The Royals’ playoff run came to an abrupt end on a blustery Friday afternoon, as they were defeated 35-18 by the St. Mary’s Marauders in the first round of the playoffs. The game didn’t unfold as anyone had hoped, with a series of early mistakes putting the Royals in a hole they couldn’t quite climb out of.
It all started in the first three minutes when the Royals kicked off to St. Mary’s, only to see the Marauders return the ball to their own 2-yard line. After a quick two-and-out, St. Mary’s conceded a safety, putting the Royals on the board 2-0. But the momentum quickly swung back in St. Mary’s favor. On the very next play, quarterback Hawkley Derinewski was blindsided, fumbling the ball, which was recovered by St. Mary’s. The Marauders then wasted no time in running the ball in for a touchdown, making it 7-2.
As if that wasn’t enough of a setback, St. Mary’s quickly intercepted a pass on the Royals’ following drive and returned it for another touchdown. By the 8:32 mark of the first quarter, the Royals were down 14-2. The Marauders didn’t let up, adding another touchdown late in the first quarter to extend their lead to 21-2 at the break.
But the Royals didn’t quit. Despite the early mistakes, they showed resilience and fought hard to stay in the game. A turnover recovery by Cole Schiebelbein ignited a spark for the Royals, and they capitalized on the opportunity with a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Corben Wegman. The score narrowed to 21-9 heading into halftime.
The second half saw a renewed sense of purpose and Garrett Gordon at the helm. The Royals came out strong, scoring another touchdown early in the third quarter to close the gap to 21-16. The defense continued to play hard, forcing another safety and trimming the lead to just 21-18 late in the third.
However, despite their best efforts, the Royals were unable to maintain their momentum. Untimely turnovers plagued the team, and in the fourth quarter, St. Mary’s was able to push their lead back up to 28-18 with another touchdown. The Royals had one last chance to close the gap, but in the windy conditions, a pass was caught in the breeze and led to another interception, which St. Mary’s turned into a final touchdown, pushing the score to 35-18.
Despite the loss, the Royals showed incredible heart and determination throughout the game, never backing down even when things seemed dire. The team battled through numerous injuries all season and finished with a respectable 3-2 record.
Next up, the Royals will have an opportunity to regroup as they prepare to face Holy Rosary from Lloydminster in an exhibition game next Friday, October 31st at 2:30 PM.
The Royals would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all their fans for their unwavering support throughout the season. The team truly felt the love and support from the community, and it made all the difference. While the playoff run may have ended sooner than hoped, the Royals are already looking ahead to next season and are determined to come back stronger.
