North Branch hosted Hermantown under the Friday Night Lights.
Each times these two teams meet it's always a good game, and usually always comes down to the final drive. This game was no different.
The Vikings scored on 2 of their first 3 drives, Brody Mitchell and Jacob Robillard each had a touchdown carry putting them up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. The 1st quarter was simply dominated by North Branch on both sides of the ball. Their defense held the Hawks to 2 three and outs. But the second quarter saw the script flip. Hermantown started to find success through the air and took advantage. They were able to put up 15 points in the 2nd quarter getting most of the work done through the air. While North Branch was able to score on a Tyler Minke rushing touchdown to keep them ahead 22-15, momentum had clearly shifted in the Hawks favor. Hermantown would also get the ball to start the 2nd half.
The 3rd quarter, depending on who you were cheering for, couldn't have started any worse. The Hawks were able to scoop the squib kick and weave their way through traffic for a kick return TD, the PAT was good, and 13 seconds into the new half it was tied at 22. The ensuing kick was fumbled by the Vikings but recovered only to put them at their own 10 yard line. North Branch is no stranger to long scoring drives, and they would once again go the distance. Robillard would find his TE Nathan Gaona-Edwards for 43 yards to set them up in the redzone. The very next play London Johnson would find pay dirt, putting the Vikings back in front 28-22.
But Hermantown was not to be outdone. They found a way to outrun and out physical the Vikings for the remainder of the 3rd, scoring twice more before the end of the 3rd quarter, giving the Hawks the lead 36-28.
On their first drive of the 4th, the Vikings offense marched 70 yards downfield and scored, on another Robillard rush, they would not convert the 2 point try which left them trailing 36-34. They knew they were going to need more points, but almost as importantly their defense needed to make a stop. And that's just what they did forcing a punt from Hermantown. North Branch's offense capitalized off the punt and found the endzone on another London Johnson score, but the 2 point try was again denied which only put them up 40-36. Late in the 4th Hermantown's offense got the ball back and methodically marched down the field taking precious time off the clock. With under a minute and a half left the Hawks got on the board again and converted their 2 point try, taking an 44-40 lead.
The Vikings started with the ball on their own 25 yard line with just over 1 minute to go and two timeouts. Their first two play from scrimmage only gained 7 yards and forced them to call their second timeout. The next three plays went to Johnson who picked up two first downs. The next play was stopped in the field of play and forced them to use their final timeout with 17 seconds left. Robillard's next carry picked up 18 yards to the Hawks 19 yard line, and he most importantly got out of bounds stopping the clock. The very next play they decided to try and throw, and the play did not go well at first. Robillard was under all sorts of pressure, defenders in his face and he had nowhere to go. But at the last possible moment he found his TE Gaona-Edwards in the endzone for the game winning touchdown! The Vikes would convert their two point try and were left to defend the kick return. As the kick was off Hermantown had no chance of a return and the game ended with the Vikings on top 48-44.
A nail biter but North Branch improves to 2-1 on the season. Next week they will travel to Mora to battle the Mustangs.
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