There wasn't a whole lot to celebrate for the Estevan Lions Club Steelers on Saturday in their return to Dana Quewezance Memorial Field.
The bantam football club lost 48-0 to the Regina Renegades in their home opener, a game that saw them lose seven players to injury.
"We were anemic on offence because of injuries," said head coach Phil Zajac. "The team we played is an amalgamation of three of Regina's best teams, so you have the Raiders, who went undefeated last year, and two other Regina teams that were very good, condensed into one team.
"It's a simple matter of numbers. We started the game with 26 players and we lost seven to injury. They have 48 players on their roster. So even with fair play at halftime, they're subbing in guys who haven't played and they're fresh. And we have guys that are playing both ways because of injuries and they're exhausted, and that's when you get more guys hurt."
The majority of the damage came in the first half, with the Renegades leading 35-0 at halftime.
The Renegades struck first early in the first quarter, executing a six-yard touchdown run two plays after recovering an Estevan fumble.
After that, Steelers cornerback Adan Peterson intercepted a pass deep in Estevan territory, but it was called back on a penalty. The Steelers then recovered a fumble, but the play had already been whistled down, despite the Renegades not appearing to have control of the ball.
Estevan recovered another fumble on the next play and this one counted.
"We had fumble recoveries that we caused, we had interceptions, quarterback sacks, we did a lot of good things. Unfortunately, when there's just a momentary slip against a good team, it costs you a touchdown. They're a good football team. It's obvious they're a big, fast team and when you have almost 50 guys on your roster, you're a force," Zajac said.
Regina scored two more times in the last three minutes of the quarter, one on a 35-yard punt return and the other on a 35-yard rushing play where it appeared that the Steelers had the player contained before he broke free.
"That's just fatigue. The defence was on the field a lot," said Zajac.
Carson Eskra, among the game's stars for the Renegades, ran the ball for a 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter to make it 29-0, followed by a 43-yard passing play to Riley Kraine for another major.
Regina added to their lead in the second half with a 44-yard run by Bailey Hammer and a shorter passing play early in the fourth quarter.
The Steelers' defence came up with an interception in the third and two fumble recoveries in the fourth.
The team's offence failed to get much going throughout the game.
"We struggled moving the ball because we're a young team. We will get better, but it's just a matter of the same thing, we gotta execute better. They're big bodies, but young minds. In time they're going to get better, but it just takes time," Zajac commented.
"We have so many new kids and young kids who have never played with each other before in a game situation and as the season progresses, hopefully the team will start to gel."
The Steelers visit Weyburn on Saturday, the same team they hammered 68-8 last season for their lone win. Zajac said he expects the teams to be "very evenly matched" though the team's injury situation could take a toll.
"(Star running back) Levi (Pick) is questionable for next week. I can't see him practising because he's still hobbling. We've got Marshall (Delorme), our big middle linebacker who played a great game, he'll be questionable for next week. (Troy) Leptich, our biggest offensive player, hurt his ankle and knee and he's questionable for next week," Zajac said.
"Some key players on both sides of the ball with injuries and that's just a fact of life in football. You're going to have injuries. It's like poker, you gotta play the cards you're dealt and we're not holding a lot of cards."
