Darrell Davis
Regina Leader-Post
Regina Riot players wore rainbow-coloured wristbands, kneestraps, socks and multi-hued eye-black during their second annual Pride Game.
They weren’t very proud of the result, a frustrating 21-2 loss Sunday to the visiting Manitoba Fearless that likely means they’re going to miss another chance to pay a hometown tribute to the LGBTQIA2S+ community during the annual Queen City Pride parade.
“Now we’ll have to be out of town for (the parade),” said Claire Doré, the Riot’s first-year head coach, following a windy, turnover-filled Western Women’s Canadian Football League showdown at Leibel Field.
Queen City Pride Week is June 6-15; its annual parade hits Regina’s streets June 14 and the Riot traditionally participates in some fashion. According to a media release: “While this is only the second official PRIDE Game, the Regina Riot have proudly supported Queen City Pride since 2014, continuing to work towards diversity, inclusion, and community both on and off the field.”
A victory against Manitoba likely would have guaranteed a home playoff game in Regina on that date. Instead the Riot will resume practising with the intent of challenging for its first league championship since winning back-to-back titles in 2017-18.
“We’re struggling offensively,” said Riot quarterback Aimee Kowalski.
“Traditionally we’re a short-passing offence. I’ve just got to figure out this offence.”
The teams were scoreless through the first quarter.
Regina’s only points came late in the third quarter when Manitoba conceded a safety. Kowalski was intercepted in the second quarter by Taylor Post and Elayna Blahey, ultimately setting up short touchdown runs by Hallie Eggie and Brooklyn Dyce.
Dyce added a fourth-quarter touchdown run and kicked three converts. The victory improved Manitoba’s record to 1-1 with two games remaining. Both contests are against the reigning-champion Saskatoon Valkyries, who have won every WWCFL crown since 2019, although the 2020 and 2021 seasons were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some Fearless players were also in the spirit of the Pride Game, posing for pictures afterwards while holding hand-printed signs from their fans reading, “Let’s go lesbians!” The Manitoba team is stronger this year after adding players from the recently-folded Winnipeg Wolfpack.
“The offence’s main task is to score, so when you’re working that hard and can’t find the end zone it’s frustrating for all involved,” said Doré.
“(Manitoba) plays a very strong type of football. They work on pressure and using their muscle and they did that today. We just couldn’t seem to match that power.”
The Riot fell into third place with a 1-2 record and lost the tie-breaking advantage to 1-1 Manitoba with a minus-17 points differential in head-to-head meetings. Regina defeated Manitoba 12-10 in their season opener before losing 17-7 in Saskatoon. Regina’s final regular-season game is slated for June 1 at 1 p.m. at Leibel Field, against Saskatoon.
Regina, Manitoba and Saskatoon play in a three-team conference. For playoffs, the third-place team visits the second-place team in the June 14 semifinal and the winner advances to the conference final June 21 at the home of the first-place finisher.
The conference winner qualifies for the WWCFL championship game June 28 at the home of the Alberta champion. Alberta also has a three-team conference comprising the Lethbridge Steel, Edmonton Arctic Pride and Calgary Rage.
