Taming Tigers not Simm-ple

At Simms, the visiting Vikings (3W) found themselves at the base of a 26-0 halftime chasm against the host Tigers (2N), but were able to stem the bleeding by applying some strategic triage coupled with a scoring onslaught of their own making.

Behind a 200 yd plus rushing performance by running back Jade Smith, the Vikings rattled off successive scoring drives that cut the deficit to 26-16 when Trent Dennison scampered free from his pursuit and rumbled half the distance of the football field for the Vikings second score.

On a subsequent possession thereafter, the Vikings embarked on a six minute, 25 play drive during which the first down marking sticks had to be brought onto the field twice to validate two fourth down conversions that hung in the balance, one of which was reversed by a foot after being originally ruled that Simms had taken over the ball on downs.

Unfortunately, that drive would ultimately stall on account of a staunch Simms defensive stance.

In an attempt to keep their subsequent possession alive, Simms attempted a punt fake that floundered.   Three plays later, Kyle Couture of the Vikings would rumble into the end zone from 29 yds out to trim the lead down to 26-24 with just under six minutes to play in the fourth quarter.

At this juncture there were two plays upon which the hinges of the outcome of the game would swing one way or the other.  Both would throw cold water on the visitors gathering momentum like a shiver down the spine after an ALS ice bucket challenge

The one transpired on the ensuing kickoff when Tiger running back Noah Clark fielded the ball on a bounce off the turf, then shed would-be tacklers like his biblical namesake parted the Red Sea and galloped 75 yds into the promised land to give Simms a 34-24 cushion.

Charlo would respond in appropriate fashion with another scoring drive of their own when Smith rocketed 65 yds to the end zone to counter the preceding setback and pare the deficit back to within striking distance 34-30.

With four minutes remaining, Simms had an opportunity to chew up huge chunks off the more precious than ever clock with a sustaining drive, but the Vikings were able to initiate a fumble recovery to give themselves a breath of fresh air with a renewed chance.

The other hinge creaked the wrong direction during this ensuing  possession by the Vikings.  On 2nd-and-8 at the Simms 30 with about two minutes remaining, Charlo QB Dennison dropped back to target his receiver breaking over the middle deep in red zone territory.  The Tigers blitzed to apply pressure and a Simms player made contact as Dennison released the ball.  

The hit altered the trajectory of the throw just enough to allow Tiger DB Erik Pschernig an opportunity to make a play on the ball.  He gathered in the wobbly throw with a one-handed grab in what bore all the earmarks of a potential interception.   But different vantage points called into doubt the nature of the play.  Was it a valiant defensive effort that fell to the ground incomplete or was it a bona fide interception?  One referee in the immediate vicinity ruled incomplete with a wave of his arms, while another official further upfield ruled interception, prompting the officiating crew to huddle in conference to sort out the variants in perspective.  

The ruling was the Simms player secured possession of the pick before hitting the ground that put possession of the ball back to the Tigers.

The Viking receiver who was the intended target of the pass was wide open and would have scampered unscathed into the end zone with the go ahead score had the defensive lineman been a fraction of a second off on his timing.

Charlo finishes 4-4.

Charlo     0    0  16  14  – 30

Simms    12  14   0    8  – 34

1st Quarter

S - E.Pschernig 4 pass from L.Rushton (conv failed)

S - J.Bloom 2 run (conv failed)

2nd Quarter

S - Pschernig 17 pass from Ruston (conv failed)

S - B.Bulik-Chism 17 pass from Rushton (Pschernig  pass from Rushton)

3rd Quarter

Ch - Jade Smith 14 run (Smith run)

Ch - Trent Dennison 52 run (Kyle Couture run)

4th quarter

Ch - Couture 29 run (Kobe Cox pass from Dennison)

S - N.Clark 75 kickoff return (Devan Goode run)

Ch - Smith 65 run (conv failed)

 RUSH (50-409) – Jade Smith 25-248, Dennison 16-102, Kyle Couture 9-59. PASS – Dennison 9-15-40-1. REC (9-40) - Kobe Cox 5-32, Jesse Long 3-8, Couture 1-0. KORET – Cox 1-25, Long 1-20. PNT – Dennison 4-125. PDEFL – Cox. FMBRCV – Bridger Smith. FMBCAUS – Maverick Nelson. DEFTKL/ASST (29t53a) - Smith 5t16a, Long 7t8a, Cox 6t6a, Smith 5t6a, Couture 3t6a, Toby Odom 2t3a, Nelson 1t3a, AJ Wiggin 4a, Kane Shenyer 1a.