PFC SEMI-FINAL SUNDAY PREVIEW

The second season begins on Sunday afternoon with both semi-final contests in Saskatchewan locales.

WINNIPEG RIFLES (3-5) AT SASKATOON HILLTOPS (7-1) SUNDAY OCTOBER 24 NOON LOCAL
The Hilltops swept the season series with a 51-14 opening week win in Saskatoon on August 22 and a 42-9 victory at Canad Inns Stadium on September 26.
The Rifles come into Sunday’s game on a 4-game slide, thanks to a 57-15 thumping at the hands of the Regina Thunder. The Hilltops dispatched the winless Edmonton Huskies 75-13 in their season finale.
Sunday’s game marks the third time the Green Gunners & Toppers have duelled in the playoffs. The Hilltops won easily in 2004 by a 42-11 count, but when they met in 2008, the Rifles were only 4 minutes away from pulling off arguably the biggest upset in PFC history as they led the unbeaten Hilltops 28-21 with 4 minutes left, only to have the Hilltops score a pair of majors, including the winning touchdown on a scamper by Regan Schuler with only 71 seconds to go to win 35-28.
After lacklustre performances the previous 2 weeks, the Hilltops shook themselves out of the doldrums with the rout of the Huskies. Schuler, ailing shoulder and all, ran for 92 yards on 8 carries, while receiver Ian Miller caught 3 passes, all for majors, which gave him 9 for the season.
The defense intercepted 8 passes, which equalled the club record which was originally set nearly 52 years to the day (October 18/58). The 3 interception touchdowns tied a CJFL record originally set by the Windsor AKO Fratmen in 1951.
The Rifles key to victory will be Kienan LaFrance. The sophomore tailback was edged out by Regina’s Mark Coons for the rushing title, but 1063 yards along the ground isn’t a bad season-ending total by any stretch. In addition, quarterback Ryan Marsch needs to connect more with the receiving tandem of Matt Lariviere who totalled over 1000 yards and 8 touchdowns.
What should be alarming to head coach Greg Graceffo in addition to the points against allowed during the 4-game skid, is the amount of yardage given up by his defense. Regina piled up 660 yards in net offense last Sunday alone, in addition to the 563 surrendered in Calgary the previous week and 651 in Regina on October 3rd.
To have any hope of pulling off the upset, the defense led by PFC defensive points race winner Eric Vincent must somehow find a way to hold the Hilltops offense in check.

CALGARY COLTS (5-3) AT REGINA THUNDER (6-2) SUNDAY OCTOBER 24 1PM LOCAL

The semi-final combatants split their season set with Regina romping to a 59-10 Mosaic Stadium win on August 29th and the Colts gaining revenge at McMahon Stadium with a 31-21 win on September 26.
The Colts & Thunder will meet for the first time ever in playoff competition. For Regina, it will mark their first ever home playoff game. The Thunder has made the playoffs 5 times in their 10-year history and are still looking for their 1st win.
Regina has steadily built their roster over the last few seasons and look to the 2010 playoffs as the payoff. Quarterback Reid Quest led the conference in passing yards with 2194 and touchdowns with 25. Quest arguably has the best set of receivers in the PFC in Kolten Solomon who was the conference leader in receiving yards with 756 and Jay Smith was the runner-up with 721. The Thunder also have the leading rusher in Mark Coons who had a 278-yard game to capture the rushing crown from Winnipeg’s Kienan LaFrance with 1135 yards.
The defense is a formidable group as well. Defensive back Mark Ingram intercepted 4 passes and took one all the way for a touchdown. Ingram was 8th in the defensive point standings with 90.
The Colts running game has been their offensive strength all season as they have two fine running backs in second year man Cuong Thai Lieu who ran for 701 yards and 4 touchdowns and Jake Harty who carried for 273 yards. Harty was Calgary’s 2nd leading receiver with 24 catches and 412 yards. Ryan McDermit had 23 and was 5th in the PFC in reception yardage with 467.
The quarterbacking duo of Clayton Masikewich & Jeremy Long has been inconsistent all year long. But the defense has been the rock of the outfit led by linebacker Zach McNeill who was the runner-up in the defensive points standings to Winnipeg linebacker Eric Vincent. Defensive back Alex Saretsky, who had an interception return for a touchdown last week, tied for 2nd with Regina’s Mark Ingram in that category.

By Tom Hallick, PFC Media Coordinator