Backed by a strong defensive performance, the HCI Mohawks football team is off to the provincial semifinal following a 14-9 win.

The Mohawks visited Esterhazy on Saturday to take on a Warriors team that was looking to end three straight seasons of home playoff losses.

A back and forth first quarter saw both defences start the game on a high note, keeping the game scoreless through the opening 12 minutes.

In the second quarter, after Humboldt's defence forced a turnover in Esterhazy's own end, the offence took advantage of a short field, with Rylan Eckl picking up 25 yards on the ground. The short drive was capped off by running back Dawson Hering who plunged into the endzone from three yards out.

That would be the only scoring in the first half of play, with the Mohawks taking a 7-0 lead into the break.

In the third quarter, Humboldt was able to widen the gap, as Hering hit the second level on a handoff and turned on the jets to burn the Warriors defence down the sideline for a 55 yard score to give HCI a 14-0 lead.

Esterhazy would finally make their way onto the scoreboard later in the quarter, albeit on a missed field goal after another stop from the Humboldt defence.

The final quarter would see the Warriors complete a long pass to set up a first and goal situation at the Humboldt five yard line. However, again, the Mohawks defence came up big, forcing a fumble to keep the Warriors out of the endzone.

On the next offensive play, the Mohawks gave the ball back to Esterhazy, who then got into the endzone to bring the game to 14-9 on a two point conversion.

HCI's biggest stop of the game came with less than a minute left, forcing the Warriors into a 3rd and 21 at midfield, which they were unable to convert, effectively ending the game.

"What a performance," exclaimed Head Coach Cory Popoff. "Those boys played their hearts out for all four quarters, and they deserved to get the win today. They brought a physical game, and everything came together from there."

Humboldt's defensive line of Tristen Galambos, Okechukwu Okeay, Dalton Kennedy, Logan Stumborg and Rylan Eckl kept control throughout most of the game, limiting the Warriors to three or four yards per running play, with linebackers Riley Amendt and Dawson Hering stepping up to make many big tackles.

The secondary also had their own highlights throughout the game, with interceptions by Cole Grace and Dakota Hoffman.

With the win, the Mohawks advance to the provincial semifinal, which will send them to Kindersley on November 4. The winner of that game will travel to Lumsden or Melfort for the championship on November 11.