PFC PREVIEW: REGINA THUNDER AT WINNIPEG RIFLES SATURDAY
PFC WEEK 3
WHO: Regina Thunder (1-1) at Winnipeg Rifles (1-1)
WHEN: Saturday, August 27/2016, 6 pm Sask Time
WHERE: Investors Group Field
BROADCAST: https://cjfl.eduvision.tv/LiveSched.aspx
FORECAST: Sunny, 21 degrees Celsius
OVERVIEW: The Regina Thunder visit the Winnipeg Rifles Saturday at Investors Group Field in a battle for sole possession of 3rd place in the PFC. The Thunder are coming off a 36-17 loss in Calgary to the Colts while the Rifles got a 42-28 win over the Edmonton Wildcats. The Thunder went 2-0 against the Rifles in 2016 with a 49-32 win at Mosaic Stadium and a 51-22 victory in Winnipeg.
THUNDER OFFENSE – The Thunder have scored 32 points through two games, 4th-best in the PFC. QB Sawyer Buettner has thrown for 396 yards and a 57.1 % completion rate to go along with four interceptions. Victor St. Pierre-Laviolette is 2nd in rushing yards with 282 and is tied for the league lead in touchdowns with three. Kristiane Desautels is 5th in league receiving yards with 101 on 7 catches.
RIFLES OFFENSE – Winnipeg has put up 55 points in their first two games, 3rd-best in the PFC. QB Jamie Ybarra Jr has thrown for 346 yards, three touchdowns, four interceptions and holds a 59.6 % completion percentage. RB Michael Ritchott is coming off a monster performance in week 2 where he ran for 358 yards and two touchdowns, 5th-most in CJFL history. He leads the PFC with 462 yards rushing and is tied for the league lead with three touchdowns. Brendan Naujoks leads the team with 86 receiving yards and has one touchdown.
THUNDER DEFENCE – Regina has given up 42 points so far this season, 3rd-best in the league. DB Polis Koko has two interceptions to go along with seven tackles. Marcus Hall has seven tackles as well and LB Matt Williams has recorded 3.5 sacks and has a fumble recovery. In total the Thunder have forced four turnovers, two on interceptions, one fumble and one on downs.
RIFLES DEFENCE – Winnipeg has allowed a league-high 68 points through two games of the season. Garrett Beardy is tied for the PFC lead in tackles with 11 and also has two knockdowns. Nathan Dickson has recorded 9 tackles and four knockdowns and Stephan Conway has an interception to go along with two tackles and a knockdown. The Rifles have forced three turnovers, two on interceptions and one on downs.
THUNDER SPECIAL TEAMS – Kristiane Desautels is 3rd in PFC punt return yards with 76 and a 12.67 yard average. He also has 43 yards on kickoff returns. Kris Calcutt is 3/7 kicking field goals with a long of 42. Calcutt has punted 10 times for a 41.30 yard average and a long of 55. His punting average is second-best in the PFC.
RIFLES SPECIAL TEAMS – Brendan Naujoks leads the league in kickoff return yards with 96 on six returns. Odun Ogidan has 58 kickoff return yards and nine on punts. Ian Lee is 2/3 kicking field goals with a long of 17. Zach Regert has punted nine times for a 43.78 yard average which leads the PFC and has a long of 60 which also leads the league.
(Courtesy Phil Andrews)
