CFC50 Game PREVIEW (SK): Doubleheader at Mosaic to determine Schwann Conference City Finalists

CFC50 Campbell Tartans vs. Riffel Royals

Thursday, October 26th, 5:15 pm at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

A thrilling regular season, unlike any other, is over.

Now we’re ready for what matters.

It’s playoff time in the Schwann.

The 2017 regular season in the Queen City was unlike what we’ve seen in previous years. The parity within the Schwann Conference was unbelievable, and quite frankly, refreshing.

The Campbell Tartans enter the postseason as the number one seed after winning a tiebreaker on point differential over the Leboldus Golden Suns. The perennial powerhouse that is Leboldus enter the playoffs with a 5-1-1 record, with their lone loss coming at the hands to the Miller Marauders. The Marauders, who are playing their first season in the Schwann have been impressive. They’ll aim to continue to shocking Saskatchewan when they take on the Suns in the second game of a doubleheader on Thursday night at Mosaic Stadium, 7:30 pm kickoff.

The first game of the doubleheader showcases the Campbell Tartans who currently sit at number 34 in the #CFC50 national rankings and the Riffel Royals.

The Tartans and Royals met up twice in the regular season. In week two, Campbell snuck by Riffel by a score of 29-28. In week four action, the Royals got their revenge squeaking out a one-point victory of their own, defeating the Tartans 10-9.

Cue the rubber match.

The Tartans are fresh off a massive win over Miller in the final week of the regular season and have rallied off three straight victories since their loss to Riffel in week three and will look to ride that momentum into the postseason.

“We feel very good about the attitude and tone that our team showed in our most recent game, but we all know we have a lot of basic things we need to improve on. Our win over Miller was a good confidence booster, but the game film always shows the things we need to do better. We want to maintain the positive energy and combine it with better technical execution,” explains Hall.

The Tartans offense is headlined by provincial team receiver Bennett Stusek. Stusek is an elite pass catcher who is dangerous when he gets the ball in the open field. He led the conference in receptions with 44, while adding 515 yards and four touchdowns in seven games. The senior playmaker is capable of breaking a game open in a moments notice and will be utilized in multiple roles for his team.

 

#CFC100 linebacker Josh White stars on the defense for the Tartans, and he’ll be counted on heavily by his team to shut down this talented Royals offense. White led the Schwann Conference in tackles with 59 and defensive points with 141 in only seven games. Many believe he’s the best defensive player in the province and according to his head coach, that’s not even a question that needs to be debated.

“I’m not sure if there would be any argument about that. Josh is special. Besides being an excellent and intuitive player on defense and special teams, he is definitely our team leader. He has a good understanding of the expectations the coaches have for the team, and he is the guy that will always step forward when something needs to be said. Everyone loves his intensity on the field and in our Football Room. He is an “old school” type of football player and leader, and that kind of player is getting harder and harder to find. I sometimes tell the team that trust is a foundation for everything in football, and I trust Josh implicitly,” says Hall.

Despite the standings, Coach Hall isn’t taking his opponent for granted.

“Even though we finished first in the regular season, Riffel was the only team to beat us. In our two games this year, we beat them by 1 point and they beat us by 1 point. They probably think that they could just as easily be the top-seeded team, and they would have good reasons for thinking that,” notes Hall.

It’ll be a difficult task come Thursday night for the Royals, but they have the offensive firepower capable of making the upset possible.

Ethan Ball and Tyler Lalonde were two of the top receivers in the conference, each going over 400 yards in receiving, while they combined for 12 touchdown receptions. Ball is only a grade ten, but his age hasn’t held him back as he’s made opposing defensive back’s look silly all season long. While, Lalonde recently decided to stay close to home for his U-Sports career, as he signed with the University of Regina Rams.

The UofR Rams welcome Riffel's Tyler Lalonde to the family. He's All In for the class of 2018! Go Rams! pic.twitter.com/YGK5FjAifO

— Stephen Bryce (@StephenBryce55) September 26, 2017

Meanwhile, Zac Arsenault has been a physical presence in the backfield for Riffel all season long. He’s touched the ball more than any other running back in the conference, and he’s made the most out of his carries, racking up 534 yards on the ground.

Josh Girodat is the leader for the Royals on defense who’ll be playing desperate football, as he is looking to do everything in his power to make sure his senior season doesn’t end on Thursday night. Girodat is a hard-hitting, physical safety who racked up 21 tackles, a sack, and two interceptions during the regular season.

Don’t be surprised if it’s another close battle, in a game between two evenly matched programs who’ll be playing their hearts out.

Expect two hard-fought football games on Thursday night in Regina.

“All four of the teams in the playoffs are completely legitimate contenders for the championship,” notes Campbell head coach Ryan Hall.

If you’re in the Queen City, come out to New Mosaic Stadium, as it hosts the historic Schwann Conference playoffs for the first time in the new facility’s lifetime.