THUNDER BAY – The Hammarskjold Vikings haven’t won a junior football championship in a dozen years.
They’re now a win away from ending the drought.
Led by Gerald Marshall’s dominating three-touchdown night, the Vikings crushed the one-win Westgate Tigers on Thursday night at Fort William Stadium, racing out to a 35-7 halftime lead, en route to a 37-7 triumph in the second of two semifinals on the night.
Hammarskjold will take on St. Ignatius, winners of six straight titles between 2012 and 2017, in next Saturday’s championship game.
“It feels pretty good. The blocking was good and I just thought it was a really good game,” said Marshall, after chewing up 104 yards on the ground for the second-seeded Vikings, who finished 3-0-1 in the regular season, tied with the Falcons for top spot.
“Westgate did really good too, played their hearts out.”
The three-touchdown effort was even more remarkable, given that Marshall just took up football this season, encouraged to play.
“A lot of people told me I’d be decently good at it and it just looked super fun to play,” he said.
He’s well aware how long it’s been since the Vikings have won a junior championship, something he’s confident this team can change next week.
“I just think that with some good blocking, we’ll have it,” Marshall said.
The Vikings were in charge from the start against the Tigers, who earlier this season won for the first time in more than five years.
Owen Renn set them up for their first score with 40-yard opening kickoff return that started Hammarskjold inside Tigers territory at the 54.
Eight plays later, all runs, Isaac Magill rumbled into the Westgate end zone from the one-yard line, the extra point making it 7-0.
It took just six plays on their second possession for Marshall to score his first of the night, a seven-yard run.
Down 14-0, the Tigers defence stepped up, Parker Mork picked off Hammarskjold QB Taylor Main at the goal line, but an errant snap on the first play of Westgate’s ensuing drive was scooped up by the Vikings Zach Pedlow, who took it five yards to the house, upping their lead to 21.
“I think the ball was a little slippery. When it was snapped, the guy dropped it. I got through, grabbed the ball and ran it in for the touchdown. That was my first touchdown ever,” Pedlow said.
Now trailing 28-0, after a 15-yard Marshall touchdown, Westgate appeared to take back some of the momentum heading into the second half when Mitchell Papineau spotted a wide-open Ashton Edwards in the flat, who took it the rest of the way for a 42-yard touchdown, with just 15 seconds on the clock.
Unfortunately for Westgate fans, it was more than enough time for the Vikings to add another major.
After the kickoff Renn ran it 36 yards to the 34 and Marshall took it from there, scampering for 34 yards and the final touchdown of the one-sided contest.
The Vikings added a safety in the second half, Papineau backing up and kneeling in his own end zone.
“We’re looking forward to competing next week against St. Ignatius as they always come prepared. There’s a great coaching staff that will have that team ready to go,” said Hammarskjold coach Matt Steele.
The Nov. 6 final is scheduled for noon at the Stadium.
