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Vikings Top Tigers to Capture District XI 4A Championship. @acchs_football @ACCHS_Athletics @nwtigerfootball

Tagged under: District 11, Gameday Hub, News

| November 13, 2021

Caiden Shaffer Rushes for 165 Yards With Three Touchdowns and Defense Makes a Play to Seal the Deal in the Last Minute.

SLATINGTON- This would be he fourth meeting in the District playoffs between the Vikings of Allentown Central Catholic and the Tigers of Northwestern Lehigh Friday night before a packed house at Bulldog Stadium on the Northern Lehigh Campus. When all was said and done in a hard-fought battle the Vikings won for the third time, capturing the District XI 4A crown and will advance in the PIAA state playoffs against unbeaten Jersey Shore who defeated Selinsgrove 41-0 in the District 4 title game.

In a back-and-forth contest, costly turnovers in inopportune times proved detrimental in the Tigers venture to keep their perfect season record afloat. The Vikings took advantage of those mistakes and cashed in those chances to improve to 9-3 on the season and more importantly to keep playing with hopes of getting to Hershey in December.

The opening quarter was scoreless until Viking quarterback Tamlin Ferguson connected on a 41 yard pass play to Jereel Calhoun to set the ball inside the Tiger five. With 32 seconds left, Shaffer would bull his way to the end zonemaking it 7-0 as Luke Myers made the PAT.

Northwestern would tie the score midway through the second quarter after a 25 yard throw-back pass from Cade Christopher to Justin Holmes put the Tigers and the Vikings five. Holmes would then find Taylor Wickert for the touchdown evening the score at seven with 7:19 left in the half.

With time winding down in the half, but with the Tigers threatening, defensive back Nasir Mclean game up with the first of three key turnovers by Northwestern, when Holmes threw into triple-coverage near the goal line and the pass was picked by Mclean to end the drive and both teams headed for the locker room tied at seven.

Northwestern started the second half with the ball and a nearly four minute drive culminated with the Tigers taking the lead when Christopher dashed around the edge and score from 26 yards out making it 14-7 with 8:24 left in the quarter after Luke Benvin made the extra-point.

That lead would not last long, as the ball-control Wing-T offense of the Vikings, kept Northwestern on their heals much of the night as Shaffer gashed them with punsishing runs to keep the chains moving and keeping the high-scoring Tiger offense on the sidelines. Shaffer would find the end zone from eight yards out with 5:34 left in the quarter and tying the score at 14.

On the ensuing kickoff Christopher, looked like he was stopped on the return, but a fumble occurred and was recovered by Central Catholic’s Griffen Patridge dove on the losse ball giving his offense great filed position inside the red zone. Shaffer carried the ball four times the last being a three yard score making it 21-14 with 4:01 on the clock.

After an exchange of punts, on the next two possessions, Northwwestern had the ball and drove to inside the Vikings five, but Holmes fumbled the snap from center inside the Central Catholic ten and Rajan Stevens fell on the ball thwarting the scoring chance. On the play Holmes injured his hand diving for the ball.

Central Catholic, tried to use up what time was left in the game on the drive, they managed a few first downs but also had three flags against them. Penalties plagued the Vikings all night by committing a dozen of them on the nigh. Facing a fourth and 17, a punt gave the Tigers one last chance from the Northwestern 38. Christpoher quarterbacking for the injured Holmes hit Wikert for a gain down to the Central Catholic 19. With under a minute left and on a fourth and 10, Christopher handed the ball to Holmes who looked for Wikert in the back of the end zone, but Matt Keyes kept the receiver from catching the ball and allowing the Vikings to celebrate, while the Tigers laid helplessly on the turf.

Central Catholic coach Tim McGorry new his team did play their best game with uncharacteristic penalties but was pleased his team fought through it and now will advance next week.

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