Vikings Fall in Overtime Shootout

By Matt Tobin

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Loudoun Valley's homecoming game against Culpeper could not have started out much better. The Vikings' first drive of the game ended with a touchdown run by running back Jack Devine. The second drive ended with a one-yard scoring run by quarterback Cooper Barth.

Culpeper came into the game with only one win. It managed a touchdown in the second quarter, but four of the Blue Devils first six drives did not exceed 10 yards.

It was the Vikings' game to lose -- and lose they did, dropping a 28-21 overtime decision.

Loudoun Valley (2-5, 1-3 AAA Cedar Run) won the coin toss in overtime and chose to defend first. Each team is given the ball on the opponent's 10-yard line, the winner being the first to score and successfully defend their endzone. The Blue Devils (2-5, 1-3) scored first, and the Vikings were unable to respond.

Culpeper led, 21-14, late in the fourth quarter before Loudoun Valley drove 75 yards and tied the score with 39 seconds left. The 19-play drive ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Devine.

"I'm proud of the way our kids fought," Loudoun Valley Coach Bruce Sheppard said. "I'm proud of the way they came back and tied it up and I'm proud of the way they played in overtime."

Sheppard also added that turnovers were what lost them the game in the second half.

"We gave it to them more than they gave it back to us," he said. "Turnovers really hurt us."

The turnover that appeared to change the course of the game came after Culpeper running back Cortez Rollins fumbled the ball away on the Blue Devils' 25-yard line. The Vikings had good field position and a chance to break a 14-14 tie. But Barth threw an interception on the next play.

Despite the Blue Devils' poor record, Sheppard knew that such mistakes would haunt his team.

"Culpeper didn't have a great record coming in, but they lost three games by six points or less," he said. "They're as good athletically and have as good a running back tandem as anybody. You can't make mistakes against teams like that."

Next week, Loudoun Valley goes to Osbourn. For Sheppard, the game will be like any other.

"We'll get ready and we'll do what we do every week," Sheppard said. "We'll come back and this program will be coming back again."

Tagged: high school sports

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