After two straight road games, Academy’s football team finally played in front of its home crowd, facing a 3-1 Whitehall team. After losing to the Rams 35-21 a year ago, the Vikes were hungry for a win this time around. They got their revenge, outlasting the Rams in a thrilling 21-20 victory.
With rap music blaring out of the speakers and one of the largest student sections in school history, energy filled the air as kickoff approached. But the minute the game started, Whitehall showed the game would be no walk in the park for Academy, as the Rams raced 70 yards for a touchdown on their first play from scrimmage.
The Vikings quickly recovered, as they immediately drove down the field and tied the game on a 5-yard run by sophomore Herman Moultrie. Then, after a 20-minute defensive struggle and just a minute left in the first half, senior captain Brett Bates made an incredible leaping one-handed interception when the Rams tried to set up a screen. This gave the Vikes the ball deep in Whitehall territory.
After moving the ball to the one yard-line, there was confusion between the refs and the first half clock ran out on the Vikings. The score was tied, and yet Whitehall now held the momentum as the third quarter began.
Frustrated by how the first half ended, senior captain Nick Stringer and the Vikes offense weren’t going to let another scoring chance slip through their fingertips again. After senior Roman Bellisari made a great play to pick off a Whitehall pass and return it 40 yards, Academy’s offense capitalized. Junior John Schiano hauled in a screen from Stringer and ran it in from 11 yards put to give the Vikings a 14-7 lead.
Bates and the Vikings defense continued to stifle Whitehall, and Academy entered the fourth quarter protecting its 7 point advantage. With 8 minutes left, the Vikes put together a long drive before Bellisari made another huge play – this time on offense – bursting through a hole and scoring an 18-yard touchdown. The student section erupted, feeling a huge win on the horizon.
But the Rams would not go away quietly. They scored, forced an Academy fumble, and then scored again to make the score 21-20. Before the Vikings could blink, Whitehall was on the verge of tying the game.
As they lined up for the extra point, the Academy student section began chanting, “Miss that kick! Miss that kick!”. Amazingly, the Whitehall kicker obliged, as the kick sailed wide right of the goalposts.
After a desperation onside kick flew out of bounds, the Vikes ran out the clock, closing out a huge win. The student section streamed onto the field once the clock hit zeroes and celebrated the crazy win with the players.
Although it is still early in the season, this emotional win could prove to be important for the Vikes. They will need all the momentum they can get as they host the always tough West Jefferson Roughriders on Friday, September 30.
