Vikings fall to #2 rated Northeast Hamilton

  The Vikings traveled to Blairsburg on Friday night to take on number two rated Northeast Hamilton in a District three showdown.
    The Trojans scored on their first possession of the game for an 8-0 lead.  The rest of the quarter was a defensive struggle with neither team scoring for the remainder of the quarter.
    NEH scored twice in the second quarter before the Vikings got on the board.  A 25-yard pass from Ryan Schmitz to Joel Watson set up a five-yard run Schmitz took into the endzone for a score of 24-6.  On what appeared to be the final play of the half, the Viking’s defense brought down the receiver after the buzzer sounded.  Ventura was leaving the field, when they were called back by the

referees because  the NEH coach insisted he had called a time out.  One second was placed on the clock, whereby the Trojans threw up a “Hail Mary” and caught it in the endzone.  The two-point conversion was good for a 32-6 halftime score.
    The Vikings’ luck didn’t change after halftime as the Trojans scored on the opening kick-off, 40-6.  Ventura began moving the ball well and Schmitz was able to connect with James Stephenson on a 10-yard touchdown pass, 40-12.  NEH struck again bringing the score to 48-12.  With a 36-point lead, the Trojans felt the need to regain possession quickly and attempted an onside kick, which the Vikings were able to recover.
    Ventura’s final touchdown of the game came from Watson, who scored on a three yard run.  NEH scored again before the game ended at 55-18.
    “I thought we moved the ball well, but struggled to get stops on defense,” said Coach Mark Pueggel.  “We made some mistakes on both sides of the ball that we normally don’t - Read More Via e-Edition