Missed fourth quarter opportunities end Posen?s winless streak

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

The Viking football team lost for the first time in 2010 on a late fourth quarter touchdown against host Engadine, 20-26. The score was tied at 20 with 48.8 seconds left when quarterback Robert Miller connected on a 25-yard touchdown play to Michael Sawyer. The Vikings (3-1, 1-1) had a chance to put the go-ahead touchdown on the board, or possibly send the contest into overtime, but had a couple of bad breaks when they lost the ball late in the game.

Head coach Wayne Karsten put the fault for the loss on his shoulders, saying the Vikes weren?t ready to play earlier in the week, ?and I didn?t do anything about it. Mentally, we were not prepared, and that?s the coaches fault.? Next up will be the second game in two weeks against Brimley. The Vikings won the first meeting, 54-22. This one is in Brimley. POSEN SEEMED ready to go early, jumping to a 14-0 lead on a 3-yard touchdown run by quarterback Shane Hentkowski and a 15 yard TD catch to wide receiver Lucas Litwinski on a fourth down play.

The score was 14-0 when the momentum swiftly went Engadine?s way. They came back to tie the game on passing touchdowns of 16 and 61 yards in the span of a little more than two minutes of the second quarter. The score stayed tied at the half. Helped by a 15-yard face mask penalty, Engadine capped a second half scoring drive with a 7-yard run and took their first lead of the game, 20-14. Later in the third quarter, Hentkowski found Litwinski for 19 yards on a third-and-5 play to the Engadine 42. An interference call gave the Vikes the ball at the Engadine 24, setting up an exciting run by Hentkowski, who shook tackles and found an opening and went in for the score. That made it 20-20. The conversion attempt to Nathan Lenard, which could have been the game winning points, was incomplete. Lenard looked to have possession, but just like the controversial finish to the Lions? game six days before, the official may have thought he didn?t complete the process as the ball came loose as he hit the ground. AT THE start of the fourth, the defense made a stand on fourth-and-four, giving the Vikes the ball back with 10:40 left. Hentkowski connected with Lenard on a key third-and-nine play to the Eagles? 41. A face mask penalty two players later put the ball at the Engadine 22.

A complete pass to Martin Mulka to the 15 and an 8-yard run by Hentkowski gave the Vikings the ball at Engadine seven. On the next play, Hentkowski was a step away from a go-ahead touchdown, but lost the ball at the one. The ball went in the end zone and at least four Posen players had a shot at recovering the loose ball. It went out of the back of the end zone, denying the Vikings a touchdown and giving Engadine the ball at their own 20. Posen had another shot, d

riving to the Engadine 30, before that drive stalled. WITH 1:08 left, Miller was looking for a receiver deep when the ball was tipped by Hentkowski and intercepted by Mulka, who took a few steps before the ball was jarred loose. An Engadine player picked up the ball and took it to the Posen 25, setting up the game-winning play.

?We had a chance to punch it in, the officials didn?t make a difference, we didn?t do it,? said Karsten. ?We just weren?t ready to play football today. You just can?t flip the switch in the fourth quarter of a close game and say ?hey, it?s now time to play.? You can?t do that. ?

Statistics: Rushing: Corey Hentkowski 10/60 yards; Shane Hentkowski 20/46/2 TDs; Lucas Litwinski 1/5; Nathan Lenard 1/4; Nick Hincka 1/4. Passing: Shane Hentkowski 12-of-32, 123/TD. Receiving: Lenard 8/63; Tyler Kuffel 1/36; Litwinski 1/8; Martin Mulka 2/15. Defense: Kuffel 10 tackles, 5 assists; Travis Hirschman 5 tackles, 5 assists; Corey Hentkowski 5 tackles, 4 assists.

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