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. Some good, some great, some not so good. I’ll try to break through what mattered, and what not to overreact to. So here’s 3 things from Week 9’s 58-14 win over Byrnes.
1-It’s no secret – Spartanburg is the best team in our county. The Vikings outscored Dorman, Boiling Springs and Byrnes a combined 108-28. Spartanburg has clicked on all 3 phases of the game and now the question is how long can they ride this train. A massive takeaway from the last 3 weeks is the fact that the Vikings don’t let the last play affect them. Pick 6, no problem…big penalty, no problem. The Vikings are rolling and playing their best football in the Mark Hodge era. I’m very impressed with how this team just moves on to the next play so easily.
2-Quincy Haywood is on an absolute tear right now. 8 tackles, a pick 6 and a forced fumble. But it’s not just the numbers, it’s the hard hits and timing of his plays. He’s making a massive impact “Cedarius Rookard” type of impact on this team. Cam Smith added 14 tackles, a forced fumble, a sack, 2 TFL and a rushing TD in the win. It’s amazing how that’s just the norm for this young man. This defense showcased its speed in a different way in the Byrnes win. The Rebels were getting rid of the ball quickly, but the Vikings ability to cover in the flat and gang tackle was as fast and impressive as I’ve ever seen. The Vikings also have 12 sacks in the last 2 games combined.
3- Injuries – 3 OL injuries – it’s not good timing. The good news is none seem to be long term but this is not the time of year to afford injuries. The Vikings are not 100% and need to get healthy before playing for the Region Championship in 2 weeks at Gaffney. If this team can stay healthy, look out.
