Each Week following Spartanburg Viking Football games, I’m going to take a couple of days and think about the 3 most important things I saw on the field. This week I focus on 3 things I took away from the 33-30 win over Byrnes.
1-This team has guts and a will to win. Let’s face it, the last few years before Coach Hodge got to Spartanburg were tough. I loved the kids and they faced worlds of adversity, but the results on the field weren’t there and chaos followed. Coach Hodge and his staff, in less than 2 years (one being a covid year) has taught this team how to win again. Spartanburg made tons and tons of mistakes Friday night, were down 7 and Byrnes had the ball in the 4th quarter…yet on a night where it wasn’t going their way, fought back and won at one of the most difficult places to win in the state. I was so impressed with our poise and effort in the 4th quarter where you could have just said it wasn’t our night. That wasn’t good enough for Spartanburg and that will to win showed back up for the first time in years.
2-Judah McJimpsey is not just good, he’s outstanding. The senior LB was everywhere. He recorded 16 tackles including 6 TFL and 2 sacks. The Vikings had several huge open field tackles as well and McJimpsey led the way. This defense is led by one of the best LBs in the upstate in the last several years and it’s long past time for everyone to recognize this.
3-This thing is happening. The rebuild is in full swing and on the up and up. Coach Hodge and the Viking Coaching staff have knocked down hurdle after hurdle and have made the Vikings believe again. They’ve shown them how to win and the players are getting it. This team is more poised, disciplined, faster and better than they’ve been in years. There’s still a big mountain to climb but make no mistake…barring something crazy…Spartanburg will be playing Dorman for the Region Title in late October. Say that out loud 2 years ago.
