No Northern Saskatchewan Football League team has beaten an opponent in a provincial conference game. On Saturday afternoon, on their home field, the Creighton Kodiaks will try to become the first.
Creighton will take on the Birch Hills Marauders at 3 p.m. Creighton time in a provincial six-a-side quarterfinal game.
Creighton will hope to ride the high of winning a hard-fought Ralph Pilz Trophy game against the Cumberland House Islanders last weekend in Prince Albert. With the game tied with less than 30 seconds to go, Aidan Collard caught a pass on a trick play, sneaking behind the Islanders defence and hitting paydirt. Creighton won the game 46-38.
“It was pure joy,” said head coach Ryan Karakochuk.
“The guys worked hard the whole week preparing for Cumberland. We knew they would be just as advertised and it was going to be close.”
As northern league champs, the Kodiaks earned the chance to host their own home playoff game.
Creighton’s third league title will bring in their third chance at provincial conference glory. In 2015, hot on the heels of winning the program’s second league title, the Kodiaks played their first conference game ever, hosting the same Birch Hills team they’ll play Saturday. The Kodiaks eventually fell 63-48 to the Marauders, who would go on to lose in the provincial finals.
Another playoff game in Wakaw in 2017, featuring a banged-up Kodiaks squad, ended with a 77-44 loss for Creighton.
With the league title already in the team’s trophy chest, does Karakochuk think the Creighton crew could make some history?
“I certainly do – why not, eh? We’ve worked hard. Why not us?” he said.
“I think they’re excited. They definitely know that they’re playing with house money. We’re underdogs. We’re home and we’re happy that we’re home and we don’t have to travel five hours, but we’ve seen the film on Birch Hills and the boys know how quick they are and how fundamentally sound they are.”
If the Kodiaks break through, the team would play in the provincial semifinals, hosting the winner of a matchup between the Unity Warriors and the Wynyard Bears. As part of Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association (SHSAA) rules, the Kodiaks would host a potential semifinal game if they beat Birch Hills.
Karakochuk said his team will prepare as best as possible and, come game time, let the chips fall where they may.
“We’re playing in one of the toughest conferences in the province and they’re the second-place team in the conference. We know they’re good,” he said.
“We can just go out there and have some fun and as long as we’re prepared and we go out there and we work our butts off, you never know.”
