The season was on the line Friday in Meadow Lake, as the John Paul II Crusaders played the Meadow Lake Carpenter High School Spartans in the final regular season of the Northwest Nine Man Football League.
It was a win and you're in situation. Both teams entered the game with two wins and a third would put them into the playoffs.
Along with the pressure of playing for their first playoff berth, it was the first time the Crusaders football team played in snowy conditions. They were hoping that it would be a lucky charm for them, as they had to try and stay warm on the sidelines during the flurries the entire game. The Spartans, who beat the Crusaders earlier in the season in North Battleford, pulled out the win in an exciting football game on their home field.
Meadow Lake opened the scoring when Riley Pethick returned the opening kickoff from his own 30-yard line. Pethick found room down the left sideline and scored a touchdown.
After a missed convert, the Vikings were given the ball and quickly answered the opening touchdown. On John Paul II's first offensive play running back Daryl Kjargaard took a handoff at his own 25-yard line and moved to the left side of the offensive line. He broke down the sidelines and delivered a great stiff arm on a Spartans' defender before running in for the touchdown to tie the game.
After that, it was a defensive battle for most of the first half. The Crusaders' defence rose to the challenge forcing a interception deep in their own territory, a sack and a fumble recovery when the Spartans were gambling on third and goal from the six-yard line.
The Crusaders also forced a safety on a punt return to earn a single point.
Before the first half ended, quarterback Nathan Eckel connected with Justin Johannson for a touchdown and the Crusaders led 13-6 at the break.
The offence for both teams turned up the pressure in the second half, but it was Meadow Lake's quarterback Chase Paylor, who led the Spartans to the victory. Paylor scored two touchdowns from the one-yard line and connected with Brendan Sauer for a 60+ pass a catch touchdown.
It seemed that anything Paylor did Eckel and Crusaders offence were able to match. The big offensive play for the Crusaders was a when they faced third and eight from near middle field. Eckel found last seasons MVP Calvin Perepeljuk for the first down. Perepeljuk made one defender miss and ran in for the touchdown.
Perepeljuk, also is the team's punter and on a third and long situation was forced to pull down the ball and run for a first down, which gave the Crusaders some momentum.
Trenton Eckel also had a long end-around play on offence for the Crusaders.
The Crusaders retook the lead with less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but Paylor marched his team on a game-winning drive. He connected with Sauer for a long completion again and that setup Paylor's second of two goal-line plunges into the end zone. That made the scored 28-25 and that was the way the game would end.
After all the weekend results were in John Paul II's season comes to an end after earning two wins in their second season in the league.
