Sports : A touchdown short: Loss to Sabers puts Vikings post-season in doubt

Taylor Rommann (15) helps tackle a Saber runner.

The DeWitt Central punter kicks from the end zone.

Coach Pat Farley discusses defense with lineman Taylor Rommann during a timeout.

The Vikings enter the field for the last home game of the season Friday.

Before getting hit, QB Lincoln Riffey threw a TD pass on this play to John Lippmann.

Senior Night: Greg, Troy and Kris Hallberg.

Williams takes the handoff from Riffey and looks for running room.

Logan Williams again led the Vikings, and had running and receiving touchdowns.

Logan Williams leaves Saber defenders far behind as he scores another touchdown.

The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings came into Friday's game vs. DeWitt Central in third place in the Class 3A District 5 football standings, needing a win to secure a spot in the playoffs that begin Oct. 27.

But the Sabers took three 14-point leads and were able to hold off the Vikings in the final quarter, defeating V-S by a score of 36-27

The Sabers took an early lead, but a 56-yard run run by Logan Williams followed by a 26-yard pass from Lincoln Riffey to John Lippman gave the Vikings a 15-14 edge.

Special teams play contributed to the Vikings' second touchdown. After the long run by Williams, kickoff return defender Taylor Rommann flattened the Saber kick returner at the 10-yard-line. The Viking defense forced a punt after three plays, giving the home team good field position.

The Vikings took that lead into halftime, but it did not last long.

Sabers scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 29-15 lead. The teams exhanged touchdowns and the Vikings made the game 36-29 with 6:37 left. The Sabers offense, however, used up more than 6 minutes in taking the ball to the Viking 28.

The VS offense had one final scoring chance, but only 27.6 seconds to move the ball 72 yards. The Vikings got one first down, but Riffey was tacked on the final play of the game.

The Vikings go to Union next week, and must win to have a chance at a second consecutive post-season berth.

District 5 Action, schedule

Union claimed the District 5 title last Friday evening with a 41-35 win at Marion. Wes Burnside led the Union rushing attack and a late interception sealed the win for the Knights, who host the Vikings in the regular season finale next week.

Center Point-Urbana got its first win of the year, defeating winless Anamosa, 36-6.

Western Dubuque defeated Maquoketa, 17-10. That means that four teams again have identical District records of 3-3: V-S, Maquoketa, W. Dubuque and DeWitt Central. WD and DC have defeated VS this year, which gives them an advantage in the tie-breaker system. But those two teams have a schedule advantage in the final week of the season. While Maquoketa and VS play the top two teams in the District (Maquoketa at Marion and V-S at undefeated Union), WD plays winless Anamosa and WC plays Center Point-Urbana, whose only victory this year is over Anamosa.