Vikings undefeated in league, look forward to state playoffs

With only two losses in ten games, one to Port Townsend and one to Friday Harbor, the Orcas Vikings dominated La Conner at La Conner to shut them out 51-0 in their last league game of the 2009 season.

"The wind was blowing at 40 miles per hour," Coach Dennis Dahl said. "We only tried to throw six times but that was pretty hopeless. We kept it on the ground."

And keeping it on the ground has been a winning strategy for the Vikings. With an experienced, hungry defense and a powerful offensive line that likes to open up holes for its runners, the Vikings ran all over La Conner despite the distracting weather.

In the first quarter of play, Jacob Hansen had the Vikings' first score on a four yard run through the end zone. The PAT failed. The Viking defense held a frustrated La Conner offense to a scoreless first quarter. But the Vikings kept up the pressure. Josh Griffin put another six points on the board after a seven yard run for the Vikings later in the first quarter.

"We were in pretty good field position because we took the wind. We didn't have far to drive the ball. Robbie Padbury scored on the PAT run after Griffin's touch down," Dahl commented.

With the Vikings leading 14-0 in second quarter, Padbury had a one yard scoring run and he threw a two point conversion to Michael Langworthy, making it 22-0 at half time.

The Vikings kept their fumbles under control.

"We fumbled twice and recovered one, but we lost the other," Dahl said. "La Conner fumbled three times and we recovered twice from them."

At the start of the third quarter, again Hansen ran 13 yards for a touch down and Padbury risked the wind to throw to Henri Bredouw, who snagged the pass and made another two points for the Vikings. Hansen then intercepted a pass and ran it back 20 yards for a touch down in the fourth quarter, while Taylor Diepenbrock kicked the extra point.

"We had the wind behind us and I thought it prudent to use that to our favor," Dahl said.

Viking Alan Coe, usually playing tight end, took it and ran on a handoff and scored on a 12 yard run.

Diepenbrock's extra point was good, and with 2:19 left, the Vikings put their junior varsity players in. Devon Stanzione, a freshman, made good on a three yard run from a hand off and Diepenbrock followed up with a kick that was dead on.

The Vikings garnered 301 yards of total offense, most of it on the ground.

"Our kids were undefeated in the league. We had very good sportsmanship on both sides. We played solid on defense, and I was happy about that," Dahl said.

But the pressure will be on as the Vikings begin state play offs on Nov. 14 in Mt. Vernon. Their first game will be against Napavine at 2:30 p.m. at the Mt. Vernon High School.