That's using your head; Hilltops advance in PFC playoffs
By Cory Wolfe, TheStarPhoenix.comOctober 11, 2009



Steve Grenier led the Saskatoon Hilltops to a playoff win Sunday over Regina
Photograph by: The StarPhoenix, file photo
Hilltops 30, Thunder 24

The Saskatoon Hilltops don't have an off-the-helmet bank pass in their playbook. They
turned one into a touchdown Sunday, though.

Inspired by Steve Grenier's diving catch of a deflected pass in the end zone, the
Hilltops rallied to beat the Regina Thunder 30-24 in a Prairie Football Conference
semi-final at Gordie Howe Bowl.

"That's a fifth-year player who took nothing for granted and played to the whistle," said
Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, whose team will host next Sunday's PFC final against
the Edmonton Wildcats.

"It was just a great play and we needed that. It could've just as easily been a Regina
player (intercepting the ball).

"I saw a lot of passion and a lot of desire by Steve to get there, and did that ever
rally and motivate this football team."

Grenier's touchdown didn't provide the winning points, but it did provide the turning
point. He helped erase a 14-9 third-quarter deficit by scoring the first of three
straight Saskatoon touchdowns.

"We've had to battle for every win this year, so this is nothing new to us," said
Grenier. "Last year, we didn't have any of that adversity and we didn't have (close-game
experience) when we needed it (in a national semi-final loss to the Vancouver Island
Raiders).

"This team just has a way of battling through when we need to."

Buoyed by a regular-season win over Saskatoon, Regina proved a worthy adversary Sunday.
Thunder quarterback Wyatt Catley engineered a 305-yard aerial attack, but he also threw
four interceptions. Two of those landed in the hands of Ben Cressman, and both set up
fourth-quarter touchdowns for Saskatoon.

"The defence gave us some great momentum," said Hilltops running back Regan Schuler, who
carried 23 times for 99 yards. "We wanted to take advantage of the opportunities. That's
our job."

The Thunder took a 14-9 lead on Camille Lagimodiere's five-yard touchdown reception with
6:15 left in the third quarter, but the Hilltops answered on their next possession.
Energized by a Kit Hillis kick return that gave Saskatoon the ball near midfield,
quarterback Chase Bradshaw marched his team all the way to Regina's four yard-line.
Facing second down, he intended to fake a handoff to Grenier and throw to rookie slotback
Aaron Haight in the end zone.

It didn't work out that way, though.

Bradshaw's pass bounced off of a Regina player's helmet and seemed destined to fall
incomplete. A diving Grenier got to it just in time.

"Steve made a huge effort to get to the ball," said Schuler. "He wanted to stay alive and
play another game. He really stepped up and got the momentum for us."

Cressman's subsequent interceptions helped set up Schuler's 10-yard touchdown run and
Brayden Klimosko's four-yard scoring plunge. That gave the hosts a 30-14 lead that Regina
dented but couldn't overcome.

"I dropped a few balls earlier and in other games, so it's nice to finally catch the
ball," said Cressman, who had zero PFC interceptions before Sunday. "It felt good to see
the offence go down and score."

Klimosko scored Saskatoon's other major on a one-yard run in the first quarter. The
Thunder got two touchdown receptions from Lagimodiere (five and 23 yards), and another
from Jay Smith (23 yards). Each team conceded a safety.

"It was a very fine line and both teams played their hearts out," said Thunder head coach
Erwin Klempner. "Unfortunately, we came out on the short end of it but I'm very proud of
these guys. We really came together as a team and they believed in each other through
adversity.

"They battled back and gave themselves a chance to win. That's all you can ask of your
team."

EXTRA POINTS: LB Corbin Eskelson led the Hilltops with eight tackles and an interception
Sunday. LB Brendan Larmour had Saskatoon's other pick . . . In Edmonton, the Wildcats'
defence came up with five interceptions in a 35-20 win over the Calgary Colts..