There was football under the lights Thursday at Beaver Lions Stadium as the North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings battled the Bishop James Mahoney High School Saints.
The Vikings were looking to get back in the win column after last week's tough 38-35 defeat to P.A. St. Mary in Prince Albert.
The game did not get off to a fast start on the score sheet, though the Vikings did have chances in the first quarter.
A great run by Landon Aimoe put the Vikings in position at the 18-yard line of Bishop Mahoney, but a couple of plays later quarterback Damon Dutton fumbled the football away to the Saints, putting a stop to the best Viking scoring chance in the first.
Early in the second quarter a 40-yard reception by Ethan Godson set up a Doug Fleming touchdown run on the next play, and BJM took a 7-0 lead.
Late in the second the Vikings fumbled at the 25 and BJM took over deep in Vikings territory. A touchdown toss to Taijal Verma made it 14-0.
Before the half a costly pass interference penalty put the Vikes at the Saints 15-yard line. A few plays later Dylan Schafer capped the drive with a TD run near the end of the half to make it 14-7. A late Saints drive into Viking territory was stuffed by a Jesse McNabb interception, however, and it remained 14-7 Saints at the half.
The Vikings mounted another drive midway through the third and a third-down gamble paid off with a long conversion to Aimoe who rumbled into the end zone for the touchdown. The extra point tied the game at 14 all in the third.
Late in the third, a big catch by Verma put the Saints at the Vikings 42. A short gain was followed by a 2nd-and-9 pass completion to Noah Muensch, which put the Saints in position to score again as the quarter ended.
Early in the fourth, the Saints' Matthew Nagy scored on a 25-yard touchdown catch to make it 20-14, but Dawson Lehman blocked the extra point to keep the game within reach for the Vikings.
A botched punt that the Saints' kicker had to fall down on at their own 41 gave the Vikings life with 3:42 left.
The Vikings got a first down, and then a big catch by Matt Dutton put the Vikings in the red zone at the four-yard line within the final three minutes of regulation.
A pass attempt to Schaefer fell short, and then another pass went incomplete. It came down to a third down play, and Matt Dutton caught the ball in the end zone for the touchdown.
The extra point was good to give the Vikings a 21-20 lead with 2:31 left on the clock.
The Saints were unable to mount a comeback. Their final drive fizzled out, and the Vikings marched down the field for a final clock-consuming drive.
A third down catch by Matt Dutton at the nine-yard line sealed the Vikings' victory, and they ran out the clock to preserve a much needed 21-20 win, to the delight of the home fans.
The Vikings are back in action again on Oct. 15 at 1:30 p.m. against Tommy Douglas at Saskatoon Minor Football field.
