Rejuvenated Vikings take on Sisters next


Siuslaw football coach Sam Johnson has his Vikings pointed in the right direction.

Sam Johnson is growing as a coach, just as his players grow as a team.

He even starting to talk a bit like his former coach, Tim Dodson, a coaching legend at Siuslaw.

For instance:

"Sisters is a great football team," Johnson said Saturday, the day after his Vikings dismantled the Harrisburg Eagles at Harrisburg, 58-12, "and we need to control the tempo early and get our guys going from the get-go."

Siuslaw hosts Sisters at 7 p.m. Friday, the the Vikings coach is talking the talk so his kids will walk the walk.

Sisters is 1-2, spanked at home by Pleasant Hill (20-6) and Friday at Sweet Home (36-6). The Outlaws' lone win was 42-6 … over Harrisburg ... at Sisters.

"Against Sisters we will have to execute on all three facets of the game — offense, defense and special teams," Johnson said.

In other words, the Vikings need to play this Friday like they played last Friday.

"We knew we needed to start fast and not allow them to control the tempo of the game," Johnson said. "Our kids played with fire and passion."

Mission accomplished.

Siuslaw three touchdowns in the first quarter and three more in the second to built a 44-6 lead at halftime.

Senior Elijah Blankenship played only the first half at quarterback, hitting 12 of 15 passes for 202 yards and five touchdowns. Junior Beau Erickson started the second half, directing two long TD drives.

Juniors Braydon Thornton and Camp Lacouture had big games on the other end of Blankenship passes, Thornton hauling in 7 for 108 yards and three TDs and Lacouture 4 for 83 and 2 TDs.

Eight Vikings picked up positive yards rushing, Lacouture and sophomore Odin Smith leading the way with 42 yards each.

"Our offensive and defensive lines controlled the line of scrimmage," Johnson said. "Defensively, they were playing together as a unit. They trusted the scheme and each other to do their jobs."

But Johnson was particularly pleased with the offense, his specialty.

"We played like a team who is finally gelling," he said. "Getting Elijah and Braydon on the same page again will make everything else open up in the upcoming games because of the threat those two are when they are connecting."

It's been a bit of a frustrating season to date, opening with a 26-24 last-minute loss at La Pine followed by a loss at home to Santiam Christian, 47- 21.

But each game has been a chance to grow, individually and as a team. And as coaches.

"We have a group of young men who bust their butts in practice," Johnson said, "and are beginning to reap the rewards of it."

Tim Dodson probably couldn't have said it better.

STATISTICS

vs. Harrisburg
PASSING — Elijah Blankenship 12-15-202, 5 TDs; Beau Erickson 1-2-10.
RECEIVING — Braydon Thornton 7-108, 3 TDs; Camp Lacouture 4-83, 2 TDs; Garza 2-21.
RUSHING — Camp Lacouture 4-42; Odin Smith 6-42; Skyler Loomis 5-36, Elijah Blankenship, 1-33; Hunter Petterson 3-25, 2 TDs; Beau Rickson 6-30; Rhys Fleming 1-3; Braydon Thornton 1-3.
DEFENSE — Camp Lacouture 1 fumble return for TD.
(Note: Official individual statistics from Sam Johnson)

SCORING

SIUSLAW           23   21   7    7 —  58
HARRISBURG     0    6    0    6 —  12
First quarter
Siuslaw — Braydon Thornton 40-yard pass from Elijah Blankenship (Skyler Loomis run), 9:19
Siuslaw — Camp Lacouture 20-yard pass from Elijah Blankenship (Braydon Thornton run),  6:30
Siuslaw — Braydon Thornton 1-yard pass from Elijah Blankenship (Camp Lacouture kick), 3:02
Second quarter
Siuslaw — Camp Lacouture 30-yard pass from Elijah Blankenship (Camp Lacouture kick), 11:48
Siuslaw — Camp Lacouture 25-yard fumble return (Camp Lacouture kick), 10:42
Harrisburg — Chase Gallegos 5-yard run (run failed), 5:09
Siuslaw — Braydon Thornton 27-yard pass from Elijah Blankenship (Camp Lacouture kick), 4:06
Third quarter
Siuslaw — Hunter Petterson 1-yard run (Camp Lacouture kick), 5:58
Fourth quarter
Siuslaw — Hunter Petterson 18-yard run (Camp Lacouture kick), 5:59
Harrisburg — Chase Gallegos 5-yard run (run failed), :20
(Note: Scoring from online monitoring of Coast Radio and NFHS Network)

VIKINGS SCHEDULE
Record: 1-2 league, 1-2 overall
March 5 — at La Pine 26, Siuslaw 24
March 12 — Santiam Christian 47, at Siuslaw 21
March 19 — Siuslaw 58, at Harrisburg 12
March 26 — Sisters, 7 p.m., Coast Radio
April 2 — Junction City, 7 p.m., Coast Radio
April 9 — Culminating Week game, to be announced