Vikes pounce on Bengals

SHORELINE — The Snohomish County Vikings were not going to let another potential victory slip out of their grasp.

Not with a playoff berth still within reach.

Not when the team has put together so many solid halves of play yet come away on the losing end of those games.

The results would be different in last weekend’s key matchup against the Pierce County Bengals, the players and coaches vowed.

Snohomish County backed up its talk with a 35-9 victory over Pierce County in a Northwest Football League game Aug. 6 at Shoreline Stadium.

The goal was to put together four complete quarters of solid play in Saturday’s key matchup.

“That was the focus — four quarters as hard as we can,” said Vikings quarterback John McCourt, who threw for two touchdowns. “We’ve come out and beaten teams, shut them out in a half and outscored them in halves, but it’s just not enough so we concentrated on coming out and going four quarters as hard as we can … the coaches challenged the team to do it and I think we stepped up.”

The Snohomish County defense also made significant contributions throughout the game. The Vikings returned both a fumble and an interception for touchdowns and also recorded a safety. Snohomish County defensive Brian Carter had two of his team’s three interceptions, including a 90-yard return for a touchdown.

“The fact that the defense is giving us many opportunities is why we were able to put up the points we did tonight,” McCourt said. “Both sides of the ball playing four quarters is the only way we can click as a team. It’s a total team effort on this football team.”

The victory evened Snohomish County’s record to 4-4 and kept the Vikings in sixth place in the league. Only the top four teams advance to the playoffs.

Snohomish County has a bye this weekend and then is on the road against the Oregon Thunderbolts next week (Saturday, Aug. 20). The Thunderbolts are one of the five teams ahead of the Vikings in the standings. Snohomish County closes out the regular season with an Aug. 27 rematch against the Northwest Avalanche. The Vikings started the season 3-1 but then suffered three straight losses to West Sound, Renton and Willamette Valley.

“We’re in good shape,” said Snohomish County coach Wes Fischer. “It’s in our hands. What we need to do is just continue to do the things we did tonight — take care of the football, drive in down there, score when we get into the red zone — it’s starting to click.”

The Vikings defense forced Pierce County to turn over the ball on downs and the offense took advantage of the midfield position with a crisp nine-play, 49-yard drive that culminated with running back Steve Casino scoring on a 2-yard run.

In the second quarter, defensive end Jeff Barry stripped the ball from a Bengals running back and linebacker Greg Paribello returned the ball 15 yards for a touchdown and a 14-0 Snohomish County lead.

Pierce County cut the deficit to 14-3 on a 42-yard field goal by John Adair.

Then with less than 30 seconds left in the first half, McCourt connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass to Carter as the Vikings went into halftime with a 20-3 advantage.

Snohomish County was shut out in the first half two weeks ago against Willamette Valley.

“The guys were moving the ball,” Fischer said of Saturday’s effort. “We were taking care of the football … we had six or seven turnovers against the Raiders. You can’t do that and win ballgames.”

The Vikings offense, which somewhat sputtered in the second half, did not score again 1:12 in the fourth quarter.

“We were struggling with substitutions, a little bit of miscommunication,” McCourt said. “A penalty or a miscommunication can cost you on a drive … but the effort was there by everybody on both sides of the ball. All aspects, even special teams, played their hearts out.”

Snohomish County blocked a field goal attempt and defensive back Jason Carter intercepted a pass for the Vikings in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Snohomish County linebacker John Campbell tackled Pierce County quarterback Benjamin Snell in the end zone early in the fourth quarter.

Snell would later respond with a 25-yard scoring strike to Jerod English to cut the Vikings’ advantage to 22-9 with 4:57 remaining in the game.

McCourt then connected on a 19-yard touchdown pass to Mountlake Terrace graduate Jordan Curtis at the 1:12 mark and extended Snohomish County’s lead to 28-9.

Brian Carter, who already had one interception earlier in the fourth quarter, picked off another Bengals’ pass at the Snohomish County 10 and then ran 90 yards for a touchdown with about five seconds left in the game.

“I still think we’ve got a shot (at the playoffs),” McCourt said. “We’ve finally starting to come together and realize what it is to play as a team. Hopefully, it’s not too late. Hopefully, we can pull it off.”