Thunder’s Junior takes loss hard
By TIM SWITZER
Leader-Post

SASKATOON — Deke Junior couldn’t face his own team after the Regina Thunder fell 37-28 to the Saskatoon Hilltops in a Prairie Football Conference semifinal Sunday.

With just over a minute remaining, the Thunder got the ball for a last-ditch possession, but Junior fumbled on the first play after rushing for a first down.

As Junior walked to the sideline, he stayed well away from the rest of the Thunder players.

“I put a lot on my shoulders and I figure I let them down,” said Junior, whose junior football career ended with the loss.

As Junior stood on the sideline, doubled over with tears streaming from his eyes, his fellow fifth-year players — offensive lineman Andrew Sinclair, running back Stu Foord, fullback Brett Lund and receiver Ian Creaser — surrounded him.

“He felt that it lay on his head after just because he was the man that dropped the ball,” said Sinclair. “That’s not the case at all. It’s a team game and all of us didn’t do it today.”

Despite the fumble when the game was already out of reach and two interceptions, it would be hard for anyone to blame the loss on Junior. The former Thom Trojans star went 34-for-46 for 426 yards, two touchdowns and two picks. He also ran 10 times for 49 yards and a touchdown.

After regaining his composure, Junior stood in a long embrace with Thunder offensive co-ordinator Gerry Thompson. Thompson also coached Junior for two seasons at Thom and calls the quarterback the best he has instructed at the position.

Junior has been just as complimentary about Thompson in the past and extended it to his fellow fifth-years Sunday.

“Lund, you’ll never find a harderworking or tougher player and Stu is the most skilled player I’ve ever met,” said Junior, fighting back more tears. “Creaser has been killing people and Sinc is the most undersized lineman I have ever seen, but he the best and smartest lineman I’ve ever seen. He’s silly not to play further.”

Foord had 17 carries for 49 yards and seven receptions for 82 yards Sunday. Creaser caught five passes for 51 yards and Lund had one catch for five yards to go along with a game-high three special teams tackles.

“All we have is each other,” said Lund. “We’ve had each other for the last five years and that’s all we’ve got right now.”

The Thunder got out to a 14-3 lead on the Hilltops early in the second quarter after a four-yard run by Junior and an 82-yard pass to Rory Kohlert both resulted in touchdowns. But, aided by 111 yards in Regina penalties, the Hilltops scored a pair of touchdowns and a pair of field goals to hold a 23-14 halftime lead.

Adrian Charles returned the opening kickoff of the second half to Regina’s three-yard line to set up his one-yard touchdown plunge that gave Saskatoon a big advantage.

Regina stormed back, however, with a one-yard touchdown run by Foord and a 31-yard catch for a major by rookie Jay Smith.

Trailing 30-28 at that point, Regina was driving with under two minutes remaining and had a second-and-two at its own 54-yard line and attempted a deep pass to wide receiver Jamie Alport that fell incomplete. On the next play, Foord was stopped for no gain.

“We wanted to keep them offguard, get a quick seven and then keep going,” said Thunder head coach Erwin Klempner.

The Hilltops will meet the Edmonton Wildcats, who beat the Edmotnon Huskies 35-7 in the other semifinal, in the PFC final on Sunday.

“We came out pretty strong but they turned it on at the end of the second quarter and we made some mistakes that they capitalized on,” said Sinclair. “We battled, but it just wasn’t good enough today.

“It’s real disappointing knowing this was my last game with the team. But, what can you do? The team is only going to go up from here. I’m just upset I can’t be a part of it anymore.”