Tippecanoe Valley Down Knights; Finishes Perfect Regular Season
October 16, 2021 at 4:18 a.m.
Tippecanoe Valley Down Knights; Finishes Perfect Regular Season
By Chip Davenport-
The Vikings’ (9-0, 6-0) victory was their first over Southwood since the 2012 season. The Knights’ four-season streak of TRC titles, conversely, came to an end. It was Tippecanoe Valley’s first undefeated regular season in 35 years, and their sixth unblemished regular season in the program’s history.
“When we win, we talk about Valley Pride,” Viking head coach Steve Moriarty said the school’s football history. “And playing for the guys who used to (play), and who will play. Their dedication and hard work (are) a sheer fact of their love of Death Valley and football.”
The Green and Gold began the second half leading 28-6 when Southwood quarterback Mo Lloyd hooked up with wide receiver Cole Weiner for scoring passes from 10 and from 51 yards, shifting momentum in the guests’ favor, and cutting the Knight’s deficit to 28-18.
Jamysyn Virgil and his offensive line of Noah Prater, Wade Melanson, Evan Maish, Grady McGriff, and DJ Estep reversed the TRC champs’ , the 6’1 Viking flanker filling in at halfback for Braden Shepherd, countered with a five-yard touchdown run with ten seconds left in the third quarter.
Rex Kirchenstien’s interception at the start of the fourth quarter set up Virgil’s next trip to paydirt, 30 yards out with 9:59 remaining in the fourth quarter permanently shifting the momentum Valley’s way.
Virgil finished the night with 217 rushing yards and five touchdowns, his final TD coming from an 81-yard kickoff return. He added three two-point conversion runs. He also added an interception form the other side of the ball.
“He’s special. He has a heart of gold and an engine that won’t quit,” Moriarty said of his versatile athlete. “It (got) close there in the third quarter and he came over and said, ‘Give me the ball. I want the ball,’ and we did.”
The early jump started with Virgil’s, who also played solid defense with an interception to his credit, started the TRC champs’ scoring with a 40-yard run at 9:26 in the first frame. The 6’1” 161-pound senior punctuated his TD run with an extra point conversion run for an 8-0 Valley lead.
Hunter Ehrenman found the end zone from six yards out and added a two-point conversion run to make the score 16-0 in the hosts’ favor.
Quarterback Branson McBrier joined the offensive effort with a two-yard keeper, and this missed conversion run put the Vikings ahead 22-0 before Southwood broke their offensive schneid with Lloyd’s first of three TD passes on the night to Weiner. Lloyd’s fourth touchdown strike landed in the hands of Chase Lopez late in the fourth quarter. The Knight’s signal caller was 10-17 for 187 yards, 155 of them to Weiner. The Valley defense picked off three of his passes. Wade Jones made on of those picks his sixth for the season.
Nate Parker, who finished the night with 90 yards, also added a fourth-quarter 41-yard touchdown run for the Vikings. Hunter Ehrenman rushed for 75 yards, followed by Dalton Alber (29 yards), McBrier (16 yards), and Karl Parker (13 yards).
Kirchenstein (two recetptions 22 yards) and Virgil (one 17-yard catch) hauled in McBrier’s three completed passes on six attempts.
The Vikings rushed for a team total of 440 yards on 58 carries for 23 of their 27 first downs behind solid blocking among the aforementioned offensive linemen and the victors controlled the clock with a 30:06 time of possession.
Tippecanoe Valley begins sectional play at 7 p.m. Friday when they travel to Garrett to face the Railroaders.
The Vikings’ (9-0, 6-0) victory was their first over Southwood since the 2012 season. The Knights’ four-season streak of TRC titles, conversely, came to an end. It was Tippecanoe Valley’s first undefeated regular season in 35 years, and their sixth unblemished regular season in the program’s history.
“When we win, we talk about Valley Pride,” Viking head coach Steve Moriarty said the school’s football history. “And playing for the guys who used to (play), and who will play. Their dedication and hard work (are) a sheer fact of their love of Death Valley and football.”
The Green and Gold began the second half leading 28-6 when Southwood quarterback Mo Lloyd hooked up with wide receiver Cole Weiner for scoring passes from 10 and from 51 yards, shifting momentum in the guests’ favor, and cutting the Knight’s deficit to 28-18.
Jamysyn Virgil and his offensive line of Noah Prater, Wade Melanson, Evan Maish, Grady McGriff, and DJ Estep reversed the TRC champs’ , the 6’1 Viking flanker filling in at halfback for Braden Shepherd, countered with a five-yard touchdown run with ten seconds left in the third quarter.
Rex Kirchenstien’s interception at the start of the fourth quarter set up Virgil’s next trip to paydirt, 30 yards out with 9:59 remaining in the fourth quarter permanently shifting the momentum Valley’s way.
Virgil finished the night with 217 rushing yards and five touchdowns, his final TD coming from an 81-yard kickoff return. He added three two-point conversion runs. He also added an interception form the other side of the ball.
“He’s special. He has a heart of gold and an engine that won’t quit,” Moriarty said of his versatile athlete. “It (got) close there in the third quarter and he came over and said, ‘Give me the ball. I want the ball,’ and we did.”
The early jump started with Virgil’s, who also played solid defense with an interception to his credit, started the TRC champs’ scoring with a 40-yard run at 9:26 in the first frame. The 6’1” 161-pound senior punctuated his TD run with an extra point conversion run for an 8-0 Valley lead.
Hunter Ehrenman found the end zone from six yards out and added a two-point conversion run to make the score 16-0 in the hosts’ favor.
Quarterback Branson McBrier joined the offensive effort with a two-yard keeper, and this missed conversion run put the Vikings ahead 22-0 before Southwood broke their offensive schneid with Lloyd’s first of three TD passes on the night to Weiner. Lloyd’s fourth touchdown strike landed in the hands of Chase Lopez late in the fourth quarter. The Knight’s signal caller was 10-17 for 187 yards, 155 of them to Weiner. The Valley defense picked off three of his passes. Wade Jones made on of those picks his sixth for the season.
Nate Parker, who finished the night with 90 yards, also added a fourth-quarter 41-yard touchdown run for the Vikings. Hunter Ehrenman rushed for 75 yards, followed by Dalton Alber (29 yards), McBrier (16 yards), and Karl Parker (13 yards).
Kirchenstein (two recetptions 22 yards) and Virgil (one 17-yard catch) hauled in McBrier’s three completed passes on six attempts.
The Vikings rushed for a team total of 440 yards on 58 carries for 23 of their 27 first downs behind solid blocking among the aforementioned offensive linemen and the victors controlled the clock with a 30:06 time of possession.
Tippecanoe Valley begins sectional play at 7 p.m. Friday when they travel to Garrett to face the Railroaders.
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