They got down early, but the HCI Mohawks football team clawed back to defeat the Melfort Comets 34-23 on Tuesday.

Melfort came out quick, scoring a pair of touchdowns to grab an early 14-0 lead.

The Mohawks were able to find the scoreboard after Jordan Seipp blocked and returned a punt to the Comets one-yard line, allowing for quarterback Morgan Gobeil to plunge into the endzone.

After blocking the extra point, the Comets quickly widened their lead back to two scores, as QB Troy Taylor connected on a long pass down the sideline, giving the home side a 21-6 advantage.

That's when the Mohawks found their spark.

Seipp would score the next two touchdowns, as Gobeil found the slotback on back-to-back possessions for long touchdown passes, and with a two-point conversion, the game was tied 21-21 heading into the half.

Only a pair of touchdowns were scored in the second half, but they were both by the Mohawks.

Leading 28-21 in the 4th Quarter, receiver Eric Rowe caught a pass down the middle of the field at the one-yard line, allowing for Gobeil to work his way into the endzone on the next play, giving HCI a 34-21 lead.

Following a fumble recovery deep in their own end, the Mohawks played it conservative, giving up a safety and ultimately making the final score, 34-23.

Humboldt's offensive surge in the game was credited to not only a successful passing game, but also the ground game, where Grade 10 running backs Dawson Hering and Hayden Reeme chewed up yardage and made it tough on the Comets defence.

In addition to Gobeil, Seipp, Hering, Reeme and Rowe, the Mohawks coaching staff was quick to credit other key players in the win following the game.

Defensive lineman Tyson Fraess had a pair of quarterback sacks, while linebacker Landon Seipp had an interception in the fourth quarter, leading to the final touchdown.

Another point of note from the Mohawks was the offensive line of Chase Unger, Ethan Paslowski and Andrew Classen, who helped push the team forward throughout the game.

Humboldt's next game will be the provincial quarter-final on Saturday, October 29, though on Thursday, the team's Grade 9 and 10 players will have their final junior game of the season as they host Warman.