Vikings Mash Manchester 51-14
AKRON – Tippecanoe Valley football coach Jeff Shriver knew it was just a matter of time before his talented offense put together a breakout game.
That explosive eruption by the Vikings happened Friday night.
The hosts lit up the scoreboard to the tune of a 51-14 mashing of winless Manchester in a Three Rivers Conference contest.
The Vikings, who improve to 2-1 with their second straight win, piled up 401 yards of total offense in the league opener. Valley, which had scored a total of 43 points in its first two games, topped the 50-point mark three times last year.
Standout junior quarterback Ben Shriver, who has been playing with torn cartilage in his ribs suffered in a season-opening 27-22 home loss to CMA, was 11-17 for 245 yards Friday night.
Justin Gunter had a big night for the Vikings with a 13-yard touchdown run and a 75-yard kickoff return for a score.
The Vikings, who won 42-14 at Manchester last year, led 25-6 at halftime. The hosts added four touchdowns in the final half, including three in the final quarter.
Chris Torpy led the Viking ground game with eight carries for 69 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown run. Tanner Andrews, who set a school record in 2011 with 32 receptions for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns, caught a 69-yard scoring strike from Shriver in the rout.
The Vikings also got touchdown runs from Nolan Sponseller, Dan Miller, Brandon Murphy and Jacob Ritchey.
Valley (2-1, 1-0), which shared the TRC championship with Rochester in 2011, plays at winless Southwood next Friday in another conference contest.