The Coquitlam Vikings are not accustomed to adversity.
The B.C. Community Football Association bantam club has won every single game it has played this season, usually by a comfortable margin.
But on Sunday, during the most important game of the year, the team found itself trailing 14-8 to the West Kelowna Sun Devils going into halftime of the B.C. provincial championship.
It is not a score the team would tolerate for very long.
A fumble recovery allowed the Vikings to get their offense back on the field in the third quarter, setting up Brendan Dieno to score a touchdown that helped his club to a two point lead.
Another Viking TD from Moe Hassan padded the score and two touchbacks by Dieno allowed the team to take a 26-14 lead going into the final quarter.
But Kelowna was not ready to call it quits just yet.
Despite several runs by Nico DePaoli, Keon Fuoco, Hassan and Dieno, the Sun Devils would not quit, managing a touchdown of their own to close the gap to 26-20.
That, however, would be the last time the Kelowna club found the end zone and the Vikings were able to hold off their opponents and secure the championship banner.
Coquitlam's Matt Shuen received the Sportsmanship trophy while Moe Hassan was named the Most Valuable Player.
