The Saskatoon Valkyries continued their dominant start to the 2026 season, defeating the Regina Riot 30-7 on Sunday afternoon in Western Women's Canadian Football League action. The victory improved the Valkyries' record to 3-0, keeping them atop the standings.
Defensive and Offensive Touchdowns Lead the Way
After a scoreless first quarter, the Valkyries got on the board early in the second when kicker Kaylin O'Neill connected on a 26-yard field goal. Later in the quarter, quarterback Julia Smith found receiver Ricki Obed for an 18-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 10-0 after O'Neill's convert.
The Valkyries' defense then struck quickly, as defensive back Haley Girolami intercepted a pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. The convert was good, giving Saskatoon a 17-0 halftime lead.
Riot Rally Falls Short
Regina finally found the end zone in the third quarter, as receiver Shayden Magnus caught a 17-yard pass from quarterback Shanelle Rioux, who also added the convert to cut the deficit to 10 points.
However, the Valkyries responded late in the fourth quarter when linebacker Mackenzie Young picked off Rioux and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown. O'Neill's convert made it 24-7. Running back Drew Lundquist then added a five-yard rushing touchdown with under 2:30 remaining, though the convert was unsuccessful, sealing the 30-7 victory.
Key Performances
Lundquist led the Valkyries' ground game with 16 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown. Asha Dzisah was the top rusher for the Riot with 29 yards on 13 carries. Through the air, Rachelle Smith led Saskatoon receivers with 29 yards on five catches, while Magnus paced Regina with 45 yards and a touchdown on six receptions.
At quarterback, Saskatoon's Julia Smith completed 7 of 16 passes for 56 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Regina's Rioux threw for 154 yards on 23-of-42 passing, with six interceptions and one touchdown.
Valkyries Look Ahead
The Valkyries will enjoy a bye week before concluding the WWCFL regular season on the road against the Manitoba Fearless on June 7.
Saskatoon Mamba Remain Winless
The Saskatoon Mamba's struggles continued as they lost both games on a road trip, dropping to 0-4 on the Canadian Elite Basketball League season. On Thursday, the Mamba fell 107-103 to the Scarborough Shooting Stars, despite a game-high 29 points from Jaylin Williams. Earlier in the week, they lost 93-80 to the Montreal Alliance.
