VIKINGS HEADING TO TITLE GAME
By Marc Atwood
marcatwood@aol.com
 
(11/16/07 Chico, CA) The Pleasant Valley varsity football team will be making its first trip to the Northern Section Division I championship game since 1998 after taking a 21-0 win over Shasta in a semifinal contest played Friday at Asgard Yard.
 
The Vikings will travel to Palo Cedro Wednesday, Nov. 21 to take on Foothill for the Division I title. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Cougars advanced to the championship round by defeating Enterprise at home 38-9 in Friday's other semifinal game.
 
Evan Busby's 25-yard gain on the game's opening drive earned PV a first down at the Wolves' 45-yard line. Eric Hoffman kept the ball on third and inches and gained enough for a first down at the 33-yard line. Hoffman scored the Vikings' first touchdown of the game on a five-yard run with 6:54 remaining in the first quarter. Augie Heath kicked the extra point to give Pleasant Valley a 7-0 lead.
 
Hoffman's 30-yard completion to Busby late in the first quarter gave the Vikings a first down at the Shasta 27-yard line. They faced a third and 12 situation to start the second quarter, but Hoffman failed to connect with Sean Reynolds on a pass toward the end zone. The drive produced nothing as a fake field goal attempt taken by Taylor Johnson left PV short of a first down by nine yards.
 
A 14-yard run by Evan Taylor allowed the Wolves to earn a first down at midfield. On the next play, Anthony Halbersma caught a 10-yard pass in traffic for another Shasta first down inside Viking territory. The drive ended on fourth and 4 when Brooks Beaudette threw a long incomplete pass intended for Halbersma.
 
Shasta started its next drive at the Pleasant Valley 43-yard line after Hoffman was stopped short of a first down. They would take a three-yard loss when Nick Flory sacked Beaudette. On third and 7, Flory got another sack on Beaudette for an 11-yard loss, leading to a punt on the next play.
 
A long catch by Brett McMurray with 10 seconds left in the first half gave the Vikings a scoring opportunity at the Wolves' 10-yard line. On the next play, Hoffman successfully threw a touchdown pass to Reynolds. Heath added the extra point to put PV ahead 14-0 going into halftime.
 
The Vikings started a drive at the Shasta 44-yard line following a short punt with about 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The drive only lasted two plays as Chase Detwiler intercepted a pass to give the Wolves the ball back on their 33-yard line. However, the drive was short lived (gaining only two yards on three plays) and Halbersma had to punt the ball under pressure.
 
Busby took the ball 29 yards with about a minute left in the third quarter for a Pleasant Valley first down at the Shasta 24-yard line. The fourth quarter started with the Vikings facing third and 6, but Hoffman managed to toss a touchdown pass to Reynolds. The extra point by Heath pushed PV up 21-0.
 
Cody McHargue's seven-yard gain on the Vikings' next possession gave them a first down at the Wolves' 45-yard line, but Xavier Reynoso sent McHargue for a five-yard loss on the next play. McMurray tried to grab the ball with one hand on third and 10, but Shasta's coverage made it difficult for him to make the catch.
 
McHargue's 15-yard gain with about 6 1/2 minutes left in the game set up a first and 10 for Pleasant Valley on their 47-yard line. Two plays later, Jeremy Gagnebin took the ball five yards to reach the Wolves' 40-yard line. On third and 13, Hoffman lost two yards to close the drive as Heath punted the ball on the next play.
 
Andrew Rorie's interception on fourth down allowed the Vikings to regain possession at the Shasta 35-yard line. They moved up 15 yards on an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty the Wolves, but then lost a total of five yards on the next three plays. An interception ended the drive and Shasta's offense ran one play to end the game.