Rams capture 87th BioSteel Hardy Cup

Nov. 9, 2024 - In a moment 24 years in the making, the Regina Rams are Canada West champions once again.

The fourth-seeded Rams entered hostile territory and silenced a Hardy Cup record sized crowd of 6,355 fans at Griffiths Stadium, emerging with a gritty 19-14 victory over bitter rival Saskatchewan in the 87th BioSteel Hardy Cup.

The win gives the Rams their second conference championship in program history and first since 2000.

The Rams will now host the U SPORTS Mitchell Bowl against RSEQ champion Laval Rouge et Or next Saturday, Nov. 16 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CST and will be streamed on CBC Sports and TVA sports.

It will mark the first time Regina has hosted a national semifinal bowl. Tickets are available here.

VIEW 87th BIOSTEEL HARDY CUP HIGHLIGHTS

VIEW 87th BIOSTEEL HARDY CUP STATS

A Rams team that many counted out went on to make history on Saturday, becoming the first team to capture the Hardy Trophy after going 3-5 in the regular season.

They also become only the second fourth-seed to win the Hardy Cup championship.

It's the first career conference championship for Rams head coach Mark McConkey, who has manned the sidelines for Regina since 2020. His ties to the program run even deeper, having also suited up for the Rams as a player from 2007-13. ​

After receiving a refreshing BioSteel victory shower, McConkey expressed that the Hardy Cup win will be a pivotal moment for the program.

“It was big for Rams football," said McConkey after the game. "The Huskies, while they may never say it, have viewed us as a little brother for a long time. They won eight [head-to-head matchups] in a row prior to this year; even when I played, they’ve always dominated. This win proves the tide is turning. The Rams are for real, and this one means a lot.”

The game was hotly anticipated across the Land of the Living Skies, marking just the second all-Saskatchewan final in Hardy Cup history, and the first since 2002. The game lived up to all the hype and then some, bolstered by an incredible atmosphere featuring the largest crowd in modern Hardy Cup history at Griffiths Stadium.

Green was the colour of choice among the crowd of 6,355 fans, which included a sizeable contingent of vocal Rams supporters.

It didn't take long for the action to get going. After the Rams scored a rouge on the opening kickoff, Huskies quarterback Anton Amundrud led an impressive drive down the length of the field, capping it off with a high-arcing floating pass to Canada West regular season receiving leader Daniel Wiebe for a 13-yard touchdown.

After a couple of early turnovers stalled the Rams' offence in the first quarter, the Huskies extended their lead early in the second when Amundrud hit Wiebe for another touchdown. This time, Wiebe motioned to the left in the backfield, catching a short swing pass. Rumbling toward the goal line, the Huskies receiver powered his way through the Rams defenders to make the score 14-1 Saskatchewan.

On the other side of the field, Noah Pelletier, who finished with 228 yards passing and one touchdown, began taking command of the Rams offence. Pelletier’s patient and steady play kept his team competitive in the first half. Spreading the ball around to several receivers, Pelletier and the Rams responded by moving the ball 63 yards before ultimately settling for a field goal, shrinking the lead to 14-4 with 6:45 to play in the first half.

The Rams' defence, which gave up the lowest regular season point total in the conference, came alive in the second quarter and began tilting the momentum of the game. Amundrud was intercepted on the next Huskie possession while targeting Wiebe on a deep in-breaking route. Fifth-year senior Jackson Sombach, one of three Sombach brothers on the Rams, sniffed the play out in advance, jumping the pass and taking the return into the Huskies' red zone.

Not only did the play set up Regina with great field positioning, but it also energized a sizeable Regina contingent in the stands. After a first down put the Rams on the five-yard line, Pelletier connected with Emmett Steadman, who snuck behind the Saskatchewan defence on a short slant route. The major brought the score to 14-11, where it would remain going into halftime.

Although the Rams regained some momentum towards the end of the half, the energy remained optimistic among the Saskatoon faithful. Another storyline entering halftime was the health of the Rams quarterback. In the second quarter, Pelletier appeared shaken up after taking two hard hits from Saskatchewan’s John Stoll and Seth Hundeby. To his credit, the third-year quarterback battled through and remained in the game throughout the second half.

Having deferred the opening kickoff, Regina received the first possession of the third quarter and continued to work the short passing game. Saskatchewan was content to give up short completions on first down and the Rams were unable to come away with points. As the sun peaked behind the stands, the wind increased and what began as an offensive showcase morphed into a game of field possession, ball security, and defence.

Both sides would trade possessions throughout the third, with neither giving way until the 5:13 mark. That's when safety Carson Sombach made the play of the game, picking off a ball thrown behind wide receiver Jesse Kuntz. The veteran safety made the most of the opportunity, zigzagging his way to the end zone and putting the Rams up 18-14.

Regina would extend their score to 19 after adding another kickoff rouge.

The pick six proved to be the turning point the Huskies couldn't recover from. The Rams defence proceeded to thwart any Huskie comeback hopes, coming up with numerous big plays in crunch time. Highlights included stuffing Huskies running back Ryker Frank on a crucial 3rd and 2 with under two minutes remaining, and ending the game on a Colin McKellar interception with just 21 seconds left to seal the deal.

In the end, Regina's defence was the difference while forcing four interceptions and limiting the Huskies vaunted rushing game to just 81 yards.

“We missed some opportunities. The guys fought, they didn’t quit playing," said Huskies head coach Scott Flory after the game. "Credit to Regina, and credit to their defence. Those guys made a ton of plays. At the end of it we ran out of time and didn’t do enough with the time that we had. Right now this one stings, especially with how we started the game and how we came out. Today we just couldn’t keep it going, but all credit to the Rams.”

Rams to face No. 3 Laval in the Mitchell Bowl

The Rams will look to continue their magical playoff run as they pursue their first Vanier Cup national championship in program history.

To qualify for the Vanier, they must first take down another nationally ranked opponent in No. 3 Laval next Saturday in the U SPORTS Mitchell Bowl.

Laval captured their 17th Dunsmore Cup title earlier on Saturday, defeating defending national champion Montreal 22-17.

The Rouge et Or will represent another tough challenge for a Rams team that has silenced many doubters during their postseason run.

But if there's one lesson university football fans across the country have learned over the last few weeks, it's this.

Don't count out these Rams.

87th BioSteel Hardy Cup Highlights