It’s been almost a year since the Vanier Vikings felt the harsh side of sports in a 22-18 loss to the Peacock Tornadoes on Gutheridge Field in the 2010 High School Football City Final.

That loss ended the Vikings hopes at a perfect season and their sixth City Title in school history and they’ve been fighting ever since to get back to that game.

“I think as soon as the season ended for us last year, this is what has been the whole focus for us,” said head coach Doug Panko at practice this week.  “Right from our offseason work to spring camp to returning in August, it’s all been about getting to this game.”

Vanier ran the table through the Moose Jaw High School Football League again in 2011 with a 6-0 record that included a 79-21 beat down of the Swift Current Colts and a 42-3 win over the Estevan Elecs on Semifinal Saturday last weekend to advance to this year’s Title Game.

“It’s great to be back.  It’s what we wanted to do,” added slotback Keegan Arnyek earlier this week.

The Central Cyclones are what stand between the Vikings and their dreams of the City Championship.  Vanier opened the season with a 28-8 win over Central and then ended beat the Cyclones again in their regular season finale 23-14.

While Vanier didn’t face much adversity on their way to the undefeated regular season, they got a big dose of it before last week’s semifinal as their bus didn’t show to take them to field, meaning they had to drive themselves.

Panko says overcoming that was a testament to their character, “It really was a reflection of the kids and how focused they are, it didn’t faze them a bit and they had some smilies and chuckles with it, as we did as coaches.”

He adds that no win has been easy this season, but they stayed focused and haven’t got ahead of themselves all year, “We really do view every game, a week at a time and we’ve got confidence in our players in what they can do.

“We know we’re going to be up against a tough opponent, but I don’t think we let the pressure things get too overbearing.”

The Vikings and Cyclones hit Gutheridge field on Saturday afternoon at 1pm.

 

Marc Smith talks about the Vikings’ City Final game with head coach Doug Panko.

 

SB Keegan Arnyek

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Central Returns To City Finals