Once-forgotten Vikings on brink of playoffs|[10/23/06]
Published 12:00 am Monday, October 23, 2006
OK, be honest. Anyone who thought three weeks ago that Warren Central had a chance at making the Class 5A state football playoffs, please stand up now.
Surely not many are standing, but after an unbelievable victory on Friday night over Clinton, the Vikings are indeed in the thick of the state playoff hunt.
The scenario is simple: If WC beats Provine on Friday night at Viking Stadium, it goes to the playoffs. If Provine wins, WC stays home.
The victory over then-No. 3 Clinton coupled with Madison Central’s blowout of Vicksburg also makes the Nov. 3 finale between the Vikings and Gators a battle for bragging rights alone. VHS was eliminated from playoff contention on Friday.
“We want to thank the Warren Central fans for staying loyal to this team,” WC coach Curtis Brewer said after the Clinton victory. “It was a very emotional win.”
The Vikings, after winning their first game of the season, dropped five straight games. A stagnate offense couldn’t move the ball and a quality defense was forced to stay on the field for most of those games.
The scenario played out much the same for three quarters Friday night. The WC defense held Clinton in check, allowing only a third-quarter field goal, before the Vikings’ offense responded.
“Our defense started the season young and inexperienced,” said first-year WC assistant coach Josh Morgan, a former manager and player for the Vikings. “They are starting to come into their own now.”
The Vikings handcuffed standout Clinton running back Amonte Harper, holding the senior to 67 yards on 20 carries. He entered the game with well over 1,000 yards rushing.
Clinton quarterback Wesley Mounger rushed for a team-high 108 yards and threw an overtime touchdown, but with the exception of a fourth-quarter, game-tying drive, was held in check.
“He is a great player and he did what great players do in crunch time and that is led his team down the field when they needed it,” Morgan said.
Mounger completed a desperation heave on fourth-and-19 in overtime for a touchdown that pulled Clinton within a point His two-point conversion run was stuffed at the 2 yard line, sending WC to one of its biggest wins in recent memory.
“Everyone on this team won the game tonight,” said R.W. Comans, the Vikings’ defensive sparkplug. “We came out as 11 brothers and did what we had to do to win the game.”
Comans and the Vikings’ defense certainly will be tested again on Friday night. Provine sports a running machine in tailback Anton Taylor. He has rushed for 17 touchdowns in leading the Rams to a 7-2 record.