THUNDER BAY – The Westgate Tigers just keep getting stronger.
They’ll put that strength to one final test next weekend in the Superior Secondary Schools Athletic Association high school senior football final, after upsetting the favoured Hammarskjold Vikings 21-13 on Saturday afternoon at a blustery Fort William Stadium.
It’s the first championship appearance in three years for the Tigers, who will be seeking their first senior football crown since 2013.
Receiver Greg Sutherland, who early in the fourth quarter caught what proved to be the game-winning touchdown pass from Westgate quarter back Kam Vanderwees, said he’s battled back from injuries, and after sitting out a few weeks recovering, it felt great to contribute to the victory.
“It felt so good to do that and the whole team worked so hard. I feel we really worked for this victory,” Sutherland said.
“I was just running down the field, I saw I was open, put my hand up – it’s not normally what we do – but it worked out and the adrenaline rush was out there.”
Grant said they might not have been the favourite, but their heart won out.
“Everyone thought of us as an underdog throughout the whole season and I’ll admit we have been. We came back when it mattered and we really proved who we are as a team,” Sutherland said.
It took the Tigers two possessions to get on the scoreboard, after turning the ball over on their first attempt on offence.
The defence forced a three-and-out and Westgate took over on the Vikings 50.
Hunter McLean raced for 19 yards, then the Tigers relied on a heavy dose of McLean Brendan Hall to march toward the Hammarskjold goal line.
It was Hall who finally punched it home, barreling in from two yards out for a 7-0 Tigers lead, the lone score of the opening quarter.
Carter Oikonen cut the Westgate lead to 7-3 with a 33-yard field goal two minutes into the second, but the Tigers added another major late in the quarter, Cole Grant scrambling 46 yards down the field for the score.
Grant, whose high school football career began with the Churchill Trojans, said he got great blocking and made the most of the open space.
“It was really well done by the whole team,” Grant said, adding a championship win would be a great way to cap his secondary school playing days.
“Some of the guys from Churchill, we’re back in the finals now. It’s big for us. But we’re Tigers now and it’s time to get a Tiger dub.”
Westage, coming off a 30-27 loss to the Vikings in the regular-season finale, took a 14-3 lead into the half and withstood a Vikings charge on their first drive of the third.
Quarterback Zack Kuzik marched Hammarskjold down the field and was nearly picked off by Hall at the goal line, but the drive stalled when Justin Nadon was stopped short on third down.
Oikonen added a field goal late in the period, but costly penalties hurt the Vikings chances in the fourth.
Pinned deep in their own zone, Kuzik fumbed away the ball on second down, Westgate’s Stefan Bourgeois pouncing on the loose ball, leading to Sutherland’s score.
The Vikings weren’t finished quite yet.
With time becoming a factor, Michael Goegan returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown and Hammarskjold did get another last-second possession, only to have replacement quarterback Peter Burgess sacked as the final whistle sounded.
“This team has been improving week after week. That’s been Tiger football over the years. We tend to start a little slow, but every week we get better,” said Westgate coach Mike McNally. “They were ready to play.”
The Tigers will take on St. Ignatius at 3 p.m. on Saturday for the senior championship.
