'We don’t want to feel like that again': Regina Thunder get chance at redemption in PFC final vs. Hilltops

The Regina Thunder at practice. (Brit Dort / CTV News)

It will be a rematch of the 2023 Prairie Football Conference Final between the Regina Thunder and Saskatoon Hilltops on Sunday, and the Thunder are looking to flip the script this season after falling 21-13 in last year’s matchup.

“Last year is definitely a motivator for us. We thought we put ourselves in a position there late in the fourth quarter to win and unfortunately things didn’t go out way. We spent the off-season rebuilding and thinking about ways we can be successful come this game,” said Brett Strong, special teams and running backs coach for the Thunder.

“That’s something we’ve all talked about is that feeling we all had last year. It’s one of the worst feelings to have and we don’t want to feel like that again, so we’re taking that loss as motivation,” said Thunder receiver, Ben Walz.

Walz and his running back teammate, Rylan Leichert, were all the hype following their semi-final versus the Calgary Colts. Both had three touchdowns in the dominant 64-7 victory.

“First off, the o-line put us in great positions, driving guys downfield. That makes it easy for me as a running back to make my reads and use my skill set at the second level. Then, Ben, he’s a 6 ‘5’ receiver and you see the preparation he puts in, and the catches he then executed. It was good to see the boys get on the board,” Leichert shared.

“Everyone worked really hard all week to get that result, and everyone worked really hard during the game. It was just full excitement coming out of it,” added quarterback, Ethan Hugg.

Last year, the Hilltops went on to win the Canadian Junior Football League [CJFL] Championship. The Thunder and Hilltops have met the last four PFC finals, and the Thunder even went on to the championship game back in 2022 but fell short.

“The excitement is something you almost can’t even talk about. It’s the biggest game of the year, PFC Championship game. Same two teams playing for the last four years. We were able to get them a couple years ago, and they’ve beat us twice. So fourth time here and hopefully it’s the charm. It’s the best fame of the year playing the Hilltops late in the year. You can’t beat it,” Strong exclaimed.

The Hilltops have gone undefeated this season, they beat the Thunder 29-15 and 36-11 in their two meetings this season. However, the Thunder are confident they have a good chance this weekend as they believe they are playing some of their best football down the stretch.

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“They’re a good team but I think we’ve kind of found our identity this year, especially at the end of the season with our run game. We can just run the ball right through the gut and they can’t stop us,” Walz said confidently.

“I think anytime you get to the playoffs, your run game matters to control the clock. And we’re going to put a huge focus on that this weekend,” Leichert added in agreement.

Leichert is definitely a big boost in the run game on offence. In his fourth year he has already set the franchise record for rushing yards. He had 22 carries for 182 yards in the semi-final alone that led to his three touchdowns. In his Thunder career, he currently has 3,712 rushing yards.

“It’s cool. I think I’ve worked really hard for a lot of years to put myself in that position and I’ve also been really lucky with my family that supports me and the teammates around me who put me in successful positions. I’ve done a lot but there’s still a lot to go. I’m still hungry,” he said.

The game will take place in Saskatoon at SMF Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. and the Thunder are looking forward to the challenge of competing on the road.

“Saskatoon’s a hostile environment every time we go but we kind of feed off of it. But we have a lot of fans that come down too so it’s a pretty big game,” Walz said.

The winner will face the B.C. champion for a berth in the 115th Canadian Bowl that will take place on Nov. 9 in Ontario.

“It would mean the world to us. Everyone works very hard and winning takes a lot of effort. Everyone would like to play [at least] one more week,” Hugg said.