Vikings Fall To Marian In Sectional Semifinal
October 30, 2021 at 4:22 a.m.
Vikings Fall To Marian In Sectional Semifinal
By Dale [email protected]
Hosting the 12th-ranked Marian Knights in the semfinal round of Class 3A Sectional 26, the seventh-ranked Vikings struggled offensively on a muddy Smith-Bibler Field and saw their season end with 29-0 loss.
Though both teams faced the same elements … swirling wind and rain, as well as the saturated playing surface … Marian tallied 221 yards of total offense, while Valley was held to just 89.
The Vikings, who had been explosive on offense this season, particularly in the running game, committed three turnovers and managed just 34 yards on 33 rushing attempts.
“We came out defensively, and I thought we did a good job stopping them,” said Valley coach Stephen Moriarty, whose squad gave the Valley program its first 10-0 start since 1981.
“I was a little concerned that they were able to pass a little. We just couldn’t get a hold on the ball.
“The big thing is the kids played with a heart. I’m not taking anything away from Marian’s win, but I’d like to seen it played on a dry field. I think it would have been different.”
The Knights, who were up 41-0 at halftime of last year’s 41-24 sectional semifinal win at Valley, have won eight of their last nine games after an 0-2 start.
Marian will host Jimtown (9-2), a winner over John Glenn in Friday’s other Sectional 26 semifinal, next week as the Knights vie for their seventh-consecutive sectional title.
Senior Kapafule Lasanga scored three touchdowns in the win, and finished the game with 142 yards on 30 carries.
Lasanga, whose white jersey with the blue No. 8 was mud-covered after the first play of the game, scored on runs of 4, 2 and 14 yards, respectively.
The Knights also got a 13-yard touchdown run from senior Greg Atkinson, and a 27-yard field goal from senior Alec Markley.
Despite their offensive struggles, the Vikings were only down 12-0 midway through the third quarter.
Markley’s field goal, which was set up when Marian blocked a Valley punt attempt, made it 15-0 with 6:43 left in the third quarter.
Atkinson’s 13-yard run made it 22-0 at the 7:30 mark of the fourth quarter, and Lusanga’s 14-yard scamper accounted for the final score with 4:00 remaining.
“We came out after halfime and had a little success, but then we fumbled,” said Moriarty. “Then we had a penalty, then they blocked our punt. Then, we still stood our ground and they kicked a field goal, and we were still only down by two touchdowns.
“This didn’t end like we wanted it to, but overall it was very good season for the team and for those seniors.”
The Vikings won the Three Rivers Conference outright, and posted the program’s first 10-win season since 1983.
Sophomore Nate Parker led Valley offensively with 27 yards rushing on three attempts.
Senior Braden Shepherd finished with 15 yards on nine carries, and classmate Jamasyn Virgil, who sat out the second half because Moriarty said the umpire sat him out after he may have suffered a concussion, had nine yards on four carries.
Senior quarterback Branson McBrier completed 6 of 14 passes for 55 yards, 35 of those yards going to sophomore Landon Durkes on one pass.
Marian sophomore Bryce LaSane completed 4 of 8 pass attempts for 23 yards and threw one interception.
LaSane was picked off by Valley sophomore Wade Jones, who had four interceptions in last week’s sectional-opening win at Garrett. Jones finished the season with a state-leading 11 interceptions, and upped his career total to 14 with his junior and senior seasons still to play.
Hosting the 12th-ranked Marian Knights in the semfinal round of Class 3A Sectional 26, the seventh-ranked Vikings struggled offensively on a muddy Smith-Bibler Field and saw their season end with 29-0 loss.
Though both teams faced the same elements … swirling wind and rain, as well as the saturated playing surface … Marian tallied 221 yards of total offense, while Valley was held to just 89.
The Vikings, who had been explosive on offense this season, particularly in the running game, committed three turnovers and managed just 34 yards on 33 rushing attempts.
“We came out defensively, and I thought we did a good job stopping them,” said Valley coach Stephen Moriarty, whose squad gave the Valley program its first 10-0 start since 1981.
“I was a little concerned that they were able to pass a little. We just couldn’t get a hold on the ball.
“The big thing is the kids played with a heart. I’m not taking anything away from Marian’s win, but I’d like to seen it played on a dry field. I think it would have been different.”
The Knights, who were up 41-0 at halftime of last year’s 41-24 sectional semifinal win at Valley, have won eight of their last nine games after an 0-2 start.
Marian will host Jimtown (9-2), a winner over John Glenn in Friday’s other Sectional 26 semifinal, next week as the Knights vie for their seventh-consecutive sectional title.
Senior Kapafule Lasanga scored three touchdowns in the win, and finished the game with 142 yards on 30 carries.
Lasanga, whose white jersey with the blue No. 8 was mud-covered after the first play of the game, scored on runs of 4, 2 and 14 yards, respectively.
The Knights also got a 13-yard touchdown run from senior Greg Atkinson, and a 27-yard field goal from senior Alec Markley.
Despite their offensive struggles, the Vikings were only down 12-0 midway through the third quarter.
Markley’s field goal, which was set up when Marian blocked a Valley punt attempt, made it 15-0 with 6:43 left in the third quarter.
Atkinson’s 13-yard run made it 22-0 at the 7:30 mark of the fourth quarter, and Lusanga’s 14-yard scamper accounted for the final score with 4:00 remaining.
“We came out after halfime and had a little success, but then we fumbled,” said Moriarty. “Then we had a penalty, then they blocked our punt. Then, we still stood our ground and they kicked a field goal, and we were still only down by two touchdowns.
“This didn’t end like we wanted it to, but overall it was very good season for the team and for those seniors.”
The Vikings won the Three Rivers Conference outright, and posted the program’s first 10-win season since 1983.
Sophomore Nate Parker led Valley offensively with 27 yards rushing on three attempts.
Senior Braden Shepherd finished with 15 yards on nine carries, and classmate Jamasyn Virgil, who sat out the second half because Moriarty said the umpire sat him out after he may have suffered a concussion, had nine yards on four carries.
Senior quarterback Branson McBrier completed 6 of 14 passes for 55 yards, 35 of those yards going to sophomore Landon Durkes on one pass.
Marian sophomore Bryce LaSane completed 4 of 8 pass attempts for 23 yards and threw one interception.
LaSane was picked off by Valley sophomore Wade Jones, who had four interceptions in last week’s sectional-opening win at Garrett. Jones finished the season with a state-leading 11 interceptions, and upped his career total to 14 with his junior and senior seasons still to play.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092