The Regina Thunder defeated the rival Saskatoon Hilltops 44-19 in the Prairie Football Conference Championship. After winning Sunday at Leibel Field, the Thunder will advance to the CJFL Canadian Bowl Semi-Final. Thunder head coach Scott MacAulay said returning players reflected on their lost to the Hilltops in last year’s PFC final. “We did talk about some things that you learned from each PFC Championship. You got to take those learnings with you and we applied those things to our practices and to our mindset going into the game,” MacAulay told reporters after. “I think that paid off for us this time.” Thunder receiver Carwyn Williams credited the team’s second-half play for the win. “I think the kickoff at the start of the game — the momentum got going. [Marcus] Butz’s pick-six that got the boys going again. Then we just went on from there,” Williams said. Defensive back Marcus Butz said it was his fifth pick-six of the season, logging four in the regular season. “PFC final, it can’t get bigger than that,” Butz described the play to reporters. “ … Same thing he threw against me last time he came over here and played. I honestly didn’t believe he threw it until I had it in my hands and [there was] just green grass ahead.” Sunday was the Thunder’s fourth PFC win. The Regina team hasn’t won a national championship 2013. “We had it early and they controlled after that. They’ve been the class of the league all year and they certainly displayed that this afternoon,” said Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant. “Full credit to coach MacAulay and his group for playing a great game and now going on to represent the PFC. I wish him nothing but great success in the future.” The Regina Thunder will now compete against the Sault Ste. Marie Cougars in the CJFL Canadian Bowl Semi-Final next weekend in Ontario. “We’re on a high right now. I think our guys are not satisfied, just kind of seeing our players and how they’re all dialed in, they’re going to celebrate tonight. We all are, but they’re not satisfied,” MacAulay said.
