The Thom Trojans celebrated an ice-breaking victory with (what else?) ice.
Trojans players dumped the contents of an ice bucket on their head coach, Ross Vanstone, after Friday’s 29-12 Regina Intercollegiate Football League victory over the Balfour Bears at Mosaic Stadium.
It was the Trojans’ first win since Oct. 10, 2018, when Thom had edged the Johnson Wildcats 23-20.
“The ice felt good — I’m not going to lie,” Vanstone tells Riderville.com. “Selfishly, it was always a dream.
“They missed me a little, though, and only got the right side.”
It was a lack of execution that Vanstone will cheerfully forgive.
“It was special to get that win and to finally get that monkey off our backs,” the Trojans’ second-year field boss says.
“For all the players, it was their first-ever win in high school football, so the bus ride (back to Thom Collegiate) was very sweet.
“I told the players, ‘Enjoy it. You get to be loud on the whole ride back.’ They’d sing a song until they didn’t know the rest of the lyrics. Then they’d switch to another song. I was thinking, ‘Pick a song and sing it through.’ ”
The post-victory agenda also included a visit with former Trojans defensive co-ordinator Gord MacQuarrie, who is battling cancer. Vanstone made a point of presenting an autographed game ball to MacQuarrie.
The Trojans had dubbed Friday’s matchup as the MacQuarrie Bowl, because he played high school football for Balfour.
“It was very special to give him the game ball,” Vanstone says. “He was very happy, looking at all the names.
“After we won, I made sure I called him, because I knew how important it was to him. There were definitely tears from both of us when I visited him.”
MacQuarrie was a key member of the Trojans’ coaching staff during the team’s revival.
Due to a low turnout at pre-season practices, Thom — a school steeped in football tradition — was unable to field a team in 2019.
COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 season, although the Trojans did conduct practices during the fall of that year.
When play resumed in 2021, the Trojans were back in the RIFL. Interest in the program has continued to improve to the point where the current roster consists of more than 50 players.
With that in mind, Vanstone dealt with a case of the nerves leading up to last week’s season opener, because he wanted the players to experience a long-awaited victory — a milestone in the lengthy rebuilding program.
After a slow start on Friday, the Trojans hit their stride and won on the strength of 211 passing yards and two aerial touchdowns by Rashawn Taniskishayinew.
“The players are all energetic and happy, but they also understand that there’s another game this week,” says Vanstone, referencing Wednesday’s matchup with the Sheldon-Williams Spartans (5:15 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
“The guys aren’t satisfied with one win. They want to get the next one.”
AMAZING ANTON
Anton Amundrud threw four touchdown passes for the second straight week as the University of Saskatchewan Huskies downed the University of Regina Rams 40-6 at Griffiths Stadium on Friday.
Three of Amundrud’s scoring strikes were first-half connections with Rhett Vavra, who caught six passes for 130 yards over the course of the game.
Amundrud, who has succeeded Mason Nyhus behind centre for the U of S, threw for 391 yards as a second-time Canada West starter.
Daniel Perry (who had 75 receiving yards), Caleb Morin (60) and Branson Pipko (50) each caught five passes for the Huskies. Pipko had the Huskies’ other TD reception.
Defensively, the Huskies’ Nathan Jule had a sack and two tackles for a loss.
D’Sean Mimbs — whose father, Robert Mimbs, played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1995 to 1997 — led the Rams’ offence with four catches for 83 yards.
Max Polischuk paced the Rams with six defensive tackles.
The Huskies (2-0) are to play host to the University of Alberta Golden Bears on Friday (7 p.m., Griffiths Stadium).
The Rams (0-2) return to action on Saturday against the University of Calgary Dinos (2 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
- University of Manitoba Bisons linebacker Nick Thomas, whom the Roughriders selected in the seventh round of the 2023 CFL Draft, had a sack and a tackle for a loss during Friday’s 37-16 loss to the Golden Bears in Edmonton.
HILLTOPS HUMMING
The Saskatoon Hilltops improved to 4-0 by recording a 34-6 Prairie Football Conference victory over the previously unbeaten Regina Thunder on Saturday night at Mosaic Stadium.
Trey Reider threw three touchdown passes — all to Noah Flaman — and Boston Davidsen added 120 yards along the ground for Saskatoon.
Flaman caught four passes for 84 yards. The Hilltops’ Charles Sawi added nine receptions for 80 yards.
Regina’s Ryland Leichert rushed 22 times for a game-high 149 yards.
Isaiah Woodley, who is on the Roughriders’ practice roster, led the Thunder’s receivers with six catches for 48 yards.
The Hilltops and Thunder are to return to action on Sunday, when both teams are on the road. Saskatoon opposes the Edmonton Wildcats while the Thunder meets the Winnipeg Rifles.
