Huskies, Rams post Canada West victories

Saskatchewan’s two university football teams are still sitting 1-2 in the Canada West standings.

The Saskatchewan Huskies improved their first-place record to 4-0-0 on Friday with a 38-16 victory over the Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton. The second-place Regina Rams (3-1-0) kept pace, posting a 21-13 win over the UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver.

In Edmonton, the Huskies built a 25-3 second-quarter lead and cruised to the victory. It’s the first time since 2006 that Saskatchewan has started a season with four straight wins.

Quarterback Mason Nyhus completed 25 of 44 pass attempts for 351 yards with touchdown passes to Rhett Vavra (18 yards) and Branson Pipko (17 yards).

Ryker Frank had 12 carries for 128 yards and a touchdown for the Huskies, who got five field goals and three converts from David Solie. The Huskies also recorded a safety.

Daniel Perry (six catches for 115 yards) and Caleb Morin (six receptions for 100 yards) each went over the century mark in receiving for the Huskies.

Eli Hetlinger threw for 322 yards and a touchdown for the Golden Bears (2-2-0), but also threw three interceptions. Jonathan Giustini kicked two field goals, a convert and a single for Alberta, which also had a safety.

Next up for the Huskies is a home game Friday against the Manitoba Bisons.

In Vancouver, the Rams’ defence made a goal-line stand at the end of the first half to preserve a 14-10 lead and then got a turnover on downs at the Regina 28-yard line late in the fourth quarter to hold off the T-Birds (1-3-0).

Ryder Varga had 11.5 tackles and three tackles for losses to lead the Rams’ defence.

Regina quarterback Noah Pelletier was 17-for-29 passing for 178 yards, with nine- and 34-yard touchdown passes to Bennett Stusek.

Olivier Savard rushed 22 times for a career-high 103 yards and scored on a 31-yard run for the Rams. Stusek was Regina’s leading receiver with 77 yards on four catches.

Aldo Galvan added three converts for Regina.

Garrett Rooker completed 27 of 41 pass attempts for 363 yards for the T-Birds, with a 21-yard scoring toss to Lucas Robertson. Owen Brown had a field goal and a convert and Kieran Flannery-Fleck added a field goal for UBC.

The Rams are to play host to Alberta on Saturday.