GI Northwest payback is sweet as the Vikings take down Columbus 48-41.

Columbus QB Michael Koch (black socks,right rear) awaits the snap. Koch and his Columbus team went down to GI Northwest 48-41 in the 1st Round of the Class B playoffs. *photo by Bobby Mills)

COLUMBUS-PAWNEE PARK - Payback is sweet indeed, especially when it happens in the post-season. GI Northwest let the regular season matchup with Columbus get away from them in the second half of that contest back on September 17th. The Vikings owned a 17-14 halftime advantage until Michael Koch and Columbus reeled off 34 second half points to win it going away, 48-30.

Apparently Northwest, who was coming off a 31-14 loss to York, was set out to make amends in this baby.

The opening half looked like Northwest may just cruise through this rematch. Junior quarterback Carter Terry scored two first quarter touchdowns, and the Vikings defense, especially 5-10, 170 LB Blake Westerby, was all over Columbus star QB Michael Koch like a wet suit.

Riley Schliep was reeling in six first half receptions, including an 18 yard scoring toss from Terry, and big Dylan Allen looked like a college place kicker, booting a 46 yard field goal through the Pawnee Park south uprights.

Life was good for the Vikings, going into halftime with a 24-7 lead over 8th seeded Columbus.

But, oh how things changed in that second half, especially early in the 4th and money quarter.

GI Northwest looked like it was going to take up right where they left off in the first half when Blake Westerby shot though to drop Michael Koch for an 8 yard loss the first play of the 3rd quarter. It was only a hiccup though.

Columbus marched 68 yards down the field after that, culminating with a Joseph Braasch 3 yard scoring run. Speedy, hard running Caleb Esch had the key run in the drive, a sparkling 33 yard sprint.

The Vikings answered right back when Carter Terry scored his 3rd TD of the night from 1 yard out, capping an 8 play, 66 yard drive. The Northwest cushion was still at 31-14 with 5:57 left in the 3rd quarter.

It took only one minute, 11 seconds for the Discoverers to answer with a spectacular 65 yard, vintage Michael Koch touchdown run. For once, Northwest’s Blake Westerby apparently was out of position on the play, a rare occurrence on this night.

That closed the gap to 34-20 Northwest, but once again the Vikings answered, but this time with only a Dylan Allen 21 yard field goal. It was 34-20 Northwest heading into the 4th quarter.

When the Discoverers Caleb Esch scored on a one yard run following his 33 yard jaunt, then Joey Braasch hit paydirt from 9 yards out, it began to get the feel of Deja vu for the Northwest, as the scoreboard read an ominous “34-34” with 7:24 let in the game.

Would this be a cruel flashback to September 17th when Michael Koch took over? Big Mo had definitely switched sides at this point in time.

But this resilient group of Vikings has grown up since that day, you see. Call it good luck or whatever you want to call it, but Brady Glause had just switched jersey numbers earlier in the 3rd quarter.

Long story made short. Glause, being a kid, forgot his uniform back in GI. So, Coach Kevin Stein assigned number 39 to the talented senior wide receiver. I’m thinking Glause wasn’t fond of the new digs, catching only one pass in the first half, albeit a nice 28 yard reception.

Once Glause made the change, and it cost the Vikings a 15 yard penalty (don’t ask) but it must have brought the magic back to #4.

After Columbus knotted things at 34, Viking QB Carter Terry fired a sweet 44 yard pass to the revived Glause, who maneuvered his way down the Northwest sidelines to the Columbus 15 yard line.

Kevin Stein dusted off the old end around play, caught Columbus flat-footed, and Glause danced his way 15 yards for the go-ahead score. But when Dylan Allen missed on the PAT kick, the door was left open for Columbus to pull off another September 17th.

Trailing only 40-34 with 5:37 left in somebody’s season, Columbus had the ball at the Northwest 49 yard line, poised to strike and cause heartbreak for the Vikings, who had worked so hard for this 1st Round, win-or-go-home game.

It was 2nd and 9 for Columbus at the Vikings 49 to be exact. Michael Koch was flushed out of the pocket, let loose with a good looking throw, intended for Joey Braasch. Only problem was, the Vikings Michael Schomer and Brady Glause had Braasch double covered and surrounded. Schomer leaped high in the crisp night air, tipped the Michael Koch aerial and Glause was there to catch the karom.

Brady then pulled off a highlight reel Pick-6 return, weaving in and out of Discoverer traffic, dancing his way for a lethal 61 yard interception return touchdown. It was a thing of beauty.

Adam Cooper added salt to the Columbus wound by running in the double extra point, making the score 48-34 with only 2:49 left in the game.

Columbus refused to go down, as Michael Koch went in standing up for an 11 yard TD run just a minute, 5 seconds after the Brady Glause Pick 6 gem.

That closed the gap to 48-41, but the ever present Cooper recovered the ensuing onside kick, Northwest ran out the clock and secured themselves a home game for the Second Round of the Class B playoffs.

And even bigger…...the Vikings shook off a 30 year curse of not winning a playoff game. 30 painful years, now history.

Carter Terry had a good night throwing the ball, completing 14 of 28 passes for 236 yards and touchdown. The junior also rushed 9 times for 59 yards and three more TDs. Tough running Adam Cooper, also just a junior, gained 28 times for 112 yards, vaulting him over the coveted 1000 yard mark with 1,032 yards.

#39, I mean #4, Brady Glause led the Northwest receiving corps with 5 catches for 119 yards, while Riley Schliep hauled in 8 receptions for 105 big ones and a touchdown.

The Columbus All-State candidate Michael Koch led all runners with 172 yards on just 18 carries and two TDs. He was also deadly accurate throwing the football, completing 16 of 20 throws for 164 yards, but did suffer that critical interception toward game’s end.

Northwest returns to Viking Field next Friday to face N. 1 seed Gretna in Round 2 of the Class B playoffs. Second Round of the playoffs..has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

…………………………….1……..2……..3……..4………..T

GINW (7-3)............14…...10…...10…..14……...48

Columbus (7-3).......0……...7..….13…..21……...41

1st Qtr.

NW - Carter Terry 4 run………………………………….PAT-Dylan Allen kick..(8:30)..0-7

NW - Carter Terry 1 run………………………………….PAT-Allen kick………….(2:44)..0-14

2nd Qtr.

Col - Caleb Esch 1 run…..………………………………..PAT-David Acros kick..(10:16)..7-14

NW - Riley Schliep 18 pass from Terry…………….PAT-Allen kick………….(8:46)..7-21

NW - Dylan Allen 46 Field Goal…………………………………………………………(1:10..7-24

3rd Qtr.

Col - Joseph Braasch 3 run………………………………PAT-Acros kick..(9:31)..14-24

NW - Carter Terry 1 run………………………………….PAT-Allen kick..(5:57)..14-31

Col - Michael Koch 65 run……………………………….PAT-kick failed..(5:46)..20-31

NW - Dylan Allen 21 Field Goal………………………………………………..(1:10)..20-34

4th Qtr.

Col - Caleb Esch 1 run……………………………………..PAT-Acros kick..(10:22)..27-34

Col - Joseph Braasch 9 run……………………………...PAT-Acros kick..(7:24)..34-34

NW - Riley Glause 15 reverse………………………….PAT-kick failed..(5:37)..34-40

NW - Riley Glause 61 Yard Pick 6………...………...PAT-A. Cooper run..(2:49)..34-48

Col - Michael Koch 11 run……………………………...PAT-Arcos kick……..(1:44)..41-48