Charlo Vikings Homecoming: Purple Reign

It was senior night, homecoming and the final game before

playing No. 8 Drummond in a battle that will determine the winner

of the Western C conference. It was senior night, homecoming and

the final game before playing No. 8 Drummond in a battle that will

determine the winner of the Western C conference.

CHARLO - It was senior night, homecoming and the final game before playing No. 8 Drummond in a battle that will determine the winner of the Western C conference.

Last Friday's matchup against the 1-5 Philipsburg Prospectors in Charlo was the perfect trap game, somebody just forgot to set it.

The Vikings jumped out to a 31-0 lead in the first quarter and cruised to a 49-0 victory, their third shutout of the season.

"That was our main concern [beating Philipsburg] and we did it," junior running back Kolten Andrews said.

Now Charlo's attention turns to the Class C matchup of the year, 7-0 Drummond.

"The conference championship goes through Drummond," head coach Mike Krahn said. "It's time for the big one."

The No. 3 Vikings will have several weapons to take with them into that matchup tonight on the road. They were on full display against Philipsburg as senior quarterback Chico Stipe once again did his video game cheat code impression, rushing for 151 yards on just three carries and scoring a touchdown on each of those. He also passed for two touchdowns.

"They're an undefeated team," Andrews, who caught two touchdown passes from Stipe in the game, said of Drummond. "We want to get the conference championship."

Along with Stipe, the Vikings will have the service of sophomore Trae Ludeman, who causes opposing special teams to quake in their boots. He had an electric 45-yard punt return at the beginning of the second quarter to kick on the 35-point running clock, and a 35-yard touchdown earlier in the first quarter to aid Charlo's 31-point first quarter.

Ludeman is second on the team with 96 points scored.

"The downfield blocking was amazing," Krahn said of the Philipsburg game. "You saw guys 30 yards downfield in purple."

The Vikings will want to see that kind of play against defending state champion Drummond, a team that has won five of the last seven state titles in Class C and has the state's longest win streak at 19.

"They've got quite a tradition there," Krahn said. "They've been in big games before."

Drummond's defense has been stout this year, allowing just 57 points this season while scoring 282. Krahn said he wants to play the possession game and keep the ball out of the Trojans' hands.

Employing an option attack, Krahn said that Drummond reminds him of Charlo and being the defensive coordinator of the Vikings, he's partial to a low-scoring game. It could happen too since Charlo has allowed just 40 points through seven games this season, but he wouldn't mind the offense doing what they have been doing.

"Our offense is fun to watch," Krahn said. "Sometimes I get caught just watching them."

There's no doubt the Vikings want to erase the memory of a 45-19 loss to the Trojans last year and with it being the last game before the playoffs, they'll want to end the regular season on a positive note.

After a season of taking it one game at a time, Charlo can finally talk about it. The Vikings will travel to play Drummond tonight at 7 p.m.