The Orcas Vikings took to the Tacoma Dome field this afternoon to face the South Bend Indians in the 2B State Semi-finals. South Bend prevailed 28-12.
South Bend returned the opening kick for 70-yard touchdown runback. The extra point was not successful. A second touchdown in the first quarter, followed by a two-point conversion, gave the Indians a 14-0 lead over Orcas.
Then Orcas quarterback Rob Padbury then threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Rylan Date; however the Vikings conversion play was unsuccessful when Padbury was tackled by three South Bend defenders. South Bend was penalized for a holding call, and the next drive started at Orcas’ 40-yard line; however they managed to score another touchdown and get the extra point, for a 21-6 score. South Bend quarterback Levi Bale was taken from the game with a suspected concussion.
Viking Michael Langworthy broke through the Indians’ defense to carry the ball into the end zone; however the play was brought back on a holding penalty to the 45-yard line. Play resumed with the South Bend quarterback cleared to return to the game.
With four-plus minutes left in the first half, Orcas receiver Rylan Date was hit after carrying a pass from Padbury for the first down. Date remained on the 35-yard line for some minutes before being carried off the field on a stretcher.
When play resumed, Padbury scrambled to find a receiver, then carried the ball himself to the 30-yard line. At the fourth down, Padbury’s pass was caught by Aubrey Schermerhorn for a first down at the 21-yard line with 3 minutes left in the half. Padbury’s pass was completed at the 7-yard line by Keenan Phalan; on the next play, Padbury carried it to the 4-yard line when a face mask call on South Bend gave Orcas another first down.
The Vikings were stymied in three attempts to cross into the end zone before they turned the ball over to South Bend at the 2-yard line at the end of the half.
Halfway into the third quarter, the Vikings gained possession of the Indians’ ball, and completed their touchdown drive on the fourth down with a touchdown pass to Stanzione for 21-12. The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
On South Bend’s next drive, with 11 minutes left in the game, Padbury intercepted and ran the ball back. Penalty flags were thrown on the next two plays, against Orcas and then against South Bend for a Vikings automatic first-down at the 45-yard line. Padbury ran the ball for 7 yards and in the next play, Keenan Phalan caught Padbury’s pass at the 23-yard line. An interception by South Bend ended the Viking drive.
The Indians ran a series of yardage gains and first downs, met with tackles by Langworthy and Padbury, but succeeded in scoring another touchdown and extra kick to end the game 28-12.
(Rylan Date’s condition was not known at the end of the game.)
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I spoke with Rylan’s Mom. He is being released from the hospital tonight. He is expected to make a complete recovery.
Rylan is home and feeling sore and a bit tired, very normal after any game. Thank you for all the concern and good thoughts. He had the wind knocked out of him and a bit of a bruise on his neck. Luckily for the new super helmets the team was given this year, he did not suffer a concussion. The good docs at Mary Bridges gave him the all clear. We are now focused on basketball. Congratulations to the Vikings and coaches- 3rd in State is great! And how fun was the Dome, win or not? GO BLUE!