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Regina got on the board when Saskatoon, hemmed deep in its zone, conceded a safety touch.

Saskatoon fattened its lead to 14-2 when Kleiter converted a 33-yard TD run by short-yardage quarterback Doug Fleming to complete the first-half scoring.

Regina’s offence got untracked midway through the third quarter. After a 25-yard pass from Blake Scherle to Isaac Foord, Brayden Long ran for 20 yards to the Hilltops’ 38-yard line. Ethan Douglas then made a leaping grab for a 36-yard reception that set up his two-yard TD connection with Scherle. Eric Maximuik added the convert.

Regina then threatened to take the lead following Finn Marcotte-Cribb’s second interception of the young season.

Starting on Saskatoon’s 54-yard line, Regina moved 50 yards on eight plays — converting two third-and-short situations — before Scherle looked to the end zone on second-and-goal from the four.

However, Hilltops defensive back Brant Morrow jumped the route, intercepted the pass, and motored 113 yards for a TD on the opening play of the fourth quarter. Kleiter’s convert gave Saskatoon a 21-9 lead.

Kleiter’s 24-yard field goal put Saskatoon up 24-9 at 6:04 of the fourth quarter.

Morrow registered his second pick of the game — and the third for Saskatoon — on the following play. Not to be outdone, Regina’s Brandyn Martin promptly made his second interception of the day.

Scherle took it from there, marching the Thunder to the four-yard line — thanks in large part to a 34-yard strike to Foord — before finding Tanner Zaharia in the end zone with 5:23 left in the game. Zaharia had extended that drive with a clutch grab on third-and-three. Maximuik’s convert reduced Saskatoon’s lead to 24-16.