Above: Joe Deschampe (74) gives Josh Prom a nice push to gain a few more yards on an otherwise bottled up running play. Right: Animated Viking coaches Mike Prom (left) and head coach Bryan Carpenter excitedly point to the loose ball that Andrew Miller (16) also spotted and recovered for the Vikings. Staff photos/Brian Larsen
The first two times Ethan Sporn touched the ball he ran for touchdowns in the Vikings’ Friday, Sept. 21 home game against the North Woods Grizzlies.
Sporn’s first touchdown came on an 80-yard blast up the middle and his second T.D. run came on a 56-yard scamper through the North Woods defense.
Oh, and those two plays were the first two offensive plays of the game for the Vikings, who led 16-0 after both two-point conversions scored, one on the run by Sporn and the second on a pass from Josh Prom to Jack Haussner.
Just like that, it was 16-0, and the fans were barely getting settled into the bleachers.
This game was going to be a blowout, right?
Not so fast. First of all, the Vikings lost their leading tackler and fullback Dillon Sjogren to a lower leg injury during the first series of play.
Second, North Woods is too good, too well coached to play like it had early in the game.
Third, the referees threw so many penalty flags early against the Vikings it seemed like they were throwing confetti on New Year’s night.
As the North Woods defense stiffened the Vikings’ offense stalled on its next five series. North Woods scored a touchdown with 3:22 to go in the half. The two-point conversion play, a pass from Grizzlies’ quarterback Chase Kleppe to 6’5” wide receiver Ian Sherman brought the score to 16-8.
As time wound down late in the second quarter, the Vikings quickly worked the ball down to the Grizzlies’ 11-yard line but couldn’t get in. The halftime score was Vikings 16, North Woods 8.
At 9:11 in the third quarter the Vikings got a big break when defensive back Jack Haussner intercepted a pass in the end zone and brought the ball back to about the 15. However, the Vikings were flagged for a false start on the first play from scrimmage, and Haussner fumbled a pitch that went into the endzone and was recovered by North Woods for a touchdown.
The Vikings’ defense came up big in stopping the two-point conversion and the Vikings’ lead was cut to two points, 16-14.
Viking halfback Ethan Sporn (14) broke free for a long run against the North Woods Grizzlies last Friday night. The Grizzlies were the only team to beat the Vikings last year, once during the regular season and then in a state playoff game. Staff photo/Brian Larsen
The Vikings took the ensuing kickoff and ran it to midfield. Two plays later, a ball thrown by Prom was intercepted at the Grizzlies’ 37-yard line.
Once again North Woods capitalized on a Viking miscue as Kleppe, on first down, threw a 37-yard pass to his ninth grade receiver TJ Chiabotti for a touchdown and the 20-16 lead.
With 7:33 to play in the third quarter the Vikings trailed in a game for the first time all year.
North Woods’ lead only lasted 42 seconds as Ethan Sporn took the rock and ran it 50 yards through the middle to score his third T.D. of the contest. Sporn ran in the two-point conversion, and the Vikings were back on top 24-20.
Kleppe, who at 6’3”, 200 pounds is fast and very mobile, also had a rocket for an arm and some great ball catchers. He began passing more and more, and it didn’t take him long to bring his team down the field to the Viking six yard line. From there Kleppe kept it and ran the ball in on a quarterback keeper.
Once again the Vikings trailed, 26-24 after the Vikings’ defense stiffened to stop the two-point conversion.
With 1:16 to go in the third period Andrew Miller was in at quarterback and Josh Prom and Ethan Sporn were both in the backfield. The Grizzlies now had to focus on stopping two big, strong, fast running backs which left the smaller Miller, a shifty runner with quick feet, a chance to weave through traffic on his way to score on a 30-yard run. Miller also ran in the two-point conversion to put the Vikings back on top 32-26.
Mid-way through the fourth quarter the Grizzlies had the ball deep in Viking territory. On fourth down at the Vikings’ 12-yard line, Kleppe dropped back to pass, and Tristen Bockovich sacked him.
The Vikings took over and methodically marched down the field mostly behind the running of Sporn and Prom. Sporn scored his fourth touchdown of the game bulling his way in from one yard out with 5:22 left to play. The two-point conversion pass to Connor Somnis was off its mark, and the Vikings led 38-26.
On their next possession, the Vikings took the ball all the way down to the Grizzlies’ 4-yard line before they were stopped.
With time winding down the Grizzlies got off two long running plays. Haussner intercepted a final long throw down the field by Kleppe, and the Vikings took a knee on the last play of the game and let the clock run out.
Cook County outgained North Woods 509 yards to 342 yards. The Vikings ran 76 offensive plays to the Grizzlies 60 plays.
North Woods gained 193 yards through the air to the Vikings’ 24 yards, but the Vikings rushed for 485 yards to the Grizzlies’ 149.
Ethan Sporn ran for 325 yards on 29 carries. Josh Prom ran for 113 yards on 24 carries. Miller had four carries for 44 yards.
North Woods was flagged twice for 20 yards while the Vikings were penalized 10 times for 85 yards.
Each team had two turnovers.
Prom led the team on defense with nine tackles. Connor Somnis finished with 7.5 tackles, Sporn recorded 5.5, Miller 4.5, Joe Deschampe 4, Keenan Hingos 3, Jordan Porter 2.5, Aram Falter 2, Tristen Bockovich 2, and Cade Northrup had two tackles.
The Vikings play two away games in the next two weeks. One at Floodwood on September 28 and one at Ely on October 5.
The Vikings’ last home game during the regular season will be played against Mountain Iron-Buhl on October 12 at 7 p.m. Both teams are currently 4-0 on the year.
This will be the school’s Homecoming game. Come out and cheer for your Vikings!
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