It took longer than the players and coaching staff of the North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings would have hoped, but the senior football team earned their first win last week.
The Vikings hosted Mount Royal, and in a rough, chippie game, the Vikings ran away with a 40-13 win.
Run was the main point of the game and key focus for the Vikings' offensive attack. Tanner Craig led the way with 16 carries and 195 yards. It was an effort coach Jamie Sommerfeld has been waiting to see and complemented the offensive line for.
"We have a veteran Oline and every week our offensive yardage is going up," said Sommerfeld. "We have a very good Oline and with a young backfield. We are starting to hit the line with speed and good things are happening."
Craig started the parade of, "good things," as he scored the first major of the game when he reversed the field and scampered in from 12 yards out.
Later in the first half, after Brandon Chester returned a punt to midfield and a reception by Austin Heintz, Craig rushed the Vikings to the one-yard line. Heintz plowed into the end zone out of the backfield to give the Vikings the 13-0 lead.
Due to the strong play of the Vikings and penalties, the Mount Royal Mustangs found themselves in a hole that in the end they couldn't climb out of. They did respond in the second quarter on a lucky bounce, as they scrimmaged from their own 18-yard line. A tipped pass fell into the arms of a waiting receiver and he scored to make it 13-6.
Backup quarterback Kjell Graupe, who saw some action for the Vikings, completed one of his two passes on the day to Cory Baynhan. Baynhan's 33-yard catch and run gave the Vikings a 20-6 lead in the second quarter.
Craig added another rushing touchdown for the Vikings before the half while Mount Royal scored a rushing major of their own and the first half ended 27-13.
The score stayed the same until 11:45 of the fourth quarter when quarterback Taylor Reiley connected with Mark Karstens for a 25-yard touchdown.
The final major for the Vikings came when Graupe connected with Karstens for a 40-yard gain. Craig finished the drive with a seven-yard rushing touchdown.
Along with the offensive explosion, the best of the season doubling their previous best of 20-points against Marion Graham, the Vikings' defence was at its best.
"Our defence has been struggling a bit in the last few weeks, so this was a great game to get their confidence back up," said Sommerfeld. "They started playing downfield again, and started attacking on defence and that seemed to make a big difference."
Linebacker Dalton Landrie led the defence group, which had strong efforts from Conan Baptiste and Dustin Bohse as well. Bohse had a sack and an interception in the game while Baptiste, Connor Loy and Kavan Metcalve also recorded sacks.
The Vikings first win was a complete team effort and puts them at 1-4 on the season with two games remaining.
"We are making steps that we have to make. It took a little longer than I was hoping, but this was a big game for us to get a win on the board. The kids were really aching for this one and this was a win they really needed," said Sommerfeld.
The Vikings will look to build on that momentum against one the league's best teams, the Tommy Douglas Tigers.
"They are a very athletic team, they are probably the most athletic team in the conference," said Sommerfeld. "We are going to come in with a game plan that fits our strengths and we will go right at them. We will pick their best player and we will go right at them and see if they can stop our o-line."
The Vikings final home game of the season was scheduled for Thursday at Beaver Lions Stadium at 6:30 p.m. with the last regular season game Thursday, Oct. 18 at Gordie Howe Bowl in Saskatoon against Evan Hardy.
