Vikings dominate Warriors in conference opener

CHARLO — Prior to the start of the season the Charlo Vikings football team was considered to be one of the favorites to win the Class C, 8-man football title after falling 30-24 to Ennis in last year’s championship game.

In the Vikings first three games of the season, they have outscored their opponents 160-26 after their 56-6 conference victory over Arlee Monday night at Charlo.

The Vikings junior star quarterback Landers Smith scored three touchdowns in the first quarter that gave Charlo a 22-0 lead over their rivals. Smith had a 2-yard run, an 18-yard run and a 6-yard touchdown pass to Brady Fryberger that gave Charlo a commanding 22-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Charlo didn’t rest on their first quarter achievements as they continued to bury Arlee and by halftime the competitive phase was over. Smith had another 9-yard touchdown run and Toby Odom ran for a 5-yard touchdown to increase the Vikings lead to 36-0 at the half.

Despite the Vikings statistical dominance over its opponents, Mike Krahn and defensive back Garrett Vaughan both clarified that the Vikings were challenged in the first three games.

“The score looks easy but this game against Arlee wasn’t easy,” Krahn said. “We had to run a lot of people over and our team had a lot of hard-earned yards.”

Krahn said he is also concerned after the commanding victory over the Warriors.

“We kind of got beat up hard and we really earned the points we got,” Krahn said. “We are going to have a short week to turn around and play Mission.”

Vaughan finished the game with three interceptions. All of his interceptions helped set up Charlo touchdowns and gave them a short field to work with.

Vaughan said he was having “one of those days” where everything was working out.

“I just felt really good and kept reading the quarterback’s eyes,” Vaughan said.

Vaughan agrees with Krahn that his team has been challenged at this point of the season.

“Our team has been challenged because every game we’ve played (thus far) we’ve been battling with the other team,” Vaughan said. “Now we are starting to come together and trust in one another.”

Vaughan said he felt having that mentality has worked for him and his Vikings’ teammates.

For further evidence of the Vikings statistical dominance over Arlee, you don’t have to look any further than the rushing statistics. Charlo out rushed Arlee 238 to 119, averaged 7.8 yards per carry to the Warriors 3.8, and they forced the Warriors into five turnovers from five interceptions. Vaughan was responsible for three of those interceptions.

“We have played hard and we keep fighting for each other,” Vaughan said. “We just have to continue to give it our all.”

Vikings prep for new conference rival Mission

Charlo will now enter one of the most intriguing matches of the season Friday at Mission High School.

The Bulldogs began their season with a 58-0 loss to Flint Creek and then turned around and won their first game in two years 28-26 in a hard-fought game against Victor, a team that qualified for the Class C, 8-man playoffs last season.

Mission has had two weeks to prepare for the Vikings because they had a bye week that was supposed to be a game against Hot Springs, who decided to pull out of 8-man competition because of a lack of participants. The Vikings, in contrast, will have a short week to prepare for the Bulldogs and they will also have less recovery time in their victory over Arlee.

“Mission had a tough week, rebounded, came out the next week and beat Victor in a hard-fought close contest,” Krahn said. “They had the luxury of having a bye week and we will have to find a way to heal up.”

Bulldogs coach Tyler Murray, who is in his first-ever season as a football coach, said he felt the game will be a good barometer of where they are at as an 8-man football program.

“It will be a very fun game for our guys,” Murray said. “It’s senior night and our schedule got a little messed up with Hot Springs. We will recognize the seniors against Charlo. They are such a great team and it’s going to be a fun match up.”

Murray said his team will have to limit star Vikings’ QB Landers Smith’s big play potential if they are going to have a chance to win the game.

“That is the biggest thing for us is that we have to limit big plays and not let Landers, Toby Odom and their play makers run all over the field,” Murray said. “We are going to have to prevent them from making big plays if we are going to have a chance to win this game.”

Murray knows that Charlo is one of the top-tier teams in the entire Class C, 8-man football, and he knows his team has the opportunity to make a statement with a victory or a strong showing.

“We spend quite a bit of time watching film and we probably watch more film than we need to,” Murray admits. “Flint Creek looked really good in the first week and Charlo is right there, if not better. We have played three teams in our first three weeks that have a great chance of making it the playoffs: Flint Creek, Charlo, and Victor.”

Murray, whose team gets more accustomed to the 8-man style of football every week, said Charlo is their biggest test.

“Flint Creek was an eye-opener and then we bounced back against Victor,” Murray said. “Now Charlo is like our final exam of our first quarter of the season.”