Vale sprints into playoffs on five-game winning streak, hosts Jefferson Saturday

By Scott Ford
Argus Observer
scottf@argusobserver.com
Friday, November 13, 2009 11:15 AM PST

Scott Ford | Argus Observer Vale’s Bryant Haueter (8) turns the corner in last week’s 32-7 win over the Nyssa Bulldogs. Haueter has been filling in at quarterback for the injured Kyle Barras. However, Saturday, Barras is expected to be back under center as the Vikings host the Jefferson Lions in the first round of the 3A state football playoffs.

Vale — At the beginning of the season,the Vale VIkings looked as if they might not make the postseason in 2009 after a 1-3 start.

Vale won its opening game against La Grande, but then dropped three straight games. First, it was Homedale to upset the Vikings, 34-37, then Ontario blasted past Vale, 41-13, and finally Baker squeezed by the Vikings, 35-34.

Facing a losing season and the start of the the Eastern Oregon League season, Vale head coach Jeff Jacobs and his team turned it around with five straight wins.

In those wins, Vale averaged 39 points per game, but even more impressive was the number of points it was giving up — only five.

That five-game winning streak came at the perfect time and led the Vikings to the EOL title and a No. 1 seed heading into the 3A state football tournament where they will face Jefferson Saturday in Vale.

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Jefferson comes into the game on a two-game losing streak and a record of 3-7.

Jacobs said the Lions are not a big team, but they do have good team speed and a  quarterback that is good.

“He has all the intangibles that you would want for that position,” Jacobs said. “I am sure they will continue doing what they do well, and that is to throw the football.”

Facing a passing team, Jacobs said his squad will have to apply good pressure to the quarterback.

“We need to know our assignments and play fast,” Jacobs said.

Jefferson finished as the No. 4 seed from the PacWest League, which historically has been a strong league with teams like Santiam Christian and Regis being perennial powers, which they were again in 2009 with Santiam Christian winning the league with a 9-1 overall record and 6-0 in league play.

Regis, however, had a down year, finishing in fifth.

Jacobs said the key to victory Saturday will be for his team to control the ball.

“We need to sustain long drives,” Jacobs said. “We have to have a strong running game.”

Vale comes into the contest as healthy as they have been all season.

“We feel fortunate at this time of the year that we are relatively healthy,” Jacobs said. “This will be our first game, since week one, we will dress everyone. We have a few bumps and bruises but no broken bones.”

Kick off is slated for 1 p.m.  Saturday in Vale.