The young Vikings football team traveled to Cook, Minnesota last Saturday to play the North Woods Grizzlies in the Section 7A semi-final nine-man game, losing 52-14. The team, seen here huddling during a time out, finished with a 4-7 record in its second year playing nine-man football.
North Woods was too big, too fast and too physical for the Cook County Vikings football team to handle in their Section 7 nine-man semifinal game played last Saturday in Cook.
The Grizzlies (8-1) scored the game’s first 39 points and shutout the Vikings (4-6) the entire first half, leading 33-0 at the break.
Mixing up their plays, the Grizzlies kept the Vikings’ defense guessing all game long. Brendan Parsons scampered 32 yards to score the Grizzlies first touchdown and the Grizzlies converted their two-point try to lead 8-0.
Up against a big rush, the Vikings failed to convert a first down on the next series and had to punt. North Woods marched the ball down the field, and Grizzlies’ quarterback Tate Olson hit George Bibeau with a 16-yard touchdown pass. The extra-point kick was good, and the Vikings trailed 15-0.
Unable to generate much offense and unable to stop the Grizzlies when they got the ball, the Vikings kept falling behind on the scoreboard.
During the second quarter, Olson threw another 16-yard touchdown to Bibeau, then hit Isaiah Squires for a 20-yard score. The Vikings gave up a third touchdown in the second quarter when Parsons got loose and ran 53 yards into the end zone which put the Vikings behind 33-0. If there were any victories for the Vikings in the second quarter, they came when they stopped all three of North Woods’ extra point tries.
Early in the third quarter Bibeau got free in the Vikings’ secondary and once again Olson hit him with a pass, this one for a 63-yard score.
The Vikings got on the scoreboard in the third period when Andrew Miller ran the ball in from the four-yard line. The Vikings’ extra point attempt failed, and the score was 39-6.
North Woods would score two more touchdowns before Miller, the Vikings’ sophomore quarterback ran 48-yards to score the Vikings’ last touchdown in the fourth quarter. Sam O’Phelan made the 2-point conversion good on the run into the end zone, and the game ended with the Vikings losing 52-14.
“The game against North Woods was tough sledding,” said head coach Mitch Dorr. “They outgained us in total offense 543 yards to 187 yards. They also had 15 first downs to our five.”
Andrew Miller rushed for 84 yards on 14 carries, scoring the Vikings’ two touchdowns. Sam O’Phelan led on defense with 11 tackles.
Coach Dorr praised the play of his two seniors, Sam O’Phelan and Noah Roth.
“Sam and Noah both had tremendous seasons, and we really appreciate their hard work and dedication to the program,” Dorr said. “Noah anchored the offensive line and did a great job at his center position. Sam anchored a young backfield filled with sophomores and played a decent amount of snaps at the quarterback position in our shotgun formation. We will miss both guys and their great attitudes and leadership.
“We will now turn our attention to having a great off-season where we need to get in the weight room and put some weight (muscle) on our young group. We are very optimistic about the direction of our program.”
While the Viking season is over, the Grizzlies will face the winner of the Ely/Northeast Range game on Friday, November 4 in Esko in the Section title game. The winner of that game will move on to the state tournament.
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