T-Birds clinch playoff berth, hand Huskies first lack of the season

VANCOUVER – Three touchdowns from Isaiah Knight and a fourth quarter defensive efficiency for the ages noticed the UBC Thunderbirds safe a berth within the Hardy Cup playoffs with a 35-29 win over Saskatchewan Saturday afternoon, ending the Huskies’ undefeated report.

Limiting the Huskies (6-1) to only ten factors within the second half, the T-Birds (4-3) have now received three straight, establishing a semifinal playoff matchup with the Regina Rams within the first week of November.

Trailing 29-22 with lower than three minutes remaining within the fourth quarter, and with out beginning quarterback Garrett Rooker who left with an damage early within the recreation, the T-Birds bought a clutch late landing from Shemar McBean to tie the sport with 2:15 on the clock.

A compelled fumble by the defence and a key sack on Huskies pivot Mason Nyhus led to 2 Kieran Flannery-Fleck discipline targets to offer UBC the six-point lead whereas Saskatchewan’s offence fell simply brief within the purple zone as time expired.

?? FB | T-Birds win!! The boys dangle on for a 35-29 victory and a berth within the @CanadaWest playoffs! pic.twitter.com/xkLb7gnLE2

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) October 22, 2022

“Large win. There was somewhat little bit of a cloud with what occurred with our quarterback there, however what I attempted to inform these guys is you go to play the hand you are dealt,” mentioned UBC Head Coach Blake Nill following the assertion win. “To their credit score, 58 minutes with out their chief, they usually bought it completed.”

Knight completed the sport with 231 yards of whole offence and three touchdowns, two of them within the air, whereas Derek Engel was stable in aid at quarterback, throwing for 160 yards and two TDs.

“There is no query that quantity six can play the sport. You additionally bought to recollect he will get a fraction of the reps in follow, we’ll should tweak the offence to what works greatest for him and he will should be our man going ahead,” Nill mentioned of his backup quarterback whereas additionally praising his main operating again. “The factor about Isaiah is that he is an actual competitor, a pacesetter. He is not afraid to take duty and take possession and that I believe is his largest power.”

For the second time this season, the T-Birds scored a serious on their opening drive when Garrett Rooker discovered Isaiah Knight out of the backfield. The second-year operating again turned on the jets for his third landing of the season, a 45-yard catch-and-run to take the early 7-0 lead.

The T-Birds bought the ball again shortly after forcing Saskatchewan right into a two-and-out and after a shanked punt, UBC had terrific discipline place. Pressured out of the pocket, Rooker was taken down awkwardly and needed to be helped off the sphere as Derek Engel got here in behind centre.

On his very first play from scrimmage, Engel linked with Knight on a virtually an identical play from the earlier drive because the star operating again scored his second main of the opening quarter for a two possession UBC benefit.

?? FB | TOUCHDOWN T-BIRDS!! Isaiah Knight does it once more along with his second rating of the quarter, this time from Derek Engel, and the ‘Birds have a 14-0 lead! #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/hBgWo4uxCw

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) October 22, 2022

Getting into the sport because the convention’s main passer, Saskatchewan veteran pivot Mason Nyhus confirmed precisely why on the Huskies’ ensuing drive. Pressured by the T-Birds, he scrambled out of the pocket and heaved up the ball to receiver Daniel Wiebe for a mammoth 73 yard landing, reducing the UBC lead in half in what was shortly turning right into a excessive scoring affair at Thunderbird Stadium.

Earlier than the quarter was out – and following a conceded security – the quantity two ranked Huskies earned their first lead of the sport when Nyhus discovered Caleb Morin for a 25 yard rating. The profitable convert made it 16-14 Saskatchewan heading into the second body.

Already with two touchdowns within the opening quarter, Knight added to his profession day early within the second when he took a handoff and blazed 54 yards to the tip zone to revive UBC’s lead, 21-16 with the Flannery-Fleck convert.

The second half noticed a considerably slower scoring tempo with no change on the scoreboard till the early moments of the fourth quarter. The Huskies ended a protracted 12 play, six-and-a-half minute drive with a David Solie discipline objective on the primary play of the body – a 19 yarder – to tie the sport 22-22.

Simply 2:20 later, Nyhus – who completed the sport with 441 yards passing going 33-of-49 with one interception by Ronan Horrall – threw his third landing go of the sport discovering Rhett Vavra at the back of the tip zone, giving Saskatchewan their first lead because the second quarter, up 29-22 nonetheless with greater than 11 minutes remaining on the clock, establishing the late recreation heroics from the T-Birds offence.

Clutch first down catches, together with a exceptional seize from Lliam Wishart, bought the ball into the purple zone. Within the strategy of being tackled, Engel then managed to attach with McBean who caught the ball on the ten yard line, escaped a Huskies defensive again and hustled into the tip zone, tying the sport once more with the convert.

?? FB | TOUCHDOWN T-BIRDS!! Underneath strain, Engel manages to attach with Shemar McBean and we’re all tied up 29-29 with simply over two minutes to play! #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/lBRFFmqSAF

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) October 22, 2022

The Huskies nonetheless had over two minutes to work with in an try and re-take the lead, however on their first play following kickoff, rookie defensive lineman Taaj Jhooty compelled a fumble with Natale Frangione developing with the soccer, placing it proper again of their offence’s fingers whereas Flannery-Fleck secured the ultimate factors of the sport.

With a win over Calgary earlier Saturday, the Regina Rams clinched second place within the convention, additionally that means UBC is now locked in third place heading into the ultimate week of the common season.

“That is going to go a protracted strategy to upping the arrogance of this group and hopefully create momentum going into the playoffs,” added Nill. “We bought it completed. Typically it isn’t the prettiest however when the performs have been made, we ended up making another than they did.”

Subsequent week, the ‘Birds will head to Edmonton to face the Golden Bears with Alberta needing a win to have an opportunity at securing the ultimate Hardy Cup playoff berth.

The Huskies shut out the common season at residence to the Calgary Dinos.