Calgary Colts return to CJFL playoffs

The good news is the Calgary Colts have returned to the playoffs of the Canadian Junior Football League after a several year absence.

The challenging part, though, is who they'll be facing in the semifinals--the undefeated Prairie Conference Saskatoon Hilltops.

The Colts punched their tickets into the playoffs by overflowing the Edmonton Wildcats 66-10 in their final regular season game. That, in combination with a loss by the Winnipeg Rifles, cleared the path.

The Colts put up an impressive 627 offensive yards, scoring 46 of their 66 points in the first half.

The offence scored on their first play from scrimmage when quarterback Caine Harrison hit Seth Famekinde on an 83-yard catch and run touchdown to set the tone.  Harrison finished with four touchdown passes, a pair to Nicholas Sirleaf, one to Chinomso Chikwendu, and the strike to Famekinde, who also had 127 receiving yards. 

The ground game ate up 256 yards with touchdown runs from Zion Dogbe-Brown, Alan Xiang and Ethan Perry.

Defensively, the Colts held the Wildcats to 129 yards and forced four turnovers, which included three interceptions. 

The Wildcats lone touchdown came on a one-yard plunge from Jayden Sak in the third quarter.

The Colts head into the playoffs with a 3-5 record, and the Hilltops were undefeated in all eight of their outings.

The team has recruited many Cochrane and Airdrie football players. This season it includes Airdrie's Robert Lasebnik, a high-level soccer player turned place kicker. He appeared in all eight games and punted an average of 33.3 yards.

The Colts rolled into Saskatoon on Sunday for the game. The Regina Thunder and Edmonton Huskies collide in the other Prairie Conference semifinal game.

Heading into the playoffs, Cochrane players are on rosters of some other high-powered junior teams.

Bow Valley Bobcats alumni Leighten Boynton is an o-lineman for the top junior team in Ontario, the St. Clair Saints. (photo supplied)

Offensive lineman Leighten Boynton, a Bow Valley Bobcats alumni, is a member of the 8-0 St. Clair Saints, who finished first in the Ontario conference. They face the fourth-place Ottawa Sooners in semi-finals on Oct. 14.

Boynton is in his first season with the Ontario powerhouse that has now gone undefeated (8-0) in three straight seasons.

In British Columbia, the Westshore Rebels went 9-0, an includes three formidable Cochrane Cobras alumni. Quarterback Ethan Pickard, receiver Ty Metcalfe, and runningback Shane Clazie are all Rebels.

The Westshore Rebels' offence tallied an impressive 524 yards and allowed just 112 in their nine games.

This weekend, the Rebels wrap up their regular schedule against the winless VI Raiders. 

B.C. semifinals are on Oct. 21 and the championship game goes Oct. 28 on the home field of remaining top seeded team.