Photo credit: Darren Steinke
Riece Kack is still wrapping his arms around the notion of wrapping his arms around the opposing quarterback six times in one game.
But that is exactly what he did on Sunday, registering six sacks — the most by a Canadian junior football player in one game — to help the Saskatoon Hilltops blank the visiting St. Clair Saints 43-0 in a national semi-final at SMF Field.
“It still hasn’t quite set in, to be honest,” Kack said on Monday. “I’m just picking through the film that got sent out to us. Watching it back, it’s like, ‘Holy cow!’
“It’s interesting watching it now — definitely not boring.”
Kack registered six of his team’s nine sacks as the Hilltops improved their 2023 record to 11-0 — a slate that includes three post-season victories.
Next up is the Canadian Junior Football League’s championship game, which is set for Nov. 11 against the British Columbia Football Conference-champion Westshore Rebels.
The Rebels will be the host team for the final, which is to be played at Starlight Stadium in Langford, B.C., a suburb of Victoria.
Saskatoon is aiming for its 23rd national championship — and its first since 2019.
“Anytime I get to wear the Hilltop ‘H’ is a good day,” Kack said. “I’m just thrilled that I can go out there and compete for another week.
“I’m glad that I could provide for the team and give us a bit of juice to get over the hump that we’ve been kind of stuck on for the last couple of years.”
Kack became the seventh CJFL player to register five or more sacks in a game.
The record of five sacks had been shared by six players. Roger Rourke of the BCFC’s Richmond Raiders had set the CJFL’s post-season record of five sacks on October 12, 1985 in an 89-0 victory over Victoria PayLess.
The first CJFL player to register five sacks was the Hamilton Hurricanes’ Ron Zammit, who also blocked two kicks in a 47-1 Ontario Football Conference victory over the Burlington Braves on Oct. 2, 1982.
Until Sunday, a CJFL player had not erupted for five sacks since the Langley Rams’ Evan Foster accomplished that feat in a BCFC game against the Kamloops Broncos on Sept. 9, 2012.
Kack’s previous single-game high for sacks was 2½, which came on Aug. 27 in a 50-18 Prairie Football Conference victory over the visiting Calgary Colts.
He added two sacks in another game en route to registering a league-high total of 7½.
Then, on Sunday, he produced 80 per cent of that total in a single game.
“I got my fifth one and I heard over the loud-speaker that I was tied (for the record),” Kack recalled. “I was just kind of thinking, ‘There’s still another quarter left, so I’m just going to keep on rolling and hopefully I get a chance to get the last one.’
“Then I wrapped him up for the sixth one and it was electric.”
Kack, a 21-year-old defensive end, is quick to credit the “great inside pressure” that was exerted by teammates Johnathon Stevens and Craig Torgerson, along with the airtight coverage that was provided by Saskatoon’s defensive backs.
The collaborative efforts of Kack’s defensive cohorts helped him amass a sack total that was, as he described it, “insane.”
Linebacker Wade Keating added six defensive tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for Saskatoon, which has outscored the opposition 452-66 this season.
Hilltops quarterback Trey Reider threw two touchdown passes to Noah Flaman and found Drake Douglas for a single score against the St. Clair squad, which is from Windsor, Ont.
Charles Sawi and Brexton Elias scored along the ground for Saskatoon.
HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE
The Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s 6A football finals are set for Friday night.
In the Regina Intercollegiate Football League’s championship game, the LeBoldus Golden Suns will face the Miller Marauders (6 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
At 6:30 p.m., the St. Joseph Guardians and Holy Cross Crusaders will meet for Saskatoon 6A honours. The game is to be played at SMF Field.
The Regina and Saskatoon city champions are to collide on Nov. 11 (1 p.m., SMF Field) in the provincial final.
The SHSAA’s upcoming playoff schedule also consists of the following provincial semi-finals, to be played on Saturday:
5A 12-aside: Greenall at Weyburn, 1 p.m., Darold Kot Field; North Battleford Comprehensive at Saskatoon Aden Bowman, 1 p.m., SMF Field.
4A nine-aside: Melfort at Shaunavon, 1 p.m.; Tisdale at Lumsden, 1 p.m.
2A six-aside: Wakaw at Watrous, 1 p.m.; Rosetown at Clavet, 1 p.m.
1A six-aside: Cupar at Hafford, 1 p.m.; Lemberg at Carrot River, 1 p.m.
