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Show ON-. -.k -. j- x ry S ' -1 I r v (V i L) i V v . ; I ; I . It was a swarming onslaught of defenders.. 5 Viking aB" Shuts Down Leopards The Viking defense never rested as they clung on to a 7-0 victory. 1 1 I J By DAVE WIGHAM Clipper Sports SALT LAKE CITY - It took a great offensive offen-sive drive, their first possession and then a stubborn defensive stand the last time they were on the field but the Vikings of Viewmont finally overcame misfortune to earn this first (J; region win of the year with a thrilling 7-0 vic- tory over a good East club, j THE WIN THROW'S the Vikes back into the J state playoff picture with a 1-2 league mark while the Leopards fell to 0-3. 1 Viewmont knew they had to come ready to play against this physical East bunch and the Vikings left no doubt that they were indeed ready as they took the opening kickoff and marched right down the field for the only score (J of the afternoon. And get this folks the Vikings didn't throw a single pass in this 75 yard drive. MAYBE THE running on every play tatic threw off the East defense but whatever the 'J explanation was the Vikings were on the board first, something they hadn't been able to do in a J few games. (j Behind the excellent blocking of their offen-j offen-j sive line, who were winning the battle in the J trenches hands down, fullback Shon Wilson c was able to pick up huge chunks of yardage of every carry. Shon started the drive with a bull type 8 yard gain, then he picked up a first down t with an eleven yard plunge. The Vikes were called for illegal motion on first down but even this penalty couldn't stop them as Jeff Meservy 3 picked up 1 1 yards and then Wilson bulled his j way for a first down at the East 37 yard line. BY NOW THE Viking brain trust liked what j they saw and it was Wilson getting the ball j again and running hard down to the 25 yard line. Meservy then went on a bootleg around the end and was finally knocked out of bounds at the East 4 yard line. It then only took Wilson 'l and his Viking blocking mates two plays to get y into the end zone. Jeff Sowell added the kick and the Vikes led 7-0 with East yet to touch the Now the Viking defense, which has played well all season, took the field with the know-ic know-ic 'edge that if they shut out the Leopards then tney would win. That's exactly what happened 0i as the stubborn Vike defense held their own t when they had to against their bigger oppo-. oppo-. nents. H THE LEOPARDS first drive wasstopped by plays by Dave Macintosh and Alan Hansen and on the attempted punt the kicker dropped the snap and the Vikes pounced on him at the 50 yard line. During the rest of the contest the Vikes did have scoring opportunities but in each case something happened that denied them the end zone. A dropped pass in the end zone ended one drive, a missed field goal another and then a holding and a clipping penalty ended a couple of would be scoring drives. MEANWHILE THE Viking defense was doing their thing led by Macintosh, Jeff Putnam, Put-nam, Alan Hansen, Brian Hardy , John Stubbs, Wade Bevans, Tim Jones, Mark Zesiger, Chad Rasmussen, Bill Bagley and Jeff Sowell. These guys simply refused to let the Leopards into the end zone and East had a couple of golden opportunities. The first East threat came with just under two minutes to play in the first half. The Leopards had driven the ball down from mid-field mid-field and soon found themselves on the Viking four yard line with a first down. After the Vikings Vik-ings had stopped a couple of dive plays the Leopards fumbled the ball on third down and Brian Hardy pounced on the ball for the Vikes. The Leopards lost another scoring chance in the third period when they picked off a Meservy Meser-vy pass and returned it to the Vike 14. Again the defense held and on fourth down Mcintosh tackled the receiver of a screen pass short of the first down markers. WITH JUST over eight minutes to play the Leopards again had a shot at six points but this time on third down Wade Bevans intercepted a pass on the Viking 18. Back came the East siders though and with two minutes to play they had the ball on the Viking five yard line with a first down. Three plays later the Viking defense had held their own and in fact moved the ball back a yard. On fourth down the Leopards had to go for the touchdown but when the quarterback was forced to scramble, all the receivers were covered, co-vered, Shon Wilson and Jeff Sowell were ready to take him down. FROM THERE the Vikings simply ran out the clock to secure their first league win. V"j., , - " t .... ' . ' , r y s - ' " ,' . . s . ' ,i ,:, . ,- - ' .. i . ' . N , ... : -,. . V . - ' . ' ' ' ' f that kept East topsy-tervy and out of the endzone. ' . . ' v . . . , i v- ' """ ' " ... ' ' ... . i ' - 0- 4 ' ' ' . ' " " : v.. . ' -i ' t ... Matt Bradshaw is robbed of a pass as fans peer on in this 7-0 thriller. |