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One play often changes the complexion of a game. Wednesday, October 18, that play took place as the seconds ticked away in the first quarter. Hopkins transformed a Viking turnover into a touchdown and went on to beat the Vikings 21-20 at North Branch.

That play came as the Vikings, trailing the Royals 7-0, were driving toward a tying TD. Disaster struck when Justin Novak took a handoff from Mark Johnson on a second and goal from the one. Novak went airborne at the three. As he flew toward the goal line, he was met by a wall of Royals. The ball popped lose and, for a moment, rested on the soggy turf.

A Royal defender was first to the ball. He snatched it from the ground as it lay at the line of scrimmage. He cut right to avoid the only Vikings with a chance to catch him and sprinted up the west sideline and into the endzone.

The first quarter was over and, it appeared, so were the chances for the Vikings to upset the visitors from the powerful Classic Lake Conference. But, the Vikings never gave up and came back to make it a close and exciting contest.

The Vikings took the opening kickoff, but went three and out on their first possession. Hopkins took the ball after a Kirk Dahle punt and scored on its first chance. The Viking defense offered little resistance early. Before some of the fans had settled in, the Royals had a 7-0 lead.

With 2:06 left in the opening session, the Vikings had a first down on the Hopkins 43, thanks to a Johnson to Alex Nelson completion. Two Novak runs gave the Vikings a first down on the 30. On the next play, Johnson hit Jared Grams, with a pass. Grams’ run gave the Vikings a first and goal at the five. Two plays later, the Royals returned the fumble 99 yards for a 14-0 lead.

The second quarter began on a positive note for the Vikings. Grams fielded the Hopkins kickoff on the 10 and raced 50 yards. However, the Vikings couldn’t capitalize on the field position and, four plays later, the Royals had the ball again.

Hopkins moved the ball on its next possession. Three first downs later, they had a first and 10 at the Viking 22. A holding penalty and a series of Dillon Kost tackles forced a Royals’ punt. Novak’s fair catch put the ball at the Viking 10 with 6:53 in the half.

Two more Novak carries gave NB a fresh four on the 32. Johnson then connected with Nelson for another first on the 43. After two more runs netted a negative six yards, Johnson called his own number. His 20 yard run set the Vikings up on the Hopkins 43 with 3:40 in the half.

Two minutes later, on fourth down, kept the ball on an option left. He stepped inside a block and outran two royals for a 37 yard TD. Nelson’s extra point narrowed the margin to 14-7 with 1:30 remaining.

Hopkins ran the Viking kickoff back to their own 38. A Hopkins drive, aided by a Viking personal foul and a pass interference call put the ball on the Viking 13 with 14 seconds on the clock. Two incompletions left 4.4 seconds in the half. The Royals brought in their field goal unit. A fake kick didn’t work as Kost picked off the pass and the half ended 14-7 in favor of the Royals.

Hopkins’ first possession of the second half ended when the Vikings recovered a fumble at and took the ball at the Royals’ 43. From there, the Vikings started a nine-play drive highlighted by Johnson passes. The NB quarterback hit Grams with a first down completion before he connected with Johnny Han for a first at the 11. Three plays later, facing a third and 13 at the 14, Johnson calmly stepped out of the pocket, darted to the left and threw back to the right. Chris Becklin hauled it in for a North Branch score.

With 4:11 left in quarter three, the Vikings had evened the score when Nelson’s kick made it 14-14.

The Royals moved down the field to the Viking 31. But, on fourth and two, DJ Charley’s jarring tackle stopped the Royal ball carrier one yard short. The Vikings took over on their 30. However, NB couldn’t gain a first down and on the second play of the last quarter, Dahle punted to Hopkins.

The next Hopkins drive ended on a fourth down incompletion and gave the Vikings the ball on their own 24. On the next play, Grams ran a reverse for 23 yards. But, two consecutive losses on the ground and an incomplete pass forced another Dahle punt.

Hopkins took possession at the 30. Three first downs later at the 2:32 mark, the Royals were on the Viking 30. Hopkins managed the field and the clock very well from that point. With fourth and goal, only a few inches from the goal line, Hopkins called their last timeout. On the next play, the Royals appeared to have the game in hand when they scored with 8.9 seconds remaining. The conversion made it 21-14.

For some unknown reason, the Royals chose to kick off to the Vikings’ deep men. Grams took the ball at the nine, raced forward through the first line of tacklers, veered left and outran the rest of the Royals to make the score 21-20 with all the seconds gone.

After a brief discussion, the Vikings decided to try for two. The run around right end was just short and the Royals escaped with a one-point win.  

“It would have been very easy for our guys to roll over and give up after Hopkins went up 14-0.  I was very proud of the way our kids played hard and stormed back from that deficit to tie it up and put us in a position to win,” said North Branch head coach Dave Eyre.  “I was even more proud of the way we returned the kick for a TD after they scored with eight seconds left in the game. 

“The two point conversion was no good but I do not regret the decision to go for two at all.  Given 100 of the same situations, I would do it again 100 times.  We wanted the win and to put a fork in them. Playing for OT was not an option.  Unfortunately, their free safety made a great play to stop our timing.  I have never been more proud of a group of kids in my career.  They deserved to win, unfortunately, it just didn’t happen that way,” the coach continued. 

“We have good momentum going into playoffs. The offense is coming around and our defense has played very well the past couple weeks.  It is now do or die time,” Eyre concluded.

Johnson had a very productive night for the Vikings. The Viking senior rushed eight times for 83 yards and a touchdown. He was also 8 for 16 passing for 147 yards and a score.

Grams grabbed two of Johnson’s throws for 60 yards, Becklin had two for 35 yards and a touchdown and Nelson caught two for 24 yards. Novak was the second leading rusher for NB. He ran the ball 16 times for 47 yards.

The Vikings outstanding return game was a big factor in the game. North Branch returned four Hopkins kickoffs for 159 yards.

The Vikings were scheduled to play at Totino-Grace, the state’s number-one-rated team, in the Section 4AAAA Tournament Tuesday, 24. The winner of that game will play in the section semifinals Saturday, October 28.

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