Rifles’ hopes shot down by Hilltops

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This article was published 06/10/2014 (4375 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Rifles’ hopes of hosting a playoff game were nullified on Sunday afternoon.

It could end up being a blessing in disguise, though, as the Rifles finished the home portion of their Prairie Football Conference regular season with a 1-3 home record after a 44-19 loss to the Saskatoon Hilltops (5-2).

Winnipeg (3-4) will look to clinch a playoff berth and improve on its 2-1 road record when it wraps up the regular season in Regina against the 4-2-1 Thunder Sunday.

The Rifles trailed 17-10 at the half, and head coach Ryan Karhut was pleased with how his team started, but said the Hilltops adjusted better at halftime.

“We competed hard in the first half and we did a lot of things right that we’ve been working on all week in practice,” he said. “In the second half, it just seemed to fall apart and get away from us.

“We couldn’t seem to get a stop and we couldn’t seem to get a drive going after that first one.”

Receiver Kurt Goodrich had a pair of touchdowns for the Rifles, doubling his season total. The 21-year-old West Kildonan Collegiate product hauled in a nine-yard pass from quarterback Tyler Vieira with 10:14 left in the second quarter, bringing Winnipeg to within 17-8. With 10:04 left in the third quarter, Vieira found Goodrich near the line of scrimmage. Goodrich danced past a handful of Saskatoon defenders and went 27 yards into the end zone to get Winnipeg to within 24-17 at Investors Group Field.

However, Saskatoon’s offence had a field day, moving the ball effectively through the air and on the ground. The Hilltops were aided by five Rifle turnovers — a fumble from Cam Penner, a snap that got away from Vieira, who was also picked three times — while only giving up one themselves. Penalties were a major factor. Immediately after Goodrich’s second score, Saskatoon mounted a drive — aided by two Winnipeg 15-yard penalties — that culminated in Wayndel Lewis’ second two-yard touchdown run of the game.

Goodrich was glad to break out on a personal level after being held out of the end zone the past two weeks, but bemoaned the free possessions the Rifles handed over.

“It was just mental mistakes, turnovers that cost us this game,” he said, adding Saskatoon has traditionally been adept at forcing turnovers.

Saskatoon quarterback Jared Andreychuk tossed two touchdown passes, one to running back Logan Fischer and one to slotback Evan Kopchynski. Centre Drayke Unger also pounded one in.

The Rifles entered the game with a chance to tie Saskatoon, who had spanked them 48-23 in Saskatchewan last weekend, and to remain within striking distance of the Thunder, who played to a 27-27 tie against the host Edmonton Huskies.

The game was delayed more than 20 minutes in the fourth quarter after an injury to Rifles defensive lineman Isiah Isla, who went down after apparently taking a knee to the head. He got up and continued the play before taking a knee and then going to the ground.

Karhut didn’t have an official update immediately after the game, but said Isla being taken to hospital in an ambulance was “precautionary.”