The Northside Vikings and the Westgate Tigers - both winless on the season - were locked in a scoreless tie with less than 30 seconds to go in regulation. On a drive that began at the Westgate 9-yard-line after a very short Tigers punt, the Vikings missed on two opportunities to get into the end zone after Quarterback Markaylon Boyd and his receivers failed to connect on two consecutive passing plays. With the ball eventually spotted at the 15-yard-line, Junior Defensive Tackle Tyler Shelvin, one of the top Division I prospects, lined up for the kick.

And then he booted his Vikings to victory!

In a kick that would have had the distance from about 50 yards out, Shelvin put all of his 6-3, 320-pound frame into the football, helping give Northside its first victory of the 2015 season.

It has been a tough season so far for the Vikings, a team that had only scored two touchdowns in the four games leading up to this contest. And, while they didn't score a touchdown again tonight, they didn't need to as Shelvin and the defense held strong throughout the night, keeping the Tigers from crossing the goalline.

The game started out good on offense for the Vikings as they took the opening kickoff all the way down to the Westgate 2-yard-line before the Tigers stopped them on 4th down at the 1-yard-line.

Northside's defense would then answer with stop after stop in the 1st half, including a goalline stop of their own, despite living in its own territory because of an offense that could not get anything going against Westgate's defense.

After holding Westgate scoreless in the 1st half, Northside then flipped field position on the Tigers, spending much of the 2nd half in their territory. And, eventually, there was just enough time left on the clock for the Vikings to cash in, something Westgate failed to do earlier in the game.

This was a game where the stats really did not tell the story as Westgate outgained Northside by gaining 228 yards to Northside's 134. But, special teams was the X-factor as Shelvin's foot, not only on the field goal but on punts late in the game as well, proved to be the difference.

Next week, the 1-4 Vikings will travel down the street to take on their neighbors, the Teurlings Catholic Rebels, as they open up district play. The 0-5 Tigers, meanwhile, will host Bourgeious in a non-district contest.

 

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