Sports : Vikings play for muffler during Blowout event

Gunner Tranel (with the muffler) and other Black Squad members pose with the victory trophy.

Kyra Blix and other cheerleaders accept sports drink donations at the gate.

Coaches watch the action during the scrimmage; the season begins next Friday at Benton.

A water break...

The sophomores tackle a freshman runner.

The freshman team moved the ball several yards on this play.

The Muffler Trophy sits on the bench before the scrimmage.

Principal Matt Kingsbury accepts a sports drink donation.

Coach Randi Walker gives the cheerleaders instructions before they practice a lift.

Viking football cheerleaders

Center Ryan Webster prepares to snap the ball to the QB.

The O-line and D-line at work...

Fumble: The ball gets loose from the White squad; the Black squad recovered it.

Blockers and tacklers converge as the runner seeks an extra yard.

Kelly Wagner kicks off for the White Squad.

Kelly Wagners does pre-game warmups with the rest of the Viking team.

In two weeks, the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings will play for a chance to ring the V-S Victory Bell.

Next week, they will open their season in Van Horne, where they will play for bragging rights and a chance to avenge last year's 21-7 loss.

In a few weeks, they hope to be playing to earn a spot in the post-season.

But on Friday, they were playing for the muffler.

Coach Pat Farley carried the muffler onto the field. He said it was found after a practice a while ago, sand-blasted and painted. It now serves the the trophy for the squad that wins during the Blowout.

Scrimmages between the freshmen and sophomore football teams, and between the "Black" and "White" varsity teams were the highlights of the 2001 Blowout. In addition to the football action, every other VS sports team (including cross country, volleyball and swimming) from grades 7-12 was introduced. The fifth and sixth grade football players on the V-S teams in the metro league were also introduced to the audience.

The sophomores used a strong running game and a long pass to defeat the freshmen their scrimmage

Then it was the varsity's turn. The white team scored a quick lead by returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown, but the black team rallied for a 24-12 win. Two fumbles and an interception returned for a touchdown made the difference in the game. Several Black team members posed with the muffler trophy after the game.

Girls soccer player suits up with football team

Some of the loudest cheers of the evening were for Kelly Wagner, the kicker for the varsity White team. She was cheered when she was introduced, and the cheers got much louder when Wagner, one of the smallest players on the team, made a touchdown-saving tackle after her first kickoff. Wagner, who scored three goals for the soccer team on May 17, is in her first year of high school football.

Runner Nolan Edwards had eluded the other 10 white defenders on the kickoff; Wagner stood her ground and didn't get fooled by Edwards' attempts to fake left or right. The two collided, and the kicker brought down the runner, earning several compliments from the crew of former athletes who were moving the chains along the sidelines.