The Orcas Vikings football team entered week six of their 2010 season not really knowing how good they were. Despite their 4-1 record, the Vikings still needed to prove to themselves that they were capable of competing with the best teams. Boasting three of the top players in the state, the Chief Leschi Warriors (4-1) from Tacoma came to the island as just such a team.
The Vikings woke up on Oct. 9 to steady 20 mph winds, and higher gusts, buffeting the island. That, along with impending rain, promised to limit the Viking’s potent passing game. The adjustment by the Viking coaching staff to pound the ball on the ground proved to be correct. The Vikings held the Warriors on downs after the kickoff and proceeded to drive the ball down the field on their first offensive possession. Despite the early success of the Orcas ground game, the Warrior’s defense stiffened and stopped the Vikings inches short of the goal line on fourth down. The game went back and forth for the remainder of the first quarter which ended scoreless. However, the Viking sideline was confident as their game plan was unfolding as expected.
“We needed a tough battle – a good old fashioned dog fight,” said
Head coach Scott Harris. “At the end of the first quarter, that is what we knew we had.”
Orcas created the break they needed early in the second quarter when linebacker Jacob Hansen hit the Warriors star receiver, Jordan Foley, jarring the ball loose. Aubrey Schermerhorn scooped up the fumble and scampered 41 yards for the first score of the game. A successful two point conversion gave the Vikes an 8-0 lead.
The Orcas defense bent but did not break throughout the first half. As time was running out in the first half junior QB Robbie Padbury was handed an opportunity to run the two minute drill from deep in their own territory. The Vikings did not waste the chance as they drove the Warriors back until Padbury was able to bust loose for a 41 yard TD scamper. The extra point failed but the Vikings took a 14-0 lead into the locker room.
“The last minute score at the end of the half really gave the boys a boost,” Harris said.
The second half opened with the weather deteriorating along with the spirits of the Warriors. The Viking defense was now punishing Tyler Savini, the star quarterback from Tacoma. Savini came into the game touted as the top 2B quarterback in the state. The Viking’s speedy defensive ends Aubrey Schermerhorn, Connor O’Neill and Josh Lawson continually harassed the athletic Savini into scrambling for yardage that the Viking defense was simply not willing to give up. Jake Zier and Tyler Jensen effectively shut down the interior attack of the team from Tacoma. The inside/out defensive pressure resulted in the break down of the Chief Leschi offense. Yardage that the Warriors had gotten in previous games was simply not to be.
With five minutes left in the third quarter the Vikings took control of the game with a 24 yard touchdown run by Padbury making the score 20-0 after a blocked extra point attempt.
Sheets of windblown rain, which began in the second half, did not slow down the Orcas ground attack. Early in the fourth quarter Schermerhorn scored his second touchdown of the day by hammering through a whole that was blown open by the Viking offensive line, effectively ending the Warrior hopes of a comeback. After the game Coach Harris said, “The 28-0 score did not indicate how physical the game was. Our guys matured a great deal on Saturday. It will bode well for us if we make the playoffs. Our focus all season has been on defense. We limited a very good offensive squad to just five first downs and only 124 yards of total offense. Compare that to our 359 yards of total offense and you get a pretty clear picture of how the game was won.”
“Robbie lead the team with his command of the offense and making right choices all game long,” Harris said. “He had 160 yards rushing on 11 carries and two touchdowns. We needed the physical game that Chief Leschi is capable of. To their credit they bought it and our guys stood tall. We went into this game knowing how important a victory would be. The top half of the league is very competitive. After losing to Tacoma Baptist earlier in the season this was a defining game for us. Now we do not have to depend on other teams for help. We control our own playoff hopes. We play a quickly improving Seattle Lutheran team next Saturday on their home turf. A game with a struggling Darrington squad will then precede a showdown at Concrete on October 29. Concrete is the real deal. Their state title dreams are justified with some great seniors leading the way. We will be ready to battle … The entire team has really appreciated the awesome fan support all year. It means so much to the boys to have such large crowds at home games. We are hoping to get a vocal contingent to come with us to Concrete.”
