Hilltops begin pursuit for sixth straight national junior football title

The most storied junior football program in Canada begins its quest for a sixth straight national title this weekend.

The Saskatoon Hilltops will travel to Winnipeg to take on the Rifles on Sunday in their first Prairie Football Conference (PFC) game.

Head coach Tom Sargeant, in his 29th year with the club, said it's "surreal" to think about a sixth consecutive title.

"It certainly tells me just how awesome a job my coaching staff has done, and the players," he said.

"Each year we just commit to each other, we put together a good blueprint and they get out and execute the plan."

The Hilltops have graduated some veterans, yet they always seem to have a player waiting on the sidelines who's been with the team for years.

Take fifth-year quarterback Tyler Hermann, who's never been the starter until this year.

"He's been our No. 2 quarterback for the last couple years and he's had a great camp," Sargeant said. "The game is slowing down for him. He's getting his reads, understand what he needs to do and he's making quicker decisions."

Hermann said it is a little different this season being one of the leaders.

"You prepare a little differently knowing that there's guys that are kind of looking up to you now expecting you to take on more of a leadership role," Hermann said.

Obviously we've got a ton of talent go through the program, but you wouldn't know about that by the way guys carry themselves.- Tyler Hermann

While he's a different quarterback than last year's starter Jordan Walls, don't expect the game plan to change too much.

"There will be small tweaks and small adjustments," Hermann said. "But we still want to play a physical brand of football and really kind of bring the violence to other teams for lack of a better word."

Sargeant said the offensive line, with four starters returning, will be the backbone of the offence.

He said with a lot of high-end talent at receiver and running back, he expects the team to be explosive.

The defensive backfield returns four starters too, including veteran Colton Holmes who spent two months with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

"He's brought back a real confidence and a presence and he'll be the face of that defence," Sargeant said. "He'll be leading the charge and setting the tone."

Holmes said he soaked up a lot of information with the Riders that he'll put to good use with the Hilltops.

"A lot of it is technique, and speed is a big one too," he said of his time with the Riders. "I'm excited to be back here for my final year of eligibility and get to work with all my brothers out here."

Holmes said he's approaching the season just like any other.

"Just come here with my lunch bucket every day and get to work."

While the Hilltops lost all three starting linebackers, this year's crop of Riley Keating, Jadyn Pingue and Brady Fossen are ready to fill the void.

They've been patiently waiting their turn to start and have seen plenty of game action in the past.

"No one knows about them yet but I guarantee you they're gonna get out there and people are gonna know them right away," Sargeant said.

It's having those third- and fourth-year players willing to wait their turn that makes the Hilltops so successful year after year.

"At the end of the day there's a lot of humbleness within these players," Sargeant said.

Hermann said that's what sets the Hilltops apart from other teams.

"I think people really play for each other," he said. "Obviously we've got a ton of talent go through the program, but you wouldn't know about that by the way guys carry themselves." 

Last year the Hilltops went undefeated and Sargeant is looking for them to get off on the right foot in Winnipeg.

"By the time Sunday shows up in Winnipeg I want to see an identity of a real physical, confident presence that knows what they need to do, " he said. "If we do that it should be a good day for the Saskatoon Hilltops."