Siuslaw coach Tim Dodson addresses the crowd Friday night before the start of the annual Blue-Gold Game at Hans Petersen Field. Stan Pusieski/EWS

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08291554_coachtalk2.png - Stan Pusieski/EWS

Senior placekicker/punter Kenneth Thrall wasn't allowed to kick or punt in Friday's Blue-Gold Game.

But he still managed to score all the points in the game as the Gold defeated the Blue, 14-0, in the annual Siuslaw High School preseason football scrimmage at Hans Petersen Field.

"I was a little bummed that we'd play a football game and never kick," said Thrall, a 5-foot-8, 220-pound running back/linebacker. "But everyone played hard, and everyone came out healthy."

Thrall scored the game's first touchdown on a 4-yard burst up the middle with less than two minutes to go in the first half, then added a 17-yard TD reception from 6-foot-6 sophomore quarterback Trent Reavis on a bubble screen with less than eight minutes left in the game.

The 40-minute game was played in 20-minute running halves, with touchdowns worth seven points each. A pass for the extra point failed after the first TD and a conversion run failed after the second.

"It looked like the kids were having fun, and that's important," said Tim Dodson, who is starting his 20th year as head coach of the Vikings. "I saw some things in our execution that was good, and we got out healthy. That's kind of a key."

Teams were drafted Wednesday by the coaches, mixing and matching some of the better players in a game dominated for the most part by defense.

Dodson, who has only 22 players on his roster, saw more to be happy with than not.

"Kenneth (Thrall) ran the ball good, where it needed to go," he said. "I liked (wide receiver-defensive back) Caleb Paredes staying on top, and (quarterback-defensive back) Preston Mitchell was awesome, in and out.

"Trent (Reavis) did a nice job, and (defensive/offensive lineman) Dylan Jennings did a great job inside, along with (defensive/offensive lineman) Kainan Lane."

The solid play in the preseason came with a caveat.

"We're not very fast, and you can see we're not very fast sideline to sideline," said Dodson. "You can't fix (speed), but you can react (better) to it.

"Second thing, I was a little disappointed in the effort of some of our players. Once the ball got by them, they didn't pursue with great energy. We need to play with more energy."

But then it was a long day, and night, for the young Vikings.

"Our kids practiced this morning, so they were a little tired," said Dodson.

Still, the fans seemed to eat up all the action, along with the Dodson Dogs and Lutero Burgers provided by Fred Meyer and A&W.

"Football is special in this community, and it's important that we continue to recognize that, accept that, realize that," said Dodson, "and do the things we need to do to make sure it stays special."

The Vikings kick off their season Friday with a nonleague game at 7 p.m. at Newport.