NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Lucas Gramme, a Belgian exchange with the Crescent Heights Vikings, recovered a Vikings fumble on a feild goal and carried it into the endzone for a two point conversion in the Vikings Thursday night win over the Brooks Buffalos.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
The Crescent Heights Vikings had a flair for the dramatics Thursday night in their 22-14 win over the Brooks Buffalos in their first Rangeland Football Conference playoff game.
The matchup was all tied up at 14-14 with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter when the Vikings intercepted the ball and mounted a multi-play drive to break the tie and secure the win.
Crescent Heights head coach Sean Davis said the Buffalos gave the Vikings a tough matchup and he’s just excited they left the field with the win.
“It was a bit of a rough start for us but we came out in the second half and we played a hell of a lot better than we did in the first, so I’m happy about that,” Davis said. “Like I assumed, Brooks always came out and they played their best game I think of the year. They gave us everything we could handle but we’re glad to get away with this one.”
The Vikings opened the scoring in the playoff matchup with a rushing touchdown early in the first quarter. Their extra point attempt was blocked by the Buffalos to hold them to a 6-0 lead. The Crescent Heights score would be the only offense of the first quarter as the Buffalos took over the second quarter.
Brooks had two passing touchdowns in the quarter to give them a 14-6 lead. It looked as if they could carry that lead into halftime but, the Vikings were not ready to end the first half behind on the score board. They made a long drive down the field and scored with a rushing touchdown from Abdul Kiawen. Crescent Heights would add two on a two point conversion rush from quarterback Carter Maclean to head into the half with the game all tied up at 14-14.
Neither team could break the tie in the third quarter as both played stingy defense and held one another off of the scoreboard. In the fourth quarter, with the score all tied up at 14-14, neither team wanted to give up what could have been the game winning score.
Both the Buffalos and Vikings had chances with the ball as time winded down in the final quarter. But, it wasn’t until after the three minute warning, that Crescent Heights got the job done.
The Vikings picked off a Brooks’ pass and made their drive towards the Buffalos’ end zone. Hudson Stewart ran through the line and scored the game winning touchdown for Crescent Heights. When the Vikings went to kick the extra point, there was a botched snap and kicker Lucas Gramme picked up the ball he was supposed to kick and ran for the end zone to give them the two point conversion.
Gramme, a Belgian exchange student, didn’t have a lot to say about the score except that he was very happy he had that experience. Davis says he wished the fumbled field goal for two points was planned but was happy with the result.
“For him to get a two point conversion, it was really cool to see. He was excited,” Davis said.
Across the field, Brooks head coach Braedon Cameron said it was a tough way to go out but it was a good game to be a part of.
“It was a great game… You always want to be on the other side of games like this but it was a good one to be a part of,” Cameron said. “It was certainly the game of the week and it’s only Thursday. It was a fun one to be a part of.”
The matchup was featured beforehand as Alberta Footballs game of the week. Cameron says there were a lot of positives in their game Thursday night and the close match will be a motivator for next week and something to build off of for next season.
“Especially with having the hiatus last year, not knowing what things were going to look like now that we are back, to have this thing going and to know the group we have heading into next year, it’s certainly another building block even though that is a little far ahead of where we are,” Cameron said.
Brooks will host the McCoy Colts, who lost their playoff matchup also on Thursday night, to the Hat High Hawks, 39-12. With the win, the Vikings qualified for provincials and will also face the Hawks next Friday for the Rangeland Conference championship.
Davis says it will be anybody’s game as both schools have really good football teams.
“The Hawks are a good football team. I think we are a good football team too and I don’t think we’ve played our best game yet,” Davis said. “But if we prepare right and we play our best game, I think it’s anybody’s game. Fortunately for us, regardless of how that game goes, it’s not the end for us. We’re moving onto provincials and we’re super happy about it.”
