Vale advances to quarterfinals with big win over Gold Beach
BY Sean Hart
Argus Observer
SeanH@argusobserver.com
Saturday, November 21, 2009 11:21 PM PST
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| Sean Hart | Argus Observer
Vale’s Drew Torrey gives a couple of Gold Beach defenders a ride down the sideline during the Vikings’ 30-0 shutout win in the Oregon 3A state football playoffs. |
VALE—After being shut out 42-0 by the Gold Beach Panthers in the 2007 Oregon 3A high school football championship game, the Vale Vikings returned the favor with a 30-0 victory in the second round of this year’s playoffs Saturday at Frank Hawley Stadium in Vale.
The Vikings got a spark in their steps late in the second quarter, scoring twice in the last two minutes, to finish the half with momentum and a 17-0 lead. The Viking players came out of the locker room fired up in the third quarter, and the defense held on for the shutout.
The game was close, with the Vikings clinging to a 7-0 lead from a score on their first possession by Jeff Williams, until Vale’s offense got the ball on its own 39-yard line with a little more than 2 minutes left in the first half. After a 23-yard pass from Kyle Barras to Garrett Bentz to the Panthers’ 38-yard line, Barras ran for another first down to the 20-yard line on the next play.
The Vikings were quick to the line of scrimmage, as Williams punched in two runs on the next two downs for first and goal at the 9-yard line. Drew Torrey ran into the end zone on the next play with 1:13 on the clock, then recovered a fumble on Gold Beach’s first offensive play after the kickoff, giving the Vikings the ball again on their own 20-yard line with a little more than a minute left in the half. Vale couldn’t find the end zone on that possession, though, settling for a field goal by Austin Tolman with 4.7 seconds on the clock.
“We wanted to get that TD, not the field goal, but we were glad to get points on the board,” Vale head coach Jeff Jacobs said. “We talked a lot at halftime defensively. We wanted to keep running the ball and controlling the clock and felt like we were pretty successful there.”
In the second half, Vale’s Williams and Torrey scored again, and Seve Yraguen picked off a pass for the Viking defense, which “followed the game plan to a T,” Jacobs said.
“That’s the most aggressive we’ve played all season (on defense),” he said. “It was a team defensive effort, and they came together well.”
Gold Beach head coach Kevin Swift said his offense “misfired” but that Vale’s defense did well.
“They (the Vikings) are known for their D. And defenses do win championships,” Swift said adding his young players may have let the environment get to them. “A couple years ago, the shoe was on the other foot.”
Jacobs said some of his older team members were seeking retribution for the beating they took in the 2007 championship.
“There were some of these kids that felt pretty bitter about losing two years ago and wanted to rectify that,” Jacobs said.
The two head coaches, however, shook hands and cited mutual respect after the game, joking about being 1-1 now, and Swift was happy to have the 12-point advantage between the two games, despite losing this one.
“You play to win, but if you’re going to lose, you want to lose to somebody you respect and like,” Swift said adding he hoped Vale wins the state championship. “We want to be like Vale and be considered in a hunt for the title every year, but we’re not there yet.”
“But,” Jacobs quickly interjected, “I beg to differ.”
The Vikings will continue their quest for another state title at Rainier either on Friday or Saturday. Rainier advanced to the semifinals by defeating Santiam Christian 20-0.
Lifestyle Editor Sean Hart can be contacted at SeanH@argusobserver.com. Comment on this story at www.argusobserver.com.
Ron wrote on Nov 23, 2009 6:44 PM: