On Friday, October 14, the Humboldt Collegiate Institute (HCI) Mohawks felt something they had not felt in 16 games: the sting of defeat.
The Melfort Comets came into Glen Hall Park not having beaten HCI since 2008, and not in Humboldt since 2000.
They stood toe-to-toe with the Mohawks this time and eked out a 23-21 victory.
It was a victory that almost eluded them again thanks to a bad punt snap that gave quarterback Daegan Engele the ball on Melfort's 39-yard line with a scant 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Two plays later, the Mohawks lined up for a 28-yard field goal attempt that the visitors blocked.
"This result is not the end of the world," offered HCI's head coach Shaun Gardiner. "Our kids showed tremendous resiliency in coming back. These are fun games. It was very well officiated, coached and played. We would like to have a few plays back, but that is football."
The two defensive co-ordinators had both formulated solid game plans as the offences struggled early to find answers to finishing drives.
Melfort did find the endzone at the 8:54 mark of the first quarter on a one-yard run from Cain Grisdale, but there was no more scoring until HCI's Josh Giddings returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown with 3:32 left in the second quarter.
Humboldt took an 8- 7 lead into the half after a 72-yard punt single from Giddings at the gun.
The two teams continued to stymie their opponents throughout the third quarter. Then a miscue led to a Melfort field goal after the Mohawks fumbled on their own 20.
HCI's Engele and the offence took the field looking for redemption and drove to the Comet 28-yard line, where the drive stalled. Giddings, lining up for a 35-yard field goal attempt, struck the ball truly, but it hit the crossbar as the third quarter drained.
With the teams changing sides for the final frame, the Comets had to drive into a stiff breeze. Nevertheless, Curtis Puetz reeled in Brett Lecuyer's throw for the touchdown that extended the lead to 16-8 after the extra point failed.
Undismayed, HCI's Giddings answered when he found some room down the east sideline for a 75-yard touchdown run.
After the extra point pulled the Mohawks to within one at 16-15, Melfort responded with a drive that culminated in Lecuyer plunging in from one yard out with a mere 5:21 remaining in the game.
The successful convert made the score 23-15.
Despair might have set in then, but Engele stepped up and delivered a perfect strike to Cody Hobbs, who sprinted across the goal line on a 60-yard pass-and-run play to draw close again: 23-21. Giddings was stopped short on the point after try, but momentum was still in Humboldt's favour.
"We were faced with the necessity of an outright victory because Melfort held the tie-breaking advantage," stated kick-off cover coach Tom Schwinghamer. "Even had we converted for two points we were still looking for a short kick."
Again the Comets answered the challenge and recovered Mathew Doepker's short squib. But Brian Hinz's defense held firm on consecutive plays to force a punt and set in motion the dramatic last second field goal attempt.
The next action for the Mohawks will be playoff football on October 22 at 1 p.m. when the Clavet Cougars will return to Glen Hall Park.
