By JIM RUMBLE

Another dismal season came to a close for the Northgate football team as they were overpowered at Sto Rox last Friday, 51-12.

The Flames, who finished the season 1-8, had some chances early on, but couldn't take advantage as the Vikings pretty much decided the outcome by moving to a 24-0 halftime lead.

"We moved the ball real well all night, we just couldn't finish down at the end, especially early in the game," coach Mike Pipak said afterwards.

Sto Rox got right to work following Northgate's game opening possession as the Vikings moved 82 yards in nine plays, capping the drive with a 10-yard TD pass. Sto Rox ran in the ball on the two-point try to lead 8-0 just short of three minutes into the opening quarter.

The Flames followed with a possession that moved along nicely before ending in a turnover that resulted in the Vikings' next score. Quarterback Jon Girvin threw big completions to Josh Schultheis, Mitch Vacek and Josh Ellis while combining runs of his own with Jon Martin that allowed the Flames to move the ball from their own 32 to reach the Sto Rox 1-yard line.

The Flames lost a yard on first-and-goal before Girvin's pass while rolling right was picked off and returned 98 yards the other way for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. The Vikings were successful with a two-point run to lead 16-0.

"A team like that - you give them a touchdown on offense, it makes it kind of hard," Pipak would say later of the Vikings. "The score could have been 8-8 or 8-6, but we end up behind 16-0. That hurt us right there.”

Sto Rox took advantage of a punt return along with a personal foul penalty against the Flames on the play that would allow the Vikings to start their offense at the Northgate 33. Sto Rox completed the short drive with a 19-yard TD pass and two-point run on the conversion to up the lead to 24-0.

The Flames had a drive late in the second quarter that started at their own 37, but ended in disappointment after reaching the Vikings' 4-yard line.

Northgate finally got on the board with their first possession of the third quarter, as Girvin threw a pass to Mark Wilson, who caught the ball in stride down the left sideline to complete an 81-yard touchdown.

The Flames were not able to run in on the two-point try and trailed 24-6.

Sto Rox scored on their next possession after recovery of a Northgate onside kick and penalty against the Flames gave them possession deep into Flames’ territory. The four-play drive ended with a 6-yard TD run to up the Vikings’ lead to 30-6.

Sto Rox returned a Northgate fumble 20 yards on the ensuing possession for a TD followed by a two-point run on the conversion to lead 38-6.

Sto Rox somehow recovered the kick-off that succeeded, at the Northgate 25, to set up their next score, an 18-yard TD run that put them ahead 44-6 with 3:36 left in the third.

Pat Carr's 15-yard run helped set up Northgate's next score, a 16-yard TD pass from Girvin to Schultheis that had the Flames trailing 44-12 only two plays into the fourth quarter.
Sto Rox added another TD run late in the period to put the final at 51-12.
Girvin finished the night 12-22, passing for 233 yards.