THUNDER BAY -- The Churchill Trojans had to work for this one.
A timely third-quarter turnover helped the cause.
Stefan Nahachewsky forced a fumble with a sack on the final play of the quarter and Karl Waffler scooped up the loose ball and ran it into the end zone as Churchill retook the lead for good heading into the fourth and cruised to a 28-20 win over the Hammarskjold Vikings in senior football action at Fort William Stadium.
It put an end to a back-and-forth affair that saw both teams take the lead and helped the Trojans to a 2-0 start on the season. The Vikings, making their 2016 debut, dropped to 0-1.
Receiver James Basalyga led the way for the Trojans offensively, hauling in a pair of touchdown passes, including a 40-yard effort from quarterback Dylan Ford in the first quarter to erase a 4-0 Hammarskjold lead, and a 35-yard strike from Ford in the fourth that put the game on ice.
Basalyga also made a rare appearance on defence in the fourth, intercepting a Marti Martinez pass that quelled any hopes of a Vikings comeback.
“I thought I had a good game. I think we all helped to win that game today. I can’t put that game on myself. We’re a team,” Basalyga said.
The actual key to the game was the Waffler fumble recovery, he said.
It turned around a game that was threatening to get away from the Trojans.
“At halftime our coaches really told us to smarten up and get our heads into the game. I think that’s what did it for us. And we needed some more team energy. We didn’t have much in the first half. In the second half we really picked that up and that really helped us.”
The pass-heavy Vikings jumped out in front, scoring a rouge point on the opening kick-off.
Then down 14-4 after Ford scored on a two-yard keeper, Hammarskjold stormed back with two straight scores, Martinez hitting Derek Pucci from six yards out to close the gap to four, the snap botched on the extra-point attempt.
The Vikings then employed a bit of trickery to set up their second major of the day. Setting up for a 52-yard field goal, kicker Devon Hoier instead raced wide for 43 yards, Martinez taking it in from two yards out for a 17-14 lead.
Hoier added a 12-yard field goal in the third to extend the lead to six, Hammarskjold’s largest of the day.
Churchill coach Mike Doromko admitted he could have done with a little less tension.
“From a coaching standpoint, it’s fun to coach those blowouts. There’s not a lot of stress. But you know what, we came out on the right end of it, so we’re happy.”
Hammarskjold coach Mike Judge said it was an entertaining game, it’s just too bad his side went down to defeat.
“I thought both teams played well. It was a hard-hitting game. The offenses kind of ruled the first half and the defences kind of took over in the second half. We’re young, we’re inexperienced. It was the first game out for us, so I’m proud of my guys,” Judge said. “They played well right to the very end.”
