Antigonish, NS - The Saskatchewan Huskies punched their return ticket to the Canada Life Vanier Cup thanks to a 36-19 win over the STFX X-Men in the 2022 Uteck Bowl on Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of close to 2200.
Huskies quarterback, a Hec Crighton nominee and the Nike offensive player of the game Mason Nyhus (Regina, SK) went 30-38 in the air with two touchdowns. Running back Ryker Frank (Regina, SK) earned 134 yards on the ground, with a touchdown.
It was a tight game, as the teams were tied 13-13 midway through the fourth quarter, but the Huskies rallied for 23 points late in the game to seal the win. Following the matchup, Nyhus credited the X-Men for a hard fought game.
"We had to weather the storm," he said. "We knew we could move the football, we just had to finish and we started to do that in the second half. Obviously that big play by Dan Wiebe to get into the endzone and then the pick-six by John Stoll, and we just kept going."
Looking ahead to the national finals, Nyhus said his squad will head back to Saskatoon, and get ready.
"It's going to be a hard fought game, we'll just have to play hard."
For STFX, quarterback Silas Fagnan (Bonnyville,AB) went 17-36 with a touchdown, adding 50 yards on the ground, including scoring a TD of his own. AUS most valuable player running back Malcolm Bussey (Hammonds Plains, NS) added 58 yards on the ground.
On the defensive side of the ball, Liam Wilde (Calgary, AB) had 8.5 tackles (including seven solo) for the X-Men.
STFX head coach Gary Waterman credited his team for their work during the game and the entire season.
"In football, and sports in general, momentum shifts and it kind of gets away from you, a play here and a play there, then you have to respond," he said. "We didn't fold the tent. They made some plays and pulled away a little bit but we kept fighting and that's what you want to see your team do."
Waterman said he and his team were disappointed and saddened they couldn't pull out the win but his message afterwards was one of pride in his squad.
"As a team, there was a lot we had to deal with and overcome over the course of the season and not all of it was on the field, it was just life," said Waterman. "I was proud of how the guys were not just great on the field but how they responded and looked after each other off the field. That's what it's all about. The game, we love and we try to win, but it's about seeing the men grow and develop their character, and we saw a lot of that this year."
The last and only other time the two teams have faced off was in the 1996 Vanier Cup, with the Huskies winning the national title by a score of 31-12. Current Huskies head coach Scott Flory was a part of that Saskatchewan team, playing on the O-line.
STFX held the Huskies to a two-and-out on Saskatchewan's first possession, and were able to gather enough ground for a field goal attempt, but the kick was wide and Saskatchewan started their next series at their own 20 yard line. The Huskies then marched down the field and kicker David Solie (Saskatoon, SK) put three points on the board for the visitors with a 32-yard field goal.
The teams then exchanged possessions, with STFX keeping the ball as they moved into the second quarter. Strong runs from Bussey and Fagnan, including a short burst on third down, brought the X-Men into scoring position. However, a pair of offensive penalties pushed X back, and they had to settle for a field goal, with kicker Ben Hadley (Halifax, NS) tying the game at 3-3 with his 32 yarder.
Later in the quarter, STFX defender Thomas Bentley (Dartmouth, NS) picked up a Huskies fumble and X was able to push the ball deep into the visitor's end. The eight-play drive ended with another Hadley field goal, this time from 17-yards out, and STFX took their first lead of the game.
The Huskies drove deep into the X zone on the next series but a fumble caused and recovered by X-Men defensive back Nathan Cayouette (Strathmore, AB) in the X-Men endzone gave the home team the ball back on their own 20-yard line. After holding the X-Men to a punt, Saskatchewan was able to gain enough ground for another Solie field goal, tying the game at 6-6 with 3.4 seconds left in the half.
Nyhus marched his team downfield on the Huskies' opening drive and Frank punched one in for six from the two-yard-line, with Solie converting, giving Saskatchewan a 13-6 lead.
STFX replied with just over two minutes to go in the quarter, with Fagnan capping off a big drive with a 19-yard scamper himself into the endzone and Hadley kicking the extra point.
The teams again traded possessions without a score, and with just under nine minutes left to play, the X-Men began a drive at their own 12-yard-line. Hadley took a knee in his own endzone, conceding the safety, and Saskatchewan retook the lead, 15-13.
A 41-yard touchdown pass from Nyhus to Daniel Wiebe (Saskatoon, SK) capped off a 65-yard drive for the Huskies on their next possession, with Solie again converting the extra point as the visitors went up by nine.
A pick-six from Husky defensive player of the game John Stoll (Melville, SK) on the next X possession increased the Saskatchewan lead to 29-13 and helped secure the victory for the Canada West champions.
STFX threatened on their next chance with the ball, and Fagnan hit Ben Harrington with a 38-yard pass for the major, but weren't able to capitalize on a two-point conversion with just over three minutes left.
The Huskies got the ball back and capped off their victory with another touchdown, with Nyhus hitting Daniel Perry (Calgary, AB) with a pass for the major.
With the win, Saskatchewan now moves on to the Canada Life Vanier Cup in London, Ont. next Saturday as they await their opponent from the winner of this afternoon's Mitchell Bowl, either Laval or Western.
The X-Men close out their season with a 9-1 record in regular season and playoff games.
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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics
