GAYLORD ― Gaylord St. Mary football has no shortage of playmakers this season.
Returning nearly every starter from a team that went 8-3 overall and scored 84 points in a playoff win in 2025, GSM might have the most talented roster in the new Bridge Alliance Conference, and maybe in all of 8-player Division 2.
Last season's leading passer (Nathan O'Connell), leading rusher (Logan Greenier) and its top three pass catchers (Cash Wcisel, George Mertz and Eli Switalski) are all back.
Even with all that returning talent, the player who raises GSM's ceiling in 2026 to a different level is junior Cal Royce.
Royce, a transfer from Boyne City in 2025, was starting to get his feet underneath him when a knee injury in Week 5 ended his debut campaign with the Snowbirds. With Royce back at 100% to start the 2026 season, GSM is looking like a team with league title aspirations and a deep playoff run in its future, especially after its 68-0 victory over Pellston on Thursday, Aug. 27.
"It felt great to be back on the field with my brothers," Royce said. "I missed it so much. What's it been, almost 12 months now? But I'm not going to let (the injury) affect me. Putting it in the past and having a great time."
Royce had 373 receiving yards and four touchdowns in just three full games last season, just a taste of what he could be in GSM's offense before his injuring his knee in a Week 5 game at Onaway. Once he recovered, he went on to have impressive seasons for the Snowbirds' boys basketball and baseball teams, averaging 11 points per game in the winter before posting a 0.00 earned run average in 10 appearances on the mound in the spring.
Injuries, unfortunately, have been a theme in his time as a Snowbird; that knee injury cost him more than half of the 2025 football season, while an elbow injury ended his 2026 baseball season early as well. When healthy, he has been the top athlete for a loaded GSM Class of 2028. If he can stay healthy this season, GSM can keep its aspirations high.
Royce is a true gadget player for GSM's offense in 2026, one of the Snowbirds' many ball carriers, a major factor in the passing game, a top defensive player, and a contributor on special teams. He scored one of GSM's seven touchdowns vs. Pellston, a 36-yard rush that showed his ability to make people miss and run away from defenders.
His talent is something that not many 8-player teams have; however, his growth as a leader may be even more critical to GSM's success this season.
"You see in the kickoff game. He's physical on defense. He's an in-your-face, rah-rah type of guy. He's total juice," coach Kevin O'Connell said. "It's good for us."
GSM has high hopes for what it can accomplish in 2026. Entering the newly formed Bridge Alliance Conference-Valley division, the Snowbirds have a great shot at bringing home their first league title since joining the 8-player ranks in 2020.
However, with Royce back and healthy, GSM can dream of even bigger goals down the road.
"Expectation is a state championship," Royce said. "After Onekama year, it's just a state championship. Everything in front of us, we have to tackle it. I feel like we can do that."
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Healthy Cal Royce has Gaylord St. Mary's expectations soaring in 2026
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