A 43-yard field goal Braden Sitte capped off one of the most thrilling victories in Gibraltar's reign in eight-player football Friday night as they beat Algoma 53-50.
The Wolves got out to a fast start, dominating the possession clock early with Grant Vandervest scoring on two short carries to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter.
The Vikings would finally get on the scoreboard midway through the second quarter with Will Lecy scoring a touchdown to cut the lead in half. The two teams would trade scores the rest of the quarter with Vandervest scoring his third touchdown of the game and Issac Yunk ending the frame with another short score on either side of a Brady Kita rushing touchdown to make it 28-14 at the break.
The Vikings would close the gap in the third quarter, occupying the clock for more than 10 minutes while Lecy scored touchdowns through the air and on the ground to tie the game at 28-28.
The two teams would once again trade blows in the fourth quarter with Gibraltar answering every Algoma touchdown with one of their own. Touchdowns by the Wolves' Vandervest and Lischka and the Vikings' Lecy set the stage for a thrilling finish. Kita galloped into the endzone with less than a minute remaining in the game to tie the game at 34-34 apiece. The Wolves would try their hardest to end the game in regulation with Vandervest finding Lischka on 40-plus yard pass route and ensuing two-point conversion to make it 50-42 with less than 30 seconds remaining. The Vikings would recover an onside kick in Wolves territory to give them a short field to work with before Sitte pulled a Houdini act on a flea flicker gone wrong that turned into a 50 yard scramble for the endzone to set up a game-tying two-point conversion run by Kita.
In overtime, the Wolves could not reach the endzone in their four downs, setting up Sitte's heroics from the kicking tee.
The Vikings improve to 3-0 on the season and they head to Wausaukee next week. Tim Kowols will have the action on 105.1 The GOAT beginning at 6:45 p.m. with the pregame show followed by kickoff at 7 p.m.
The Wolves drop to 1-1 on the year and will face Gillett at home next week. Paul Schmitt and Henry Annen will have the call on 104.1 WRLU beginning at 6:45 p.m. with the pregame show followed by the kickoff at 7 p.m.
