The Gibraltar team will get a crack at the other half of the former United squad on Friday when they host Oneida Nation.
The Vikings fell behind 30-0 and could only claw half of it back in a 30-16 loss to NEW Lutheran last Friday. The Vikings started the second half on the wrong foot when Hobbs Emerson threw an interception deep in Blazers territory. That set up a momentum shift in their favor when Wyatt Bultman sacked Schultz in the endzone to make it 30-2. On the ensuing drive, Emerson led the Vikings down the field before cashing in on a one yard touchdown carry to make it 30-10. After a short Bultman kick that was recovered by the Vikings, Emerson engineered another scoring drive, this time ending with Jake Larson's first touchdown of the season on a clever misdirection in the backfield. Long drives made possessions limited in the fourth quarter with neither team able to find the endzone. Emerson nearly snuck in to make it a one score game with just over 90 seconds remaining, but the Blazers' James Roeske made a tackle short of the pylon to prevent the Vikings comeback from continuing.
The Thunderhawks were supposed to open their first season back as an independent squad last Friday against Menominee Nation, but their school canceled their season before its start. They have not fielded a team since they went 1-8 in 2018. In that season, they forfeited their first two games (including one against Gibraltar) and failed to break double-figures in five other games. They were a part of co-op with NEW Lutheran/Providence Academy ever since.
Tim Kowols will have the call on 105.1 The GOAT beginning at 6:45 p.m. followed by kickoff at 7 p.m.
