The JV football team took a step in the right direction in their home game against Sequoia on Thursday.

The Vikings, led by Freshman running back Evan Warner, scored early and often, resulting in a short day of work for the starting players, as they rolled to a 26-8 win.

However, this win came at a great cost, as sophomore defensive end and wide receiver Teddy Jones is now out for the majority of the season with a broken wrist in Thurday’s game, joining fellow sophomore wide receiver Brad Lehman (collar bone) on the side lines.

"We lost one of our best players and team leaders," head coach Dave Duran said. "It’s a very big loss. Teddy was a good role model to the younger guys."

Coming off a tough loss to Burlingame where their defense was ineffective, a renewed, intense Viking defense held the Sequoia Ravens from the end zone for the first three drives. On the first drive, the Ravens lined up to punt, only to be blocked by a swarm of Vikings. The Vikings would recover the ball on the Ravens’ 30 yard line.

On a critical 3rd and 11 play, a swing pass from sophomore quarterback Jon Keopfogen to Warner was good for 29 yards, bringing the Vikings a yard away from the goal line. Warner would get the call and punch it in over the left tackle. After the kick missed off the upright, the Vikings got a 6-0 lead which they would never relinquish.

"We block much better and more importantly tackled much better," Duran said. "Last week, we didn’t have anyone on the ball. The week, our defense swarmed to the ball and we had 5 or 6 guys on the ball each play."

This set the stage for Viking special teams to shine. Another Viking defensive stand forced a punt, which was again partially blocked and returned 70 yards by Warner to the house.

On the Ravens next series, they could not muster enough for a first down, turning the ball over to the Vikings. The offense then embarked on a productive, clock-eating drive, highlighted by a 30 yard run by sophomore fullback Roger Villanueva and a drive-saving 15 yard reception to tight end Nick Rosas on a crucial third down play.

After a pass caught down to the one yard line by freshman Nick Goodspeed was nullified by a penalty, Duran pulled out a trick play. Keopfogen threw the ball laterally to wide-out Maurice Williams, who then launched it 20 yards, hitting sophomore receiver Buddy Teevens. Freshman Evan Warner would cap the drive with a five yard touchdown.

The Vikings then had the moment. On their next drive, as Keopfogen hit Rosas 30 yards down the sideline, and ended the quick drive with a 10 yard touchdown strike to Teevens.

The Ravens were again forced to punt and the second team players would take over for the rest of the game.

"Last week there were too many [Burlingame] red helmets in the backfield, but his week there were few [Sequoia] purple helmets in the backfield," Duran said of his line’s improved effort this week.

Their next challenge, with only two short weeks before league play, is Los Altos on Sept. 25 at Paly.