The world as the Prince George Polars once knew it ended Thursday on the junior varsity football field in Kamloops.
For the first time all season, the Polars surrendered a point - actually 12 of them - in their wild-card playoff game against the G.W. Graham Grizzlies of Chilliwack.
Not to worry Polar fans, it wasn't nearly enough for the Grizzlies to prolong their season.
PGSS rolled to a 65-12 victory and locked up a berth in this week's B.C. High School Football Association quarterfinal playoff round against the Vernon Panthers.
"They scored with 11 seconds left in the first half but it was actually good because I was like, 'now we can kind of relax,'" said Polars head coach Tommy Heinzelman.
"We're a run-heavy football team and if everybody makes their blocks and if our main running backs run hard, things are going to open up.
"Chilliwack was bigger than us but we came at them and moved our feet and we were a bit faster."
PGSS tailback Terrance Vohar scored the first TD of the game off a reverse, taking the ball 60 yards to the end zone.
The Grizzlies had no answer for Vohar, who rushed 12 times for 227 yards and five touchdowns.
The Polars also got points on defence; linebacker Braden Reed ran back two interceptions for touchdowns, one from 50 yards out and the other a 60-yard romp.
Reed led the defence with nine tackles, while Gavin Murray had eight tackles and one interception.
"We just came out right at the beginning firing on all cylinders," said Heinzelman.
"The boys were mentally ready, physically ready, and they came out hard. They kind of learned from last week from College Heights, when they kind of took it to us at the beginning."
The Polars were coming off a convincing 41-0 win over the College Heights Cougars the previous week in the junior P.G. Bowl.
Factoring in their latest triumph over the Grizzlies, they've outscored their opponents a combined 360-12 in seven games this season.
Polars quarterback Jake Burke went 2-for-4 for 28 yards passing. Heizelman says Burke plays a big role in the PGSS offence as a blocking back.
The Polars are trying to become the first Prince George team ever to advance to the provincial semifinals and they face a stiff test trying to defeat the Panthers, the top-ranked team in the Okanagan.
The Panthers went 5-0 in the regular season, outscoring their Interior Division opponents a combined 198-29.
"They've beaten every team in the province they've played, including a win over one of the best teams, (John) Barsby - they beat them earlier in the year in an exhibition," said Heinzelman.
"They throw, they run and they're definitely going to be the toughest team we've played.
"If we win that game, anything's possible, but it's going to be tough. We can do it if we play our game."
The Polars and Panthers will meet Wednesday afternoon at Greater Vernon Athletic Park.
The College Heights Cougars had insufficient numbers and were forced to forfeit their scheduled wild-card game Thursday in Kamloops against Westsyde of Kamloops.
