LEHIGHTON — The Williams Valley Vikings faced off with the Crusaders of Lansdale Catholic yesterday evening for the PIAA 2A quarterfinal. The 1-0 mentality for both sides was their vision but the Crusaders came out above in the end.
Williams Valley acquired the first possession and it was a Shomper and Thompson on the opening drive until it wasn’t. A turnover had them rethinking early on in the first. It was Crusaders ball, deep on the far end. It was a ten-play scoring drive to grab first dibs on the board. Darren Jackson in coverage was located by senior QB Yeboa Cobbold Jr. which made it 6-0 with a few minutes remaining in the first, in favor of Lansdale Catholic after the incomplete extra point.
It was right around the nine minute mark of the second quarter when Williams Valley brought forth a fierce drive downfield. After a first down, they were looking straight into a scoring position directly outside the goal line, and they did just that when Fletcher Thompson parted the trenches. Quin Smeltz put it through to obtain a one point advantage, 7-6.
With five minutes left until half, Lansdale Catholic had a promising drive building up until Yeboa Cobbold Jr. took things into his own hands and sped 51 yards turning things towards the Crusaders. They (Lansdale Catholic) were sitting at just a one score override, 13-7, at halftime.
Williams Valley was faced with some troubles and multiple interceptions in the second half. This showed the kind of force the Crusaders usually brought to the table. With just under ten minutes left in the third, a crucial deep ball secured by Asher Thickening surpassed a chunk of ground for the Crusaders. The very next play Cobbold Jr. found a wide open James Webb to etch 19-7 (Lansdale Catholic).
The Vikings kept on charging yet Nick O’ Brien (Crusaders) captured two scores of his own to end both the third and fourth quarters. Williams Valley would fall 33-7 in the hard fought deficit.
Although the Vikings season was concluded, they capped it off being 12-2 and took down Schuylkill Haven in the District XI 2A championship matchup to claim yet another championship. They also pinned their trip to the state quarterfinal as an accolade. Subsiding the loss, their success this season is for sure one to remember and put in the school history books.
