Thunder needs victory for possible home playoff

By Tim Switzer, The Leader-PostSeptember 26, 2009

The Regina Thunder is to play its last two regular-season games in Mosaic Stadium.

The team would like to stay home even longer than that.

A victory against the visiting Edmonton Wildcats on Sunday (1 p.m.) would move the Thunder to 5-2 and leave it in position to finish in the top two in the Prairie Football Conference. A loss would drop Regina to 4-3, leave it on the losing end of the head-to-head tiebreakers with the other three playoff-bound teams and eliminate the possibility of a home playoff date.

The Thunder, Wildcats and Calgary Colts are tied for second in the league at 4-2, one game behind the Saskatoon Hilltops.

But to ask Thunder players and coaches, it would appear they are not even thinking about their playoff position just yet.

"We have to do the same as every other game -- come out prepared," said receiver Camille Lagimodiere, whose team closes the regular season against the visiting Winnipeg Rifles on Oct. 4. "We have to be really feisty with (the Wildcats) because they're pretty good. Their defence is decent and their offence is also good."

The meeting in Regina features the top two offensive teams in the league.

Regina is led by quarterback Reid Quest, who leads all passers in most categories and was named the CJFL offensive player-of-the-week on Friday. Right behind him is Wildcats pivot Andy Pilon, whose favourite target is league-leading receiver Kevin Wuthrich.

The Wildcats also feature three of the top 10 running backs in the PFC, led by Justin McEvoy, who has carried 93 times for 462 yards this season.

"They're mostly a running team and our defence isn't as good in the run -- that's something we've had to work at really hard," said defensive end Matt Gosselin.

"It is going to be a big challenge stopping them. They like to run the ball a lot and have a lot of players who are athletic, but I think we have the personnel to stop them."

And while Regina boasts one of the PFC's top defences (allowing a league-low 99 points), the Wildcats have one of its top special-teams units with returners David Berg and Jarit Lambert (who have each taken a kick back for a major this season) and kicker Ben Hnidan (who leads the circuit in scoring and kickoff average).

"The first game we saw, they stayed in the game and won the game against the Colts because of special teams and taking a couple back to the house," said Thunder head coach Erwin Klempner, noting the Thunder will likely use its road special-teams unit Sunday rather than take full advantage of the 20 extra players it can dress at home.

"That's their biggest strength right now and if we can take care of that, I think we put ourselves in a good position."

As for the 72-0 win the Wildcats recorded over the Edmonton Huskies last week, that has never really crossed the minds of the Thunder, either.

"We rang up 52 against Winnipeg (last week) but we can't sit on our laurels and think about that game either," said Klempner.

"We have to come back this week and be ready for a new opponent."

RUMBLINGS: Nose tackle Kurtis Millington is expected to play Sunday after sitting out the previous two games with a concussion ... Kicker/slotback Jeff Bolen, who has been sidelined since Aug. 23 with torn ligaments in his left knee, will not be back for the regular season, but it is believed he could be ready to return for the playoffs.