Wallkill scores thrilling win over Vernon

One of the most exciting finishes in memory made winners of the Wallkill 10-11 football team Saturday night in Franklin and sent the jubilant team to this weekend’s Super Bowl. The Vernon Vikings, who had lost in their previous meeting with the undefeated Wallkill squad, thought they had won in the game’s final minute. Facing fourth-and-long from their own side of the field, Vernon had thrown a desperation pass that was hauled in by Devon Schilling, who shed tacklers on a run of some 40 yards deep into Wallkill territory. Schilling had limped off the field earlier in the game with a bruised knee, but begged his coaches to let him back in. After catching the big fourth-down pass, Schilling bowled over Wallkill defenders on a flanker screen to give Vernon the lead, 14-12. A squib kickoff was covered by Wallkill with seven seconds left on the clock and nearly 50 yards from the goal line. A last pass fell incomplete as time expired, but Vernon was called for pass interference, and Wallkill got one more play. As the Vikings were celebrating their apparent victory, Lebon Grammar streaked through a seam in the Viking secondary, hauled in a pass in full stride, and took it to the end zone, where he was mobbed by his teammates. The final score was 18-14. For more game photos, Visit our Photo Gallery