Left: Maybe the fastest player on the Vikings’ football team, senior wide receiver Owen Anderson (10) scored a touchdown against the Carlton Bulldogs on an end around to seal the win for the Vikings. Above: The Vikings’ line dominated the play on both sides of the ball against Carlton. Head Coach Mitch Dorr said their play was the key to the win.
Rory Bakke scored two touchdowns to lead the Vikings on offense and the defense played superbly in the Vikings’ 30-0 shutout win over the Carlton Bulldogs in a game played at Carlton on August 28.
With the win the Vikings ended a 20-game losing streak that stretched back to 2012.
Carlton came into the contest with a 48-26 victory over Cherry in its first game of the season while the Vikings fell to perennial 9-man powerhouse North Woods 27-7 in its home opener.
“There were tears of joy in the huddle after the win,” said Head Coach Mitch Dorr. “The seniors were especially emotional. I knew the seniors were feeling pressure to get a win, but I guess I didn’t realize how much pressure.”
The Vikings scored early on two safeties when the Carlton center snapped the ball over the head of the kicker through the end zone.
The Vikings led 12-0 in the first half and after not scoring in the third period, they put the game away on a pitchout to wide receiver Owen Anderson who came all the way back across the field on a reverse and outran the Bulldog defenders to the end zone on a 19-yard touchdown run with about 7 minutes left to play. The two-point try was good and the lead was never in doubt. Bakke scored the last touchdown on a 7-yard burst up the middle to end the scoring at 30 points.
Once again defensive end Andrew Lashinski had a big game, with new sophomore linebacker Bradley Wilson making big hits when he got into the game.
“Andrew set the tone for us on the first play of the game when he made a big hit on a Carlton player. He had a tremendous game. Bradley Wilson was also tremendous. There is no doubt he [Wilson] has earned a starting spot as a linebacker,” Dorr said.
Frankie Miller also made some big hits on defense, and both the offensive and defensive lines controlled line play, said Dorr, adding, “Really, that’s why we won the game. Our lines controlled the action on both sides of the ball.
“The tone for this game was set in the week of practice leading up to it. The kids hit hard all week and continued with that aggressive, physical style of play in the game.”
The Vikings entered the game without five starters. Colton Thompson, one of the team’s top linemen, will play in the next game and Jack Wieben, another senior who starts both ways, is recovering from a concussion from a car accident that happened before the season.
“We will also get Will Lamb back for the next game, but Jack Pelletier won’t be ready quite yet and Jack Viren will get an MRI on his anterior cruciate ligament in Duluth soon, but we won’t know if he can play until we get the results of the MRI,” Dorr said.
“Right now our defense is substantially ahead of our offense. The narrower field (in 9-man) is affecting our passing game, but we also can’t sneak up on anybody with our passing game like we did last year. Everyone knows about [quarterback] Leo Johnson and [wideout] Owen Anderson, especially after their 240-yard record-setting game last year.
“We also have the luxury of having two freshmen who are physically ready to play varsity in Josh Prom and Ethan Sporn. We haven’t had young players with their ability in a long time,” said Dorr.
As for Sam O’Phelan, he seems to be finding his stride as a running back. “Once Sam realizes what he can do, once he trusts his pads and starts to give hits instead of taking them. … He’s a homerun just waiting to happen,” Dorr said.
The Vikings played Mesabi Academy in Buhl on Friday, September 4, then play Ely at home on Friday, September 11. Varsity action starts at 7 p.m.
Come out and cheer on your Vikings!
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