Vikings lose O.T. heartbreaker to No. 4 Van Meter, 21-14

 VAN METER -- With 11:11 left in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s Class 1-A first-round playoff game, it appeared that the stars might be aligning just right for the AHSTW football team. Viking junior Gage Clay had just returned an interception 82 yards for the team’s second defensive touchdown and Kyle Branan’s extra point forced a 14-14 tie with fourth-ranked Van Meter. When Bulldog kicker Drew Gordon missed a 35-yard field goal wide left as time expired in regulation, AHSTW was once again given new life. Unfortunately for the Vikes, they would find only heartbreak in overtime. Van Meter’s Carson Rhodes scored from 10 yards out on the first play of O.T. and the Bulldog defense stuffed the Vikings on fourth-and-goal from the two on the final play of a 21-14 playoff thriller. The unbeaten Bulldogs (10-0) advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal round and will host Madrid (9-1) in a rematch from Week 9. AHSTW bowed out with a record of 8-2, but not before giving one of last year’s state semifinalists all it wanted and more.