Roy High School honored its military community and their families during a Military Appreciation Night on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, according to a Standard-Examiner report. The event preceded a 45-0 home loss for the Royals against Hurricane.
As part of the tradition, every member of the Royal football program carried Old Glory into the east end zone. Roy City provided flags for each player, according to Royals athletic director Monty Vorwaller. The school honored Lt. Col. Jesse Branson, a retired U.S. Navy officer and the new Royals head baseball coach, and Justin Wardell, a retired U.S. Air Force Reserves member and secondary teacher.
Vorwaller, whose son is U.S. Navy veteran Robert Vorwaller, stated that the team loves the military and veterans. Coach Chris Solomona noted that honoring the troops is always a significant event for the team and the community.
The Hurricane Tigers, entering the game with a 7-1 record, established a 28-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. Hurricane quarterback Kannon Cowan and running back Titan Borchardt led the offense, with Borchardt scoring four touchdowns through rushing and receiving.
Roy, which entered the game with a 4-5 record, struggled to respond to Hurricane's physical play. Senior Royals quarterback Gunner Pearson, who received an America First Credit Union Scholarship at halftime, threw two interceptions during the match.
Roy High School has a population that traditionally includes active-duty or civilian workers at Hill Air Force Base. The loss snapped a three-game region winning streak for the Royals, who had previously defeated Bonneville, Clearfield, and Northridge.
Roy is scheduled to host Fremont in its regular-season finale on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
