Johnathon Stevens stars for Saskatoon Hilltops after Roughriders stint

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EATONIA — This little town, located in west-central Saskatchewan, has a welcome sign with a twist — a D-line pass-rush twist, as it were.

An electronic sign proudly honours hometown hero Johnathon Stevens.

The sturdy defensive lineman has returned to the Saskatoon Hilltops after spending three months with the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders as a territorial junior development player on their practice roster.

Eatonia, for Stevens growing up, was pure football territory.

“I love that town,” the 6-foot-2, 285-pound Stevens says of his hometown, where he played six-a-side football in the high school ranks. “I miss it, but Saskatoon is pretty close to it, so it gives me an opportunity to get back whenever I can.”

Now back with the Toppers, Stevens is done practicing with the Riders at least until after his Canadian Junior Football League season, which continues Sunday when the Hilltops play their Prairie Football Conference home-opener against the Edmonton Huskies.

Game-time is 1 p.m. at SMF Field.

“They taught me some amazing things,” he says of the Roughriders. “They were very supportive and very patient with me. I learned so much there. Practising with professionals, there is a difference.”

What, specifically, did he learn and embrace?

“The speed of how fast you can play, and the physicality of it as well, and how technical everything is,” Stevens says. “An inch there can make or break a play.”

He came out bigger, stronger, faster.

“That,” he concurs, “was the goal, yes.”

TRAINING CAMP INVITE

Stevens was invited to the Roughriders’ training camp along with Hilltops teammate Dalton Urban.

Urban, a defensive back, registered an interception on Day 1 of rookie camp before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

At 21, Stevens was up against grown men who had an advantage in age, experience, size and strength.

“It was quite the experience there, but I think I was mentally ready for it, although physically, I didn’t shine or anything,” he says.

“But I did enjoy it. It was amazing.”

Sounds like Roughriders’ head coach Corey Mace enjoyed having the Hilltops defensive lineman on board. He got Stevens to lead a post-game huddle in the locker room following a 21-18 victory over the Edmonton Elks on July 25 at Mosaic Stadium before Stevens rejoined the Hilltops for their training camp.

“That kid embodied everything that we want to ID as a Rider,” Mace said to Roughrider team writer Rob Vanstone. “It meant so much to him. Whatever was asked, whether it was D-line or O-line, he did. If we had him play kick returner, he would do it with a smile on his face.

“He was always looking to get better. He was showing up early, doing extra lifts. It meant a lot for him to be here and he meant a lot to the guys, honestly. We found that out very quickly in training camp.

“He’s an outstanding kid.”

QUIET LEADER ON HILLTOPS

What you see is what you get from Stevens off the field. He’s as pleasant as they come. Quiet and unassuming. Always smiling and friendly, he doesn’t present himself as an intense, menacing and ferocious defender. But in the junior football ranks, he’s among the best.

“Very soft-spoken, genuine; great heart; great family — he’s been a heck of a football player,” Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant says of Stevens, a CJFL all-Canadian.

Stevens was one of Saskatoon’s few bright spots in their season-opener, a disappointing 31-11 loss to the Rifles in Winnipeg.

“John performed real well,” Sargeant admits. “That should be the expectation. That experience he had with the Riders certainly is elite. We’re going to need way more of him than what we saw, and just from everyone. He’s a leader, and he’s got to draw and challenge his teammates to come up to his level because we’re lacking.”

What isn’t lacking is Stevens’ effort. Sargeant has noticed some subtle differences in Stevens upon his return.

“All I know is, yes, some of his pass-rush moves, and this and that, he’s a lot more refined because that’s what they focus on,” says Sargeant, who would like to see effort translate into big plays and winning results.

“It looks good, but the results are still the results and his numbers (against the Rifles) weren’t great. Sometimes he did some real good things, but the rest of the players didn’t do their job.”

SIX-MAN FOOTBALL ROOTS

Stevens won a provincial 1A six-a-side title in 2019 against Kerrobert, winning it “for the first time in quite a long time,” Stevens points out.

“I always love talking with hometown guys about that.”

Stevens is not alone among the former Eatonia Spartan football players to end up on the Hilltops. Cam Cooke and Chad Nunweiler also come to mind

At the high-school level, Stevens was Eatonia’s chief cook and bottle washer. He was a defensive lineman, tight end on offence, back-up linebacker, part-time fullback, as well as the kicker and punter.

Who knows, Stevens could be deployed as an offensive target for the Toppers this season in short-yardage or goal-line situations.

“I will do whatever,” says Stevens, who is into his final year of junior eligibility but remains undecided about his football future after that.

“I can’t say, 100 per cent, what will happen after this season. I’ll always keep my doors open for whatever happens.”

dzary@postmedia.com

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