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After 20 minutes of North Suburban Conference football, the North Branch Vikings were trailing the Fridley Tigers by a score of 7-0. However, the Tigers scored 14 points in 18 seconds and took a commanding 21-0 lead and went on to beat the Vikings 37-0 Friday, September 7 at Fridley.

Despite gaining only five yards of total offense on its first two drives and Fridley's first possession touchdown march, the game was still close when the Vikings took the ball for the third time. With 9:09 to go in the initial half, senior Jared Grams was stopped for no gain on first down. On second down, Junior quarterback Joe Johnson called his own number and picked up only two. On third, Johnson connected with classmate Sam Kalkbrenner for eight yards. After a measurement showed the Vikings to be short of a first down by inches, Viking coach Dave Eyre chose to gamble. Senior Aaron Barriger carried for two yards and a Viking first down at their own 32.

After junior Chad Anderson gained five on first down, the Vikings appeared to be coming to life. However, on second down, the ball fluttered out of Johnson's hand as he tried to pass. Three Tigers hit the Viking QB as he tried to throw for the first down. The ball floated harmlessly to the turf. After another incompletion, on third down, Grams' punt gave the ball back to Fridley in their half of the field. The score was still 7-0.

But, the Tiger line opened big holes for their backs and kept the Viking defenders away from Tiger QB Ryan Cook. With time to look for open receivers, Cook completed two passes for first downs and the Tiger runners ripped off big gains as they moved quickly toward the Viking goal line.

With 4:04 to go in the half, Cook's second TD pass and a successful conversion kick made it 14-0. The ensuing Tiger kickoff was a line drive. It bounced over the head of Viking return man Danny Schoess. The Viking junior retreated quickly, grabbed the ball on the second bounce, reversed direction and scampered to the 13.

On first down, Johnson threw a swing pass to NB senior Kirk Dahle who was unable to handle it. The ball hit the ground and a Tiger defender alertly jumped on top of it. The officials ruled that the pass was a lateral, giving Fridley a first down on the Viking nine. The next play, the Tigers pushed the Vikings aside and a back ran into the end zone. The kick made it 21-0 with 3:46 left.

Dahle gave the Vikings good field position when he returned the kickoff to their 44. But, on first down, Johnson bobbled the snap from center and was tackled for a loss of three. On second down, Johnson was hit as he tried to roll left. The Tigers knocked the ball loose and covered it on the Viking 33.

The Tigers returned the favor as they fumbled, giving the ball to the Vikings at the 30 with 1:03 remaining. Grams was tackled after a gain of three and Anderson was stopped for no-gain, leaving a third down and seven. Fridley took a time out with 25.8 on the clock.

When play resumed, Johnson was tackled for a two-yard loss as he rolled right. The Vikings gamble, again. On fourth and nine, another incompletion gave the Tigers a first and 10 at the Vikings 30, with 16.1 seconds to go. On the next play, the Vikings buried Cook for a five-yard loss.

However, with no time on the clock, Cook drove a dagger into the Vikings collective hearts when he connected with a receiver for a 35 yard TD pass. The stunned Vikings went to the break trailing 27-0.

Things didn't go much better for the Vikes in the second half. The Vikings failed to gain a first down on their first series after getting the ball at the 35, thanks to a Tiger kickoff that bounced out-of-bounds.

A 13 yard Viking punt gave Fridley the ball at the Vikings' 46. Five plays later, the Tiger kicker split the uprights with a 38-yard field goal. That gave the home school a 30-0 lead and further deflated the Vikings.

The offensive woes continued for North Branch and the defensive unit continued to wear down. With 3:54 left in the third period, Fridley completed the scoring with a three-play 44 yard drive to make the final score 37-0. The offensive highlight for the Vikings may have been a first down gained as the result of a fake punt.

With 2:25 left in quarter three, NB lined up for yet another punt. The snapper centered the ball to the up back, junior Cody Kosman, who rumbled through the surprised Tigers for a first down. The play gave the Vikings a temporary lift, but the outcome was already determined.

Scoring Summary

Fridley 7 20 10 0 37

North Branch 0 0 0 0 0

The Vikings will complete homecoming week at NBHS by hosting Irondale at 7:00 Friday, September 14. Irondale is fresh off of a 21-20 defeat of #1 rated Totino Grace. September 21, the Vikings will resume its rivalry at Chisago Lakes.

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