Vikings play tough defense against Bishop Reedy. (Sarah Neltner ’20/ Media)

On Thursday, October 3, the Columbus Academy football team earned a much-needed victory in a televised matchup against Bishop Ready, 35-14.

The game began with the two teams trading punts until the Vikings forced a big fumble. CA capitalized on the turnover, with junior quarterback Brady Hess scoring on a quarterback draw to give the Vikes a 7-0 lead.

Two plays later, senior lineman Philip Soderberg added an acrobatic one-handed interception to the highlight reel, rumbling down to the Ready 15-yard line on the subsequent return. Carter James’21 then made a beautiful cut to rush for a touchdown, putting Academy up 14-0.

The Silver Knights did not go down without a fight, as they put together a long drive punctuated by a short touchdown run to cut the Academy lead to 7 going into the half.

The Vikes jumped on Ready after halftime, quickly marching down the field and into Silver Knight territory. Hess scrambled and put a spin-move on a would-be tackler to get into the endzone, making the game 21-7.

After getting a quick stop, the Vikings again put together a drive capped off by junior receiver Sam Huyghe’s first touchdown since returning from an injury. Senior kicker Sam Massick’s extra point moved the score to 28-7.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Silver Knights tried to get back into the game, putting 7 points on the board with a short run. However, Academy thwarted the comeback attempt, melting time off the clock and getting the lead back up to three touchdowns. The game ended just like that, with CA earning a big 35-14 win.

This win was critical for the Viking’s playoff hopes, as the team now stands at 3-3. The Vikes look to earn a second straight victory on Friday, October 11, on the road against Buckeye Valley.