ST. REGIS – Back in black.

Wearing the black jerseys of their new teammates from Alberton, the St. Regis-Mullan-Alberton Tiger Cats opened season play with a 61-14 win over the Noxon Red Devils Friday in St. Regis to open the 2026 season.

Now 1-0 after the non-conference win, played with 6-Man rules to accommodate the Devils, who play that form of the game normally, the Tiger Cats have next week off as Troy has canceled its 8-Man program for the season.

Which gives Jesse Allan and the Tiger Cats ample time to gameplan for the next big game, in Seeley Lake versus the Seeley-Swan Blackhawks Sept. 11.

Allan said Tucker Desoto returned the opening kickoff 55 yards for a touchdown and that the St. Regis offense ran like greased lightning through the first quarter, where the Tiger Cats scored on all six of its possessions.

It went kind of like this. Conner Lulis pitched a 45 yard scoring strike to Nathan Bohn for the first of the six sixes. Bohn then returned an interception 50 yards to the house for another score.

Then Desoto scored again on a 40-yard jaunt, followed by a two-yard touchdown pass from Lulis to center-eligible Demor Hostetler, and finally, before the end of the first quarter, Chet Hill found Cael Sala with a 25-yard scoring pass.

“We got the momentum rolling early when Tucker took the first kick back for touchdown,” Allan said. “And a few early fumbles by Noxon gave us good field position.”

Saying he substituted freely thereafter, Allan thought his whole team was ready to play when called on. “Really impressed by our young kids,” he said. “The starters were out by the second quarter and the JV squad really came to play.”

Allan also praised the work of Hill, a sophomore getting his reps at quarterback, for his fine play in extensive action after subbing in for Lulis early in Friday’s game.

He also gave the young Red Devils a shout out. “Noxon had to replace four or five starters from last year,” he said. “They've got some solid athletes, they’ll get better as the season progresses for sure.”

    ESCAPING THE CLUTCHES of Evan Fehlings of Alberton, Noxon quarterback Walker Freget makes a play to evade the tackle during St. Regis’ 61-14 win in St. Regis Friday. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)