Vikings seek retribution in provincial playoff rematch

By JAMES TUBB on November 19, 2021.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

There are a lot of motivators for the Crescent Heights Vikings ahead of the South championship football game on Saturday.

The Vikings are going up against the Cochrane Cobras on the road for an opportunity to win the South championship and play in the Tier 3 provincial final on Nov. 26 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. In the last full football season back in 2019, the Vikings faced the Cobras in the South championship and lost 42-0. Head coach Sean Davis says both teams are a lot different this time around.

“Our 2019 season ended by playing Cochrane and they gave us a beating but I think that Cochrane team was different than the one we are going to play,” Davis said. “I think with the kids we’ve got and how we’ve been practicing, we have a chance to win this game.”

Davis says if the Vikings beat Cochrane on Saturday and qualify for the Tier 3 championship, they would be the first Vikings team to advance that far in their 53-year history. But the Vikings are focused on a tough Cochrane team and Davis says with all of the storylines, the coaches are reminding the Vikings to just play football.

“We just tell the guys you just have to show up to play. If you show up to play and we play our game, the rest will take care of itself,” Davis said. “We try to remind them that this is just football. This is just a football game and the game is much bigger than wins and losses, absolutely we want to win, but just play our game.”

The Vikings are coming off of a 20-2 win over the Stettler Wildcats last Saturday to advance in the provincial playoffs. Defence was the Vikings’ strength in the win, holding Stettler to two points and Davis said it will be needed even more against the Cobras.

“Our defence is going to have to play outstanding for us to win,” Davis said. “They have a high powered offence… so we’re going to have to play our best game to win.”

Vikings senior Lucas Semrau, who was on the 2019 Vikings that lost to Cochrane, says Saturday’s playoff matchup is something he is excited for and he can’t believe they get another opportunity with the Cobras.

“It’s kind of surreal, it’s how I started here with the Vikings and my last year we go back,” Semrau said. “Obviously we didn’t get the result we were looking for but I’m really confident in this team and how much of a family we are. No matter what happens in the game, I am happy we get to go there with my team and we get to go into Cochrane and show them how we play.”

Semrau added he has enjoyed getting to go on road trips with his teammates this year after going without due to COVID-19 last season. He says if the Vikings defence carries their energy from their win last weekend, they will be good against Cochrane.

“I think we take that same energy that we started that game with and continue it right into the other,” Semrau said. “I know if we take that energy we had in that game, not many teams can stop us.”

The Vikings are the last senior football team from the Hat still playing this season, which is something Davis says he is proud of.

“For two years in a row, we are playing longer than anybody,” Davis said. “It just goes to show it doesn’t matter where you play, what colour your uniform is, our football team is as well coached as any team in Alberta regardless of tier and we have some of the best athletes in Alberta. The results speak for themselves.”

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