Vikings upset Nelson Our Glass; Dam Inn prevails over Steamshovel as WKMFFL begins post-season
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Never count out the champion.
The Nelson Our Glass Ogs found out first hand as defending champion Castlegar Vikings knocked off the regular season winners 37-32 in West Kootenay Men’s Flag Football League Playoff action Sunday at the Mount Sentinel Field.
The four-time defending champs now advance to the league final Sunday at high Noon against rival Dam Inn Mates at Mount Sentinel.
Dam Inn booked its ticket to the final by outlasting Steamshovel Brewers 30-26 in the first semi final.
The fourth-place Vikes, struggling all season to regain the form that saw Castlegar capture four consecutive league titles, rode the arm of Steve Mota to the playoff upset over Our Glass.
Mota tossed three touchdown passes before running for another to power the Sunflower City team.
Jamie Simpson, Don Jocko and Jason Trower — the latter score coming with two plays remaining in the game — were all on the receiving end of Mota passes to score majors for Castlegar.
Simpson also picked off an Our Glass pass, returning the ball for the major score.
Our Glass thought they had the victory in their grasp when Mota was picked off late in the game.
But the Castlegar pivot regained his composure, hitting Trower for the winning score with time running out.
Nate Jarvis, with a pair of majors, Jon Francis and Matt Scholl, scored TD’s for the Brewers.
In the opener, Dam Inn held off a late charge by the Brewers to once again advance into the final against the Vikings.
Ryan Bouvier sealed the game for Dam Inn, intercepting a pass from the Brewers quarterback Steven Doyle on the last play of the game.
Dam Inn pivot Kelly Voykin connected with Mike Lucas, Dylan Appleby, Nate Fedorachuk, on a beautiful over the shoulder catch, and Bouvier for the Mates’ majors.
“Dylan Appleby’s presence was not just felt when scoring his TD, but also with his intensity,” said a Dam Inn spokesperson. “(He was) our vocal leader.”
Trail Thundercats, the remaining club in the five-team league, failed to make the playoffs.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
