As an overcast Thursday night threatened to release rain on the field below, the Palo Alto Vikings handily dismantled the Milpitas Trojans, 27-7, on their way to a second straight league win.

The outcome of the game was never in doubt. Paly senior wide receiver Mike Scott returned the opening kick-off with an electrifying 65-yard run that left Trojan defenders chasing aimlessly behind. Only the shoe-string tackle of Milpitas’ kicker saved the Trojans from facing a 6-0 deficit a mere 10 seconds into the game.

However, with excellent field position, the Vikings (4-2, 2-1 league) would not be denied a score. Five plays, 25 yards, and scarcely three minutes later, senior fullback Sione Mataele rumbled into the end zone for the one-yard score.

“This was our best game of the year,” said head coach Earl Hansen. “We played a very good football game.”

It seemed as if nothing could go wrong for the Vikings as the offense and defense were both firing on all cylinders. With the offensive line giving junior quarterback Will Brandin more time to throw, Milpitas’ defense actually had to watch out for the pass (something Paly’s opponents didn’t need to worry about in past games), allowing senior running backs Mataele and James McCollough room to run in the secondary.

This seamless drive into the end zone would become familiar for the Vikings as Brandin and the reinvigorated offense moved downfield whenever and however they pleased.

“The offensive line played the best I’ve seen them play tonight,” Brandin said. “This is the best we’ve all played so far this season.”

While Milpitas (4-2, 1-2 league) struggled with multiple aspects of the Paly offense throughout the game, its secondary did an excellent job of shutting down Scott, as it was not until late in the third quarter that he caught his first pass. Scott finished with an unusually low total of 20 yards on two catches, but was still a large factor in Paly’s victory by spreading the field and drawing defenders away from other Paly targets. With Scott often facing double or even triple-coverage, wide receivers senior Jordan Jefferson and junior Bobby Holman often found themselves wide-open deep downfield.

“I’ve started to click with the receivers,” Brandin said. “We’re getting to know each other better on the field.”

With Milpitas focused on stopping the two pronged attack by Scott and Mataele, Brandin was able to distribute the ball evenly throughout his receivers. Jefferson caught four balls for 52 yards, while Holman caught one pass for 26 yards. Brandin threw for 129 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, while completing 58% of his passes.

The Viking defense also did its part as senior defensive end Michael Anderson forced a fumble late in the third quarter. With time winding down in the third, Brandin and the Vikings drove 57 yards in 10 plays, using a combination of quick passes and short runs. Brandin connected with Mataele on the last play of the third quarter to put Paly up 20-0 going into the final period.

“They went after Scott a lot,” Hansen said, “but Will was great at spreading the ball around. Will had great protection all night.”

With the air attack taking pressure off the running game, Mataele, McCollough, and the offensive line had no trouble pounding through the Milpitas defensive. Mataele totaled two touchdowns as he ran for 56 yards on 18 carries while also catching two balls for 21 yards. McCollough ran for 42 yards in the first half on 7 carries, but only touched the ball three times in the second for 11 yards.

With the offense beginning to carry its own weight, it was up to the Paly defense to preserve the lead. However, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Milpitas returner Charles Satchell took senior Tyger Pederson’s kickoff 99 yards, bringing the game within reach, 20-7. Nevertheless, as the game progressed, the constant pressure of the Viking defensive line wore down Milpitas’ front seven and began forcing turnovers.

With the Milpitas offense tiring, the Paly defense took advantage by forcing two fumbles and two interceptions in the second half. Junior cornerback Harry Woolson made Paly’s first interception with 4:36 remaining in the game for what seemed like Paly’s final knockout blow.

But after an unsuccessful, time-consuming drive by the offense, Milpitas regained possession of the ball. However, Paly senior defensive end Kevin Johnson buried the hatchet late in the fourth quarter after he ran an interception back 24 yards for another six points, sealing the final score at 27-7.

“We practiced and prepared a lot this week,” said Woolson. “Milpitas had three solid receivers, but we played off them and just shut them down. We had to tackle well and we did; we didn’t allow a lot of first downs.”

The Vikings’ next game is away at Santa Clara on Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m.