DENVER — Friday night's weather at North Miami High School did not make it a comfortable environment for either the host Warriors or the Tippecanoe Valley Vikings. It did not give either much of a chance to really open their playbook, and turnovers were abundant. However, turning the ball over nine times proved to be too much for the Vikings as they fell 12-7 in a sloppy battle between two of the Three Rivers Conference's best teams. "It was a situation where we didn't make some plays,” Valley coach Jeff Shriver said. “We threw the ball high a couple times and they were uncatchable. We did not make plays and North Miami, credit to them, they did make plays. It was a great defensive battle and I thought our kids played hard and I thought North Miami's kids played hard. It was one of those games where somebody has to win and somebody has to lose, and we came up on the short end." The Vikings' offense came alive when junior quarterback Ben Shriver found junior wide-out Tanner Andrews 48 yards for a 7-0 start with 2:00 remaining in the first quarter. Shriver completed 13 of 27 passes for 176 yards on the night, with Andrews accounted for 148 of those yards. Defensively, the Vikings held North Miami quarterback Austin Barker to just 15 yards on 15 carries despite scoring both of his team's touchdowns. "They're big, strong and physical up front," Shriver said. "Probably the biggest offensive line we've faced all year and I thought our defensive line played well tonight." Also for the Vikings, senior Justin Gunter and junior Chris Torpy combined for 110 yards on 28 carries. Valley only converted one fourth down in seven attempts while the Warriors had only turned the ball over three times. There was a scary situation at the conclusion of the game when junior lineman Nick Gamble, who also recovered a fumble in the first quarter, had to be transported to an area hospital with an unspecific injury. "This was something different," Shriver said. "He did take a helmet to the back or to the back of the head, but we'll find out what's going on. Obviously this is a situation that's far more important than wins and losses." Next week marks the final week of the regular season for all teams across the state of Indiana. Whitko, who fell 20-17 to Rochester Friday, will travel to Akron to face the Vikings. With a win over Whitko, the Vikings could still clinch a share for the conference championship with North Miami, as long as the Warriors defeat Rochester at home next week. "Hopefully it prepares us for next week," Shriver said. "I told our kids in the postgame huddle that this is a situation where we wanted to win this game and lock up a share of the conference and that did not happen. North Miami, who's a very good football team, they control their destiny facing Rochester next week and we control our destiny facing Whitko. We may be sharing [with North Miami] if things work the way they hope it does and the way we hope it does." NORTH MIAMI 12, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 7 TV 7 0 0 0 – 7 NM 0 6 0 6 – 12 First Quarter TV – Ben Shriver 48 pass to Tanner Andrews (Jacob Ritchey kick) 2:00, 7-0 Second Quarter NM – Austin Barker 1 run (kick failed) 11:26, 7-6 Fourth Quarter NM – Barker 4 run (conversion failed) 11:32, 12-7 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing – Valley, Chris Torpy 13-57, Justin Gunter 15-53. Passing – Valley, Shriver 13-27, 176 yds, TD.
