Charlie Haskins of the Vikings goes low to make the tackle on a Richland runner. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
By RICKEY CLARDY
Sports Writer
UNIONVILLE — The Community Vikings struggled to move the ball in the first half against the Richland Raiders and the Raiders made the most of their scoring opportunities as the Vikings fell 42-8 in a non-region football game Friday night.
“It still boils down to us not executing what we’re supposed to do,” Coach Glenn Tidwell of the Vikings said. “It’s one of those deals when things are called and they work right, positive things happen.”
Richland (3-2) took the opening kickoff and drove 60 yards in six plays for the first score of the contest.
Jake Sands ended the drive with an 8-yard run and A.J. Bates kicked the extra point as the Raiders led 7-0 with 9:41 left in the first quarter.
The Raiders added their second touchdown as Tucker Mayo scored f
Quarterback Kaeden Hensel avoids a Richland defender and looks upfield for the Vikings. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
rom four yards out as Richland led 14-0 with 4:05 remaining.
Levi Reedy followed with an 8-yard run with 1:25 left as the Raiders increased their advantage to 21-0.
The Raiders kept the pressure on the Vikings as Collin Cagle scored on a 19-yard run in the second quarter to give Richland a 28-0 lead.
Good field position helped the Raiders score two more touchdowns in the quarter.
Gavin Shrader connected with Aylin Kennedy on a 20-yard TD pass while Cagle scored on a 42-yard run as Richland took a 42-0 lead at the half.
Community (0-5) saw positives in the second half as quarterback Kaeden Hensel was successful on a rush of 24 yards before a fumble curtailed a drive. With the help of Hensel’s running, the next Viking possession resulted in a 16-play drive for a touchdown.
Starting on their own 17, the Vikings moved into Raider territory with the help of runs of 18 and 14 yards from Hensel.
A run of nine yards by Severen Garman coupled with a run of eight yards by Guner Harden got Community closer to the end zone. On fourth down, Mason Bogle ran three yards for the first down before Wyatt Elsner finished the drive with a 7-yard run and a 3-yard scamper for the touchdown with 3:13 left in the game.
The snap was botched on the extra point, but Jarrett Yancey picked up the ball and ran for two as the Vikings ended the scoring on the night.
“I had a lot of freshmen on the field tonight mixed with our sophomores with a smattering of upperclassmen,” Tidwell said. “They got a lot of experience tonight and we get to play our JV game on Monday and that’s where we’re getting better.”
“That’s the huge bright spot in all of this is those guys are getting to play another game on Monday and build that confidence,” Tidwell added.
Community begins Region 4-3A play next Friday night with a game at Watertown.
Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Richland 21 21 0 0 — 42
Community 0 0 0 8 — 8