As Brendan Schimpf plowed into the endzone with 8:29 left in the fourth quarter to give the Perkiomen Valley Vikings a 28-point lead, it appeared that the game was pretty much over and that the Whippets of Downingtown West had given up. Everything after that was complete and utter chaos. Just seven plays later, Cole Zapf strolled into the endzone for Downingtown, and all of a sudden the Vikings got a sickening feeling in the pit of their stomachs. Seven plays after that, PV’s Steven Sturm threw an interception to Downingtown’s Brayden Williams. Just after that, Kyle Geiser hit Zapf for a 67-yard touchdown as he broke tackles by both David Williams and Justin Jaworski of Perkiomen Valley. All of a sudden, it was only a two-touchdown game with about five and a half minutes to go.
Following the extra point, a botched onside kick by the Vikings led to Downingtown West recovering the ball with all kinds of momentum. The very next offensive play was a flea flicker leading to a hole in the Vikings defense and Geiser finding Williams for a 40-yard touchdown. One could only think that this was going to be one of the greatest comebacks ever for the Whippets and one of the greatest meltdowns ever for the Vikings. Now down just seven, Downingtown attempted another onside pop-up kick, this one fair-caught by PV’s Ben Smith. A three-and-out for the Vikings gave Geiser and company the ball at their own 27. As Downingtown came to fourth down, every spectator and player in Kottmeyer stadium knew a fake punt was coming. However, the Vikings still managed to allow Geiser to rush the ball out of the fake and pick up 13 yards and a first down.
The Vikings defense did force a turnover on fourth down later on that drive, giving the offense the ball hoping to just run out the clock and end the madness. But, the madness ensued. PV’s Schimpf, who had ran through the Whippets defense for two touchdowns on the night, fumbled the football on the first play of the series, giving the ball back to the Whippets on the Vikings 29-yard line. Just three plays later, Geiser found a flaw in the Vikings coverage and hit Michael Riddick for the touchdown making the score 42-41. The Vikings had blown a lead most teams dream of. However, not wanting to give Sturm and the Vikings offense a minute to try and score, Downingtown West head coach, Mike Milano, sent the offense back onto the field to go for two. With the game on the line, the arguable play of the game was made as senior linebacker, Kyle Beaudoin, intercepted Geiser’s pass, to give the Vikings the one-point win in an absolute thriller of a game.
This win was Perkiomen Valley’s first ever against Downingtown West and the first career win for new head coach, Rob Heist. Sturm finished with 232 yards and 3 touchdowns, 131 of those yards and two of those touchdowns going to top target, Justin Jaworski. The Vikings play this Friday night at home against Frankford, while Downingtown West plays home against Wayne Valley.
