Vikings don't let up
JACKSON TWP — Central Catholic coach Terry Totten delivered a message to his team prior to Friday night's Northern Seven Conference football game against Seneca Valley.
“I told them I wanted us to get on 'em early and stay on 'em,” Totten said.
Judging from the Vikings' response, his words were heard loud and clear.
It took Central (4-1, 3-0) just five plays to score two long touchdowns, jump-starting a 42-14 victory at NexTier Stadium.
Justice Evans scored on an 87-yard run on the team's third play from scrimmage. He then hauled in a 69-yard scoring pass from Troy Fisher to give the Vikings a 14-0 lead 10 seconds into the second quarter.
“They have tremendous team speed,” SV coach Dave Vestal said of the Vikings, “but we made some mistakes we should not make. When you do that against a talented and well-coached football team, it's going to hurt you.”
The Raiders (2-2, 1-2) had a plan of their own and executed it well early on. After receiving the opening kickoff, they marched 35 yards in six plays to the Viking 42. But the drive soon fizzled and Seneca had to punt moments before Evans' first score.
Seneca's second drive reached Central's 25, but a fumbled snap and a pair of incomplete passes turned the ball over on downs.
Two plays later, the Fisher-to-Evans connection struck the Raiders.
“The whole thing for us was to control the ball, taking the (play) clock down to five seconds,” Vestal said. “But you have to finish, you have to put the ball in the end zone.”
David Green (14 yards) and J.J. Younger (39) both scored on runs to give the Vikings a 28-0 lead late in the first half.
The Raiders then drove 63 yards, but Jack Cook's pass into the end zone fell incomplete as the second-quarter clock expired.
As for Seneca Valley's ground attack, the Vikings clamped down on senior halfback Hank Royal. He entered the game averaging 133 yards per contest, but was slowed to 41 yards on 14 carries on the night. He had just 16 yards on nine attempts in the first half.
“We always try to stop the run first,” said Totten. “We close the gaps and see what happens from there.”
Payton Skalos scored both of Seneca Valley's touchdowns in the fourth quarter. He caught a 7-yard scoring toss from Cook and a 23-yard aerial from Nick Asseff.
Cook ended the game completing 19 of 30 passes for 168 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Seneca will host Penn Hills next Friday in a crucial conference test for both teams.
