNDER 29 – HUSKIES 6

A 14 point third quarter led the Regina Thunder to a 29-6 win over the visiting Edmonton Huskies collecting 396 yards of total offence.

The Thunder ground game pounded the Huskies for 300 yards led by Victor St. Pierre-Lavoilette’s 28 carries and 216 yards.  He also scored three touchdowns as the Thunder used seven different ball carriers.

Jaeden Marwick and Sawyer Buettner completed 10 of 22 passes for 113 yards as six different receivers caught at least one pass.

The Thunder defence was equally dominating forcing six Huskies turnovers, including five on downs.  Linebacker Cole Wilchynski collected a team high four tackles, Cole Ward had the lone sack and Levi Paul recovered a fumble.

Next weekend the second seeded Thunder will host the #3 seeded Calgary Colts in a rematch of last year’s PFC semi-final.
The Edmonton Huskies conclude the regular season with their fourth straight loss managing just 86 yards through the air.
They used two quarterbacks as Bradley Launhardt and Kieran Pruden completed just five passes.  Brennan McNeil caught four of them.

The lone points the Huskies scored was a pair of second quarter field goals from Cole Sabourin, including one of 45 yards, tying the PFC’s longest for this season.

On the “D” Branden Modin was seemingly on every stop.  He finished with four solo tackles, seven assisted stops and two knockdowns.  Darin Nitti, Bryce Lea, Cole McCormick and Connor Cook each had half a sack.  Brandon Stewart recovered the lone fumble.

The Huskies conclude the regular season 1-7 and will miss the post season for the second straight year.

RIFLES 36 – WILDCATS 33

The Winnipeg Rifles won their third straight game to finish the regular season and a capture a playoff spot as the fourth seed.  Sunday they scored 23 points in the second half to come back and beat the Edmonton Wildcats 36-33.

The Rifles ground assault was led by Michael Ritchott who rushed 17 times for 175 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  Odun Ogidan carried a game high 20 times for 77 yards.  In all the Rifles rushed for 296 yards.

Quarterback Jamie Ybarra Jr was 13 of 30 for 169 yards and threw a pair of touchdown passes, including the game winner under 30 seconds left, hitting Macho Bockru from seven yards out. Julian Barnares also threw a 22 yard touchdown pass.  Bockru, Ritchott and Zach Regart scored and Alexander Tachinski caught two passes for 102 yards including a 82 yarder.

The Rifles defence was led by Bready Will who had an unbelievable game collecting three interceptions, a block, a knockdown and four tackles.  Brandon Roberts had the lone sack and Michael Penner tallied seven tackles. Both Logan Thacker and Joshua Onyebuchi recovered fumbles as the defence forced seven turnovers.

Next weekend the Rifles (4-4) will be the fourth seed in the PFC semi-final as they travel to face the top seeded Saskatoon Hilltops (7-1).

The Edmonton Wildcats conclude the season with seven consecutive losses.

Quarterback Jordan Olson finished 17 of 42 for 283 yards, but threw four interceptions.  He did rush four times and scored two touchdowns.

Bray Josue led the ground game carrying 16 times for 131 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Kicker Ryan Smith connected on two field goals including a 37 yarder.

On the defensive side four different Cats had seven tackles each.  Troy Savchuk , Jayden Dalke, Cameron Maschmeyer and Rashaad Robinson led the charge.  Dalke had a pick and a fumble recovery while Savchuk also had an interception.  Marcus Goods had a sack.

The Wildcats (1-7) will miss the playoffs for the second straight year.