Seeking its first sectional victory at home since 2020, the Tippecanoe Valley football team began postseason play against Woodlan Friday night. The visitors struck first, but it was the Vikings that had the last laugh. The offense was cooking and the defense forced four turnovers as the home side cruised to a 51-25 win to advance in the playoffs.
The only other time these two schools met also came in the first round of the playoffs. In 1981, the undefeated Vikings were ranked No. 3 in the state, and were upset by the Warriors 14-7 in the first round. Woodlan went on to lose in the state title game.
“We told the boys that even though that game was a long time ago, revenge can wait a while [to be delivered],” Valley head coach Steve Moriarty said after the game.
The Warriors began the game with a bang, getting a big return from Shaiden Snyder that put the ball at the Valley 46 to start things off. The Viking defense was up to the task of holding the visitors right there, as three straight running plays by Woodlan were stuffed, resulting in a punt.
The Warrior defense didn’t share the same success. Starting its first drive of the game at their own eight, Valley wasted no time getting things moving, with big runs by Wes Parker and Brandon Stiles, as well as a screen pass to Owen Omondi, putting the team in the red zone in a breeze. A fantastic opening drive for the Vikings ended without any points though, as the Woodlan defense bucked up and forced a fourth down inside the 10. The home team elected to kick the field goal, and the 19-yard try by Gage Overbey hooked right and was no good.
Things went from bad to worse, as on the first play of the following drive, Snyder burned Valley yet again, breaking loose and blowing by the Viking secondary to score the opening points of the game on an 80-yard touchdown. The ensuing two-point conversion was denied, leaving things at 6-0 midway through the first.
Once again, Valley was able to move the ball awfully well after getting back on offense. Riding Brock Derf and Grady Moriarty, the Vikings were back in the red zone just three minutes later. This time around, the team was able to make the most of its trip, with Moriarty breaking a series of tackles on his way to an angry seven-yard rumble to the end zone. Overbey was good on his kick this time, giving the home side a 7-6 advantage with a minute and thirty seconds left in the first.
In the waning seconds of the quarter, disaster struck the visitors, as a botched snap was recovered by Valley’s Nash Miller at the Warrior 27 to put the home team in business as the second quarter got going.
It didn’t take long for the Vikings to find the end zone once more, as after a few plays to inch closer to the goal line, Derf broke free and was able to reach the promised land on a 12-yard score a minute into the second. Another PAT by Overbey made it 14-6.
It looked as if Valley would continue riding that momentum and force a three-and-out with Woodlan back on offense, but the first completion of the night for the Warriors picked up a first down to keep things moving. Then, Snyder struck again, flipping the field with a 60-yard carry that put the visitors inside of the 10. They’d turn the big run into points, as a few plays later, Drew Fleek scored for three yards out for the team’s second touchdown of the game with seven minutes to go in the half. Another failed two-point conversion later, and it was 14-12.
The Woodlan defense was able to come up with a stop the next time the Vikings had the football, forcing a punt near the Valley 40-yard line with three and a half minutes to go. The home side was able to come up with a stop also, forcing a second punt within a minute to get the ball right back.
This time, Valley was able to turn their possession into points. Quarterback Hunter Stage was excellent on this drive, making a pair of big throws to pick up crucial first downs and set up the offense inside the five. The sophomore QB elected to take it himself from there, using his blockers to cross the goal line from three yards out. With 30 seconds left in the half, the Vikings were now up 21-12.
That’s where things stayed as the second quarter wrapped up. Woodlan was able to move the ball to the 50, but were unable to get any further.
It only took two plays into the second half for the Vikings to extend their lead, as Derf continued his outstanding game with a 59-yard touchdown. The senior broke a tackle about eight yards into the carry and had nothing but open space from there. Getting a key block from Carlos Gonzalez, Derf cruised to the end zone. What followed was a two-point conversion by Moriarty to make it 29-12 only a minute into the third quarter.
“Brock is next level. He’s one of the hardest hitting kids I’ve ever coached, and he leads by example,” Coach Mo said. “He’s one heck of a leader. He refuses to go down when he gets hit and he laid the wood on a couple of those fourth down stops tonight.”

    Tippecanoe Valley senior Brock Derf picks up long yardage during Friday night's sectional game against Woodlan...Nieter
The Vikings rode that momentum on their next defensive possession, forcing a fourth down stop at the Woodlan 39 to get the ball right back in opposing territory. Already holding onto a three-possession lead, Valley elected to take its time on the following drive, methodically moving the ball and burning clock. After getting the ball inside the five once more, Derf got the rock yet again, running it in from three yards out to extend the lead even further to 36-12 with four minutes left in the third.
The home team wasn’t done there. With the Warriors getting the ball back, they didn’t possess it for long. On a quarterback keeper, the ball was punched free by Colton Crabb. In the perfect place at the perfect time, Hudson Shepherd scooped it up and went untouched into the end zone for Valley’s first defensive touchdown of the season. Parker converted the two-point conversion that followed, and suddenly, the Vikings were in the middle of a blowout up 44-12.
The Warriors picked up a big fourth down conversion as well as a big gain to get into the red zone as the third quarter came to an end. The visitors turned the long drive into points early into the fourth quarter, as Carter Fleek caught a 16-yard touchdown pass to make it 44-18 with eleven minutes to go.
The home side needed just one play to get that score back, as Parker broke loose on Valley’s first play from scrimmage, going 78 yards to the house to make it a 51-18 game. A nice return on the following kickoff for the visitors went by the wayside, as Jacob Bradley recovered a fumble with eight minutes to go for the third forced turnover of the night by the Viking defense.
Woodlan would end up scoring again though, as after a Viking fumble, Drew Fleek found the end zone for the second time in the game on an outside run. With four minutes to go, Valley now led 51-25.
That would be the final score of the game, as the Vikings were able to pick up a few first downs to run out the clock with mostly junior varsity players on the field.
The Vikings (7-3) will take on undefeated Garrett next Friday in the semifinal round.
“I think the boys will be ready to play. They’re ready for a tournament run,” Moriarty said. “Garrett is a very good team and we’ll have to be prepared for them. We had a scrimmage against them in the summer so we’ve seen them a bit. They’ve got a lot of good athletes.”