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Last minute field goal gives NB win in openerAfter a rough 1-7 regular season record last year, the North Branch football squad started things off on a high note this season, with a 22-20 win over Milaca Aug. 28. The Vikings were on the board first with a touchdown midway through the opening quarter, but watched time run out in the second half as the team trailed the Wolves 19-20 at halftime. With 1:01 remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter, North Branch senior kicker Britt Baumann split the uprights to give the Vikes the 22-20 lead and eventually the win. The largest lead of the game came when the Vikes drove 61 yards in the first quarter, ending with a 5-yard Matt Fletcher run into the endzone. Milaca answered with 7 on its subsequent possession. North Branch took the lead again in the quarter with a touchdown with 2:50 remaining. Marc Vanden Heuvel ran 6 yards for the score, capping a 68 yard drive. Baumannís extra point kick was no good, for a 13-7 North Branch lead. The Wolves tied it up at 13-all with a TD and missed extra point to open the second quarter. Vanden Heuvel notched his second score of the game at 4:42, running 3 yards in. Baumannís kick missed for a19-13 Vikes lead. With less than a minute remaining, the Wolves went ahead 20-19 with a touchdown. WIth four minutes left in the fourth, North Branchís defense came up with a big turnover at the 24-yard line. The offense moved the ball to the 16-yard line, setting up the game-winning 33-yard field goal from Baumann. ìDefensively we need to improve our tackling. We missed a lot of tackles,î Head Coach Joel Swanson said. ìWe did make the important stops when we had to in the second half.î North Branch totalled 279 rushing yards in a successful ground game; 252 of those came from Vanden Heuvel who carried the ball 37 times. ìOur running backs ran well, but also did a good job of lead blocking,î Swanson said. Defensively, Zeb Sims had the lone fumble recovery for the Vikings, while Ben Stenberg and Gavin Hall each were credited with a quarterback sack. The offense gave up one interception in the game. Swanson said it was a good team effort and an exciting way to open the season. Next up, the Vikes host Rogers in the home opener Friday, Sept. 5. Game time is 7:00 p.m. ©ECM Post Review |