Vikings get needed win over Greenville

Published 12:00 am Saturday, October 4, 2008

GREENVILLE — Warren Central needed a little wind behind its sails and Greenville-Weston was quite happy to oblige.

The Vikings scored 17 first-half points and held the winless Hornets to less than 200 yards of total offense for a 17-0 victory in the Delta.

The victory ends a three-game losing skid for Warren Central (2-3, 1-1) and gives it a needed burst of confidence heading into a matchup with Region 2-5A powerhouse Madison Central next Friday at Viking Stadium.

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“I’m glad for the kids because they need some wind in their sails,” WC coach Curtis Brewer said. “They’ve had some adversities, but maybe now we can get our feet on the ground.”

The Vikings kept their feet on the ground plenty on Friday night. Joel Forbes ran for a game-high 120 yards on 16 carries and scored on a 4-yard run. Shon Jackson ran for 55 yards — most coming in the fourth quarter — and Keaton Sanders had a quarterback keeper for a score.

Sanders started the game with 45 yards passing on the opening drive, but a field goal attempt was blocked. A four-and-out by Greenville gave the Vikings the ball back and they marched 47 yards in nine plays, capping the drive with Sanders’ 8-yard TD run. Jared Thames’ extra point gave WC a 7-0 lead.

Another four-and-out — the Hornets amassed only 64 yards of offense and one first down in the first half — gave WC the ball back with a minute to play in the third. WC drove 77 yards in 10 plays, scoring on

Forbes’ 8-yard TD run with 8:48 to play in the first half.

Ja’Ralle Pedyfoot recovered a Greenville fumble on the next possession and Thames nailed a 26-yard field goal with 1:36 left for a 17-0 WC lead.

Both teams had sustained drives in the second half, but neither could score. Warren Central’s Larry Davis and Alex Sorrells each had an interception of Greenville quarterback Willie Calvin, who ended the game completing 7 of 19 passes for 78 yards.

Sanders threw for 59 yards — all in the first half  — and WC did not attempt a pass in the second half.

“It’s been a hard two or three weeks on all of us, players and coaches,” Brewer said. “It’s as hard on the coaches sometimes as it is the players. The players are agitated and the coaches are on edge, you don’t want to overblow stuff.

“Things went well tonight and I am glad for the win.”