The North Battleford Comprehensive High School Vikings have their sights set on a provincial championship as they continue their playoff run Saturday against the Carlton Crusaders at Max Clunie Field in Prince Albert.
The Vikings defeated the Martensville High School Royals 12-0 on Oct. 24, earning a spot in the next round of the playoffs.
Head coach Shaun Webster said strong winds during the game led to some unexpected adjustments to the team’s game plan, but the changes worked in the Vikings’ favour.
The team focused more on its running game offensively while making defensive adjustments to counter Martensville’s passing ability.
“That run game that we put in worked really well against Martensville. We also put in a twin safety. So, for defense, we did a double safety because they throw the ball pretty good,” said Webster. “The way they attacked outside, we got our corners to come down.”
Webster said the Vikings’ defensive performance was a major factor in the win, with the team working together to limit Martensville’s opportunities.
“It was really cool to see a few plays where we had like a double tackle, two guys tackled number 34, the running back, at the same time,” he said.
Next up, the Vikings will face Prince Albert’s Carlton Comprehensive High School Crusaders, who won the provincial championship two years ago.
Webster said the matchup is an important opportunity for the Vikings to prove themselves against a team that has traditionally been a dominant force in the league.
“This is kind of a big one for us; we really want to beat these guys. We really have been working hard this week and it’s just kind of motivation because these guys have always dominated our league,” he said. “This is one of our chances to show the league who we are as a team.”
The Vikings are approaching the upcoming game with a different defensive strategy, focusing on limiting Carlton’s ability to make big plays.
“We’re really just trying to contain everything; that we’re not having those huge yards against us, that we’re making sure that when they’re making a catch or making a run, it’s not like an explosive run for them,” he explained.
Webster highlighted the athleticism of several Vikings players, including Jacob Bjerkness, Ryan Jamieson, Malakai Frank, Brandyn Schmunk, Hunter Kramer and Calem Southgate, who he said will play important roles in the matchup.
“We have a lot of athletes that are helping our team and a lot of them are going two ways for us,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge for our guys, but I think we’re definitely up for the task.”
A win over Carlton would send the Vikings to the next round, where they would host the winner of the Saskatoon league.
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