Vikings surge past Belt to face Ennis for championship
KURTIS KOENIG commands his player in an undated courtesy photograph.
KURTIS KOENIG commands his player in an undated courtesy photograph.
CHARLO”S LANDERS Smith breaks up a pass intended for a Belt wide receiver during the Class C semifinal football game on Saturday in Belt. The Vikings won 50-35 to advance to the state championship game, which will be in Charlo this Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Kylie Richter)
Photo courtesy of Kylie Richter Belt’s head coach, Jeff Graham, congratulates the Vikings after his Huskies were defeated. Graham, who is also the girls’ basketball coach, wished the team luck in the state championship game, which will take place in Charlo this coming Saturday.
CHARLO HIGH School QB Landers Smith (right) and Trent Dennison (left) celebrate after scoring a touchdown in the Class-C, 8-man semifinal 50-35 victory over Belt Saturday afternoon at Belt High School’s football field. (Jason Blasco/Lake County Leader)
Photo courtesy of Kylie Richter Charlo’s Trent Dennison hurdles a Belt defender during the Class C semifinal football game on Saturday in Belt. The Vikings won 50-35 to advance to the state championship game, which will be in Charlo this coming Saturday.
CHARLO — Charlo Vikings QB Landers Smith knows his team’s margin for error will be slim as they prepare to host Ennis in the Class-C, 8-man state championship game Saturday at Charlo High School.
The sophomore QB/ LB knows the Vikings will have to contain the Mustangs’ speedsters.
“I didn’t get to play much last year as a freshman but against really fast teams, I noticed you have to be smart,” Smith said. “Like I said, you can’t give Ennis any room or any free grass. We played Fairview twice this season and they are a fast team with a fast quarterback. We have to not let them get outside jamming those ends back. We have to get outside to contain the QB and be able to funnel them into the inside and not let them get to the outside.”
The Mustangs’ football team has “multiple weapons” according to Vikings’ head coach Mike Krahn and the weapons begin and end with speed. Ennis will have members of the state track team that broke the 4X400 relay, a state championship discus thrower and shot put thrower as members of the Mustangs’ squads.
“Offensively, they are a really tough and they have multiple weapons,” Krahn said. “They also have size as well. They have big kids that are about 215 to 220 pounds. They are big, fast, and can score touchdowns in big plays with the run or the pass.”
Krahn said he is “aware” the Mustangs are going to get big plays during the course of the championship game. Ennis has outscored its opponents by a combined 672-116, including playoffs. The Vikings hold the slight edge in generating points with a combined 682 points but have allowed more than 217 points in contests including playoffs.
Krahn knows his team is going to extraordinary means to contain the Mustangs’ offense.
“You have to be disciplined, gap-controlled, and get them wrapped up and tackled before they get out into open space,” Krahn said. “We are going to have to be really disciplined in that way because they can throw and pass.”
Krahn compares the Mustangs’ junior QB Tanner Wood to their own player Landers Smith.
“He’s a junior, he’s about Landers’ size, and he just puts up big numbers,” Krahn said. “You have to try to limit their big plays. You aren’t going to come out and have good defensive games and be realistic. This team is going to try to score. Hopefully we can hold them to 30 points. We are not going to shut them down. They are just too good at what they do. We are going to try to test them. We hope to score some turnovers and see how they react, and more importantly defensively and offensively, match them blow for blow.”
Krahn said he felt the psychological and emotional aspect of the game will be “critical” to contending with a high-octane level of offense for four quarters.
“We can’t get down and let them get us out of our game,” Krahn said.
In the Vikings’ 50-35 victory over Belt, Charlo had a commanding 42-14 advantage and let the Huskies back into the game 42-29 in the fourth quarter.
With the multitude of formations and blitz packages, defensive coordinator Kurtis Koenig will have to be mindful, Krahn said.
“One thing that you have to do against really good defenses is use multiple formations, have really good scouting and game-planning,” Krahn said. “We are going to have to make sure to get going and maybe do some jumping around changing of sets and formations that they haven’t seen. We also can’t have a lot of penalties that put us in first-and-long because you can’t win at this point. We would have a really tough time overcoming those. That is why we have to play smart and make those situations more manageable.”
According to Krahn, having home-field advantage does give his Vikings an edge in this game. Ennis will make a 248-mile, one-way trip to travel to Charlo. Not only do the Vikings not have to worry about traveling but the unfavorable field conditions of a soggy home field ma be to Charlo’s advantage, according to Krahn.
“I think the field conditions are going to make the game slower and advantage us because we practice and play on that field and we are used to how it feels,” Krahn said. “It is slick and that is a big advantage for a team that is playing at home. We know exactly what we are dealing with where as it may take them some time to adjust to muddy, slick, and they may have to make hard cuts which doesn’t allow them to do what they normally do.”
The Vikings will try to bring home its first state championship trophy since 1976. The team was coached by Bob Halgren in that era.
“I am so excited for these kids,” Halgren, who is now retired from coaching, said. “I would hate to try to have to defend against them.”