The Minnewaska Area football team opened up the 2022 season with a 52-0 loss at Royalton, Thursday night.  The Royals led 24-0 by halftime before tacking on 22 points in the third quarter and one more touchdown in the fourth.

Minnewaska Area was outgained 379-100 in total yards and the Lakers managed just three first downs for the game compared to 18 for the victors.

The Lakers, coached by Jared Lyle, are set to host Pierz in the home opener at 7 p.m., Friday at Minnewaska Area High School.  Other home games for the Lakers are set for Friday, Sept. 16 (Melrose), Friday, Sept. 30 (Rockford for Homecoming) and Friday, Oct. 14 (Howard Lake-WW).

The Minnewaska Area varsity football team includes 38 players this year, including nine seniors, 13 juniors and 16 sophomores. 

•  Minnewaska plays in the Mid State 1 sub-district for the regular season and Section 6AAA for the postseason.  Last year, Rockford won the sub-district title with a 5-0 record, followed by Pierz (4-1), Morris-CA (3-2), Melrose Area (2-3), Montevideo (1-4), and Minnewaska Area (0-5).

Royalton 52, Waska 0

The Royals scored early and often against the Lakers during the opening-game win.  Royalton rushed for 306 net yards and five touchdowns on just 33 attempts, averaging over nine yards per carry.

Connor Carlson was the main carrier, running for 164 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns.

The Royals were also 6-of-14 passing for another 73 yards and three passing touchdowns.

Minnewaska Area meanwhile, had 100 yards of total offense on 50 plays from scrimmage, including 77 on the ground and 23 through the air.

Jack Majerus rushed 12 times for 40 yards, while Myles Reichmann had 18 yards on six rushes and PJ Johnson had 17 net yards on 11 totes.

Johnson also completed 3-of-13 passes for 23 yards with one touchdown.  Austin Ballhagen caught two of those passes for 22 yards, while Hunter Kloos had one reception for one yard.

On defense, Reichmann also had two solo and one assisted sacks, Brady Blair had one solo sack, Jack Larson had an assisted sack and Majerus had an interception.

The Lakers had 14 possessions during the game, but only two lasted longer than four plays.  One drive to end the first quarter lasted nine plays and went for 36 yards before Johnson threw his only interception of the game.  The other was the last drive of the third quarter and lasted six plays and 23 yards before the Lakers fell short of a first down.

at Royalton 52, Minnewaska 0

Minnewaska 0 0 0 0 — 0

Royalton 18 6 22 6 — 52

Team stats Min Royal

First downs 3 18

Rushes-net yards 36-77 33-306

Pass-cp-int-yds 14-3-1-23 14-6-1-73

Total yards 100 379

Punts-average 9-24.9 1-39

Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0

3rd down effic 1-14 3-10

Penalties-yards 4-26 3-15

Minnewaska statistics

Rushing — MIN-Jack Majerus 12-40, Myles Reichmann 6-18, PJ Johnson 11-17, Austin Weber 5-5, Ethan Barron 1-3, Cole Baker 1-(-6)

Passing (attempts-comp-intercept-yrds) — MIN-PJ Johnson 13-3-1-23; Levi Johnson 1-0-0-0

Receiving (catches-yards) — MIN-Austin Ballhagen 2-22, Hunter Kloos 1-1

Punts-average — MIN-Conner Stein 9-24.9