Vikings fall in clash of rookie varsities

Viking quarterback Justin Stallings attempts to turn it upfield against the Cougars. (T-G Photo by Jimmy Jones) [Click to enlarge]

MURFREESBORO -- Community and Middle Tennessee Christian stepped up to varsity level play this year and are out to establish their programs in the pecking order of respectability.

The Cougars (2-1) came out on top 42-20 with an offensive display that Community's Vikings were just too ill-equipped to match on this night at MTCS Field.

Middle Tennessee Christian took the opening kickoff and promptly marched into the end zone. Riverdale transfer Cody Harrell put his team on the board from 36 yards out on his first carry. The kick was good for a 7-0 lead that they would never relinquish.

Community roared back to within a point behind passes from Justin Stallings to Chris Molder and Josh Green that moved the ball to the Cougar 2-yard line. Stallings capped the drive with a plunge over right guard. The two-point try was no good.

Harrell punched in another score from the 4-yard line at the 11:06 mark for a 13-6 Cougar advantage. The drive was aided by an unsportsmanlike penalty on the Viking bench precipitated by what appeared to be a very late hit on Stallings after a pass completion that would have been a first down.

The 13-6 score stood until Cougar defenders Eric Bartilson and Chip Dunn teamed to sack Stallings, forcing a fumble that was recovered at the Viking 11-yard line.

Middle Tennessee Christian scored 21 points in a span of 3:19 in the final moments of the first half and the opening minutes of the second to break open what was until then an evenly played game.

The Cougars scored two plays after the fumble recovery on a Dillon Wade 1-yard run.

The Vikings elected to punt from their own 16-yard line with 10 seconds left in the half and the Cougar defense made them pay by blocking the kick.

Andrew Coats scooped it up in stride and put his team up 28-6 at the half.

"We played pretty well until two crucial turnovers late in the half," Community coach Johnnie Frost said. "The kids seemed to let down for a while after that and we were never able to recover. It goes back to consistency and coaching. We have to do a better job as a coaching staff at keeping the kids focused and playing the game as we teach on a daily basis. I guarantee you that we will improve on that."

The second half began with Harrell taking the second-half kickoff 56 yards, which led to a Coats 19-yard run to pay dirt.

Harrell then went around the left side 64 yards for his third touchdown of the night.

He finished the night with 131 yards on just eight carries.

Community got on the board with a 1-yard run by fullback Chris Molder at the 6:15 mark. The two-point try by Molder was successful and the Vikes trailed 42-14.

Stallings engineered the final score with a 34-yard run on a sweep, then completed passes to Zach Haynes and Molder to the 3-yard line.

Molder capped the drive with a 3-yard run over center carrying several defenders along for the ride.

"We let this game get away from us in a three or four minute time frame by making mistakes that can be corrected," Frost said. "But until we start applying the things that we learn on the practice field to game situations, we are not going to show any progress.

"I know that we are still in the developmental stages, but that sounds more and more like just an excuse. We have some kids here that are ready to step up to this level and compete. We just have to get everyone on the same page. Right now we just aren't."

Community has a much-needed bye week before taking on the Moore County junior varsity on Sept. 11 in Unionville at 5.