Sports : Seniors lead Vikings to victory at end of season marked by tragedies

Viking seniors received recognition before their final game last Friday.

Seniors Warren Rouse (51) & Brandan Geiger (16) embrace as their high school careers come to an end.

Brandan Geiger scored two TDs in his final game as a Viking.

Senior Steve Henry sealed the victory with a late fumble recovery.

Steve Henry puts pressure on the Cadet QB.

Tanner Bird (77) blocks for Nick Hyland (2).

Chase Werderman forced and then recovered a fumble in the Viking fresmen's 16-0 victory.

For the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings, the 2014 football season began and ended as they hoped – with the scoreboard showing 12-point victories over Benton Community and Crestwood.

But the 56 days between the season-opening win on Aug. 29 and last Friday were full of difficulty on the field, and the kind of off-field tragedies that coach Jim Womochil says no team should have to face.

After a Week 2 last-minute loss at South Tama – one of six playoff teams the Vikings faced in their tough schedule – came a tough home loss to Charles City, another playoff team and one the Vikings have never faced before.

A few days later, the Vikings joined Coach Womochil in mourning the sudden death of his brother, Gene, Jr.

“It affected us; it affected me,” said Womochil on Friday.

The death of his brother contributed to what Womochil called a “lull” for the Vikings, as they faced the toughest part of their schedule.

A month later, the Vikings were facing another tragedy, the death of wrestling coach Steve Johnson; several of the Viking football players had wrestled for years with Johnson as a coach.

“They went through things no students should have to go through at this age,” said Womochil. “They handled it very well, better than one might have expected.”

The deaths of two adults so close to the Vikings impacted the team off the field, says senior Steve Henry, who sealed Friday's victory with a late fumble recovery.

“It changed me from being just this kid to having a lot more respect for what’s going on,” he said. It taught me to get over adversity, and to help other people get through it. It gave me a new respect for life – you don’t know when your time is going to end so you need to work hard to make life all it can be.”

The Viking seniors went into Friday's game determined to end their high school careers with a 'W.”

“We all worked so hard; we all gave 100 percent every play,” said Henry.

Senior Warren Rouse led the defense with 6.5 total tackles. Senior Brandan Geiger led the offense with 113 yards on 19 carries, for two touchdowns.

The seniors, said the coach, set the bar for the younger players, both in the weight room during the off-season and on the practice field.

While the Vikings were disappointed in the their 2-7 record, Womochil says the team has improved much from last year, and has a bright future. The freshman and sophomore teams ended their season with winning records; the freshman won Friday, 16-0.

“We have a lot of young kids who love the game and like to hit,” he said.

Viking seniors who played their last game on Friday include Henry, Geiger, Rouse, fullback and linebacker Micheal Neal, lineman Eric Studer, punter Aaron Henderson and kicker Anthony Dickerson.

See varsity game photos HERE.

See freshmen game photos HERE.

See complete stats HERE.