Tippy Valley Stays Perfect With Blowout Win Over Squires
September 10, 2022 at 3:16 a.m.
Tippy Valley Stays Perfect With Blowout Win Over Squires
By Connor McCann-
“I wanted [us] big and I wanted [them] nothing at halftime,” he said.
Moriarty got his wish as the Vikings went up 36-0 at halftime en route to a 43-13 victory in Three Rivers Conference play Friday night. The Vikings are now 4-0, 3-0 in the TRC while Manchester falls to 0-4, 0-3.
Valley wasted no time getting the scoring started. In just a little over two minutes, the Vikings marched down the field and found the end zone. Junior Wade Jones had two carries for 56 yards, including a 15-yard run into the promised land. After the team’s traditional 2-point conversion try after the first score, the Vikings were up 8-0.
Manchester would not have the same offensive fortune on its opening possession. After going 3-and-out, the Squires would take a risk, going for it on fourth down in their own territory. The risk would not pay off as quarterback Brock Casper’s pass would go off of the fingertips of a receiver and out of bounds.
Manchester’s defense would get their offense the ball back in a hurry. On the first play of the ensuing drive, senior lineman Mavern Smith would get a massive sack for a loss of ten yards that would eventually lead to a three and out. It was one of only two drives the Vikings did not score on in the first half.
The Vikings defensive line was menacing from the opening whistle. Whether it was tipping the passes of Casper or forcing junior running back Garrett Sites to little or no gain, Tippy Valley was making offense for the Squires next to impossible. After a huge week last week in which he logged 199 rushing yards, Sites was held to just three yards in this one. For the second consecutive week, the Viking defense would finish the game allowing negative rushing yards (-3).
“As a defensive guy, I couldn’t be more excited,” Moriarty said. “I knew we needed to come out strong, go up and not give them hope. Our defense led the way.”
Helping that out was a bad snap on the punt after the second straight Squire three-and-out that would give the Vikings the ball at the opposing four-yard line, where junior Nate Parker would score from on the next play to put Valley up two scores.
As the defense worked to give the offense the ball back, the offense took care of business just as well. It seemed that one tackler was never enough to take down Jones, Parker and others. On a 43-yard touchdown scamper less than a minute into the second quarter, Parker would elude four would-be tacklers. The featured back on most possessions, Parker really thrived when running the option at the quarterback position. He would run for 86 yards in the game.
“We pride ourselves in making the first two guys miss. We always have physical practices during the week, and you can see it pay off,” Moriarty said.
Up 29-0 after Parker’s third first-half touchdown, the Vikings remained unsatisfied. Freshman kicker Gage Overbey would send the kickoff short. The decision paid off as it was subsequently fumbled and recovered by Tippy Valley.
The Squires would get the ball back though, as on the ensuing possession, Viking quarterback Cody Eastgate would throw an interception in the end zone to Casper, who was playing corner. The interception would give Manchester some life, as just a few plays later sophomore Mason Rooney would break free for a 16-yard gain and give the Squires their first first-down of the game on their fifth drive. Manchester would pick up a couple more, but a costly holding call would negate a 40-yard run by Sites and eventually kill the drive.
With a minute left in the first half, the Vikings would score their fifth touchdown of the game on an Eastgate pass to Jones. It was a great play by Jones, who secured the ball after it was tipped twice. Looking to get some points on the board before halftime, the Squires put together what might have been their most impressive drive of the game. Casper hit three different receivers on the drive, highlighted by a 36-yard completion to senior wideout Memphis Wood. Unfortunately for the Squires, time was not on their side. At the eight-yard line with nine seconds left, Casper hit Wood at the goal line, but he was tackled at the one. Out of timeouts, the offense would rush to the line, but not get a play off in time.
With the Vikings up big going into the third quarter, a running clock was in effect for the entirety of the second half. With two minutes left in the third quarter, the Vikings would score their final points of the night on a rushing touchdown by Brandon Stiles. On the other side, the Squires would not stop playing hard until the final whistle sounded. The team would finally reach the end zone with seven minutes remaining in the game as Casper found Wood. Wood finished his night with five catches for 75 yards.
Manchester would recover a Valley fumble on its next drive and get right back to work. This time, it would be Casper finding Reiss Gaerte in for six more points. Casper would go 17-27 for 186 yards and two TDs in the game. Gaerte had a great night on both ends of the ball, finishing with the touchdown grab as well as double-digit tackles.
Manchester takes on Northfield next Friday, while Valley hosts Rochester in the Bell Game against Rochester. It will be the first matchup since 2007 in which both teams are undefeated headed into the game.
“It’ll be one of, maybe the biggest games of these kids' careers. To have both teams playing like this, it’s great for both communities,” Moriarty said. “This is why you live in a small town. This is something special, something these kids are going to remember for the rest of their lives.”
“I wanted [us] big and I wanted [them] nothing at halftime,” he said.
Moriarty got his wish as the Vikings went up 36-0 at halftime en route to a 43-13 victory in Three Rivers Conference play Friday night. The Vikings are now 4-0, 3-0 in the TRC while Manchester falls to 0-4, 0-3.
Valley wasted no time getting the scoring started. In just a little over two minutes, the Vikings marched down the field and found the end zone. Junior Wade Jones had two carries for 56 yards, including a 15-yard run into the promised land. After the team’s traditional 2-point conversion try after the first score, the Vikings were up 8-0.
Manchester would not have the same offensive fortune on its opening possession. After going 3-and-out, the Squires would take a risk, going for it on fourth down in their own territory. The risk would not pay off as quarterback Brock Casper’s pass would go off of the fingertips of a receiver and out of bounds.
Manchester’s defense would get their offense the ball back in a hurry. On the first play of the ensuing drive, senior lineman Mavern Smith would get a massive sack for a loss of ten yards that would eventually lead to a three and out. It was one of only two drives the Vikings did not score on in the first half.
The Vikings defensive line was menacing from the opening whistle. Whether it was tipping the passes of Casper or forcing junior running back Garrett Sites to little or no gain, Tippy Valley was making offense for the Squires next to impossible. After a huge week last week in which he logged 199 rushing yards, Sites was held to just three yards in this one. For the second consecutive week, the Viking defense would finish the game allowing negative rushing yards (-3).
“As a defensive guy, I couldn’t be more excited,” Moriarty said. “I knew we needed to come out strong, go up and not give them hope. Our defense led the way.”
Helping that out was a bad snap on the punt after the second straight Squire three-and-out that would give the Vikings the ball at the opposing four-yard line, where junior Nate Parker would score from on the next play to put Valley up two scores.
As the defense worked to give the offense the ball back, the offense took care of business just as well. It seemed that one tackler was never enough to take down Jones, Parker and others. On a 43-yard touchdown scamper less than a minute into the second quarter, Parker would elude four would-be tacklers. The featured back on most possessions, Parker really thrived when running the option at the quarterback position. He would run for 86 yards in the game.
“We pride ourselves in making the first two guys miss. We always have physical practices during the week, and you can see it pay off,” Moriarty said.
Up 29-0 after Parker’s third first-half touchdown, the Vikings remained unsatisfied. Freshman kicker Gage Overbey would send the kickoff short. The decision paid off as it was subsequently fumbled and recovered by Tippy Valley.
The Squires would get the ball back though, as on the ensuing possession, Viking quarterback Cody Eastgate would throw an interception in the end zone to Casper, who was playing corner. The interception would give Manchester some life, as just a few plays later sophomore Mason Rooney would break free for a 16-yard gain and give the Squires their first first-down of the game on their fifth drive. Manchester would pick up a couple more, but a costly holding call would negate a 40-yard run by Sites and eventually kill the drive.
With a minute left in the first half, the Vikings would score their fifth touchdown of the game on an Eastgate pass to Jones. It was a great play by Jones, who secured the ball after it was tipped twice. Looking to get some points on the board before halftime, the Squires put together what might have been their most impressive drive of the game. Casper hit three different receivers on the drive, highlighted by a 36-yard completion to senior wideout Memphis Wood. Unfortunately for the Squires, time was not on their side. At the eight-yard line with nine seconds left, Casper hit Wood at the goal line, but he was tackled at the one. Out of timeouts, the offense would rush to the line, but not get a play off in time.
With the Vikings up big going into the third quarter, a running clock was in effect for the entirety of the second half. With two minutes left in the third quarter, the Vikings would score their final points of the night on a rushing touchdown by Brandon Stiles. On the other side, the Squires would not stop playing hard until the final whistle sounded. The team would finally reach the end zone with seven minutes remaining in the game as Casper found Wood. Wood finished his night with five catches for 75 yards.
Manchester would recover a Valley fumble on its next drive and get right back to work. This time, it would be Casper finding Reiss Gaerte in for six more points. Casper would go 17-27 for 186 yards and two TDs in the game. Gaerte had a great night on both ends of the ball, finishing with the touchdown grab as well as double-digit tackles.
Manchester takes on Northfield next Friday, while Valley hosts Rochester in the Bell Game against Rochester. It will be the first matchup since 2007 in which both teams are undefeated headed into the game.
“It’ll be one of, maybe the biggest games of these kids' careers. To have both teams playing like this, it’s great for both communities,” Moriarty said. “This is why you live in a small town. This is something special, something these kids are going to remember for the rest of their lives.”
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