On Friday, October 21, Academy hosted its arch rival, Bexley, who got the better of the 7-2 Vikings with a 28-14 loss in one of the biggest games in our school’s  history.

Feeding off the energy from one of the largest home crowds, the Vikings charged out of the gates in a fury. One of the most dangerous playmakers in the region, junior Jerome Buckner, took the opening kickoff and ran through seemingly every player on Bexley’s kickoff coverage unit on his way to an 85-yard touchdown.

Then, facing a third down deep in its own territory, Bexley’s quarterback coughed up the ball, giving it to the Vikes at the Lions’ 32-yard line. Academy pounded its way down to the 1 yard-line before junior running back Herman Moultrie plowed into the end zone to put the Vikings up 14-0.

When Bexley got the ball back, it began executing its slow, methodical offense. The team marched down the field, draining the energy from the crowd before scoring on a 6-yard run. After the Vikes missed a field goal attempt, the Lions continued their offensive game plan and scored again to tie the game. A defensive battle ensued for the remainder of the first half, and the two teams headed to the locker room tied 14-14.

The lack of offense continued for both teams, and a scoreless third quarter led to a tie heading into the final quarter. With 10 minutes left, Bexley drove down the field and barreled into the end zone to take a 21-14 lead.

Academy’s offense stalled, and the Lions got the ball back in the Vikings’ territory. They took advantage, delivering the final blow on a 33-yard rushing touchdown with 4 minutes left.

A comeback attempt by the Vikes fell flat, and the Lions escaped with a 28-14 victory.

Although it is disappointing to lose, the Vikes will learn a lot from this week. They will look to shore up some of the weaknesses shown in this game, such as pass protection and stopping the run. Look for Academy to come out fired up in its season finale: Senior Night against London on Friday, October 28.