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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

NBCHS Vikings prepare for playoff match against Martensville

Oct 22, 2026 | 4:28 PM

The North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings football team will face the Martensville High School Royals in the first round of playoffs on Saturday. 

Vikings head coach Shaun Webster said the teams last met two weeks ago, when Martensville left the field with a win. 

“They scored a touchdown right at the end of our game. So we’re definitely feeling it’s a winnable game against these guys as long as we play a clean, no-mistake game,” he said. 

The Vikings have spent the week working on fundamentals, play formations and defensive strategies as they prepare for the rematch. 

Webster said football requires teams to adapt their approach to each opponent.  

“We have a little bit different plays that we have lined up to play against them that’s still close to what we normally do, but just a little bit different because we’re playing against Martensville,” he said. 

He identified Royals players wearing numbers 34, 15 and 12 as key opponent athletes because of their individual skills and athleticism. 

“Overall, they’re a very good team, really well coached, and they play hard,” he said. 

The Vikings have a roster of 32 players, with about 28 typically available for games. Webster said that is fewer than many of their opponents, who can have rosters of 45 to 50 players. Some Vikings play on both offence and defence, increasing the physical demands, but he said the team is prepared. 

After weeks of developing their offensive and defensive schemes, the players are now focused on fine-tuning their execution ahead of the playoff matchup. 

“I’m just hoping that we have a good game and we can go out there and just kind of be proud of our season and what we’re doing and give it a go,” Webster said. “You can’t predict the future, but the biggest thing is they just need to come out and play and just do what they do and just focus on each play at a time.” 

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Alyssa.rudolph@pattisonmedia.com