The Winnipeg Rifles rode a 3-game winning streak into todayβs contest against the Saskatoon Hilltops and looked at todayβs game as a chance to cement their position among the front-runners in the Prairie Football Conference. That hope took a hit as the Toppers used a huge first quarter as a springboard to a 42-9 win over the Green Gunners in front of 415 spectators at Canad Inns Stadium.
A wicked 45 km/h south wind favored the Hilltops in the quarter and the visitors scored early and often as Regan Schuler, returning from a shoulder injury, scored his first of two touchdowns on a 5-yard run to make it 7-0. Rifle punter Andrew Wiebe conceded a safety 3-and-a-half minutes into the frame.
Then the Hilltops would pot 2 majors in a 9-second span as quarterback Chase Bradshaw scored on a 9-yard dash to make it 16-0. On the ensuing kickoff, the ball rolled 18 yards in the end zone. The ball would smack off of a returnerβs foot and Brad Chiasson would dive on it to make it 23-0 7:45 in. The lead would be 30 when Clayton Garnett took a 10-yard pass from Bradshaw with a little under 4 minutes left, one play after Ryan Messner was hit & fumbled on the kickoff following the score. The 30-point 1st frame ranks as the 2nd best 1st quarter total in PFC history and 5th best opening quarter output in CJFL history.
Schuler would add his 2nd 5-yard TD run to make it a 36-0 lead at halftime.
The Gunners would get on the board in the third frame as they would get a safety and their lone touchdown courtesy of a Tyler Nickel 7-yard scramble. The Andrew Wiebe convert would be blocked, but he would get that point back on the kickoff as he boomed it 85 yards for the single.
The Hilltops would round out the scoring with a Zack Schmidt 10-yard field goal, a single on a wide 32-yard field goal, and a second safety.
Saskatoon would rack up 459 yards of net offense compared to Winnipegβs 215.
Ryan Marsch had a tough day, going 7 of 17 for 98 yards. PFC rushing leader Kienan LaFrance was held to 55 yards on 10 carries. Matt Lariviere would have 5 receptions for 57 yards. On defense Mike Hauptkorn had 10 tackles.
Emotions ran high most of the afternoon with the Hilltops picking up 16 penalties for 146 yards and the Rifles 9 for 120. Rifle linebacker Tyler Langlais was ejected late in the middle frame for rough play.
The Rifles play their next two games on the road. The road swing opens next Sunday as they head to Regina to rumble with the Thunder.
By Tom Hallick β Media Coordinator
Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.
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