Vikings Rout LaSelle, 46-6

Unbeaten Vikings or rounce LaBelle

By LANKY LONG News-Press Executive Sports Editor

Moving up a notch in classi'fication may have killed the playoff hopes of Bishop Verot's undefeated football team, but it didn't prevent them from

romping to an impressive victory against their first opponent in the higher class.

It was only a coi ncidence that the Vikings would be playing a Class AA team in their first game following a reclassification which moved them up from Class A to AA two days ago, but it really didn't matter.

LaBelle, winner of only one game in seven tries, kept pace with Verot in the first half and trailed only 12-6 at intermission.

Cerot Coach Fred Thierer held up the letter notifying the Vikings of their jump and said, "I can't do anything about this, and I can't get you up. There comes a time when you just have to get yourself up for a game, and that's what you're going to have to do now."

It wasn't exactly what Knute Rockne would have told his team at halftime, but it worked. The Vikings stormed out in the second half and rolled to a 46-6 victory over the Cowboys.

The Viking offense rolled up 271 of its 427 yards in tile final half and the defense wouldn't budge, giving LaBelle a minus 13 yards for the last two periods. The Cowboys ran only nine plays in the second half, including two

Turn To VIKINGS, Page 2C

LaBelle Verot

First.downs 7 22

R us!1ing yardage 87 427

Possing vardage ' 0 0

Posses 0-4-2 0-1-0

Punts 3·36 1-44

Fumbles lost , 3-2 1-0

Penalties 3-25 4-30

LaBelle 0 6 0 0- 6

Bishop Verot 6 6 12 22-46

BV-Sheppard 1 run (run failed) BV-Sheppard 9 run (cess foiled) LB-Davidson 1 run (kick blocked) BV-Sheppard 10 run (run foiled) BV-5heppard 2 run (run failed! BV-Kislel6 run (Kistel run)

BV-listel 4 run (NoH pass from Kistel)

BV-ShePlJord 2 run (pass failed) --,

lost fumbles, an intercepted pass and two quarterback sackings.

Jay Sheppard supplied all the offense needed by the Vikings. The senior running back, who is the leading scorer and rusher in Southwest Florida, carried the ball 31 times for 207 yards and five touchdowns.

Quarterback Dave Kistel, who gained 49 yards in eight carries got the other two touchdowns. He ran for a two-point conversion following his first TD and passed to SteveNott for another tWOM pointer.

Quarterback Craig Davidson scored

. LaBelle's lone touchdown from the one to cap a 54-yard drive late in the first half. Mike Owens kept the drive alive with 30 yards in five carries, including one 17·yard jaunt.

The Vikings got the ball six times in the last half. They scored on five of the possessions and were knocking at the door inside the five when the clock ran

. out.

Labelle's offense looked impressive in the first half. The Cowboys had a first-period drive stalled at the Verot 13

•

and used up 13 plays in their scoring

drive. They gained five yards ori their first play in the second half, and never budged the Viking defense after that.

News-Press Photo ,'By THOMAS A. PRICE BISHOP VEROT SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK DAVE KISTEL

••• gets ready to pitch ball to a running back

~~~-------~------

Sheppard

Uses

His

Head To Wi

By KEN PIC . News·Press .Spor

Jay Sheppard was a tered helmet likea trop "This blue is from Ad the red is from LaBel from Glades, the. . .. '"

His Bishop Verot Vi was colored like an Eas paint of opposing helrnd question, this Viking

man .

"J thought at the b season I would have a yards this season bu t j figured the other lean me quite a bit so I dic.ln do it urnot." said ShePII leading rusher in SOl with 881 yards.

Keyedon or not. Jay Against LaBelle I'

. darting Viking halfbacl vards 011 :il carries to tOlailO],112yards,2811: his nearest competitor ~ Florida race. Ail!!., his upped his TD total to 2 points, 77 points higher place rival.

For tile second time 1 pard exceeded the 201 . mark in a game, and fo~ this season he has bee News-Press Prep Athl

Sheppard was rushili purpose - the stale CIa until last week.' It was 3 ranked Vikings were AA due to a 25 per c j enro ll rnent and with chances for a berth in playoffs. Following til .

By KEN PICKING

. News-Press seorts Writer

Jay Sheppard was adrnir ing his battered helmet like a trophy,

"This blue is from Admiral Farragut, ~he red is from LaBelle, the green is from Glades, the ... "

His Bishop Verot Viking head gear was colored like an Easter egg from the paint of opposing helmets. There was no question, this Viking was a marked man.

"J thought atthe beginning of the season I would have a chance atI ,000 yards this season but after last year I figured the other teams would key on me quite a bit so I didn't know if I could do it or not," said Sheppard, last year's leading rusher in Southwest Florida with 881 yards.

Keyed on or not, Jay Sheppard did it. Aga i nst La Be IJ e I a,s t Fri day, the

. darting Viking halfback sprinted for 207 yards on :31 carries to bring his season total to 1,112 yards, 280 yards in front of his nearest competitor in the Southwest Florida race. And, his five touchdowns upped his TD total to 22 for a total of 1~8 points, 77 points higher than his second place rival.

For the second time this season Sheppard exceeded the 2Q.O-yard rushing mark in a game, and forthe second time this season he has been honored as the News-Press Prep Athlete of the Week.

Sheppard was rushing for a certain purpose - the state Class A playoffs - unti I last week. It was learned the No. 3 ranked Vikings were elevated to Class AA due to a 25 per cent increase in enrollment and with it went Verot's chances for a berth in the small school playoffs. Following the Vikings: eighth

Turn To BATTERED, Page 2C

Battered Helmet Sheppard' 5 Mark

straight wi 11 of the season, Verot just received votes in tile Class AA poll.

"We wer nil disappointed about the switch in cluss that'sfor sure," ~hep· pard said. "We all wanted to play in the playoffs so \)ltd. But that's the way it is. We still have a lot to be proud of and to shoot for. I lon't think an undefeated seasoriis tOI) bad to go for. We sure

aren't going to gripe it we go 10·0."

If the Vikings are goi ng to go 10·0, they must dispose of Moore Haven and st. Petersburg Christian in order. Sheppard is just thinking about Moore Haven, a club that dumped the Vikings

36·18 last year. .

"We really want to win this game after last year," Sheppard said. "They are a good learn but that's all I'll say. I don't want to say anything to get them up for the game."

HONOR ROLL

Dave Peer, running back , .. Bishop Verot

Pat Holland, linebacker , - , .. , ., C~ar.lotte

Joe Coleman, running back , ,. " Clewlston

Johnny Wright, funning back _ "'. , Cypress L~ke

Mike, Lamb, quarterback , _ .. _. " , DeSoto

Nicky Powell, end , "., ~~rt Myers

Taylor Timmons, running back , , Fort Myers

Robert Kearse, def. end ." , .. , Fort Myers

Mike Owens, funning back .............•............. ". -, . LaBelle

Floyd Feagin, def. tackle ", . _ LaBelle

Mark Simon, funning back , Naples

Rich Turner, linebacker , , Naples

Preston Gary, funning 'back , .•........ North Furt Myers

Roberl Goodwin, end , North. For.t Myers

Jeff Boswell, linebacker , __ " _ R~verdale

Nathaniel McNeil, end " .. "' . " " : "' . Riverdale

/---

TEAM OFFENSE

Vikings Unrcnxed In Class AA Poll

bishop Verot took the inevitable beating in the Florida Sports Writers Association high school football polls Monday after being reclassified AA last week.

The Vikings had been ranked third in the CJass A poll, but with the reclassification, they were only able to receive a few votes for mention in Class AA.

Moore Haven, idle for the week, moved from 10th to eighth.

Riverdale continues to receive votes in the AAA poll. The Raiders lost for the first time to No.4 ranked Auburndale Friday night.

N

....

The leaders in all four polls remained the same, although in the Class AAA poll, Glades Central moved wi th i n one po i n t of the top after defeating North Fort Myers Friday night.

Class AAAA

I. Tallahassee leon (8-0) BO.

7. Orlando Oak Ridge (3-0) 67.

3. Winter Haven (8-0) 64.

4. Jacksonville Raines (7-0-1) ~J. 5_ Vera Beach (6-0-1) 41

6. Largo (7-0) 40.

7. Fort lauderdale (7-1) 26. tie Miami Beach [6-0-1) 26. 9. Winter Park (6-2) 15.

\0. Fort Pierce Central (7-1) 10_

Also receiving votes: Coral Gobles, Deerfield Beach, lake City Columbia, .Merritt Island, Miami Killian, Miami Palmetto, Sarasota Riverview, Tallahassee Godby.

Class AAA

1. Leesburg (7-0) 71.

2. Glades Centro I (7·0-1) 70. J. Ocala Forest (7-0) 67.

4. Auburndale (7-1) 52.

5_ Titusville Astronaut (l-O) 46.

6. Plantation (6-1) 31_

7. Delrov Beaell Atlantic (5-11) 25.

8. New Smyrna Beach (6-1) 17 .

9. Milton (6-1l 15. 10. Venice (7-1) 13.

Also receiving votes: Bartow, Riverdale, Hollywood Ch u m i n o d e , Jacksonville Bishop Kenney, MacClenny Baker County, Po·latka Soutn. Starke Bradford County, Tarpon Springs.

Class AA

I. Inverness Citrus (8-0) 79.

2. lake Butler Union Countv (s·or 68.

3. Monticello Jefferson County (7-1) 57.

4. Century (8-0) 55.

5. Wildwood [6-11 53.

6. Summerfield lake Weir (621 36.

7. Mount Dora (7-1l 30. B. Crescent City [6-1) 19. 9. Baker (6-1) 13.

10. Melbourne Central Catholic (6-2) 8. Also receiving votes: Bunnell Flagler

Palm Coast, BiShop Verot, Mulb"erry, Pahokee, SI Petersburg Co t n o l ic , Sf. Cloud.

;)

Class A I. Fr ostnr oot (8-0) 80. 2. Branford (8·0) 72

3_ Miami Christian (8-0) 63.

4. Acoto chlcoto [6-1) ';9.

5. Monticello Aucillo. Christian (7-1) 45.

6. Key West Immaculate (6-0) 36_

7. Miami Westminster Christian (7-l) 28. 8_ Moore Haven (4-2) 24.

9. Tallahassee FAMU (S-2) 18.

10. Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (5-2) 7. Also receiving votes: B ristoi liberty

County, Jacksonville untver sttv Christian, Miami Northwest Christian, Oak Hall, St. Augustine St. Josephs. Tamper Berke!ey Prep_

e

"

n 'd

r

Yds. Rush_ P(lSs. Pts.

255~ 2363 191 318

2007 1331 676 \41

1822 161S 207 170

1788 1184 604 141

1784 131~ 460 107

1719 1388 331 156

1672 1420 232 121

lS95 849 746 62

1549 1039 510 132

1397 908 489 64

1352 1096 256 94

1262 910 352 98

1241 891 350 105

DEFENSE

Yds. Rush_ Pass. Pts.

671 411 260 6\

1137 802 335 88

1138 902 236 77

1182 810 372 96

1193 81~ 379 91

1237 658 579 53

1277 836 44\ 45

1332 1021 311 61

1391 729 662 11~

1425 959 466 113

1537 929 608 108

1887 1404 483 200

2108 1714 394 181

RUSHING

Atls_ Yds. AvCJ_ TD

\ 73 1112 6.4 22

158 832 5.3 8

103 748 7.2 6

108 710 6.6 7

108 670 6.2 7

98 609 6_2 5·

90 559 6.2 7

121 559 4.6 7

97 535 5.5 9

80 518 6.5 3

131 506 3.9 2

80 452 5.7 5

PASSING

No_ CK EYKDS. TO

Kelly (NFM) 101 40 9 520 4

Henderson (MH) 65 25 6 510 5

Wagers (N) 76 38 4 474 2

Hendry. (I) 56 29 4 435 2

McKire (C) 68 26 S 354 3

Johnson (Ch) 42 23 1 324 2

Shafer (FM) 42 18 7 304 2

Brantner (R) 52 16 2 285 1

Clark (Cl) 87 20 8 255 2

Johnson (N) 35 16 4 223 1

Davidson (lB) 5118 218 2

RECEIVING

Catches Yards TO

24 331 3

19 357 4

17 305 4

13 367 4

1332570

13 112 1

111 156 1

10 206 2

10 77 1

9 153 a

9 122 1

9 114 0

Bishop Verol Immokalee lely

North Fort Myers Fort Mvers Charlotte

DeSoto

Naples

Moore Haven Clewiston Cypress lake Riverdale LaBelle

Bishop .Ver o! cvor ess lake Moore Haven Fori Myers Clewiston

lely Riverdale Immokalee

North Fort Myers Charlotte

DeS"oto

Naples

LoBelle

Sileppard (BV) Timmons (FM) Redden (OS) Savasuk (Ch) Peer (BV) Phillips (l) Ash (Ch)

Gary (NFMI Wright

DeVoe (N) Coleman (C) Berry (R)

Morrell (C) Alviar (I) QUinby (N)

Ellis (MH) Goodwin (NFM) Searcv (LB) Powell (FM) McNeil (R)

Gorv (NFM) Howell (I) Humphrey (MH) Mantle (N)

SCORING

. TO PAT FG Tot

22 3 a 138

8 13 0 61

7 7 0 56

9 0 0 54

7 ~ 0 50

8 0 a 48

8 0 a 48

8 ,0 a 48

6 6 0 45

6 8 0 44

5 9 a 39

6 I a 37

Sheppard (BV) Gary (NFM) Kistel (BV) Wright tci.:

Peer (BV)

Ash (ChI Savasuk (Ch) Timmons (FM) Henderson (MH) Peterson (OS) Berry (R) ·leach (ll