The Lloydminster Barons are accustomed to dealing with three lines — the offensive and defensive fronts, along with the border that separates Saskatchewan and Alberta.
For the longest time, the Barons had played high school football on the Alberta side, as had the other athletic teams at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School.
But there was an eventual shift toward affiliation with the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association, a notable exception being the Barons gridders.
Now the migration is complete, thanks to the introduction this season of the North Saskatchewan Football League — a fledgling five-team 5A circuit that also includes two teams from Prince Albert (the Carlton Crusaders and St. Mary Marauders), along with the North Battleford Vikings and Martensville Royals.
“We’re really excited about the transition,” Lloydminster head coach Kieran Link says. “There are new rivalries that get ignited.
“The coaching crew in our league seems really good and I think a lot of guys are on the same page. We’re trying to deal with similar program sizes or the realities of football outside of a big-city setting. That has been good.
“The schedule has a lot of parity. I think the difference between one and five (in the standings) isn’t too much so, week in and week out, you’re going to play competitive games which is definitely an asset.”
The school’s physical assets all reside on the Alberta side of the meridian, about one kilometre away from Saskatchewan.
However, the education system that is applicable at Lloydminster Comprehensive has long been under the Saskatchewan umbrella.
“We were in an Alberta rural league and we had kind of shaken the trees to make inroads (into Saskatchewan),” Link says. “We had wanted to get into Saskatoon, essentially, and then the opportunity for this northern league provided itself. We were champing at the bit for that.”
Even so, the Barons’ season began with an exhibition game against an Alberta-based team (the Cold Lake Royals) on Sept. 8. Lloydminster won 26-21.
One week later, Lloydminster defeated the visitors from North Battleford 8-1 to open the North league schedule.
Link is a graduate of North Battleford Comprehensive High School, where his father, Garth, taught and coached for 30 years.
In fact, Garth Link was on Don Hodgins’ coaching staff when Reuben Mayes starred for the Vikings in the early 1980s. Mayes went on to excel at Washington State University before rushing for 1,353 yards with the National Football League’s New Orleans Saints in 1986.
As part of the North league arrangement, each team plays one exhibition game against a Saskatoon-based squad. On Sept. 22, the Barons faced the St. Joseph Guardians at Armstrong Field in Lloydminster.
Most recently in league play, Martensville won 18-9 in Lloydminster on Friday.
Middle linebacker Koen Chocan led the Barons with five tackles. Lloydminster’s Dion Carroll rushed for 63 yards and one touchdown.
Aiden Low (on an 80-yard kickoff return) and Caton Harrison scored Martensville’s majors.
The Barons’ regular-season slate also includes games in Prince Albert against Carlton (Friday) and St. Mary (Oct. 13). Playoffs are to follow.
“So far, it has been a very positive experience,” Link says.
“It’s also kind of cool. It’s a little bit of my history and my culture. I’m a Saskatchewan guy and I went to school in Saskatchewan. I know some of the people involved with the programs around the province, so that’s exciting.
“I grew up watching the Riders, Hilltops, Huskies and Rams. We’ve had alumni here who have played at the U of S, with the Hilltops and with the U of R Rams, so that’s a really cool connection.”
Huskies starting quarterback Anton Amundrud is an alumnus of Lloydminster Comprehensive. In fact, he piloted the Barons — then of the Wheatland Football League — to an Alberta provincial title in 2018, when he was in Grade 11.
“We’re definitely proud of him coming through our program,” Link says. “He was a generational athlete, honestly — an absolute stud, a great kid and an awesome leader.
“We’re really excited that he has been a success with the Huskies.”
The Huskies’ connection to the Barons also includes receiver Xander Pierce.
Two ex-Barons — linebacker Garret Hatchard and defensive back Ethan Mather — now play Canada West football with the University of Regina Rams.
Three other Barons have advanced to the U Sports ranks — linebacker Riley Richardson (Alberta Golden Bears), running back Matt Morin (Carleton Ravens) and defensive lineman Josh Dunham (Acadia Axemen).
Ryden Gratton, a kicker/punter with the Prairie Football Conference’s Saskatoon Hilltops, is also a former Baron.
Lloydminster Comprehensive is also represented in the PFC by running back Nathan Zacharias (Edmonton Wildcats) and offensive lineman Keaghan Parks (Edmonton Huskies).
But, really, who should be surprised that the Barons’ wingspan extends to several provinces? This is a team, after all, that is accustomed to crossing a border — something that happens even more frequently now that football-related road trips are mostly to Saskatchewan.
“We’re just excited and happy to be part of this new league,” Link says. “It’s like anything else. Anything that is brand-new brings excitement with it. There’s an energy surrounding it.”
PFC UPDATE
The Hilltops carry a 7-0 record into Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Winnipeg Rifles (1 p.m., SMF Field).
Saskatoon has outscored its opposition 296-50 over seven games. Most recently, the Hilltops defeated the visiting Regina Thunder 19-10 on Saturday.
Boston Davidsen rushed 33 times for 131 yards to increase his league-leading rushing-yardage total to 1,036. Regina’s Ryland Leichert is next in line with 892.
The Thunder’s Isaiah Woodley, who is on the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ practice roster, has 38 catches for a league-high 642 yards. He had 10 catches for 107 yards on Saturday in Saskatoon.
Regina (5-2) is to play host to the Edmonton Huskies (4-3) on Sunday (1 p.m., Leibel Field) in a game that will decide second place.
HUSKIES TOPPLE T-BIRDS
The Huskies defeated the previously unbeaten UBC Thunderbirds 34-31 on Friday to claim a share of first place in Canada West.
Saskatchewan, UBC and the University of Alberta Golden Bears are all 4-1 heading into the Thanksgiving weekend break.
Versus UBC, the U of S got long-distance touchdowns from Daniel Perry (89-yard pass from Amundrud) and Ryker Frank (105-yard kickoff return). Amundrud and Perry also connected for a 32-yard major.
Amundrud completed 19 of 28 passes for 304 yards and two scores. Perry caught four passes for 139 yards.
David Solie, who attended the Roughriders’ Coors Light Training Camp in 2023, kicked four field goals — including a 50-yarder.
Also on Friday, the Golden Bears defeated the University of Regina Rams 46-27 in Edmonton.
Rams rookie quarterback Owen Sieben completed 25 of 36 passes for 266 yards, with one TD and two interceptions.
The Rams’ Olivier Savard rushed for 106 yards. Rams teammate D’Sean Mimbs caught 10 passes for 119 yards and one touchdown.
Robert Mimbs, D’Sean’s father, was a Roughriders running back in 1995, 1996 and 1997. In 1996, he rushed for a CFL-best 1,403 yards and was named the West Division’s Most Outstanding Player.
The Rams (1-4) are to return to action Oct. 14 against the University of Manitoba Bisons (2 p.m., Mosaic Stadium). That same afternoon, the Huskies visit Alberta.
2023-10-06 00:30:42
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