Assemble the O-line and fill the student section, because it’s Friday Night Lights. Last Friday, Sep. 26, the Varsity Vikings took the field against the Bear River Bruins for a KCRA-3 Game of the Week matchup. Although the Bruins walked away with the win, the Vikings gave it their all and provided an entertaining game for the stands.
The Bruins managed to score a touchdown with around 4 minutes left of the first quarter. They partnered the touchdown up with a good kick, giving them a 7-point lead in the first 8 minutes of the game. Only a few minutes later, the Bruins scored again, giving themselves 7 more points, and a 14-point lead to the Viking score of zero.
The first Viking touchdown came from junior tight end Gavin Harder in the second quarter, changing the score from 14-0 to 14-7 after a good kick from junior Memo Lunar. The score stalled in the third quarter until the Bruins came out with a touchdown and a two-point conversion, giving them a 15-point lead with a score of 22-7. The Vikings received a penalty kick, giving them a score of 22-8.
Later in the game, with 7 minutes and 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter, junior wide receiver Ocean Munoz picked up 70 yards and scored a Viking touchdown, the score then 22-15. From there, the score lulled and the game ended, with 30 seconds on the clock, a Bruin victory and a Viking defeat.
There were several flags thrown throughout the game, including a few false starts and off-sides calls, like a false start on junior defensive lineman Ricky Espinoza. The Bruins had three flags thrown before the ball was ever snapped, which resulted in yardage awarded to the Vikings, aiding them in their yardage. There were also some flags not thrown that many audience members thought should have been. Junior quarterback Elijah Stevens was tackled and grabbed by his head, which O-Zone constituents considered to be roughing the passer. No such flag was thrown, however.
The offensive player of the game happened to be Stevens, with a 66.7% pass completion rate, a total of 224 passing yards, and two touchdown passes. The defensive player of the week was junior linebacker Bryden Eldridge, with one sack in the 9/26 affair. Eldridge took a couple of rough hits at the line of scrimmage but got the job done.
The O-Zone was buzzing during the first half, full of freshmen and seniors alike. At halftime, many cleared out for snacks and never returned, shaving the population down. The halftime cheer performance had numerous stunts fall but the cheerleaders were beautiful and entertaining as usual. The dance team, always highly anticipated, was nothing short of amazing, with energetic performances from junior Sophie Scalise and senior Sean Ouimet. During this time, 5 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees were honored for track, softball, and more.
With the homecoming game on the horizon, the Vikings are preparing for their matchup against Center High School, ready to take home their homecoming win. With their studded offense and hardheaded defense, the victory is within reach.
