'Start of something special': Riders use garbage bag day to reflect on 2024
Nov 11, 2024
The locker room was full of optimism for the future of the organization on Sunday.
It was a rainy, windy and cloudy day in Saskatoon as the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team prepared for their home opener on Friday.
It has been a dreadful start to the season for the Huskies as they came into the game 0-2 on the young season.
But as 8,733 people filed into Griffiths Stadium it was the University of Calgary Dinos who got off to a loud start when Dinos linebacker Connor Jones blocked a Huskies punt attempt and returned it 30 yards for the touchdown.
The Huskies answered back with a touchdown of their own as running back Javin Boynton ran one in himself.
Dinos receiver Isaiah Woodley and Huskies running back Ryker Frank both added a touchdown o before the end of the half.
After a 45 yard field goal the Huskies took a 20-16 lead into the half.
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Frank also got the second half started with a bang as he brought another one in for his second touchdown of the game.
Dinos quarterback Dom Britton answered back by running in a touchdown of his own, and the Dinos would also complete a two point conversion with a pass to Woodley.
The Huskies brought a 27-24 lead into the fourth quarter but a Dinos field goal tied the game at 27-27, then Frank struck again for his third touchdown to give the Huskies the 34-27 lead.
But the Dinos responded as halfback Tyson Rowe ran in Calgary’s fourth touchdown, tying the game at 34-34.
The game required a second overtime after both teams kicked field goals in the first overtime.
In the second OT, a couple of Huskies stops meant the Dinos were left with no choice but to go for a field goal, making it 40-37.
Boynton then sent the Huskies faithful home happy with a walk-off touchdown for a final score of 44-40
Before the touchdown run, the Huskies were left with a third and inches, and had to choose to kick a field goal to tie the game, or gamble for a first down.
Huskies head coach Scott Flory said there was never a doubt what his decision was going to be.
“I knew we had it,” said Flory. “I believe in our guys .. I think that we’ve done well up front in controlling the line of scrimmage.”
Frank credited his big game to the hard work his teammates put in.
“That’s all on the o-line,” said Frank. “They nutted up today, they were moving that line of scrimmage.”
For an offensive player, sitting on the sidelines in overtime watching your defence try to take care of business can be a difficult thing. But Frank said that wasn’t the case for him.
“I got full faith in our defence,” said Frank. “I’m cheering them on loud.”
Flory said this was an important win to get before heading into week 4.
“With all of our new guys and young guys, just getting that confidence in what we’re doing is right,” said Flory.
“Being able to build off of this and being able to understand .. when you buy in and start to reap the benefits of that, I think it just cements that buy in.”
The Huskies now travel to Vancouver to take on the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.
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