SASKATOON - It certainly wasn't the start the Calgary Dinos were looking for.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies shutout the visiting Dinos 25-0 in both team's Canada West season openers Friday night in Saskatoon's Griffiths Stadium.
Saskatchewan scored 24 points in the first half and never looked back.
“It was a good win for us and a good way to start the season,” said head coach Brian Towriss. “Calgary has a good running club and the score could have been different, if they had got room to run.”
"Obviously, we're disappointed with the outcome," said third year Dinos coach Blake Nill. "We expected to be more competitive and we thought we prepared well. At this level you have to be able to deal with nerves. We have to be able to overcome these types of things and we weren't able to do that."
Veteran receiver Scott McHenry got the Huskies on the board with an eight-yard touchdown pass on a six-drive, 65-yard play. The score jumped to 14-0, just three minutes later when Saskatchewan safety Bryce McCall intercepted a Jordan Flagel pass at the Calgary 43 yard line. He gained eight yards on the play starting the Saskatchewan drive at the Calgary 35. Huskie quarterback Laurence Nixon was able to send the ball deep to Cory Jones for a 30-yard touchdown.
The Huskies continued the strong pace in the second quarter, scoring just 1:57 into the quarter. After a 32 yard pass completion to Jones to put Saskatchewan on the Calgary eight yard line, running back Dathan Thomas found room and the end zone —putting the Huskies up 21-0.
Calgary had a chance in the second quarter to score, driving the ball to the Saskatchewan 46 yard line before quarterback Deke Junior fumbled the ball and Huskie defensive back Jordy Burrows recovered it, returning it to the 22-yard line. Saskatchewan capitalized on the Dinos error with a hit 21-yard field goal from kicker Connor MacDougall to put the Huskies up 24-0.
Saskatchewan added a single on a kick through the end zone to start the third quarter for the final point of the game.
The Dinos best chance to get on the board came late in the fourth quarter when Junior was able to take this team to the Saskatchewan one-yard line. But Burrows nabbed his second interception of the game in the end zone, sealing the shutout.
The win moved the Huskies to a 1-0 record to start the season and an 8-5 record against Calgary since 2000. Calgary starts the season 0-1.
Nixon, before leaving the game with an injury at the end of the third quarter, completed 18 of 24 passes for 220 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Jones was the top receiver for Saskatchewan racking up 105 yards on five receptions on the night. The Huskies looked to Thomas, 18 times on the rush giving him 78 yards on the night.
Junior completed 17 of 24 passes with one interception for 189 yards for Calgary. Taylor Altilio had five catches for 62 yards. Saskatchewan was able to hold star running backs Matt Walter and Anthony Woodson to a combined 91 yards.
The Huskies will hit the road to Regina to face the University of Regina Rams next weekend. The last time the two teams met the Rams knocked the Huskies out of the 2007 playoffs. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. at Regina's Mosaic Stadium Saturday, Sept. 6.
Calgary will return home to host the reigning Vanier Cup champion Manitoba Bisons, who knocked the Dinos out of the playoffs in 2007. Kickoff is 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6 at McMahon Stadium.
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