Vikings hosts South Umpqua in opener
The Siuslaw Vikings football team has begun plotting its great escape from Class 3A football.
The Vikings will open their fourth and what is expected to be last season at 3A on Friday, Sept. 3, by hosting South Umpqua, an old Far West League foe.
Siuslaw is a member of 3A District 2 North, South Umpqua a member of 3A District 2 South. So it's basically a nonleague game.
VIKINGS FOOTBALL 2021 SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 3 — South Umpqua (4-2), 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept 10 — at Brookings-Harbor (0-3), 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 17 — at Sisters (2-4), 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 24 — at Gladstone (5-1), 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 1 — Harrisburg (0-6), 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 8 — La Pine (4-2), 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 15 — at Pleasant Hill (2-3), 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 22 — at Santiam Christian, Adair Village (5-1), 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 29 — Junction City (5-1), 7 p.m.
Sam Johnson enters his third season of resurrecting a proud Vikings program that went 3-21 in the three seasons following the retirement of legendary Tim Dodson.
Siuslaw went 2-6 and 1-7 in two seasons under Jamin Pool and was demoted from 4A to 3A. The Vikings were 0-8 in Chad Smith's one season, the first of a four-year sentence to 3A.
Dodson capped a 20-year career as head coach with a 4A state playoff team that finished 6-4.
Johnson was 6-4 in 2019, his first season as head coach, taking the Vikings to the 3A playoffs. He is 9-7 overall and 6-4 in league in his two years.
Assistant coaches listed are Andy Johnson, Billy Jones, Bob Teter, Gerald Fleming, Jeff Gray, Lane Johnson, Nick Johnson and Tom Shinn.
The Siuslaw-South Umpqua game will be the first meeting since the 2017 season, when both schools were in the 4A Far West League.
South Umpqua won 54-7 at Hans Petersen Field.
Siuslaw already has posted a tentative varsity roster of 21 players, including 11 seniors, the most since Dodson's final season.
Five of those 11 are linemen — Joe Slaughter, listed as 5-10, 220; Henry Rankin, 6-0, 240; John Corser, 5-10, 170; Avery Hart, 6-2, 240; and Ethan Aaron, 6-0, 220.
Senior Beau Erickson likely will take the starting quarterback reins from three-year starter Elijah Blankenship.
Senior targets will include Braydon Thornton, Rhys Fleming, Isaac Garza and James Smith.
The backfield will feature senior running back Camp Lacouture.
The seven juniors include tight ends Noah Dotson and Ian Sissel, running backs Hunter Petterson and Odin Smith and linemen Victor Ayala, Juiian Loftis and John Rose.
Three sophomores are listed, all linemen — Cort Waggoner, Billie Massey and Landon Severy.
The Vikings return to a normal weight-lifting program Monday (May 31) with the easing of covid restrictions.
First practice is Monday, Aug. 16.
