Vikings run over ‘Toppers

BY SPENCER CAMPBELL
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Heading into Friday night’s game many skeptics questioned Tennessee High’s perfect record.

The general consensus said that the Vikings’ first three opponents weren’t exactly giant killers; that if THS squared off against some viable competition their explosive offense might misfire.

So much for the general consensus.

Facing one of their league’s preseason favorites, the Vikings reeled off 327 team rushing yards in a convincing 34-19 victory over the Science Hill Hilltoppers in a Big Eight Conference game at the Stone Castle.

“This definitely gives us confidence because everybody thought we were going to lose this game and everybody thought the first three games were easy,” THS senior running back Keenan Shepard said. “But no. That’s not happening. Not this year.”

While Shepard was the main attraction in the Vikings’ rushing attack, carrying the ball 25 times for 181 yards and three scores, the THS running game is far from a one-man show.

Four other Vikings runners – Matt Pendleton, Bradley Tallman, Carlos Howard and Orlando Gammon – gained at least 30 yards, and both Tallman and Howard found the end zone.

“We knew that we had to come out and take it hard to them because last year we didn’t,” Howard said. “Everybody wants a position and everybody wants to bust their butt just to do what they can do best. If everybody does their job, [our opponents] can’t guard just one thing.”

The Vikings’ concept of ball-sharing was most evident early in the fourth quarter during THS’ most critical drive of the game.

Although the Vikings had dominated for most of the contest, a 17-yard touchdown run by Science Hill’s Ryan Mitchell cut the THS lead to eight, 27-19, with 10:39 remaining in the final quarter.

But THS wouldn’t let the Hilltoppers come any closer, taking the ensuing kickoff and reeling off a 11-play, 61-yard drive, all on running plays, that melted more than four minutes from the clock and culminated in a 1-yard touchdown dive by Shepard.

Shepard may have received the final glory, but Tallman, Howard and Gammon all had multiple carries during the drive.

“I think somehow we thought we could slow them down but we really didn’t, I mean we really didn’t,” Science Hill coach Scott Smith said. “Everything they did, I think they showed that offense can be four of five plays and if they’re run right they’re hard to stop.

“We didn’t stop any of them. That’s the thing. They’re a senior-laden team and my hats off to them. They deserve their ranking for sure, in my eyes.”

The Hilltoppers may have had a difficult time curtailing the Vikings rushing attack, but THS had almost as difficult a time stopping Science Hill quarterback Justin Snyder.

Snyder finished 26-30 for 221 yards with a pair of touchdown throws. He completed all 13 of his second half passes.

Despite Snyder’s accuracy, the game belonged to THS and its rushing offense, which helped the Vikings compile 19 first downs.

The scary thing is, the Vikings still have much room for improvement.

“I don’t know if we played up to par,” THS coach Greg Stubbs said. “Our football team is a football team that’s growing. But we’re going to grow as the season goes along. I don’t know how much we grew tonight. We didn’t have a lot of bounce and zip.

“This football team is a football team, if we can get all the wrinkles out and iron some things out and hitting on all cylinders, we can be a good football team.” 

THS 7 14 6 7—35
Science Hill 6 6 0 7—19

Scoring Summary

THS – Shepard 2 run (Graham kick)
SH – Mitchell 23 pass from Snyder (kick fail)
THS – Howard 16 run (Graham kick)
THS – Shepard 22 run (Graham kick)
SH – Norris 8 pass from Snyder (pass fail)
THS – Tallman 5 run (kick fail)
SH – Mitchell 17 run (Janeway kick)
THS – Shepard 1 run (Graham kick)
Team Stats
First Downs: SH 16, THS 19; Rushes-Yards: SH 19-41, THS 43-327; Passing Yards: SH 221, THS 40; Comp.-Att.-Int.: SH 26-30-0, THS 4-9-0; Fumbles-Lost: SH 1-1, THS 0-0; Penalties-Yards: SH 4-21, THS 8-50; Punts-Average: SH 1-34, THS 1-33