Royal domination

Knights trounce KiBe in final regular season game

ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights rumbled for a 59-6 victory over Kiona-Benton Thursday.

KiBe elected to receive but were in trouble from the start, when Royal's Victor Hernandez sacked KiBe quarterback Anthony Pace for a 4-yard loss on the second snap of the game for the Bears. After converting on third-and-10, Jacob Christensen added to KiBe's troubles, earning a pick to give Royal the ball on the KiBe 25-yard line.

Royal took advantage with a 1-play scoring drive. AJ Eldredge connected with Randy Christensen for a touchdown. From then on, Royal was running down hill toward their end zone.

Hernandez was able to earn another sack for the Royal defensive line on KiBe's next first down to back the Bears up six yards. KiBe was forced to punt on fourth-and-long from their own end zone.

Elredge returned the ball to the KiBe 28-yard line and then, on first down, handed the ball to Daniel Garza who took it in for a 28-yard touchdown to put Royal up 14-0.

The Knights' only 2-play scoring drive of the half came on the third Royal possession of the first quarter.

Garza carried for 38 yards before getting tripped up just shy of the goal line and Daniel Manzano was tapped to take it in for a touchdown on the next play.

KiBe continued to struggle on offense, suffering another four-and-out after knuckling under from the pressure of Royal's defense.

With Royal looking at their worst field position of the half, backed up to their own 34-yard line, the Knights looked to the air. Eldredge found Cash Brown for a 66-yard touchdown to put Royal up 27-0. Before the PAT could be attempted back-to-back flags were called, the first going against KiBe for being offsides and the second against Royal for a false start. With the offsetting penalties marked off, Royal earned the point-after.

To begin the second quarter, Royal called upon Hector Ledezma in the backfield. The junior got his first carry on first-and-10 from the KiBe 19-yard line. The Bears were flagged for a facemask on the play and the Knights suddenly found themselves looking at first and goal from the KiBe eight. Before the snap, another after distance to the goal penalty was levied against the Bears for being offsides and Royal moved up to the KiBe 5-yard line. Ledezma got the hand-off and took it in for a score.

Ledezma earned his second touchdown of the night on the next possession, gaining 15 yards on three carries to give Royal a 42-0 lead.

On second-and-nine, KiBe fumbled and Royal's Pedro Cuevas recovered it on the Bears' 31-yard line.

Royal took over possession and saw their first incomplete pass of the night but made up for it with a 16-yard carry for a first down by Garza. Garza's carry was followed up by a pass from Eldredge to Jake Christensen for a touchdown.

The Knights' ended the half with a rare field goal on first and goal from the KiBe 4-yard line to go into the locker room with a 52-0 lead.

Both teams came out slow in the second half, each giving up the ball on their respective possessions.

Royal earned their final score of the night with Marc Albertson at the helm. Albertson handed off to Colt Brown who took it four yards for a touchdown. The PAT was ruled no good, sailing wide right, but the Knights got another chance at it when KiBe was penalized for a personal foul. The second attempt was good to put Royal up 59-0.

KiBe's only touchdown of the game came on a carry by Steven Gonzalez late in the fourth quarter.

Royal's next home game is Tuesday and marks the beginning of the post-season for the SCAC league. Game time and opponent have yet to be determined.