'We’re not playing to our full potential': Saskatoon Hilltops hope to turn things around after rare back-to-back losses
Despite losing back to back games, Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant said it’s no time to panic.
"You know what, this is old hat, we've been here many times before,” Sargeant said as the team began practicing Tuesday night.
You have to dig back many years to find the last time the Hilltops were on the practice field after two straight losses.
"Following them after high school, I haven't seen them losing three games, let alone even two games in a row. So this is pretty big, but it's a good humbling moment for us,” running-back Carter Mclean said.
Adding salt to the wound, both losses came against their provincial rivals, the Regina Thunder.
Now the Hilltops are hoping to avoid losing their third straight game and falling below .500.
"It's my job to find the right players and put them in the right spots to do the right things, and we have to become more consistent so, were excited for what's in front of us,” Sargrant said.
"We've been making stupid mistakes and you know, we gotta work hard at practice and just get better. We're not playing to our full potential yet," line-backer Konnor Johnson said.
The coach said that means getting back to fundamentals.
"We are going focus on blocking and tackling. As you see were going to be in full pad all week and were just going to focus on the basics,” he said.
There's been a changing of the guard at quarterback as Damon Dutton took the reigns from Doug Fleming, and posted a whopping 82 percent completion rate.
"To try not to get to high on highs and try not to get to low on lows, just try to stay rather neutral. And I think that by doing that were not throwing other guys off. And were not bringing the wrong energy," Dutton said.
Saskatoon's defence has been bend-but-don't-break, allowing just over 20 points a game, which is third best in the Prairie Football Conference.
The Hilltops will be back at home this Sunday to face the Winnipeg Rifles, a team that dating back to 2014, the Hilltops have beaten 16 straight times.
But if they lose, they would fall below .500 for the first time in seven years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.