The first play from scrimmage was an indicator of what was to come in the North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings final home game of the season.
Under the lights of Beaver Lions Stadium, the Vikings faced one of the province's best football programs in the Bishop James Mahoney Saints.
Before fans were wrapped in the blankets in the stands, Colin Stumborg stunned the crowd with a 70-yard touchdown run to start the game.
Stumborg had a 35-yard run on the next possession for Bishop James Mahoney and rushed for over 100 yards before the first quarter ended.
Stumborg finished the day with over 200 yards on the ground and was a key contributor to the Saints' 52-0 win over the Vikings.
Quarterback Reed Hnidy also connected with receiver Tyson Leibel for two touchdowns in a game the Vikings will like to put behind them as soon as possible.
The Vikings can possibly find some comfort in knowing BJM has had similar results against all their opponents this season with 203 points scored and just 31 allowed.
Vikings' quarterback Cody Buziak had a handful of rushes that excited the team and brought the offence some momentum, but he was unable to hook up any of his long pass attempts with receivers besides a completion to Cole Tentuik. Taylor Reiley tried to pound the ball up the middle with the running game, but the best 3A defence proved why they should carry that title Friday night in North Battleford, as they all but held the Vikings out of the redzone.
The Vikings were able to work in some of their junior players, who have joined the senior squad for the remainder of the season. One highlight for the Vikings' was when fullback Kevin Stade laid a big hit on a Saints defender after taking a handoff up the middle for eight yards. Stade and Buziak worked on the handoff exchange seconds before the offence took the field at the Vikings' bench.
Because of players like Stade and Conan Baptiste, the Vikings future looks bright, and they aren't ready to right off this season.
The loss drops the Vikings to 1-5 on the season while Bishop James Mahoney remains the only team to stay perfect at 6-0. NBCHS will get a chance to redeem themselves, as they play the 0-6 Mount Royal Mustangs Thursday in Saskatoon in their final regular season game.
A win would keep the Vikings in the same spot in the standings and set them up with a game against the fourth place Bedford Road, who the Vikings lost 17-2 against instead of third place Marion Graham, who beat the Vikings 46-11 this season.
