Rifles in fight for playoff life

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This article was published 25/09/2023 (1102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Rifles still have some kick.

The Rifles (2-4) hit their mark for the first time in a month on Saturday when they blanked the winless Edmonton Wildcats 39-0 to end a four-game slide and stay alive in the Canadian Junior Football League’s Prairie Conference playoff race.

“It was huge,” Rifles head coach Geordie Wilson said Monday. “The fact is, it was the first time all season that we played a three-phase game. The thing with football is it’s not hockey, where you play two nights from now. Every game is monumental… so it’s huge. It’s a huge building block and kind of reinforces what we’ve been talking about and trying to fix.

“All of a sudden, they did stuff that we’ve been asking them to do and good things happen so it’s certainly a huge confidence boost for the guys for sure.”

The Rifles will need to keep firing in a compelling matchup with the Edmonton Huskies (3-3), who they downed 20-16 in Alberta to open the season. The Rifles will play host this time around at Maple Grove Park on Sunday, 1 p.m.

A season sweep of the Huskies would leave the Rifles with the playoff tiebreaker and favourable odds at clinching a third-consecutive berth, despite a tough Saskatoon Hilltops club awaiting them in the final game of the season (Oct. 8).

“That’s what we’re focused on,” Wilson said. “We know this is a playoff game. At the end of the day, if we lose it, chances are we’re out of the playoffs.

“If you get in the tournament, you got a chance to win it.”

The Rifles’ young offence, led by starting quarterback Thomas Hubbard, struggled after its first win of the year, recording just 53 points over the ensuing four-game losing streak. With his team’s season hanging in the balance, Wilson turned to first-year pivot Chris Clarkson to lead the offensive unit against the Wildcats on Saturday.

Clarkson, who started for St. Paul’s in 2021, brings some dynamic improvising ability as a dual threat to the sputtering offence.

“It’s, of course, very exciting (to be the starter),” said Clarkson, who rushed for 38 yards on five carries while tossing for 117 yards in Saturday’s blowout victory. “At the end of the day, it’s football. It’s something that I’ve always loved. It’s just go out there and have fun, I’m not really nervous. Our coaching put in a lot of work and our guys put in a lot of work week in and week out in practice, as well, so I feel like if we do our job we can do a lot of great things on the field.”

Clarkson will get the start against the Huskies on Sunday. He said he’s not concerned about the chemistry — or lack thereof — he has with his receivers, noting he’s been getting more reps with the starters over the last couple of weeks.

“The chemistry has been there. Right now, it’s kind of trying to refine it and make it the best it can be. It doesn’t just have to do with me and (the receivers), it’s everybody in the offence, all levels, that have to fire in order for us to win,” Clarkson said. “Coaches got to do what the coaches got to do and players got to do what the players got to do right now.”

Wilson lauded his team’s experience at the beginning of the year, specifically the defence, which returned 12 starters this season and is led by one of the country’s best linebackers in Brandon Kamenz and top defensive back in Kyle Chorney.

If there was any time for the defence to flaunt its experience, Sunday is it, Wilson said.

“It’s going to be a challenge, like everything else. Nothing is easy, but this week was a big step and we just got to build off it. The thing is, if we have a good week this week and we win and the kids keep progressing, we can be a scary team. But we have to get through this week.

“(The Huskies) understand if they win, they’re in. If they lose, there’s a pretty good chance they won’t be in the playoffs. This is what this comes down to, this is a playoff game.”

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

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