The Saskatoon Hilltops and Westshore Rebels have advanced to the Canadian Bowl following victories in the Canadian Junior Football League’s national semi-finals this past weekend, setting up an intriguing battle of undefeated teams.
The Hilltops defeated the St. Clair Saints 43-0 in the CJFL’s other semi-final. Saskatoon went 8-0 during the regular season, winning all but one of their games by a margin of at least 30 points. The club won two playoff games in the Prairie Conference before defeating the Saints of the Ontario Conference on Sunday to earn a berth in the Canadian Bowl.
The Rebels beat the Okanagan Sun by a score of 33-19 in the B.C. Conference championship game, knocking off the defending champions to earn their first berth in the Canadian Bowl since 2016. Westshore went 10-0 during the regular season, recording an average margin of victory of almost 50 points.
This marks Saskatoon’s first appearance in the Canadian Bowl since 2019, which capped a remarkable five-year championship run. The team’s victory in 2016 was against the Rebels, setting up a rematch this year. The Hilltops have won 22 national championships since they were founded in 1947, while the Rebels have yet to win their first championship since the program started in 1971.
The Canadian Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023 at Starlight Stadium in Westshore with kick-off set for 6:00 p.m. EDT.
