Despite Roster Changes, Vikings Looking For 3rd Straight Winning Seaso
August 21, 2020 at 2:16 a.m.
Despite Roster Changes, Vikings Looking For 3rd Straight Winning Seaso
By Anthony Anderson-
Consider that 93% of the Vikings’ rushing yards last season were compiled by players who have since graduated, as well as 99% of the passing yards — nearly all those in the person of versatile two-year starter Tanner Trippiedi — and 71% of the receiving yards.
Over on the other side of the ball, six of the top seven tacklers have departed. Gone largely within that group are 26 of the 29 takeaways that the Valley defense racked up and 20 of the team’s 23 sacks.
To boot, pun intended, 4-of-4 field-goal kicker Domingo Santiago was a senior last fall, too.
“Those are major hits,” Vikings fourth-year head coach Steve Moriarty conceded late last week in response to the number crunching.
Major hits, yes, but not impossible to address for a football program coming off a 7-4 record that was its best since 2012, and a program with a chance now to secure at least a third consecutive winning season for the first time since 2007.
“For sure, we did lose a lot, but we’ve got football-smart players, some natural football players and some natural athletes,” Moriarty said. “I think we have the potential to continue the success we’ve had over the last two years. Our goal every year is conference and sectional titles. We’ve been in contention the last couple years, but this year we need to take it a step further.”
Junior Branson McBrier takes over at quarterback with the departure of Trippiedi.
“He’s very athletic, definitely good at running the ball, a very good student and I think he’ll be a great leader,” Moriarty said of McBrier. “It’s not like this is completely brand new for him — he started a game last year and he’s been around — and I think he’ll do great. He makes something out of nothing a lot.
“The big thing we’ve tried to emphasize with our offense in the offseason,” Moriarty added on the heels of Valley throwing 12 interceptions and losing 15 fumbles last fall, “is not turning the ball over. We’ve tried to put in a passing game that’s a little bit simpler.”
At wide receiver, the Vikings return senior Jacob Davis, who finished second on last year’s club in receptions (13), yards (226), average (17.4) and touchdown catches (two).
As for the ground game, while the top three yard producers have graduated, junior Braden Shepherd appears poised to step into a feature role.
“He did pretty well when he was in there last year, but with (Jaydin) Conley and (Dakota) Gaff,” Moriarty said of two then-seniors who churned for a combined 1,433 yards, “Braden didn’t get a lot of opportunities. He was a sophomore, but he would have started for quite a few teams in Indiana. He could be a very explosive tailback.”
As evidence, Shepherd broke off a 78-yard run last fall on the way to 148 yards and two TDs overall on just 12 carries. He also returned 20 kickoffs for a 19.2 average.
Along the offensive line, Valley returns three starters, led by Wade Melanson, an Indiana Football Coaches Association junior all-state honorable mention pick last year as a sophomore, and joined by classmate DJ Estep and senior Michael Sexton.
“Up front, I feel like we’ll be as good if not better than last year,” Moriarty said.
The coach acknowledges being “a bit more nervous” about his defense, but does return six players who were at least part-time starters on that side of the ball, led by senior linebacker Johnny Gonsalez, an Associated Press honorable mention all-state pick in 2019.
“He did a good job coming in last year and anchoring the middle,” Moriarty said of Gonsalez, who tied for second on the team in tackles with 79. “He’s a very aggressive middle linebacker, and he leads not by his mouth, but his actions.”
Returning defensive back Aaron Craft notched 38 tackles and an interception last year as a junior, while Davis owns varsity experience in the secondary as well.
Melanson and senior Trey Hardesty each started some last fall at defensive tackle, while senior Quentin Aldridge saw action in nine games at end.
The Class 3A Vikings kick off their season Friday by hosting perennial power Culver Academy — a 4A team they stand 0-10 against over the last nine years — then begin Three Rivers Conference play next week at Northfield.
As of late last week, Valley was dealing with a few injuries, but had not had anybody test positive for COVID-19.
“I’d say our seniors’ drive is very good,” Moriarty assessed. “They know they’re very fortunate to be playing in an unclear world that we live in, so they take every day like it could be their last out there. They’re glad to be out of the house and our team attendance has been outstanding. Obviously, we didn’t have our usual time together in the summer, but our focus has been good.”
Consider that 93% of the Vikings’ rushing yards last season were compiled by players who have since graduated, as well as 99% of the passing yards — nearly all those in the person of versatile two-year starter Tanner Trippiedi — and 71% of the receiving yards.
Over on the other side of the ball, six of the top seven tacklers have departed. Gone largely within that group are 26 of the 29 takeaways that the Valley defense racked up and 20 of the team’s 23 sacks.
To boot, pun intended, 4-of-4 field-goal kicker Domingo Santiago was a senior last fall, too.
“Those are major hits,” Vikings fourth-year head coach Steve Moriarty conceded late last week in response to the number crunching.
Major hits, yes, but not impossible to address for a football program coming off a 7-4 record that was its best since 2012, and a program with a chance now to secure at least a third consecutive winning season for the first time since 2007.
“For sure, we did lose a lot, but we’ve got football-smart players, some natural football players and some natural athletes,” Moriarty said. “I think we have the potential to continue the success we’ve had over the last two years. Our goal every year is conference and sectional titles. We’ve been in contention the last couple years, but this year we need to take it a step further.”
Junior Branson McBrier takes over at quarterback with the departure of Trippiedi.
“He’s very athletic, definitely good at running the ball, a very good student and I think he’ll be a great leader,” Moriarty said of McBrier. “It’s not like this is completely brand new for him — he started a game last year and he’s been around — and I think he’ll do great. He makes something out of nothing a lot.
“The big thing we’ve tried to emphasize with our offense in the offseason,” Moriarty added on the heels of Valley throwing 12 interceptions and losing 15 fumbles last fall, “is not turning the ball over. We’ve tried to put in a passing game that’s a little bit simpler.”
At wide receiver, the Vikings return senior Jacob Davis, who finished second on last year’s club in receptions (13), yards (226), average (17.4) and touchdown catches (two).
As for the ground game, while the top three yard producers have graduated, junior Braden Shepherd appears poised to step into a feature role.
“He did pretty well when he was in there last year, but with (Jaydin) Conley and (Dakota) Gaff,” Moriarty said of two then-seniors who churned for a combined 1,433 yards, “Braden didn’t get a lot of opportunities. He was a sophomore, but he would have started for quite a few teams in Indiana. He could be a very explosive tailback.”
As evidence, Shepherd broke off a 78-yard run last fall on the way to 148 yards and two TDs overall on just 12 carries. He also returned 20 kickoffs for a 19.2 average.
Along the offensive line, Valley returns three starters, led by Wade Melanson, an Indiana Football Coaches Association junior all-state honorable mention pick last year as a sophomore, and joined by classmate DJ Estep and senior Michael Sexton.
“Up front, I feel like we’ll be as good if not better than last year,” Moriarty said.
The coach acknowledges being “a bit more nervous” about his defense, but does return six players who were at least part-time starters on that side of the ball, led by senior linebacker Johnny Gonsalez, an Associated Press honorable mention all-state pick in 2019.
“He did a good job coming in last year and anchoring the middle,” Moriarty said of Gonsalez, who tied for second on the team in tackles with 79. “He’s a very aggressive middle linebacker, and he leads not by his mouth, but his actions.”
Returning defensive back Aaron Craft notched 38 tackles and an interception last year as a junior, while Davis owns varsity experience in the secondary as well.
Melanson and senior Trey Hardesty each started some last fall at defensive tackle, while senior Quentin Aldridge saw action in nine games at end.
The Class 3A Vikings kick off their season Friday by hosting perennial power Culver Academy — a 4A team they stand 0-10 against over the last nine years — then begin Three Rivers Conference play next week at Northfield.
As of late last week, Valley was dealing with a few injuries, but had not had anybody test positive for COVID-19.
“I’d say our seniors’ drive is very good,” Moriarty assessed. “They know they’re very fortunate to be playing in an unclear world that we live in, so they take every day like it could be their last out there. They’re glad to be out of the house and our team attendance has been outstanding. Obviously, we didn’t have our usual time together in the summer, but our focus has been good.”
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