DAWSON — With seeding on the line, the Dawson-Boyd Blackjacks defeated the Minneota Vikings in comeback fashion 22-20 on Wednesday evening. With the win the Blackjacks will be the No.2 seed and the Vikings will be the No.4 seed in the section 5A playoffs.

On the opening possession of the game, the Vikings used a five-minute, 32-second drive capped off by an Anthony Rybinski four-yard touchdown to take an early lead. The highlight of that drive was a fourth down conversion by Minneota from Pohlen to Peyton Sheik for 33 yards setting up the touchdown. The Blackjacks would only possess the ball twice in the first half and came away with no points on each possession.

The Vikings would score a late touchdown in the second quarter and possessed the ball for 20-plus minutes taking a 14-0 lead in at halftime.

On the first possession of the third quarter, the Blackjacks would take the ball down the field to the Vikings’ territory. Unfortunately for the Blackjacks, they would fumble the ball on the next play and would be recovered by the Vikings.

What could have been a deflating turnover turned the game around for the Blackjacks.

Starting quarterback Keegan Wicht led the comeback by throwing the first of his three second-half touchdown passes to Brayson Boike for 20 yards cutting the deficit to 14-6 at the end of the third quarter. After a defensive stop by the Blackjacks, Wicht would throw a second touchdown pass of 17 yards to Brayson Boike. Then tied up the game with a successful two-point conversion, making it 14 all in the fourth.

The Vikings’ offense stalled after the first half and would only score six points in the second half.

Wicht would throw his last touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to running back Holt Larson for 38 yards and surge into the lead by eight after another successful two-point conversion, 22-14.

However, the Vikings were not done.

Minneota would March down the field and Issac Pohlen would throw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Zach Fier making it a 22-20 game with a pending two-point conversion left to tie. Dawson-Boyd’s defense showed up and snuffed out the option play to secure the two-point lead. The Vikings kicked an inside kick but the ball traveled out of bounds, giving the Blackjacks the ball and victory.

Wicht finished 8-12 with 129 passing yards and three touchdowns. Teammate Larson had 145 yards of total offense (105 rush, 40 rec) with a touchdown and starting receiver Boike had 4 receptions for 70 yards with two touchdowns.

“First half, we only had two possessions and they did a great job of executing, possessing the ball from us,” Blackjacks head coach Cory Larson said. “I think when we opened the second half with that turnover, it could have deflated us but it is really a testament to our kids for staying with it. We have a high-character group of seniors.”

Larson added that the message to the team was to enjoy this victory and when they find out who they play, to lock back in for section playoffs next week.

Pohlen finished 7-15 with a touchdown but three costly second-half interceptions. Pohlen also added 17 yards rushing on the ground. Teammate Fier had 130 yards of total offense (78 rush, 52 rec) and had two touchdowns in the contest.

“It was a tale of two halves as far as execution goes,” Vikings head coach Chad Johnston said. “We executed well in the first half and possessed the ball. In the second half, Dawson-Boyd just took us out of our rhythm.”

Johnston said that the message to his team is that we lost to two good football teams but we are right where we want to be and we just need to clean some things up before they head into section playoffs next week.