Sports : 2015 varsity football season begins tonight for Vikings at Benton

The first of what Vinton-Shellsburg players will be 10 or more football games takes place tonight, when the Vikings travel to Benton Community for their season opener.

Those who cannot travel to Van Horne for the game can see it on their computers. The school plans to steam the game on its Cube video page.

Like they have since 2010, the Vikings play their first two non-district games against Benton and then South Tama.

In the first three years under coach Jim Womochil, the Vikings have beaten Benton but followed that loss with a victory vs. South Tama.

Vikings hope for a repeat of the first two games in 2011, when they followed an overtime win over Benton with a victory against the Trogans.

This season is the last for the 32-team playoff system. The Iowa High School Athletic Association will revert to a form of the 16-team brackets that were used before the 32-team experiment began. The association announced this summer that due to scheduling and player health concerns, they would end the 32-team system after this season.

Coach Womochil does not agree with that change.

“Football is the only sport that doesn’t allow everyone a chance in the post-season,” he said, adding that he believes most high school coaches share his view.

Hopes for 2016

Both the Vikings and Bobcats finished the 2015 season with a 2-7 mark. The Vikings hope to return to the post-season for the first time since 2009.

The Vikings have the same schedule they played in 2015, but the games that were home games last season will be away games this year, and vice-versa.

Vinton‐Shellsburg 2015 Schedule:

08/28 @Benton Community

09/04 South Tama County, Tama

09/11 @Charles City

09/18 West Delaware, Manchester

09/25 @Independence

10/02 @Decorah

10/09 Waverly‐Shell Rock

10/16 Clear Creek‐Amana

10/23 @Crestwood, Cresco

Former Vike Notes:

Tony Stenberg, who coached VS freshmen teams to two successful seasons, is now a teacher and an assistant varsity coach at Benton, where he played football.

Matt Finn, another VS alum, has moved from sophomore coach at West Delaware to Osage, where he is teaches English and is now the head football coach.

Ken Kasper, who was the assistant principal at VSHS last year, is now the football coach, principal and athletic director at Alburnett.