Visions of watching the Regina Thunder have fun a Prairie Football Conference title on his house turf of SMF Discipline nonetheless hang-out Saskatoon Hilltops veteran defensive lineman Johnathon Stevens.
Quick ahead 10 months later after that devastating loss, it’s a sense that’s motivating the two-time convention all-star heading into the 2025 season.
“To an extent it’s good to have that style in your mouth simply to recollect the way it felt,” mentioned Stevens. “It’s simply determining what we did unsuitable and in addition increasing on the issues that we did proper.”
The Hilltops are able to kick off their 2025 Canadian Junior Soccer League season on Sunday, hitting the street to battle the Winnipeg Rifles.
Saskatoon’s defence might be led by Stevens as soon as once more, coming into a model new season as a key member of the Hilltops defensive position and being named a second-team All-Canadian at his place.
That dominance final season caught the eye of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, who invited Stevens and Hilltops teammate Dalton City to the staff’s rookie and major coaching camps in Could.
That stint at Griffiths Stadium on the College of Saskatchewan campus included a number of memorable moments, together with a one-on-one matchup with Gray Cup champion and four-time CFL all-star Micah Johnson which turned the point of interest of apply.
“He’s robust,” mentioned Stevens. “He’s robust and he is aware of some ideas there. I do know for a truth after we went towards one another he was most likely licking his lips like, ‘Oh I do know I’m going to beat him.’ Finally he did, however I nonetheless obtained one thing out of it although I misplaced.”
Stevens was capable of parlay that have in direction of becoming a member of the Roughriders’ apply squad, competing on the sector practically day-after-day at Mosaic Stadium over the previous two months.
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It’s an expertise he mentioned was a spotlight of his soccer profession, with classes he’s aiming to share together with his teammates again on the Hilltops.
“I used to be blessed to have that chance,” mentioned Stevens. “It’s solely proper that I attempt to no less than share that with a number of my teammates, if I ever can.”
Tom Sargeant has watched the Eatonia product grow to be one of many high defensive linemen in western Canada, a truth which the Roughriders have additionally recognized of their conversations with the Hilltops head coach.
“Speaking to the brass down in ‘Riderville’ he took full benefit of it,” mentioned Sargeant. “He’s an important child, a personality man, he reveals up day-after-day and simply works arduous. He’s introduced the identical mentality again right here. He’s working arduous, he’s a playmaker and he simply makes us higher. He’s educating and dealing with a number of the youthful gamers, offering that helpful expertise.”
Whereas Stevens will assist present a veteran presence on the Saskatoon defence this season, it will likely be a a lot youthful Hilltops staff taking the sector in comparison with their 2024 roster with 9 graduates leaving this system.
Probably the most notable of which being Hilltops quarterback and PFC most dear participant Trey Reider, who threw for 1,685 yards and 17 touchdowns in eight common season video games and received a nationwide championship with the group in 2023.
Reider’s departure from the staff has opened the door for backup quarterback Brexton Elias to take over behind centre after 4 seasons ready for his alternative to earn a starter’s position.
“We’re excited for his alternative as a result of he’s been very affected person,” mentioned Sargeant. “He’s waited and he’s deserving of this opportunity, so now he’s obtained to reap the benefits of it. Within the blue and gold we’re measured by wins and losses, it ain’t extra easy than that.”
Sport-planning for a brand new quarterback main the offence, Sargeant added the teaching employees has developed new play requires Elias which permit him to make use of his legs and put defences on their heels.
“He can run it at any time,” mentioned Sargeant. “We’ve given the inexperienced mild that we’re going to run some possibility, we’re simply going to vary it up and get him transferring a little bit in another way. Trey was extra of a gunslinger, he’d rip that ball all over.
“Brexton is simply [playing] a special model of recreation.”
Struggling their first loss in nearly two years final October to the Thunder within the PFC closing, the Hilltops have seen their streak of 21 consecutive victories come to an finish.
Unable to cease the run towards Regina within the championship recreation, that has been a key a part of coaching camp for the ‘Toppers’ based on Sargeant.
“I need to have probably the most bodily staff that blocks the very best and tackles the very best,” mentioned Sargeant. “If we do these issues, then we should always be capable to run the ball actual nicely and we should always be capable to cease the run. In order that’s the entire focus this yr.”
The Hilltops can have loads of work forward in direction of getting again on monitor and claiming a twenty fourth nationwide title, nonetheless the reminiscences of that recreation are dictating the teachings realized in defeat for the Hilltops.
They’re classes which Stevens mentioned might be displayed beginning of their Week 1 contest towards the Rifles.
“It’s nearly rising,” mentioned Stevens. “It’s all we are able to do coming into this subsequent season. Hopefully trying ahead to a different good yr, however hopefully and in the end finishing the mission.”
The Hilltops will kick off their 2025 CJFL season at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Winnipeg, earlier than returning to SMF Discipline for his or her house opener on Aug. 17 towards the Edmonton Huskies.
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