The Saskatoon Hilltops shake hands with the Regina Thunder after defeating them 30-27 in overtime during the Prairie Football Conference league final at Mosaic Stadium on Sunday, October 26, 2025 in Regina.
The Saskatoon Hilltops shake hands with the Regina Thunder after defeating them 30-27 in overtime during the Prairie Football Conference league final at Mosaic Stadium on Sunday, October 26, 2025 in Regina.
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It's Chapter Six of the best rivalry in the Prairie Football Conference.
After dominant performances from both the Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder in their respective PFC semifinals on Sunday afternoon, the two teams will meet next Sunday (1 p.m., Leibel Field in Regina) for bragging rights, a PFC championship and the chance to continue a national title pursuit.
Here are three things to know about how the Hilltops and Thunder came to face off — again — in the PFC championship final ...
1 — The Thunder and Hilltops steamrolled through their semifinals.
The top-ranked Thunder (7-1 in the regular season) rolled over fourth-ranked Calgary Colts (4-4) 40-10 at Leibel Field, while the second-ranked Hilltops (4-4) handled the Edmonton Wildcats (4-4) by a 44-16 score at SMF Field.
The Hilltops and Wildcats split their two regular season meetings, but Saturday's semi-final was decided by halftime.
"That was the goal all year to get to the PFC championship. Doesn't matter how you get there, we're there," Hilltops coach Tom Sargeant said following the win.
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The Colts had ended the Thunder's undefeated campaign in the final week of the regular season, though Regina was resting many of its regular starters.
2 — For the sixth season in a row, the Hilltops and Thunder are the final PFC teams standing.
The Hilltops won the PFC title over the Thunder in 2021, 2023 and 2025. The Thunder, meanwhile, claimed the title in 2022 and 2024.
After blowouts in the 2021 and 2022 finals, each of the past three championship games have come down to a one-possession margin. Last year, most notably, the final went to overtime before the Toppers won 30-27.
This regular season, the Thunder swept the pair of meetings between the two teams, with the Thunder winning 37-13 at home on Sept. 12 and then 19-6 on the road on Sept. 26.
Prior to the 2020 season being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hilltops beat the Calgary Colts in three straight PFC finals from 2014-16, the Thunder in the 2017 final, and the Edmonton Huskies in back-to-back years in 2018-19.
3 — Sargeant was proud of how his team performed with the season on the line.
"The boys delivered today," he said.
Starting with a 22-yard first-quarter field goal from Ryden Gratton, the Hilltops never trailed. A dynamic punt return by Charles Sawi set up a quarterback sneak from Sam Bazarkiewicz to make it 10-0.
The Hilltops conceded a safety that brought Edmonton back within one possession, but that was as close as things would get the rest of the game.
Carson Holcomb returned an interception for a touchdown, Donovan Harkness hauled in a TD and Corbin Ebben rounded out the first-half scoring. The Toppers led 31-2 at the break, ending in two quarters any hope the visitors had of knocking off the defending PFC and national champs.
In the second half, Gratton booted a pair of field goals and running back Brody Nelson with a TD rounded out the scoring for the Hilltops.
"The boys delivered today. They got between the lines. They had purpose, they were motivated. They had something to prove," Sargeant said.
"It's good to see this team rally around each other and respond the way they did."
In Regina, Thunder running back Peter Boersch was a one-man wrecking machine. He ran the ball 37 times for 340 yards and one touchdown against the Colts.
“Every game this season the O-line’s been incredible,” said Boersch, who led the PFC with 1,221 rushing yards.
“I’m just letting them take me to where I need to be. I just get to take credit for 11 other dudes’ work.”
— With files from Darrell Davis, Regina Leader-Post
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