The Regina Rams will visit the Saskatchewan Huskies in the Hardy Cup for the second straight year as they look to defend their Canada West football title and avenge their earlier regular season loss to the Huskies.
“We’re excited for a rematch,” said Rams head coach Mark McConkey.
“We’re looking forward to that battle.”
The Rams defeated the Huskies 19-14 last year to win their first Hardy Cup since 2004. The Huskies got their revenge earlier this season as they beat the Rams 22-20, which was the Rams’ first loss of the season after blowing a 10-point lead in the second half of that game.
The Rams face a difficult challenge to repeat as conference champions, as the Huskies are currently ranked as the No. 3 team in the country, and finished the regular season first in CanWest with a 7-1 record.
“They’re a great team, we got our hands full, we know that,” said Rams quarterback Owen Sieben.
Regina won a nailbiter in the CanWest semifinal, winning 32-29 in double overtime versus the Manitoba Bisons on the back of a 5-for-5 performance from kicker Ty Gorniak. The rookie kicker hit 35-yard field goal to send the game to overtime, and a 38 yarder in the second overtime that ended up being the game winner.
“It’s actually a dream come true being a rookie and playing in this stage … I got that opportunity to win the game and that’s what I did,” said Gorniak.
Rams star running back Marshall Erichsen, who finished the regular season second in the country with 1,026 rushing yards, will not be available for the Hardy Cup. Erichsen suffered an Achilles injury in the third quarter of the semifinal game versus Manitoba.
“We got to gameplan a little differently without Marsh and with C.K. (Christian Katende) in,” said McConkey.
Katende has stepped up in big moments for the Rams before, as he rushed for 228 yards and two touchdowns in week eight vs Alberta last season to help the Rams clinch a playoff spot. Katende was also a major factor in last year’s Hardy Cup, leading the team with 19 carries for 98 yards.
“Anytime we need that guy he’s just been unbelievable,” said Sieben.
A key area to watch will be the Rams rushing attack vs the Huskies run defence. Regina is averaging 168.8 rush yards per game which is ninth in the country, and Saskatchewan is only allowing 118.4 rush yards per game, which ranks sixth.
“We pride ourselves in our run game, our ability to just muck it up and get yards and they’re super physical, Seth Hundeby, (Jacob) Goldstone, they’re great players. And you got to play a full 60 minutes with those guys, they’re like us, they’re gritty,” said Sieben.
While the Rams are aware of the challenge the Huskies pose, they’re remaining focused on themselves.
“Every play we just have to do our job and stay locked in and focus on us and not them,” said Rams linebacker Chopper Hippe.
Kickoff is scheduled for this Saturday at 2 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon.
