Men’s soccer vs. Lethbridge Pronghorns 

The Huskies men’s soccer team kicked off their season on Sept. 24 and 25 at Griffiths Stadium with a pair of home games against the Lethbridge Pronghorns. It was a successful opening weekend to say the least, with the Huskies securing six points and a place at the top of the Canada West Central division standings early in the season. 

The first game was a dominant 4-0 victory, with the Huskies generating 11 shots on goal versus just one for the Pronghorns. The team jumped out to an early lead in the 11th minute off of Tobias Hyrich-Krueger’s goal. First-year forward Ahmed Mohammad added another goal in the 39th minute, scoring his first career Canada West goal. Kuhle Bekwayo and Kwame Opoku-Addai rounded out the scoring in the second half, with one goal each. 

The second game played out in a similar fashion with a 3-0 victory, although the Huskies did not get on the board until late in the first half. Forward Nikolas Baikas attacked from the left wing, threading a through ball to Mohammad, who took a touch to avoid the defender and struck the ball into the bottom corner in the 42nd minute. 

The offense was aggressive in the second half, generating eight of their 12 total corner kicks. Bekwayo scored his second goal of the weekend off of a counterattack, using his chest to control a lob pass before smashing it into the back of the net. A scramble in front of the net in the 86th minute allowed defenceman Kevin Garic to net his first Huskies goal. 

The team looks to continue their solid start on Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, as they visit the MacEwan Griffins for a weekend double-header in Edmonton. 

Women’s soccer vs. Regina Cougars

The Huskies women’s soccer team split the pair of games against provincial rival Regina Cougars, remaining atop the East division of Canada West soccer. 

They first played at home at Griffiths on Sept. 24, where a goal from Regina’s Peyton Enns in the eighth minute led to an early deficit. Although both teams generated six total shots on goal, it was the Cougars who capitalized again in the 47th minute, with Kyra Vibert’s goal giving the team a comfortable 2-0 lead. This was the first Huskies loss of the season, as they had previously been on a three-game winning streak after a tie in their season opener. 

The Sept. 26 afternoon game in Regina was a bounce back game for the Huskies, who prevailed 2-1 after trailing early. An own goal by the Cougars in the 23rd minute levelled the game at one apiece, with the Huskies offence in attack mode the rest of the game. They attempted 17 shots in the first half, but it was Alyssa D’Agnone’s strike in the 47th minute that proved to be the game winning goal. 

Next up for the Huskies is a return home, where they will face the Winnipeg Wesmen in two games on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2. 

Men’s Football vs. Calgary Dinos 

In a rematch of the 2019 Hardy Cup, the Huskies fell short to the Dinos at McMahon Stadium, losing 20-34 in their season opener. 

The game was a back and forth affair, with the Huskies getting on the board off a field goal from David Solie in the first quarter. At the half, the Dinos had a narrow 14-11 lead, but they extended that to a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter off a score from Javier Williams. With a minute left in the game, the Huskies rallied back late with a touchdown from receiver Colton Klassen to cut the lead down to seven, but the Dinos responded swiftly to secure a 20-34 victory.

Klassen was key for the Huskies, as he recorded two touchdowns off of seven passes, running for 107 yards. Quarterback Mason Nyhus was instrumental as well, completing 20 passes including the two touchdowns, throwing for 238 yards total. 

The Huskies will look for their first win of the season against the UBC Thunderbirds on Oct. 1 at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver, B.C. 

Men’s Hockey 

Although the hockey season has not officially begun, both the men’s and women’s Huskies teams were in action with a slate of preseason exhibition games from Sept. 23 to Sept. 26. 

The Huskies men’s hockey team continued their 10-game exhibition schedule with a Sept. 23 game against the Regina Cougars, where they were spectacular with a 12-1 victory. Seven different Huskies found the back of the net in the high scoring affair. The team continued their great play on Sept. 25, with a 3-1 victory against the Manitoba Bisons in Regina.

They will play a pair of home games at Merlis Belsher Place against the Briercrest Clippers on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.

Women’s Hockey 

The Huskies women’s hockey team played three of their four preseason games at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon, ending the weekend with a win, a tie and a loss. 

On Sept. 24, the team defeated the MacEwan Griffins in a 5-3 bout, with five different Huskies each scoring a goal. The team then drew U18 Team Saskatchewan in an intense 1-1 match on Sept. 25, with a Sept. 26 morning game against the Regina Cougars ending in a 3-1 loss. 

Their final preseason game will be played against the MacEwan Griffins in Unity, Sask., on Oct. 2. 

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Uday Chhina | Sports and Health Editor

Photos: Nicholas Saretzky/Contributing Photojournalist