Posen takes 3-0 mark into Friday?s game, after fourth quarter comeback at Pickford
The Viking football team stayed unbeaten with a fourth-quarter comeback at Pickford last Friday, 24-20. A 19-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Ponik to Matt Szczerowski with 4:29 left in regulation and two key defensive stands in the final quarter kept Posen from suffering its first road loss in four years. ?We had our boys turn into men in that second half and show a lot of character,? said Budnick. ?This is a very, very good Pickford team and I would not be surprised at all, if we make the playoffs, that we could see them down the road.?
The Vikings play their next three games under the lights in Posen, starting off with 1-2 Au Gres. The Panthers had the momentum and the lead entering the early minutes of the fourth quarter. Pickford drove the ball closer and closer to the Viking goal-line, but some minor miscues coupled with the P-Town defense digging in its heels, turned the game around. Pickford had a 20-16 lead, crossed midfield and moved the ball to the PHS 25-yard line.
THE VIKINGS appeared to have gained control of the game with a five-yard touchdown run by Ponik with 3:50 remaining in the third quarter. Richie Kroll ran in the two-point conversion and Posen had a 16-12 lead, but the Panthers scored the next time they had the ball on a 68-yard touchdown run. The Panthers had the emotional edge, and even punched in their first conversion of the game, to make the score 20-16. The Vikes got the ball back but went four-and-out.
The Panthers went back on offense, and must have felt like they were on their way. In their march to the Posen 25, the backs were gaining five to six yards at a pop, much the way they had most of the game. ?Our only problem is that we self destruct,? said Pickford coach Barry O?Connor following the contest. On first down, the Viking defense stopped the run, setting up a second and 10, but the Panthers had movement on the line bringing up a 2-and-15. The Pickford quarterback was harassed by big Aaron Hincka at the line, who put his hands up, forcing the QB to throw an incomplete pass. On fourth and 14, Ponik tipped a pass away and Posen got the ball back on downs, with 9:06 left on the clock.
THE FIRST PLAY from scrimmage went for seven yards, and Posen started its winning march to the Pickford end zone. After Richie Kroll ran for 11 yards to set up a first and goal at the eight, the drive appeared to be in trouble after the Vikes were called for two penalties, one a clip, which pushed them back into a first-and-19. The next play went for no gain. ?Some teams might have given up and said ?the heck with it,? and look, the next play, we?re in the end zone,? said Budnick.
Ponik hit Szczerowski streaking from the right at the five yard line, who then took it in for his first varsity touchdown. The score was 22-20, but Budnick was in a tough spot because the Panthers had a good field goal kicker and a stiff breeze at their back. All Pickford needed to do was get close and hope for some luck. Instead of the extra point, the players wanted to run in the two-point conversion. ?The boys said ?no, let?s make it so they have to get a touchdown,?? Budnick said. ?I put the game in their hands and they said they would get the two point conversion, and they did.? Jesse Romel ran it in, making the score 24-20. The defense would need one more stop, though.
THE PANTHERS HAD good field position at their own 42 and moved it to the Posen 48 before being penalized. A completed pass took Pickford to the Posen 36. On first down the run was stopped, setting up second and nine. On the next play, Hincka must have thought he was in the paint on the basketball court as he stuffed the pass back into the face of the Panther QB. On third and nine, Szczerowski hit the quarterback, popping the ball in the air for teammate James Sobek, who jumped up for the ball but lost it on the way down when an opposing helmet jarred the ball loose. The play was ruled an incomplete pass. With a fourth down play, the Pickford quarterback had an open receiver, threw the ball to the home sideline, but Ponik ran over and tipped the ball away as it reached the outstretched arms of the receiver. The Vikings took the rest of the time off the clock and the game was theirs.
?It?s hard after a game like last week, where we didn?t face any resistance,? said Budnick. ?To have to come out in the first half and face a very good football team got us back on our heels a little bit, but the kids responded like they needed to and came out in the second half and played a really strong ga
?I HATED TO be coaching that one, I would rather have been in the stands watching, it was a very good ball game,? said O?Connor. ?Anytime a team scores 24 points in a game, it?s hard to beat them.? After Pickford took the early lead in the first quarter, Ron Kroll scored on a seven yard touchdown. The conversion from Ponik to Szczerowski took the lead away from the home team. It was one of five lead changes. Pickford scored on its next possession making it 12-8, and the game would stay that way until Ponik scored on a five yard run. Richie Kroll ran in the conversion and the Vikings were up by four, 16-12.
Richie was the leading rusher with 86 yards on 14 carries. Ron Kroll ran for 62 yards, followed by Jesse Romel with 44 on the ground. Josh Krajniak had 26 yards rushing, while Ponik ran for 15 yards. Ponik was six-for-seven for 66 yards.