By COLBY STOESZ
The Martensville Royals football team kicked off the new season with a victory Friday night, beating the visiting Lloydminster Barons 32-21 in front of a throng of Royals faithful. This year marks the program’s second season in the 12-man North Saskatchewan Football League (NSFL), and the second year of the joint-squad partnership between Martensville High School and Warman High School.
The home opener for the Royals began slow, and the first quarter ended without a score by either team.
The second quarter provided a more entertaining show for the local crowd. A pair of pick-6s, one from both teams, kept the score close. Royals’ star Aidan Low intercepted quarterback Cooper Benjamin and took it 40 yards to the house. Cameron Kliewer, Martensville’s leading receiver, completed the two-point conversion to give his team an 8-7 lead heading into halftime.
The home team used the third quarter to distance themselves from the visiting Barons, shutting Lloydminster out 14-0. The Royals employed a two-quarterback approach, with both Hawkley Dereniwski and Garrett Gordon throwing for touchdowns in the quarter.
Kliewer snagged Martensville’s first offensive touchdown of the season. The stud receiver finished the game with 11 receptions for 94 yards. Low paired a receiving touchdown with his earlier interception return, and kicker D’Shawn Lewis knocked both converts through the uprights. After 36 minutes of play, the Royals led the Barons 22-7.
Martensville Royals’ Cooper Ogden takes his lone reception of the night for 18 yards and a first down (Gazette photo by Colby Stoesz)
The Royals’ momentum carried into the fourth quarter, with leading rusher Austin Adamus claiming his first score of the season. Another convert and a 27-yard field goal for Lewis gave Martensville a 32-7 lead with two minutes to play.
Two late passing touchdowns from the Barons briefly narrowed the score, but it was too little too late as the Martensville Royals notched their first win of the season and sent Lloydminster packing.
The Royals join Prince Albert’s Carlton Crusaders at the top of the league standings. Both teams will meet on Friday, September 20 at Maddogs Field at 4:00 pm.