Not surprisingly, the Hardy Cup-champion Saskatchewan Huskies swept the three weekly Canada West football Conference player-of-the-week honours.
Running back Adam Machart rumbled for 223 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries for the offensive salute as the Dogs bounced Manitoba 45-17 at Griffiths Stadium. On defence, rookie linebacker Lane Novak had a key interception and made eight tackles as the U of S allowed just one point over the final three quarters to overcome an early 16-0 deficit. And, kicker David Solie took the special teams honour with two field goals and some field position-changing punts. Saskatchewan heads east for Saturday’s Uteck Bowl, U Sports, national semi-final game against the Montreal Carabins. Following is the news release from the Canada West Conference…..
FB: Hardy Cup champions earn weekly honours
Three Huskies named CW Players of the Week
Adam Machart (Offence), Lane Novak (Defence), and David Solie (Special Teams) helped lead the Huskies to a 45-17 win over the Manitoba Bisons in the 84th Hardy Cup in Saskatoon and were all honoured for their performances is the conference championship.
Machart, a conference all-star in 2021, had a huge day on the ground for the Huskies. The fourth-year running back rushed for a season-high 223 yards on 20 carries. The Saskatoon, Sask. native scored three majors on the day and averaged 11.2 yards per attempt. Machart got involved in the passing game on a pair of occasions, picking up another 28 yards through the air.
First-year Saskatchewan linebacker Lane Novak had a Hardy Cup to remember with his best game of the season. The White City, Sask. native recorded a game-high eight tackles for a Huskies defensive unit that allowed just a single point after the first quarter.
Novak’s biggest play of the day came in the third quarter when the Greenall High School product intercepted a Manitoba pass deep in Bisons territory, setting up a Huskie touchdown.
Saskatchewan kicker David Solie hit a pair of field goals and helped the Huskies control field position in windy conditions on Saturday. The fourth-year from Saskatoon hit a 44 yard field goal to cut Manitoba’s halftime lead to just four. Solie would add a 26 yard insurance field goal in the fourth. The Canada West all-star punter pinned the Bisons deep in their own end twice, with a pair of punts angled to the sideline inside the 20 yard line.
Saskatchewan will now head to Montreal to take on the Carabins in the Uteck Bowl on Saturday with the winner advancing to the Vanier Cup against the victor of Saturday’s Mitchell Bowl between the StFX X-Men and Western Mustangs.
