Vikings make their final stand

Jenna Cederberg

SUPERIOR — A lot has happened since Charlo was handed a 36-6 loss by Superior in early September.

That was the first game of the Viking's season.

The team was gearing up for a season of redemption after failing to make the 2007 playoffs. The Vikings charged through the season, wringing teams up with a running back corps that couldn't be stopped thanks to a tight-knit and big set of linemen, scoring more than 40 points in four games.

This time, it was early November and the beginning of the Class-C playoffs. Charlo had the desire and an agenda to finish with a 5-3 record. Superior again had the home field advantage. The Bobcats were coming off an undefeated season and had no less desire to make it to state. Eight games later, there they were again.

This would be the final game of the Viking's season.

The afternoon game stayed scoreless in the first quarter. Charlo struck first early in the second quarter on a quick run by senior quarterback Clay Hoyt.

Superior answered seconds later, taking itself up by one after the successful point after kick. The Bobcats scored two more times in the second quarter, answered only once in that quarter by the Vikings, and ran away with the win, 55-24.

Talking before last week's game, Hoyt said he wouldn't consider the season a success until his Vikings made it past the first round and beyond.

"The Western-C has been dominate for the last four years. It's been no different this year," Hoyt said. "It's good we made the playoffs, but we want to do more."

Senior lineman Josh Sharbono agreed.

"It has had its points that have been successful," he said. "We want to make it past the playoffs.

Preparing for the teams' meeting was business as usual, the seniors said.

And if you count the team's previous six games - five wins and one loss - it wasn't a bad strategy.

"(It's going to take) hard work in practice with everybody," Sharbono said on Thursday before the game. "We have to be physical, it's our strength."

Phast and physical was the team's motto. They do have the size to push people around, as displayed by the line's work in creating holes for the running backs all season. They're also a close group that has played together through four years.

"It's nice to have teammates you can trust," senior Matt Faroni said of his fellow linemen.

The trust they've built has also instilled confidence, which has grown along with the skill.

"They're almost all seniors and they have lots of experience," senior lineman Zach Daugherty said. "Plus I think they're a lot faster.

"Everyone is just so hard hitting. If a guy has a ball, pretty soon there's eight guys there to tackle him."

On the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings were physical, again numerous players were in on most tackles. Seven players recorded individual tackles, nine had assists. Faroni had three tackles and 16 assists.

But they couldn't stop the Bobcats relentless combination of running and passing. Superior scored 21 in both the second and fourth quarters, and dropped in 13 more in the third quarter.

Superior had 260 total yards passing and another 172 rushing. The Vikings surpassed the running yardage, with four players going for positive yardage. Hoyt passed for 104 yards, completing only eight for 13 passes. The Vikings scored just twice in the second half.

"We played a real good Superior team tough for three quarters," head coach Steve Love said. "Whether you like it or not you have to tip your hat to them. They are undefeated, but they had to earn their wins against us."

Sophomore Chico Stipe had two of the team's touchdowns, including at 45-yard run in the second quarter. Stipe finished the game with 133 yards on 17 carries. Sophomore Shiloh Kerr had 74 yard rushing on 13 carries.

In the teams' first meeting, the Vikings kept up in most every stat category, but the Bobcats capitalized on several turnovers, scoring 36 points on their home field. Charlo did take a kick off return back for six, but it was called back for clipping. When the Vikings threatened to score again, they were stopped at fourth and goal.

The team's five seniors still shake their heads at that game's outcome.

"It was first game jitters," Sharbono said. "Just stupid things like (penalties and mental errors)."

Stipe was the only Viking to get into the endzone, scoring on a fumble recovery.

In later games, the team's offense exploded. Led by the big seniors on the line, Latham Blevins, Sharbono, Daugherty and Faroni, who opened holes on every play, the Vikings running backs were free to run, scoring more than 40 points in four consecutive games and running their record to 5-3.

Blevins said the team took last year's up and downs into serious consideration. Coming onto the field this season, the team knew what it had to do and it was going to take more wins to satisfy them.

"I'd have to say last year's game against Alberton turned this team around. They thought they were going to wipe us out," Blevins said.

Alberton had the playoff bonfire ready to light, Blevins said. But the Vikings took them down and used that momentum to make sure they made the playoff this year.

"We've always wanted to play Superior again," Blevins said.

Charlo made the playoffs thanks to a scoring system that accounted for point scored and point differentials, among other things. The Vikings ended up with 854. Sheridan, which the team lost to on Sept. 12, had 850.

If not exactly satisfied, Love would've told his players on Thursday he was proud of where they'd brought the team.

"The playoffs are a whole new season and the bad part is that the odds are against you to finish with a win," Love said. "Losing the last game puts a bad taste in your mouth and it's easy to forget how great our season was. Our players did everything that was asked and I am proud to say I coach them."