SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan Huskies football team is once again Hardy Cup bound, after a 37-9 win over the Manitoba Bisons in Saturday afternoon's Hardy Cup semifinal at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park.
Winter conditions played a factor throughout. With the field covered in snow and the wind howling, the Huskies turned to the ground game and ran the ball for 264 yards on 39 attempts from five different ball carriers. On the defensive side of the ball, Charlie Ringland's three interceptions symbolized the group's ability to capitalize on a Bisons offence that finished with just 166 yards of total offence.
The victory ensures that Huskies will in fact play host to the Hardy Cup for the second-straight season — a game that is set for next Saturday afternoon at Griffiths.
Perhaps the star of the show was backup quarterback Ethan Watson, who has primarily been used as a short-yardage quarterback thus far this season. Watson was called upon early and often by Huskies head coach Scott Flory, thanks to the snowy conditions.
The Calgary, Alta. product finished the day with a game-high 103 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Watson capitalized on third-and-goal from the Bisons one-yard-line in the first-quarter — a touchdown that gave the Huskies a 7-2 lead, a lead they would never relinquish. He went on to deliver the dagger at the 7:01 mark of the fourth with a 56-yard major to punch the Dogs' ticket to the Hardy Cup for the fourth-straight season.
"We're a tight knit team — we love each other. You love to be able to make a contribution at any time," said Watson, when asked about what it's like for him to help lead his team back to the Hardy Cup.
"It's just stuff that he's been running. Stuff that's in his wheelhouse. Just with his ability with his feet — he can make people miss and run the ball. It's really valuable to our offence and football team," said Flory.
Ryker Frank added 93 yards of his own on 22 carries, while Rhett Vavra had 45 receiving yards and a touchdown — Mason Nyhus' lone passing touchdown of the afternoon. Vavra set up the Watson first-quarter score with a 62-yard punt return.
With the wind at their backs in the second-quarter, Saskatchewan was able to take advantage of field position. The Huskies shutout the Bisons in the frame, outscoring them 19-0 to take a 26-2 halftime lead.
From there, it was smooth sailing for Saskatchewan as they rolled to the 28-point victory to advance to the conference's biggest stage.
The loss marked the end of the road for a Bisons squad fresh off a 4-4 campaign, as for the second-straight year, their season came to an end in Saskatchewan. This afternoon's game was the last for Bisons fifth-year quarterback Des Catellier, who became the program's all-time passing leader earlier this year. With his mobility limited this afternoon, Catellier struggled to have the day he was hoping for. Saskatchewan's defence teed off as a result — they brought Catellier to the ground six times on the day, wielding their vaunted defence into a Hardy Cup ticket.
The lone other recipient of the ticket is the UBC Thunderbirds, who beat the Regina Rams in the second Hardy Cup semifinal of the day. That sets the stage for a rematch of the 2021 Hardy Cup semifinal, as this time the Huskies and Thunderbirds will meet in the 85th Hardy Cup.
"They're a really good football team. Their line of scrimmage is really good on both sides. We know that. They've got speed. They've got guys that can move. We know that Coach Nill has been around. He's a champion and we know that he's going to have his guys prepared," said Flory.
"We're looking forward to getting back here and back to the cozy confines of Griffiths. Our guys will be ready."
Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Tickets are available at huskietickets.com
