SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan Huskies football team is once again Hardy Cup bound, after a 37-9 win over the Manitoba Bisons in Saturday afternoon's Hardy Cup semifinal at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park.

Winter conditions played a factor throughout. With the field covered in snow and the wind howling, the Huskies turned to the ground game and ran the ball for 264 yards on 39 attempts from five different ball carriers. On the defensive side of the ball, Charlie Ringland's three interceptions symbolized the group's ability to capitalize on a Bisons offence that finished with just 166 yards of total offence.

The victory ensures that Huskies will in fact play host to the Hardy Cup for the second-straight season — a game that is set for next Saturday afternoon at Griffiths.

Perhaps the star of the show was backup quarterback Ethan Watson, who has primarily been used as a short-yardage quarterback thus far this season. Watson was called upon early and often by Huskies head coach Scott Flory, thanks to the snowy conditions.

The Calgary, Alta. product finished the day with a game-high 103 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Watson capitalized on third-and-goal from the Bisons one-yard-line in the first-quarter — a touchdown that gave the Huskies a 7-2 lead, a lead they would never relinquish. He went on to deliver the dagger at the 7:01 mark of the fourth with a 56-yard major to punch the Dogs' ticket to the Hardy Cup for the fourth-straight season.

Ryker Frank added 93 yards of his own on 22 carries, while Rhett Vavra had 45 receiving yards and a touchdown — Mason Nyhus' lone passing touchdown of the afternoon. Vavra set up the Watson first-quarter score with a 62-yard punt return.

With the wind at their backs in the second-quarter, Saskatchewan was able to take advantage of field position. The Huskies shutout the Bisons in the frame, outscoring them 19-0 to take a 26-2 halftime lead.

From there, it was smooth sailing for Saskatchewan as they rolled to the 28-point victory to advance to the conference's biggest stage. 

The loss marked the end of the road for a Bisons squad fresh off a 4-4 campaign, as for the second-straight year, their season came to an end in Saskatchewan. This afternoon's game was the last for Bisons fifth-year quarterback Des Catellier, who became the program's all-time passing leader earlier this year. With his mobility limited this afternoon, Catellier struggled to have the day he was hoping for. Saskatchewan's defence teed off as a result — they brought Catellier to the ground six times on the day, wielding their vaunted defence into a Hardy Cup ticket.